Sigma 35mm f1.4

Golf007sd

It is nice to see Sigma up their game.

However, it is a different argument to say Nikon has not been innovating. In 2012 Nikon brought to market 4 FX bodies & 2 DX: D4, D800, D800e, D600 and D3200 & D5200. In the same year they also released numerous lenses: 18-300 DX, 85 1.8G, 70-200 F4. Not to mention all the Coolpix bodies and lenses. In 2013, the innovation continues to grow...D7100, 18-140 f/3/5-5.6, 80-400 f/4.5-5.6, 800mm F5.6, new flash and lenses...we may even get the elusive D400.

JJ_SO

Alright, and which of that things was innovation? Go ahead and have a look what innovation is, in the true sense of the word, not in Nikon's marketing babble.

New revolutionary concepts? New surprising ideas? That's what I call evolution or development, each of those nice examples. How about new concepts? Sigma is not only back in the game, they show the big boys how lenses can be made affordable and high class, + they trust their customers to make their own fine adjustments, not only AF wise but also the way a zoom can be customised. They have a great sensor and came out with it, although knowing it has flaws, but the concept is just great.

Why not develop a body with interchangeable sensors? Inbuilt WLAN? Touchscreen? Removable displays? Bottom plate in Arca profile? Developing a better way for LV pictures, without all this mechanical shattering? or simply go away from poorly designed lens caps? Go ahead mirrorless instead of running afterwards? Sorry, Golf, my Nikons didn't come as a present from them, it was an exchange of money and I therefore see no reason to treat them as a precious darling.

Btw. Sigma starts also a service of exchanging mounts, just in case...

You can keep your point of view, mine is, Nikons are reliable, ultra-consevative and as risk-free as possible for them.

SquamishPhoto

JJ_SO

Just came back from a fortnight cycling trip in Lithuania and Russia (Kalinigradskaja Oblast). Had that lens, 70-200/4 and 14-24 with me. 2/3 of all shots were with the Sigma. I didn't miss a "standard zoom", I just missed an invisibility cloak for some situations. Maybe Sigma will come up with one...

This is from the Amber museum. The ship model of "Vasa" from 1628 was mainly made of amber except canons an the rigging (but the sails were of amber, too). It's about 20-22 inches long and the lighting was ridiculous, mildly said.



Full size - but don't expect miracles. At ISO 2000, 1/100 and f/4 the are zones out of DOF and a bit of tremor blur

NSXTypeR

Nikon is too busy with wailing about lost market shares, they don't appear to have innovation power...

Also, for everybody who has doubts if the Sigma software supports older Mac OS than 10.7: 10.6.8 is working as well

It's not even innovation, it's the launching of the correct products. Where are the short DX primes after the 35mm 1.8?

It is nice to see Sigma up their game.

However, it is a different argument to say Nikon has not been innovating. In 2012 Nikon brought to market 4 FX bodies & 2 DX: D4, D800, D800e, D600 and D3200 & D5200. In the same year they also released numerous lenses: 18-300 DX, 85 1.8G, 70-200 F4. Not to mention all the Coolpix bodies and lenses. In 2013, the innovation continues to grow...D7100, 18-140 f/3/5-5.6, 80-400 f/4.5-5.6, 800mm F5.6, new flash and lenses...we may even get the elusive D400.

While I'll hand it to Nikon on the DSLR body side, I can't say the same about lenses.

I can't say the 18-140mm is an innovation, it's more an iteration of the 18-105 and the older 18-135. The SB300 was also pretty weak, and if you can find me 5 people that can afford a 800mm F5.6 and use it at the same time, well...

I would say the 85mm 1.8 is the coolest new lens Nikon put out.

JJ_SO

And even that one doesn't deserve to be called "innovation" although it really is pretty cool at that price - I'd give that name to Nanocrystals, to aspheric lenses and ED glas - and that was invented a longer time ago.

Vipmediastar_JZ

I havent put down the sigma except for one shoot. My toddlers monthly shoot is due so I'll be swapping it out again.
I havent made it to a car show since I got it due to weather, health and family obligations but I know I won't be returning this lens.

I'm going to give the 24-70 some AF tuning before I decide to let
it go. I never like the 24-28mm end of it. If I go ultra wide the 16-35 or 18-35 is on my list but the 70-200 f4 with nano crystals is next.

I really like that sigma has a usb cap for firmware and calibration. Just like the xrite let the device do it's job.

Can't wait to get better to start shooting again. I miss the shutter sound.

DavidJaan

I just received my second copy of this lens. I'm having the reported issue of the right and left outside focus points not focusing accurately on my D800. The center point is spot on tack sharp. The outside points severely back focus. This obviously can't be fixed with fine tuning. I popped it on my D700 and this problem doesn't happen on it at all.

Does anyone else have this issue? I even purchased the dock to see if the firmware update fixed it as some suggested. It doesn't.

Msmoto

@greybagel

If you compare images from the center out to the edge, looking at each focus point, does the back-focus slowly get worse or does it suddenly begin at a specific focus point, e.g, as in the left focus point issue on early D800 bodies? And, does the image look sharp on the rear screen when magnified, yet when seen after the image capture it is soft?

DavidJaan

@Msmoto - I'm getting sharp images out of all other focus points except the left and right outermost points. The first thing I thought was that it was an issue with the D800 left focus problem, but it definitely is not as it's having the exact issue with the far right focus point. A quick google showed people are having the same issue and Sigma has acknowledged that it is a known problem. My concern is there is no fix for it currently and Sigma support says they have no knowledge of a fix coming.

I'm just curious to know if anyone else has had the issue and got a replacement and the problem was gone. I'm on my second copy now and would hate to return it for a third only to have the same thing happen.

Msmoto

I sounds like this is a real bummer. I cannot understand who this occurs unless it is some incompatibility between lens/body at the two outermost points. And, i wonder sometimes if these issues are not more often encountered than we think.

I will try to stick mine on the D4 and see if there is any issue.

DavidJaan

It is a real shame as I love the lens otherwise, but I do often use the outer focus points for portraits. So it becomes useless to me if I can't do so.

donaldejose

KR keeps saying to buy only Nikon lenses for Nikon bodies because no other manufacturer guarantees 100% compatibility with the body. Apparently, Nikon designs lenses with knowledge of what a body will be able to do a generation or two in the future and is committed to insuring that lenses produced today will work 100% with bodies a generation or two later. But it seems most incompatibility issues are minor and not dealbreakers for users.

WestEndBoy

I tried this out on my D800 when I was visiting "The Camera Store" in Calgary yesterday. If I was on a strict budget or was in a hurry for a 35mm, I have to admit, I would find this lens very tempting. It actually feels pretty solid in my hand.

Given that I have a decent budget and am not in a hurry, though, I will still wait and see how Nikon responds to this. Might take a couple of years........

ThomasHorton

This is a refreshing thead. I haunt some Canon forums and anytime anyone even mentions Sigma, the attacks on Sigma start. Evidently Sigma always has, does, and will always make bad lenses. (facepalm)

I am a new member here and it is very nice to hear photographers willing to evaluate this Sigma lens on its capability instead of just slamming it because it is not a "major manufacturer" lens.

I like it here.

Golf007sd

@ThomasHorton: Their are those that are loyal to "the brand." NRF call and recognize a manufacture that produced an item that worthy of ownership and we hope that Sigma and others manufacture continue to do the same.

Welcome to NRF and enjoy our forum.

roombarobot

I hope lots of us got the Sigma 35mm in todays Amazon lightning deal. I did. I can't wait to try the lens!

We'll have to keep this discussion going and also compare to the rumored new Nikon FX 35mm f/1.8.

Update: it seems to be about $800 on Amazon and 3rd party sellers right now for anyone that wants this lens at that price.

Elvishefer

It would stand to reason that the price of the Sigma 35mm will react to whatever price the Nikon 35mm is, if the lens turns out to be any good. I'm sure Sigma will be really happy if the Nikkor turns out to be either 1) ridiculously priced or 2) short of the Sigma quality mark, which, by all accounts, is pretty high.

I sense a hot DXO debate in the future.

Golf007sd

This maybe old news to some but I just want to make sure it has been brought to our attention. I just hooked up my Sigma 35 1.4 to the USB doc and it updated both the USB Doc firmware as well as the lens itself. The latest firmware for the lens is: 0.0.15.0230.

JonMcGuffin

Many are reporting that they are having issues with the Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art + D810 are not auto focusing while in Live View mode. Seems enough people are having the issue that it's a legit problem for now.

Vipmediastar_JZ

Coincidentally I hooked mine up too.
I sent mine to sigma for evaluation and to fix the hood since it was bit tight.
I received it today and I did have the latest firmware when I checked 3 hours ago.

I did a +10 in the software at all sections since I had fine tune it to +10 on the DF menu by shooting some statues outside and then left it at 0 in the menu.

I have to actually read the instruction on how to do it

I'll fully test it tomorrow with the DF. It did have AF issues with the DF doing live view but after the firmware update that is no longer an issue.

Vipmediastar_JZ

Well I called sigma for more info on the Dock and looks like the instructions are in the software. I have only used it twice once to update the firmware and yesterday to input the values of +10.

Sigma said that What I did was not ideal if I can fine tune it on the camera than that is what is best do. I'm assuming this is probably targeted to the pro-sumer entrly level cameras without fine tuning.

According to the Rep nikon uses the viewfinder tech from 1982, I forgot if he said it was Minoltas system, and thats part of the reason they include fine tuning.

He told me to try again doing the test of a 3D setup at 1 meter to check the fine tune.

Now doing the +10 on each section of the lens and doing a test today with sunlight it seems to be spot on.
I will just need to fine tune the lens on the D800 body.

Part of the reason of sending the lens to sigma is because on the D800 it hunts for focus in Live view. With the DF it is slow to focus on the viewfinder and I have the newest firmware. Sigma said it might be the electronics; I lost him when he got too technical.

I offered to do some tests to get it working better on the DF but he said to send an email and they would forward it to Japan for further testing.

I'll do some more shooting with it today and if it delivers with the DF I know it will deliver with the D800 after I fine tune it. Besidens I hardly shoot with live view.