Quick take: Sigma loaned me the 12mm F1.4 for Fujifilm X-mount, and it's the lens I've been most excited about in years. It's a fast, weather-sealed ultra-wide (18mm full-frame equivalent) with an aperture ring, a 62mm filter thread, quiet autofocus, exceptional color and great flare control. These are my first impressions after one day. For my verdict after five weeks, read my full Sigma 12mm F1.4 review.
Fujifilm's Missing Fast Wide Prime
For some reason, Fujifilm has refused to make a fast ultra-wide prime. For years, your options with usable autofocus were:
The 16mm F1.4 and later the 18mm F1.4. The 18mm fixed the autofocus issues, but these are standard wides (24mm and 27mm equivalent), so on a desk or car dashboard, people just see your face up close.
The 10-24mm F4 (Mark I or II). Excellent lenses, but slow at a constant F4.
The 8-16mm F2.8. Enormous, and a pain to use with ND filters for talking heads.
The 8mm F3.5. Really cool perspective, but it can look like a high-quality action cam.
I eventually settled on the excellent Sigma 10-18mm F2.8, but that might be changing very soon.
First Look
The lens arrived right before the weekend, so I took it to Grounds For Sculpture in New Jersey to scout for upcoming shoots before trying it as a talking-head lens. When Sigma first announced the 12mm F1.4 alongside the 17-40mm F1.8, this was the one I was most excited about. It was delayed, and having shot the 18-35mm for years, I had to get the 17-40 first.
First Impressions
Build quality is the best I've seen in Sigma's Contemporary line. Fuji shooters will immediately notice the aperture ring, something most third-party lenses skip because other brands don't use them. It feels like it was made with us in mind, though it also comes in Sony E-mount and Canon RF-S.
It has a standard petal hood and a 62mm filter thread, which means cheaper ND filters for video. You'll want a 1-5 and a 6-10 stop variable ND, because this lens lets in a ton of light, with beautiful blurry backgrounds.
Weather Sealing
The 12mm is fully weather sealed (really weather resistant, so don't dunk it). Some smaller Sigma lenses, like the 18-50mm F2.8, only have a mount gasket. This one is sealed throughout, and the front element has a water- and oil-repellent coating. At this size, weight, speed and price, you won't find many weather-sealed lenses.
The Sigma Standard
I hold Sigma to a high standard. My first big lens purchase was a Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 Sport for Canon EF, and I still adapt it to my Fujifilm cameras today. Sigma has its own cameras, is part of the L-Mount Alliance, makes the amazing BF, and knows how to make lenses. So while I cut other brands slack, I compare Sigma to first-party lenses. The 12mm F1.4 lives up to that.
I tested ISO 3200 on the X-M5 at dusk, and it held up okay.
Vlog and Autofocus Test
At 12mm, focusing isn't hard, so the lens uses stepping motors instead of linear motors. They're quiet and accurate. The lens is really at the mercy of Fujifilm's autofocus algorithms, and I suspect the Sony and Canon versions will be close to perfect. Fuji's autofocus isn't bad, but more modern algorithms would help it win more market share.
The closest competitor is the Viltrox 13mm F1.4. It's cheaper, but it's almost twice the weight, not weather sealed and much longer. Because the front element sits further out, its 13mm framing is noticeably tighter than the Sigma's 12mm when mounted in the same spot.
Color and Stabilization
Color rendition is exceptional, and it's a perfect gimbal lens. The X-M5 has no IBIS (only digital stabilization), and the lens isn't stabilized, so use a tripod or a small gimbal like the DJI RS4 Mini, or mount it on an IBIS body like the X-H2S, X-H2 or X-S20. On the X-H2S, I saw none of the corner wobble you sometimes get with IBIS and wide lenses.
Flaring and Ghosting
Flare was a concern on a wide-angle lens, but all the flaring I caught looked really good. I didn't get any ghosting, and even blasted with midday sun, the image held its contrast and color. Sigma didn't cheap out on the coatings.
Final Thoughts
Fuji shooters usually get the same focal lengths over and over. Sigma's one-two punch of the 17-40mm F1.8 and the 12mm F1.4 finally gives us something different in a lineup that has felt stagnant since the 50mm F1 in 2020. I'm carrying it daily, mostly on the X-M5, for my full review.
Keep Reading
The Best Ultrawide Lens for Fujifilm Cameras: Sigma 12mm F1.4 Review
I Shot the 50-140 for 8 Years. Can This Tiny Sigma Replace It?
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