Vincent F. Tsai kindly gave me permission to republish this photograph of his, taken with a Panasonic G5 and the Sigma 60mm ƒ/2.8 DN lens (the link is to the Micro 4/3 version). It was published at 4/3 Rumors, where I saw it. It's been screen-grabbed and the TypePad interface isn't always perfectly kind to the technical subtleties of photographs, but I think you can at least get a sense from this shot why I like the visual properties of the Sigma lens. It's very sharp, but it's not what Arthur Kramer used to call "hard-sharp"; it has a gentleness to its in-focus rendering. As for the bokeh, it can be nearly ideal to my eye...in this shot, the sunlit branches in the foreground are just the sort of subject that gives the out-of-focus rendering of most lenses such fits; that it doesn't ruin this shot speaks well of the Sigma 60mm's way with o-o-f.
Not a flashy lens, but that's not what you want for portraits. It reminds me in spirit of the old Nikkor Series E 75–150mm ƒ/3.5 zoom, which was marketed as a budget zoom for beginners, but which became a cult favorite of top fashion photographers because of its clear but uniquely smooth and gentle rendering.
Unlike many lenses, online samples will give you a fair idea of what there is to like about this lens. I'd encourage you to investigate more samples if you find yourself interested. That it costs only $209 is a bonus.
Mike
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'The day, water, sun, moon, night—I do not have to purchase
these things with money.' —Plautus
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