Sigma Brings Affordable APS-C Contemporary Lens Trio to Nikon Z

The Sigma APS-C Contemporary trio is a set of three lenses with F1.4 apertures, relatively slim barrels, and obtainable price points. The 16mm, 30mm, and 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary have proven their worth with other camera systems, and they’re now coming to Nikon Z cameras.

Autofocus Third Party for Nikon Z

It’s big news for photogs who picked up a DX-sensor Nikon Z 30, Z 50, or Z fc. To date, the number of made-for-APS lenses for the system is limited to a couple of starter zooms, and third-party lens support just hasn’t been there. Tamron released its 70-300mm full-frame zoom for the system, but that’s been it.

So the Sigma primes are good news for DX Z owners, or those mulling picking up the good-looking Z fc. Nikon has yet to release any F1.4 primes for Z cameras after all, so photogs have been forced to pick between beefier full-frame Nikkor Z S Line F1.8 or budget-minded options like the slim Nikkor Z 28mm F2.8.

Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary
(Credit: Sigma)

Each lens is built with F1.4 optics and APS-C sensor coverage. The 16mm slots in as a wide standard prime, while the 30mm covers a narrower standard angle, and the 56mm enjoys a tight view for portraiture. Each is capable of blurring backgrounds and includes dust and splash protection at the lens mount.

As for pricing and availability, Sigma hasn’t yet released details. However we do know the prices for the lenses in other systems: the 16mm F1.4 DG DN Contemporary costs $449, the 30mm F1.4 comes in at $339, and the 56mm F1.4 is $479. We expect pricing for the Z editions to match up.

Signs of Things to Come?

Having more third-party options in the Z library is good news for photographers who’ve picked up a Nikon mirrorless camera. Nikon hasn’t been as aggressive at rolling out new lenses for its cameras, and puts the vast majority of its development effort into full-frame lenses. It’s only made two DX lenses so far, the Z 16-50mm and 50-250mm zooms, so Sigma has already bettered Nikon’s numbers there.

Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary
(Credit: Sigma)

It may be telling that these three lenses, in particular, are the first to come out. They’ve been in market for a few years now, first for Sony and Micro Four Thirds bodies in 2016. By leaning on existing designs, Sigma is able to test the Nikon Z market waters with relatively little development effort.

We’ll have to wait and see if Sigma follows with any of its full-frame lenses. We hope so, as the Z system would certainly benefit from the addition of Sigma’s generally excellent Art, Contemporary, and Sports lenses with full-frame coverage.

It’s also worth a mention that today’s announcement leaves Canon RF out in the cold as the last major camera system without major third-party support. However, reports indicate that Canon isn’t letting third parties make autofocus lenses for the system, citing patent infringement(Opens in a new window) as the raison d’etre.

Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary
(Credit: Sigma)

If you’re a Nikon Z owner interested in the new lenses, be sure to check out our reviews of the Sony E versions. We’ve tested each and found them to be great value performers, with the 16mm F1.4 and 56mm F1.4 earning Editors’ Choice marks. The 30mm F1.4 didn’t get an award, but did earn an excellent rating.