Irish photographer Dylan McBurney works for brands like Peugeot and Porsche, travel agencies and hotel chains, and frequently travels around the world. Recently, he spent a week in China, a trip that provided an excellent opportunity for an extensive test of the SIGMA 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN | Art, the world’s first full-frame zoom lens with a constant maximum aperture of F1.8. Dylan returned with stunning images and a very enthusiastic review. "It’s such a versatile lens."

The trip in China took Dylan to places such as the neon-lit streets of Changsha, the largest city in Hunan Province, with an '80s-style cyberpunk restaurant called Wenheyou. Dylan then travelled to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, known from the movie Avatar, and Tianmen Mountain National Park, exploring the beautiful landscapes with spectacular views.

Dylan: "This trip was amazing. I’m still busy editing all the images." He laughs, "That will probably take as much time as the trip itself."

Aside from his beloved SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Art and the SIGMA 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary, Dylan brought the SIGMA 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN | Art with him, with the goal of thoroughly testing it. When asked to describe the new lens in one word, Dylan doesn’t hesitate for a second: "versatility."

He also praises the compact build, the relatively light weight (less than 1kg), and the "incredible sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and the constant maximum aperture of F1.8." Dylan: "Even in very low-light situations, this lens is lightning fast and focus is spot on. Normally, you'd reach for prime lenses for that. This lens allows you to shoot in low light with beautiful bokeh while benefiting from the flexibility of a zoom lens. This means you can focus entirely on your surroundings and composition during a shoot. That, combined with the fantastic range, compact build, and amazing optical performance, makes this lens ideal for documentary-style photography. Exactly what I used it for during my trip to China: capturing the culture, the environment, the details, the people…"

Thanks to the internal zoom mechanism, the length of the SIGMA 28-45mm F1.8 DG DN | Art remains constant regardless of the focal length or focus distance. This makes the lens easy to use for handheld photography, very stable on a tripod or gimbal, and more resistant to dust and water. The minimum focusing distance is constantly 30 cm across the entire zoom range, with a maximum magnification ratio of 1:4 at the telephoto end. This offers excellent close-up capabilities without the fear of losing sharpness.

Dylan: "I particularly benefited having this lens in my kit in all of the locations I was photographing. I was able to take very captivating shots in any environment. It’s really such a versatile lens. Once you've experienced using it, you can never say, 'Yes, but a prime lens offers something extra.' With this high-quality zoom lens, SIGMA has put that argument to rest. Another incredible achievement. This bodes well for the future..."