Sigma Contemporary 30mm f/1.4 DC DN 30mm

Sigma Contemporary 30mm f/1.4 DC DN 30mm

Sigma
83 Overall Score
vs
Nikon NIKKOR 2211 18-55mm

Nikon NIKKOR 2211 18-55mm

Nikon
80 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Sigma Contemporary 30mm f/1.4 DC DN 30mm

82 out of 100 high confidence 245 reviews

The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, fast f/1.4 aperture, and beautiful bokeh, making it a favorite for low-light and portrait photography on APS-C cameras. Users consistently highlight its solid build quality and excellent value for money. However, some reviewers report inconsistent autofocus, particularly at longer distances, and occasional chromatic aberration or vignetting wide open. A few copies have exhibited noisy or unreliable AF motors, especially in video mode.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Fast f/1.4 aperture
  • Beautiful bokeh
  • Solid build quality
  • Excellent value for money
Cons
  • Inconsistent autofocus at distance
  • Chromatic aberration wide open
  • Vignetting wide open
  • Noisy AF motor in some copies
  • Soft corners at f/1.4
👍 Image quality 45
🤔 Autofocus performance 30
👍 Build quality 28
👍 Low light performance 25
👍 Value for money 22
👍 Bokeh 18

Nikon NIKKOR 2211 18-55mm

92 out of 100 medium confidence 12 reviews

This Nikon 18-55mm VR II lens is widely praised as an excellent value kit lens replacement. Users highlight its sharpness, compact size, light weight, and improved close-focus ability over older versions. A few note minor quirks like the lock mechanism and potential shadow from the on-camera flash, but overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.

Pros
  • Excellent value for money
  • Sharp image quality
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Improved close focus ability
  • Effective vibration reduction
Cons
  • Lock mechanism can confuse new users
  • On-camera flash shadow at close focus
  • Plastic mount feels less durable
  • Slower autofocus than pro lenses
  • No weather sealing
👍 Value for money 8
👍 Image quality 6
👍 Size and weight 5
👍 Close focus ability 4
👍 Vibration reduction 3
🤔 Build quality 3

Scores

Portrait
Sigma
90
Nikon
59
Street
Sigma
90
Nikon
67
Video Cinema
Sigma
85
Nikon
58
Professional
Sigma
84
Nikon
53
Travel
Sigma
80
Nikon
72
Macro
Sigma
76
Nikon
76
Budget
Sigma
75
Nikon
68
Landscape
Sigma
65
Nikon
57
Wildlife Sports
Sigma
63
Nikon
54

Specifications

Sigma Contemporary 30mm f/1.4 DC DN 30mmNikon NIKKOR 2211 18-55mm
Optics
Typeprimezoom
Focal Length Min30 mm18 mm
Focal Length Max30 mm55 mm
Elements9—
Groups7—
Aspherical Elements2★—
ED Elements5★2
CoatingSuper Multi-Layer Coating—
Aperture
Max Aperturef/1.4f/5.6
Min Aperturef/1.43.5-5.6
Constant✓★✗
Diaphragm Blades9★—
Build
MountNikon FNikon F
FormatAPS-CAPS-C
Weather Sealed✓★—
Weight0.27 kg0.20 kg★
Filter Thread52 mm—
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeHSMAF-S
Stabilization✗✓★
Stabilization Stops—4 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance300 mm55 mm★
Max Magnification1:7.14★—

Pros & Cons

Sigma Contemporary 30mm f/1.4 DC DN 30mm

  • Strong aperture (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong social proof (94th percentile)94th %ile
  • Strong build (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Nikon NIKKOR 2211 18-55mm

  • Strong macro (95th percentile)95th %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong social proof (86th percentile)86th %ile

Pricing

Sigma Contemporary 30mm f/1.4 DC DN 30mm

Nikon NIKKOR 2211 18-55mm

No current pricing available

Verdict

═ Tie

Both products are closely matched - Sigma Contemporary 30mm f/1.4 DC DN 30mm wins 6 specs while Nikon NIKKOR 2211 18-55mm wins 4.

Sigma Contemporary 30mm f/1.4 DC DN 30mm Better at:

BudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

Also Consider