Remember when cinema zooms were either wildly expensive or came with manual focus that made run-and-gun work a nightmare? Sigma has been slowly chipping away at that assumption, and this week their second autofocus cinema zoom, the AF Cine 28-105mm T3 FF, officially hits dealer shelves. At $3,399 it is not cheap, but given what you are getting, we think it might be one of the most interesting cinema lens releases of the year.
The Spec Sheet That Matters
Let's talk about what makes this lens worth caring about. You are getting a full-frame covering zoom with a constant T3 aperture across the entire 28-105mm range. That is the sweet spot focal range for a huge chunk of real-world narrative and documentary work. Wide enough for interior establishing shots, long enough for flattering mid-interview framing, and fast enough to work in practically lit environments without dragging in a truckload of lights.
The autofocus is the part that keeps us coming back to this announcement though. Sigma has clearly been studying the hybrid shooter market and understands that a lot of modern crews are working with one or two operators who need reliable AF for moving subjects. A cinema zoom that tracks faces properly while still giving you de-clicked iris, proper gear-friendly focus rings, and standardized front diameters is exactly what a lot of us have been asking for.
Who This Is For
If you are a documentary shooter working alone or with a small crew, this lens is basically built for you. The same goes for wedding cinematographers, corporate video producers, and anyone doing brand work that needs to look cinematic without the overhead of a full focus puller setup.
We can also see this being a go-to for narrative projects with limited budgets. Instead of renting a classic cinema zoom for $800 a week, a small production can own this outright and amortize the cost across multiple jobs. That kind of math is what moves the needle for indie filmmakers who want cinema-grade tools without cinema-grade rental budgets.
The Trade-Offs
No lens is perfect and this one has some considerations. T3 is not T2.8, so you are giving up a touch of light in exchange for a more consistent aperture across the zoom range. The weight and size are not trivial either -- this is a proper cinema lens build, not a stills zoom in a cine barrel, which means it commands respect on a gimbal and requires proper support for most shoulder setups.
The other consideration is mount availability. Sigma is releasing this in Sony E-mount and L-mount initially, which covers the two most popular indie cinema camera ecosystems but leaves RF and Z-mount shooters waiting. If you are a Canon or Nikon mirrorless shooter, you are either adapting or sitting this one out.
How It Fits With the 28-45mm
Sigma's first AF cine zoom, the 28-45mm T2, was a statement piece. It proved they could build a cinema-grade autofocus zoom that held up on real productions. This new 28-105mm extends that philosophy into more practical focal range territory. Together, the two lenses start to look like the beginning of a proper Sigma cine zoom lineup, which is something the market has been waiting for.
If you already own the 28-45mm T2 and loved it, this is basically the longer sibling you have been asking for. If you are new to the Sigma cine ecosystem, starting with the 28-105mm probably makes more sense because of the more versatile focal range.
Our Take
At $3,399 this is priced aggressively for what it offers. Cinema zooms with similar specs from more established brands typically land in the $7,000 and up range, so Sigma is undercutting the competition significantly while delivering features the competition mostly does not offer. If the image quality and AF performance hold up in real-world testing, we think this lens is going to move a lot of units.
Are you picking one up, or are you holding out for a wider aperture option? And which mount are you most excited to see next?