The Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM is a solid option for APS-C photographers who want a standard-angle prime with an f/1.4 aperture, but it's a little pricey compared with f/1.8 lenses.

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  Compact. Opens to f/1.4. Very sharp when stopped down. 0.3-meter close focus. Sturdy build.

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  Some edge softness at wide apertures. Modest barrel distortion. Lacks optical stabilization. Pricey.

Over the course of the past several pages, we've taken an in-depth look at the optical and mechanical performance of this compelling fast normal prime lens from Sigma.

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  Fast F1.4 maximum aperture, Convenient focal length on APS-C, Beautiful bokeh, Excellent center sharpness, Compact and easy to hold, Minimal vignetting at F2 and above, Resistant to flare and ghosting, 4-year warranty (USA), Very affordable

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  More distortion that we'd like to see in a premium prime, Purple fringing near edges/corners, Low contrast wide-open, Somewhat heavy given its size, Average corner sharpness, Not weather-sealed, Sluggish autofocus

I may complete a full Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art Lens review in the future, but please use the standardized test results currently available for this lens.

Handling and features This standard lens for APS-C format cameras sports a fast f/1.4 maximum aperture and silent rear focusing with full time manual override. It is available to fit Canon, Nikon and Sigma cameras and costs around £260.

I am mostly a hobbyist, and this lens fit everything that I had wanted as my first lens purchase on my Panasonic G7.I take an equal amount of stills as I do videos, and the lens is super sharp on both, the image quality is amazing.

I've only been using this for around a week, but I totally love this lens. It's the sharpest tool in my box. The CA is pretty bad below 2.0, but like everyone else says; one click from LR and it's gone. The subject can be very tiny in my picture, but will crop out to a crazy sharp usable image.

First let me say that I am a photography enthusiast, and that I am still improving my skills. I invested in a Canon T3i body about a year ago. I first bought the Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 zoom lens.