SIGMA has announced the new 17-40mm F1.8 DC Art, a zoom lens designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras. It is available for L-Mount, Sony E-mount, Canon RF Mount, and FUJIFILM X Mount systems.
17-40mm F1.8 DC Art 
18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art
The lens builds on the 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art for DSLRs, which, when it was released way back in 2013, was the world’s first F1.8 zoom. The new 17-40mm is claimed to deliver a wider focal range, improved optical performance, all with a 30% reduction in weight. An aperture ring (control ring for Canon RF), an HLA motor, and internal focus/zoom make this lens a good choice for both stills and video.
Key features
- HLA (High-response Linear Actuator)
- Inner zoom
- Water- and oil-repellent coating
- Aperture ring
- Aperture ring click switch
- Aperture ring lock switch
- AFL button (2 locations)
- Focus Mode switch
- Dust- and splash-resistant structure
- Mount Conversion Service is available
- Support for switching between linear and non-linear focus ring settings (for L-Mount only)
- Compatible with Sigma USB Dock UD- (sold separately / for L-Mount only)
- Every single lens undergoes Sigma’s proprietary MTF measuring system
The optical design consists of 17 elements in 11 groups (4 SLD, 4 aspherical elements), and it includes the use of high-precision aspherical lenses to achieve excellent optical performance. There are 11 aperture blades. By emphasizing the correction of axial chromatic aberration and sagittal coma flare, the lens achieves high resolution even when used wide open. The lens was designed to minimize flare and ghosting by using Sigma’s Super Multi-Layer Coating, ensuring that the lens renders high-contrast results in all conditions.
The lens employs an inner zoom mechanism, so the overall length of the lens remains constant when the focal length or focus distance changes.
The focus breathing is suppressed, minimizing changes in the angle of view caused by focus shift. The lens is equipped with an aperture ring for control of the aperture. When shooting video, users can turn off the click switch for smooth, quiet aperture control. It also has an aperture ring lock switch to prevent accidental changes to the aperture during shooting. It is important to note that the Canon RF Mount version has a control ring instead of an aperture ring. It does not have an aperture ring, click switch, or lock switch.
The 17-40mm F1.8 DC Art is over 30% lighter than the 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art, and it has a filter diameter of 67mm.
In addition to a dust- and splash-resistant structure, the frontmost surface of the lens has a water- and oil-repellent coating applied, so that the lens can be used safely even in harsh outdoor environments.
The lens is equipped with two AFL buttons that can be assigned to any function from the camera menu. By placing them on the side and top, users can easily operate the buttons in either landscape or portrait positioning.
Price & Availability
The SIGMA 17-40mm F1.8 DC Art is available to pre-order for $919 USD.
