As a pet photographer, I deal with super wiggly, active clients who sometimes like to lick. Portable, durable gear is a total must. But, I also need lenses that can help me produce those wow-factor images to win over the humans. That’s why the new SIGMA I series lenses are perfect for my pet photography business.
Let me first say that, in my opinion, the most personal and impactful decision a photographer can make is what glass they use — because the lens will impact most everything about a photograph. The lens also impacts the photographer’s experience and helps define her style and workflow. So, when I heard about the new SIGMA I series lenses, I was hesitant, because my camera bag was already full of SIGMA lenses that I couldn’t possibly love more. I decided to try just a couple to see if they would live up the hype. Yep. They did.
The SIGMA I series lenses give me the same gorgeous image quality as my other SIGMA lenses, but in a much more compact size. Mind. Blown.
I’ve been pursuing pet photography as a career for more than 11 years, and I photograph everything from canine portraits to animal sports and events. That’s a lot of animals in front of my camera! I know what makes a great lens for photographing pets, and the SIGMA I series lenses offer everything I could need and more.
What I love about my new SIGMA I series lenses:
Portability
SIGMA’s new I series lenses are brilliantly compact and portable without sacrificing on quality. They offer all-metal construction and are small, fast, high-quality, and pretty snazzy in appearance, if I do say so myself!
The full I series lineup includes the SIGMA 24mm F3.5 DG DN | C, the SIGMA 35mm F2 DG DN | C, the SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN | C, and the SIGMA 65mm F2 DG DN | C. I have the 35mm (my favorite focal length!) and the 65mm, which gives me a bit more reach. Paired with my Sony a7r IV and Sony a7r III cameras, these small but mighty lenses have earned a space in my camera bag and are becoming go-to lenses for my pet photography business.
Quality
The I series lenses offer edge-to-edge sharpness, meaning that subjects placed in the corners are as beautifully sharp as those that are centered! These lenses will save you time in editing – not having to artificially sharpen any of my images is a tremendous perk.
Wide apertures
Another big perk of the SIGMA 35mm F2 DG DN | C and SIGMA 65mm F2 DG DN | C is that they are both F2 lenses. I am a photographer who shoots primarily with shallow depth of field and drools over creamy bokeh, something that can only be possible with wide f-stops. Shallow depth of field allows a beautiful separation between the subject and the background and ensures that attention is not taken away from the main point of the photograph. Shallow depths of field are great to use when the background is less than ideal and distracts from your subject – I don’t always get to choose where my photo shoots take place, and some locations aren’t as picturesque as others. I love that these two lenses give me wide F2 apertures while also being so compact. Win-win!
Solid build
As much as we focus on the image quality a lens can produce, the build of the lens is equally important. The SIGMA I series lenses are exceptional in this regard. They offer a sturdy and solid build, dust and splash-proof brass lens mount, and a durability that is necessary when working with animals!
Clever design
As an unusual (but effective) bonus… These lenses also have a magnetic lens cap. I hadn’t even considered such a thing before, and it was the little satisfying clink I had been missing in my photographer life! I am in love! Instead of doing the usual pinch and release, the magnetic cap made this lens quicker to the draw for spontaneous images. Not sure how I could ever not have this little feature in my life!
The SIGMA 65mm F2 DG DN | C is the perfect companion.
I think 65mm is one of those focal lengths that flies under the radar for many photographers, often living in the shadows of the 70mm or 85mm lengths. Even when using the commonly beloved 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, I find myself at 65mm without even realizing it. Being presented with a fixed 65mm brought me to the realization that I’ve been using this focal length all this time for a large variety of reasons.
The native communication between the SIGMA 65mm lens and my Sony camera is in perfect harmony. This truly is a make or break situation. The two speak the same language, which equals extremely fast and accurate autofocus. Both are paramount to successful animal photography!
To me, the greatest beauty of the SIGMA 65mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary is that it truly is a wonderful companion. You want a lens that becomes a reliable friend to count on when the right image comes about. This nifty 65mm can so easily ride along in a bag with me or sit on the edge of my desk, ready to capture any moment with ease — and knowing its sharpness and accuracy, I can spend more time focusing on photographing and less on being concerned as to whether that moment will actually be well documented with the gear within my reach.
Specs
The SIGMA 65mm F2 DG DN | C lens is a compact telephoto prime lens that features—
- High-performance optics, including 12 elements in 9 groups.
- Aberration correction and ultra-sharp details due to 1 SLD glass and 2 aspherical lenses.
- Durable, all-metal construction.
- Dust proof and splash proof mount.
- Magnetic lens cap and metal lens hood.
- Minimum aperture of F22.
- Filter size of 62mm.
- Weighs only 14.3 ounces.
- $699
The SIGMA 35mm F2 DG DN | C is tiny and convenient.
A companion to my SIGMA 65mm F2 DG DN | C is the 35mm F2 DG DN | C. Same aperture, same settings, so switching focal perspective is as easy as can be!
Even smaller than the 65mm, my mirrorless camera certainly weighs more than this lens – something I never thought I’d experience! Each image is crisp and detailed. And the lens provides beautiful native communication with the camera’s focusing system, ensuring you get all the fancy AF features you paid for.
I use the SIGMA 35mm F2 DG DN | C when traversing complex terrain or shooting in a more casual setting. The tiny size is just so convenient! I often shoot in locations where I don’t have the luxury of space so I’ll reach for my 35mm lens.
My new SIGMA I series lenses weigh less than my mirrorless camera! This makes carrying them on super active pet photography shoots a breeze.
Specs
The SIGMA 35mm F2 DG DN | C lens is a portable wide prime lens that features—
- High-performance optics, including 10 elements in 9 groups.
- Aberration correction and ultra-sharp details due to 1 SLD glass and 3 aspherical lenses.
- Durable, all-metal construction.
- Dust proof and splash proof mount.
- Magnetic lens cap and metal lens hood.
- Minimum aperture of F22.
- Filter size of 58mm.
- Weighs only 11.5 ounces.
- $639
What else lives in my camera bag?
1. Lens filters. Animal noses love to go where they don’t belong – like the very front of my lens! Having a filter on your lens is a great way of making sure the glass remains safe from curious critters. In addition, if something happens to your lens while shooting, it is better for the filter to crack than the lens glass itself. If I’m capturing wide apertures, such as an f/1.2, during a bright noon sun, I use an ND (neutral density) filter to limit the light that hits my lens and prevent overexposure.
2. Knee pads. Yep. Believe me when I tell you that figuring this nifty trick out as late as I did left my knees a mess. Using knee pads will prevent bruising from the many hours spent on your knees to achieve a low vantage point.
3. Cleaning supplies. Pets are very messy. You’ll be cleaning off your cameras and lenses, backdrops, and even yourself a lot! You need to be able to remove dust, dirt, fur, slobber, and everything else from your equipment as soon as possible to prevent damage to your gear.
4. Towels. From wiping off drool and cleaning furry coats to creating a comfortable seat for whatever animal you’re photographing, you will find that a towel has many uses for pet shoots. They also act as a clean surface where you can place your gear.
5. Tape, scissors and metal clamps. OK, so I actually keep this stuff in the trunk of my car, but it is definitely worth mentioning! The golden rule is that something will likely break or require assistance. What’s a great way of mending a break on the spot? Really good tape or a metal clamp! Also, sometimes you need to hang something up on a wall or attach an object to another object. Scissors are also a must have for similar reasons; you may need to cut something.
More of my go-to SIGMA lenses:
SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | S – Perfect length for a pup running right at you! The F2.8 bright aperture gives great subject separation, plus it’s incredibly durable (it’s taken a beating on the agility fields and is still good as new!).
SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | A – Versatile “walkaround” lens that is great when I don’t know what to expect at a location. I call this lens a clarity beast, meaning I get photos that are as close to finished as possible in camera.
SIGMA 135mm F1.8 DG HSM | A – My telephoto dream lens with its creamy F1.8 aperture. Perfect for sports portraits of pets (such as catching frisbees), because I can be removed from the action but still capture a shallow depth of field.
SIGMA 85mm F1.4 DG DN | A – A beauty for regal pet portraits and adventure sessions. It’s a versatile focal length for capturing tight headshots all the way to fun action leaps. You can be just close enough to direct your subject.
SIGMA 35mm F1.2 DG DN | A – Tack sharp when wide open, this lens satisfies all my creamy bokeh dreams. Also works perfectly for content creation; I use it frequently for my Instagram dog models.
My 4 secrets to successful pet photos:
Once you have your gear established, there are a few other tidbits that I always keep in mind when photographing pets.
1. Choose smart camera settings.
Put your camera on Continuous Focus Mode (AI Servo in Canon, AF-C in Nikon, Continuous AI in Sony) and never take that off. On Continuous Focus, your camera will keep refocusing on the subject as it moves automatically. I also use Burst Mode to shoot the maximum frames per second. This is the big secret of marvelous action shots.
2. Know how to calm nervous animals.
There are so many reasons why an animal may display unruly behavior, but sometimes it stems from being excited, overstimulated or anxious about something unfamiliar. I’ve found that appearing as uninteresting and unthreatening as humanly possible helps. It also helps to allow pets to become familiar with us. Most importantly, keep your own excitement in check when you meet a new animal.
Sometimes, it’s our gear itself that can cause some problems. An easy remedy can be to switch from a standard lens that requires you to be close to the pet to a telephoto lens that allows you to be farther away, like the SIGMA 65mm F2 DG DN | C. Sometimes vice versa is the solution, being so far away can actually cause a pet to be nervous while being right up close can ease them. In this case, I’ll switch to my SIGMA 35mm F2 DG DN | C.
3. Get those ears up!
Alert, forward ears make pets appear happier in photos. Try using a pet’s favorite toy or funny noises to keep a pet’s attention (without overstimulating them) and get those alert expressions. Always reward the pet for doing something good.
4. Remove leashes in post processing.
Animal safety is of the utmost importance. All of the animals in my sessions are fully leashed and collared. I remove leads in post processing with Adobe Photoshop for aesthetic purposes. I feel it is important to point this out so that photographers don’t encourage their clients to put animals in harm’s way or ignore leash laws. Long lines or dark leashes are easier to remove in Photoshop.
No matter what focal length strikes your fancy, staying true to who you are and what you love comes first and foremost. The SIGMA I series lenses should be top of every photographer’s list when choosing a prime lens for their next pet photo shoot. The lens is your paintbrush, a tool with which you create your world!
Photos by Anabel DFlux
This is a sponsored post, but opinions are those of the author.
