Sigma Contemporary 24mm F3.5 DG 24mm

A tiny 24mm prime that secretly moonlights as a macro lens. Sharp, sealed, and stupidly light, just don't expect f/1.4 speed.

The macro performance is the real surprise. This thing hits the 92nd percentile for macro in our database, which is wild for a wide-angle prime. The 108mm minimum focus distance means you can get stupidly close to your subject, and the 1:2 magnification lets you fill the frame with things most 24mm lenses can't even dream of. Autofocus is quick and quiet thanks to the stepping motor, landing in the 86th percentile. The f/3.5 max aperture isn't going to blow anyone's mind for low light, but it's sharp wide open and the bokeh is decent for a lens this wide. No stabilization, which is a bummer, but at 24mm you can handhold pretty slow shutter speeds anyway.

The obvious competitor is the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS, which gives you way more focal range and stabilization but can't touch the Sigma's macro ability or build quality. The Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4 is faster and wider, but it's APS-C only and much bigger. If you want a full-frame 24mm with this kind of close-up performance, the Sigma is basically alone in its class. The Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 is a zoom with a faster aperture, but it's heavier, pricier, and doesn't do macro. Pick the Sigma if you want a tiny, sharp, weather-sealed prime that doubles as a macro lens.

Pricing is all over the place right now. In the US, you're looking at USD 430 to USD 619 depending on the vendor, and that's a huge spread for the same lens. Newegg has the best deal at the low end, so don't pay more than you have to. In Canada, the range is CAD 846 to CAD 932, again with Newegg at the bottom. For a lens this sharp with true macro chops, the low end of that range is a steal. At the high end, you're paying too much for what you get.

The Sigma 24mm f/3.5 DG DN Contemporary is one of those lenses that makes you rethink what you actually need in your bag. It's tiny, it's sharp, and it's built like a little tank. The headline here is the 1:2 maximum magnification, which is rare for a 24mm prime and turns this into a sneaky good close-up lens for flowers, details, and everyday weirdness. At 230g, you'll forget it's on your camera until you see the photos.

If you need a fast aperture for astro, events, or shallow depth of field portraits, this isn't your lens. Go grab a 24mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 instead. If you want one lens for travel that covers everything from wide to telephoto, the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is the more practical choice despite its slower aperture.

Buy it if you want a compact 24mm that punches way above its weight for close-up work. The f/3.5 aperture is the only real compromise, and for landscape, street, and detail shooting in decent light, it's a non-issue. This is the lens you throw in your bag when you don't want to think about which lens to bring.