The Sigma EX DG 12-24mm HSM F4.5-5.6 lens is like an invitation to explore the world in a new way, and taking it out for a sunset shoot at Ladle Hill with my Canon EOS 5DS R was an experience that truly highlighted its unique capabilities and quirks.
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Let’s Start with the Obvious: This Lens is Wide
This lens is wide. Really wide. At 12mm, it feels like you’re taking in the entire landscape in one sweeping gaze. As I stood at the top of Ladle Hill, watching the sun dip below the horizon, the Sigma lens transformed the scene into a grand panorama. Every subtle curve of the rolling hills, every whispering breeze in the grass, and even the clouds, stretched and danced across the frame with a sense of depth and scale that I haven’t experienced with other lenses. The expansive field of view gives your photos a sense of space and drama that is almost surreal. This is a personal lens review.
The Sigma 12-24mm is not without its Quirks
However, the Sigma 12-24mm is not without its quirks. The distortion at 12mm is noticeable, especially along the edges of the frame. While it adds a certain creative flair to some shots, especially with natural landscapes where the curvature can enhance the feeling of vastness, it can be a bit of a challenge if you’re aiming for perfectly straight lines, like in architectural shots. I found myself embracing the distortion, though, allowing it to guide the viewer’s eye towards the central elements of the scene—the soft, glowing sun and the fading colours in the sky.
Lens Performance
One of the things that stood out to me during the shoot was the lens’s performance in handling light. Sunset is always a tricky time for any lens, with its blend of deep shadows and intense highlights. The Sigma 12-24mm managed to capture the scene with impressive clarity. The lens did well to control flare, even when I deliberately positioned the sun near the edge of the frame. The colours were rendered beautifully, with the warm hues of the sunset coming through with rich vibrancy. There’s a slight softness at the edges, which I noticed more when pixel-peeping the 50.6-megapixel images from the 5DS R, but it’s nothing that detracts from the overall impact of the photo.
Sigma EX DG 12-24mm HSM Build Quality
Another highlight is the lens’s build quality. It’s solid and has a reassuring heft, which is both a blessing and a curse when hiking to a location like Ladle Hill. The construction feels robust, but it’s not the lightest lens to carry around, especially for longer treks. The HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) autofocus was quiet and reasonably quick, though in the low light of the sunset, I found myself relying more on manual focus, which was smooth and responsive.
Conclusion
In terms of versatility, the Sigma 12-24mm is somewhat specialized. It’s not a lens I’d pick for general-purpose shooting, but for landscapes, architecture, or any situation where you want to capture as much of the scene as possible, it’s a fantastic tool. Watching the sunset from Ladle Hill, this lens allowed me to encapsulate the vastness of the moment, turning an already beautiful experience into a series of images that feel as expansive and open as the hilltop itself.
If you’re a landscape photographer, or if you simply love the challenge of working with extreme wide angles, the Sigma EX DG 12-24mm HSM is a lens that can inspire creativity and help you see the world from a broader perspective—quite literally. Just be prepared to embrace its quirks and the unique character it brings to your photos.
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