Sigma Super-Wide 24mm f/2.8, An Album Page

Album images with the Sigma Super-Wide 24mm f/2.8, mounted on an Olympus PEN E-P5, at an equivalent focal length of 48mm.

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The Sigma Super-Wide 24mm f/2.8, first seen in 1981, followed by the Super-Wide II in 1988 with both manual and autofocus variants, designed as budget-friendly wide-angle primes, are prized for their exceptional close-focusing 'macro' capability and compact metal-and-glass construction.

Both versions focus down to 0.18 meters, with the Mark II having 8-elements in 7 groups with 6 rounded iris blades, multi-coated optics, a length of about 60mm depending on the mount, and weighing around 195-238 grams.

The Super-Wide, when it was launched, was made available with Canon FD, Contax/Yashica, Fujica X, Konica AR, Minolta SR, Nikon F, Olympus OM, Pentax K, Rollei QBM, and M42 mounts.

I had the FD-mount version of the lens, fitted to the Olympus PEN E-P5 with an aftermarket no-glass FD-MFT lens adapter, which took me a few units to find one with just the right fit. A couple of other similar units I bought earlier were just loose and wobbly at both ends when the lens was fitted and mounted. With the lens mount locking system set to 'Open,' aperture adjustment of the lens was flawless. Image capture is further accentuated with the E-P5's peak focusing function.

On the 2x crop sensor E-P5, the Super-Wide 24mm f/2.8 is equivalent to a 48mm standard normal prime, a very versatile focal length, capturing images with natural perspective as the eye sees it. The lens is equally adept and well-suited for portraits, street photography, and low-light photography and portraits due to its wide aperture and compact size. The ability to use the lens for shallow depth of field and pleasing bokeh shots also makes the lens a great choice for creative photography.

Album Images

Though not absolutely recognized for its optical performance for a lens typical of late-1980s designs, the Super-Wide 24mm f/2.8 was still top-notch when it came to close focusing, a bright aperture, and a solid build at a very affordable price. The lens enjoys a rating of Sharpness (7.5), Aberrations (8.0), Bokeh (8.0), Handling (8.0), and Value (9.50) on PentaxForums.

Olympus PEN E-P5, Sigma Super-Wide 24mm f/2.8

The Olympus PEN E-P5, a mirrorless interchangeable-lens MFT (Micro Four Thirds) digital camera, released in October 2013, features a 16.1MP Live MOS sensor (the same as found on the Olympus OM-D E-M5), 5-axis image stabilization with panning detection, a fast maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 second, and a burst rate of 9 frames per second (5 fps with continuous autofocus). The camera, with focus peaking for manual focus assistance and an intervalometer for time-lapse shooting, is acknowledged for its solid, retro-inspired build quality with metal construction and excellent ergonomics.