Gear


Nikon APS-C Mirrorless Gets Affordable Lens 0ptions

February 24, 2023

By Hillary K. Grigonis

Nikon’s crop sensor mirrorless will soon have more affordable lens options—thanks to three new third-party lens options from Sigma. On Feb. 22, Sigma announced that three of its existing prime lenses will soon be available for the Nikon Z mount. The Sigma glass that’s first slated for the Z mount system includes the Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary, 30mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary, and the 56mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary. All three lenses are designed for APS-C sensor cameras—and if the existing E-Mount variations of the lenses are any indications, all three of the lenses should come in at under $500.

Nikon’s crop sensor Z line is younger than the full frame options like the Z6 II, Z7 II, and Z9. As a younger system, cameras like the Nikon Z50 have fewer lens choices that match the lower price of Nikon’s APS-C bodies. While Z-Mount full-frame lenses are still compatible with the entry-level bodies, they tend to be significantly more expensive than Nikon’s few crop sensor lenses. The introduction of additional third-party lenses for under $500 could be a major win for photographers using these Z Mount crop sensor bodies. Besides the price point, the bright apertures could also deliver more light gathering power to the smaller sensors.

[Read: Sigma’s 50mm F/1.4 DG DN Art Full Frame Mirrorless Lens]

All three lenses are part of Sigma’s Contemporary line-up, a series of lenses that balance quality and performance with a compact design—with all three lenses weighing under a pound. The series is designed with a stepping motor autofocus, digital distortion correction, and some weather-sealing at the mount. If the upcoming lenses are priced the same as existing variations, the three lenses will range in price from about $299 to $480.

Earlier this month, Nikon Rumors suggested that Nikon wouldn’t license third-party lenses that directly competed with its own Z Mount optics. Tamron already has a few Nikon Z mount lenses, but the list doesn’t have any autofocus lenses with the same exact focal lengths. Was the rumor wrong—or do the new optics just not compete with Nikon’s current line-up? The latter is likely the answer, as Nikon’s lens line-up includes few optics made specifically for its crop-sensor cameras. None of the three upcoming Sigma lenses have the same focal length as existing Nikon Z mount primes. The closest similar Nikon optics are the Z 20mm f/1.8 S, Z 35mm f/1.8 S, and the Z 50mm f/1.2 S. All those are full-frame optics, which are still compatible with crop sensor bodies, but tend to be pricier than APS-C lenses.

[Read: 5 Powerhouse Lenses for Mirrorless & DSLR]

Notably, the upcoming Sigma 16mm f/1.4 has both a wider view and wider aperture than Nikon’s current list of Z Mount primes. The Sigma 30mm similarly is a little wider and brighter than the most similar Nikon glass. Because of the crop factor on APS-C cameras, that wider focal length could be a big draw. The 56mm, on the flip side, is a bit longer than a 50mm but still brighter than Nikon’s f/1.8 and more affordable than the f/1.2.

There’s yet to be a ship date announced for the Z mount variation of the three lens options from Sigma. Stay tuned.