Ultra-Fast Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art Is Smaller, Lighter, and Sharper

Sep 09, 2025

Jeremy Gray

A black Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art camera lens is shown on a plain white background, displaying its large front glass element, focus and aperture rings, and lens markings.

Sigma’s new and improved 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art lens sports a new name, smaller design, faster autofocus, and better image quality.

The new 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art succeeds the 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art released in 2019, and follows the super-fast 50mm f/1.2 DG DN Art prime Sigma launched last year, which PetaPixel cited as evidence that Sigma has “mastered lens making.”

Much like Sigma showed with the 50mm f/1.2 Art lens, the new 35mm can deliver an ultra-fast lens that maintains a compact, lightweight form factor. Compared to its predecessor, the 35mm f/1.2 DG II Art is approximately 20% shorter, 30% lighter, and moves from a large 82mm filter thread to a smaller 72mm. The lens is 111.4 millimeters (4.4 inches) long and has a maximum diameter of 81 millimeters (3.2 inches). The 35mm f/1.2 DG II weighs 755 grams (26.6 ounces).

Built in Aizu, Japan, from aluminum, Thermally Stable Composite (TSC), and “other materials,” the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 II lens meets the Art line’s rigorous standards and includes a dust- and splash-resistant construction. The lens has a petal-type hood, a customizable AFL button, and a de-clickable aperture control ring.

A Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art camera lens, shown upright against a white background, displaying its focus ring, aperture ring, and lens mount with clear labeling and details.

In addition to being smaller, the new lens also promises improved image quality. Sigma says the lens is exceptionally sharp, even at its wide-open f/1.2 aperture.

“In designing the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG II | Art, Sigma paid special attention to correcting the various optical aberrations that affect image quality. Thanks to these meticulous efforts, the lens delivers brilliant sharpness of the in-focus plane and beautiful bokeh that suppresses color bleeding and double line bokeh,” Sigma explains. “Photographers will appreciate the rich, expressive rendering qualities and the beautiful interplay between the in-focus and out-of-focus areas, especially when shooting wide open at f/1.2.”

A black camera lens with a lens hood attached, featuring textured focus and zoom rings, control switches for AF/MF and focus mode, and an AFL button on the side. The lens is viewed from the side.

Side view of a black Sigma camera lens with a large, ribbed zoom ring, built-in lens hood, and aperture scale markings visible near the mount.

The lens features 17 elements arranged across 13 groups, including one SLD element and four aspherical elements. The lens features an 11-bladed circular aperture diaphragm, promising soft bokeh. Sigma has also paid close attention to suppressing focus breathing, making the lens suitable for professional video use.

A black Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art lens with a lens hood, shown mounted on a Sigma USB Dock for calibration and firmware updates, against a plain white background.

A top view of a Sony camera with a mounted Sigma 15mm f/1.2 DG DN Art lens, showing the camera's controls and dials and the lens’s focus and aperture rings.

Sigma promises improved autofocus performance and speed thanks to dual HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) motors. The lens features two focus groups, and each has a dedicated HLA motor. Sigma says this approach is lighter than competing options and delivers fast, quiet, and accurate focusing. The lens can focus as close as 28 centimeters (11.1 inches), resulting in a 1:5.3 maximum magnification ratio.

Below are some sample photos captured with the lens, provided courtesy of Sigma: