Sigma 35mm f1.4

JJ_SO

Question: Have anyone of you used or are considering getting the Sigma USB Dock for this lens?

Sure. Depends how much Sigma's asking for. Also, if I gonna update Mac OS, they're supporting the last two OS versions only. I only need to update, if there's a compatibly RAW support for D7100 but so far Apple's in winter sleep. As well Sigma, the dock still is not available.

PB_PM

@JJ_SO Given Apple's RAW update history, you'll be waiting about a month after the shipping date. Seems to be standard operation. After all, they cannot support a camera until they have time to a) get the camera, b) reverse engineer the files, c)test to make sure they are getting it right, d) patch it with a bunch of other recently released cameras. They never release an update just for one camera, so be a patient.

JJ_SO

No, some updates came with the camera's appearances or before, but that was some time ago. And if Capture One has tested and delivers (although with bugs), a brand which is bleeding money should be able to do so as well. At least, they would want to support their iPhoto users as well.

Anyway, this is Sigma's thread. I was just referring to the other stuff I'd have to consider before getting the dock. On the other side, I can adjust the Sigma with the help of the Windows PC I'm working on.

I still find it a bit weird, that the worst results when testing D7100's AF module on the left side came from the Sigma. I don't really understand that.

RenardRichie13

I just posted a blog post on the wedding i did with Sigma 35mm f1.4.
www.renardrichie.com
I have two bodies on me and the other has 85mm f1.4. Most of the shots you see is using Sigma. If you see close up its usually is the 85mm. Trying to get away from distortion.

Overall I'm happy with the lens. I got a lot of keepers but there are autofocus confusion from time to time. I'm sure i saw it happening with (now sold 28mm) though the rate on this one is slightly higher than that 28mm.
I'm still keeping it though. I'll just have to be better at using it.

Lots more images to do I just did this real quick since i promised you guys

JJ_SO

Sounds familiar to me. As Roger Cigala recently posted (The best lens bargains):

There seem to be some autofocus issues on the D800, though, so D800 owners may need to be happy using center point AF only. Then again, it certainly autofocuses better than the Zeiss lenses.

AF problems with others than center AF point do occur as well with D7100. I have no explanation for this, but the advice "first do AF-finetuning, then use the lens" will increase the number of keepers.

Then, it is still better and more reliable in AF than my Nikkor 85/1.4G. It's hard to tell if it has front- or backfocus, I simply see everything happening. In a series of 5 shots and AF always forced to refocus, I got 4 different points of sharpness. Tell me to send it in and I tell you, I did. Twice. After last time it's even worse - but maybe I didn't test enough the first time.

Just saying: we take it too much for granted that AF is always best sharpness out of the box.

Vipmediastar

I just posted a blog post on the wedding i did with Sigma 35mm f1.4.
www.renardrichie.com
I have two bodies on me and the other has 85mm f1.4. Most of the shots you see is using Sigma. If you see close up its usually is the 85mm. Trying to get away from distortion.

Overall I'm happy with the lens. I got a lot of keepers but there are autofocus confusion from time to time. I'm sure i saw it happening with (now sold 28mm) though the rate on this one is slightly higher than that 28mm.
I'm still keeping it though. I'll just have to be better at using it.

Lots more images to do I just did this real quick since i promised you guys

your photos are awesome. You shot the wedding with only those two lens? And no flash? I really like that lens.

Godless

Question: Have anyone of you used or are considering getting the Sigma USB Dock for this lens?

I´m getting the Dock for this one and the 120-300 OS. Whenever they´re available at a reasonable price.

JJ_SO

@RenardRichie13 your pics are really cute, I like that style a lot. Thanks for sharing.

Msmoto

OK, a bokeh test of my 35mm f1.4 Sigma





But, I prefer the bokeh of the 24mm f/1.4 Nikkor:

birdman

Ms Moto:

I see you splurged. Or, saved is it? (Over the 35G). Have you shot at all with the 35G ? I tried it out at a Calumet store and loved it. It's going to be a tough call whether I'll go with the Sigma or Nikon 35/1.4. Depends on price differences for used glass.

Msmoto

@birdman

I felt the reviews of the Sigma were much more promising than Nikon 35mm f/1.4.

Look at the MTF chart of the Nikon

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Camera-Lenses/2198/AF-S-NIKKOR-35mm-f%2F1.4G.html#!/media:image:howtoread_MTFchart.jpg

RenardRichie13

your photos are awesome. You shot the wedding with only those two lens? And no flash? I really like that lens.

Thank you for the kinda comment I use no flash most of the time. I would say i use it for the close up detail shots like the ring, bouncing it off the wall to grace the top of it. definitely use it on reception holy cow that was a dark one. I use bounce off flash and sometimes i turn on the other off camera flash on the opposite end of the dance floor. On the church photos no flash there not needed at all. I pushed the iso up to 1200. I think for some of the look i even pushed it to 3200. But i definitely shot it f1.4-f2.8 shutter stays the same i capped it at around 1/120. Manual all the time. I use rogue flash bender for the attachment on the flash and for off camera flash westscott rapidbox 26" (buy it trust me that thing is RIDICULOUS). pack small and the performance omg.

I should clarify the lens. On my other one its nikon 85mm f1.4d (i wish i have money for the 1.4g but i heard the improvement its on the corners bokeh and autofocus i think this one is better ("duck").
The other is the sigma and that stays on 100% of the time. I have backup 24-70mm if needed. I have 60mm macro lens. Thats it. I try to use as little lens as possible and more focused on the composition.

This was a crazy wedding. no wedding planner. everything is go go go. Funny story i left my 24-70mm on a table on the hotel lobby cause it was such a rush. Thank god someone grabbed it and ran me down and gave it to me. I completely forgot. I had to pack so quickly.

Sorry for the long story.

@RenardRichie13 your pics are really cute, I like that style a lot. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you JJ I am glad you liked it.

and yes i'll be getting that dock. Apparently you can set for autofocus to go faster (of course by sacrificing something) i bet you its the distance. I'll definitely be setting that distance that i'm most comfortable and go from there.

Edit: To add. Those limousine shot. I saw a wine glass from the limo and stuck it in front of my lens to produce those blur. lol i love creative shots like that (of course you gotta bracket it so that you do have a normal shot so they won't complain haha.

Golf007sd

I'm leaning toward the Sigma myself, but given that I have the 24 1.4G I'm saving the funds and going to put it towards the 300 2.8. Well at least that is the plan...but this Sigma sure has me attention. :P

Msmoto

OK, for those pixel peepers...here are five full size images with the Sigma 35mm f/1.4.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/8600486223/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/8601591072/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/8601604844/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/8601610022/sizes/o/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/8601614292/sizes/o/in/photostream/

From my perspective, I am happy about the lens. The Exif data is available and also, you can tell how much cropping was done from the image size.

birdman

I'm leaning toward the Sigma myself, but given that I have the 24 1.4G I'm saving the funds and going to put it towards the 300 2.8. Well at least that is the plan...but this Sigma sure has me attention. :P

Golf007, there's quite a LARGE price disparity b/n the Sigma 35mm and Nikon 300mm/2.8. HAHA. How about the Nikon 200/2.0 VR ?? I hear it's "otherworldly" in IQ. Also, you can have a 280mm F2.8 / 340mm F3.4 / 400 F4.0 depending on TC used. Food for thought

RenardRichie13

Sorry resurrecting old thread.
I will be returning my sigma lens and trading it with Nikon 35mm f1.4
I know its about double the cost but this is the one big problem i have with it right now. No this isn't operator error trust me. When i shot wedding on a group shot i usually go as high as f4 when i need light the lowest i'l go is f2.8. Aside from that. I've even doubled the amount of 1/focal length to check if i'm crazy or not.

So Note that i have been even trying with af-fine tuning. So i tried everything imaginable to try to get a consistent results on this which is why i'm comfortable in returning this lens.

At long distances which i'm surprised actually, This lens focused very POORLY. I shot 5 shots and i can get about 2 keepers. Focus is OFF. Close range i can get consistent results almost everytime. Let me specify long range. anything above 10-12 feet is long range for me so anything below that this lens focuses fine. You would think at that point there is somewhat of a focused object on there.
I need this lens to perform at f1.4-f2.8 with consistent focus. At about f5.6 this lens is dead sharp as with any other lens i have.

Those reviews i think is done on a tripod on only the sharpest possible results they have. When it focuses and it sharp its amazing. Nothing can touch this lens. unfortunately for a wedding type situation this lens is almost one of the worst thing to have.

JJ_SO

DIsagree: I use this lens in busy situations and my rate of keepers is not worse than with any other Nikon lens.
Agree: If I don't trust a lens anymore, I don't care how good others find it. After successless trying to find the mistake in my skills, I'd get rid of it as well.

What are your experiences, Msmoto?

RenardRichie13

further research lead me to believe i have gotten a faulty lens.

http://pindelski.org/Photography/2013/01/13/sigma-35mm-f1-4-dg-hsm-a1-for-nikon-part-ii/

This guy blogged exactly what i experienced. When it is sharp it is sharp. when it is not sharp its PAINFUL to try to figure out WHY.

I'm now out of the retail warranty return period. Either I proceed the hard route and keep sending lens until i get a good copy or fork myself extra 1k for the nikon equivalent.

Symphotic

I'm planning on buying another one if these lenses as a gift for a friend who bought a D800E. It seems to be a perfect match for him.

JJ_SO

@RenardRichie13 After one night of sleep and two nights of adjusting AF fine tuning on two bodies which came back from Nikon service: Why don't you give Sigma service a chance to prove they're good (at least Roger Cigala from lensrentals found they improved teir services a lot)? Becasue the verdict "sharper than Nikon and Zeiss" currently is still correct and Zeiss will have a hard time to do better (at that price and with AF they won't even start trying).

That AF fine tuning gave me some hard times on two lenses especially with the D7100: AF was not reliable. But there are test conditions with a chart and real life conditions. So before I send them in I want to try how they perform.

My 85/1.4 is still in service awaiting spare parts but that's happening and after that I hope it will be as good as before.

RenardRichie13

@JJ_SO: I did send them an email. I'm awaiting what they will say. I understand its the sharpest lens ever (which I still would agree if it focused correctly). I'll still would prefer focus than sharpness in this case.
We'll see in a couple of days

RenardRichie13

@JJ_SO:

Confirmed, they do have problems. I'm going to try nikon 35mm on saturday and if I liked it 100% i might switch otherwise I will take up on this offer if on saturday i don't warrant nikon is worth 1k extra.
Problem is i kinda want to use 35mm prime for a wedding two weeks from now. If not i'll just stick to 24-70mm i guess and wait for the lens. or rent one.

Their response below

JJ_SO

Now that's a kinky fault, although pretty good reaction of customer's service. Good for me I've ordered the dock already so I can update the firmware of the lens. But strange it doesn't happen to all lenses? After reading your description of the fault I must say I was a bit shocked. I know there are some weak spots when shooting DX but I didn't pay much attention to it. I'll have it with me this weekend and I'll try my best to get it confused. B-)

Msmoto

This is helpful as the image on PAD from me today is from this lens and has some kind of focus glitch. I posted it to see if other saw it and sure enough...it drew a comment....

However, here is one of the good ones I think taken a few minutes ago as a test shot from a hotel room...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/8680429393/sizes/o/in/photostream/

RenardRichie13

@JJ_SO: Now now JJ, Did you shoot this lens on a dx camera? that effectively just pushed 35mm to around 52.5mm. I'm not quite sure if that could be the case on you getting consistent focus. However i do know one thing. I shot with d800 and d600 i could replicate this anytime. It could be lens/camera combination maybe thats why it doesn't happen with every 35mm sigma lens. But one thing is for sure. Their service department is top notch at returning my emails. Either way that usb dock is definitely industry changing. You can set how your auto focus behave. Say limit it to 3 feet to infinity, sacrificing close autofocus for fast long range autofocus or the basic thing like updating firmware to the lens. And i saw your other comments i know how much you love this lens. I want to love it too.