sigma 30mm f1.4 or nikon 35mm f1.8?

fontmoss

fontmoss

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OK seems like there are a few people interested in buying my 30mm f2 but i need to find a lens to replace it if i do sell it. The options are really between the 2 above, the sigma offers a half stop more (and lovely shallow dof) whilst the nikon is a chunk cheaper (new)

The only reason to sell my lovely 35mm is to get a faster lens, as Im not a fan of 50mm on crop then i had discounted the nikon 50mm f1.4D but i might yet be swayed.

any opinions gratefully received, my flickr shows what i use my camera for
 
Its worth mentioning that as soon as D700 comes up on the Classified you post on the thread without fail, which tells me a D700 is in your future...

In that case.. are you sure you want to sell it? As neither of the crop lenses will work on a D700.

Personally I like both the 35/2 and the 30mm and would choose one depending on the camera (DX or full frame)

No idea about the new 35/f/1.8!
 
Its worth mentioning that as soon as D700 comes up on the Classified you post on the thread without fail,
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what an embarassing reputation :nuts:

yeah i will get a D700 but it will have to wait as to buy one now would mean selling my medium format plus s5 and then paying another 300 to afford a d700 with just a 50mm lens-its not really feasible. In a year or prob 2, esp if can get some paid work then perhaps but in that case id sell on the sigma 30mm too.

i wasnt that sure that going from f2 to f1.4 would be that important but have been using mates canon with sigma 30 f1.4 and been pretty impressed, esp for the stuff I use it for. i am half thinking about the 50mm f1.4 but i need to go play with a 50 again to remind myself why i didnt like it as much as 30/35mm. also considering getting a 80-200 f2.8 which is another chunk of cash so full frame will have to wait.

anyway going out for a few hrs so ill mull it over and sort the classifieds thread
 
fontmoss said:
what an embarassing reputation :nuts:
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True though :lol:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1635160&postcount=2

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1564663&postcount=3


http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1562093&postcount=6

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1520120&postcount=8

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1476468&postcount=3

Seriously - my point is that while I would quite like this lens again, if you are contemplating a D700 then this lens is going to be very useful.

Although on a crop camera, IMHO the Sigma 30mm is a better lens. Its certainly sharper wide open in the center ... 35/2 wins in the corners.
 
Having had both, I found 30mm a little too wide and sold it. I really like the 35 1.8 for what it is. Nice lightweight little lens. But in real terms, is there really that much difference between f1.8 and f2?
 
jeez PD, I know it's true but please :O
D700 is on the radar so maybe Ill rethink parting with the 35mm but tbh its such a big step financially it would probably have to give way in almost any circumstances and i would use the 50mm f1.4 (hopefully with a 80-200) pretty much exclusively

paulie, not a big difference bw f1.8 and f2 but with f1.4 then instead of using f2 at 60 and ISO 1000/1250 I could use f1.4 at 60/80 at ISO 800, could make quite a difference given noise levels.
 
paulie's post has made me think, i dont think its worth parting with such a lovely lens for a half stop. Ill either get the sigma f1.4, nikkor 50mm f1.4 or stick with the 35 f2

so much easier to make a decision when you write it down and ask others to pick holes in it
 
fontmoss said:
paulie's post has made me think, i dont think its worth parting with such a lovely lens for a half stop. Ill either get the sigma f1.4, nikkor 50mm f1.4 or stick with the 35 f2

so much easier to make a decision when you write it down and ask others to pick holes in it
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Sorry to throw a spanner in the works mate :) With a D700 on your radar, personally I would wait, then go for a 50 1.4.
 
lol!

well tbh on the radar means lusting after but can't afford. i cant justify over a grand on a body plus only having 1 lens when i start med school in september, so realistically a D700 will eithe rhave to wait until i start working again (4 years) or if i can wangle some portrait/paid work-hence thinking of getting a 80-200 f2.8 rather than a d700
 
Ahhh I see :lol:

In that case I would keep your 35 f2. You could always rent a 30mm for the weekend and compare, before you make a rash decision.
 
Paulie-W said:
You could always rent a 30mm for the weekend and compare, before you make a rash decision.
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That might not be so easy. I'm not aware of any hire companies which stock this lens. It's only £300 to buy, and it's hard to make money at that level. (You'll appreciate that the amount of work a hire company has to do is the same regardless of whether you're hiring a £300 lens for a weekend or a £3000 lens for a month....)
 
can't hire out here anyway

If I bought a D700 i would in all likelihood sell the 35mm anyway so whether I sell a sigma 30 or nikkor 35 isn't really that big a difference.
 
StewartR said:
That might not be so easy. I'm not aware of any hire companies which stock this lens. It's only £300 to buy, and it's hard to make money at that level. (You'll appreciate that the amount of work a hire company has to do is the same regardless of whether you're hiring a £300 lens for a weekend or a £3000 lens for a month....)
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fontmoss said:
can't hire out here anyway

If I bought a D700 i would in all likelihood sell the 35mm anyway so whether I sell a sigma 30 or nikkor 35 isn't really that big a difference.
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Fair points :thumbs:
 
lol, you're just going with the flow now!


EDIT: thoughts on 50mm f1.4 as replacement/to compliment 35 welcomed
 
you could be onto something paulie ;)

PD you're right, 30/35 is so much better on crop.

ok back to the drawing board
 
Stick with your 35mm f/2 and get the 50mm and 85mm primes of your choice. You're sorted either way then. :p
 
funny you should say that! one of the (many, many) possible routes was to get a 50 f1.4 and/or 85 f1.8 in the short term and see how it and the bronica fair over the summer, possibly sell them if necessary and get the 80-200. so many lenses so little time
 
fontmoss said:
funny you should say that! one of the (many, many) possible routes was to get a 50 f1.4 and/or 85 f1.8 in the short term and see how it and the bronica fair over the summer, possibly sell them if necessary and get the 80-200. so many lenses so little time
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I have a Nikon 35mm f/2, Sigma 50mm f/1.4, Nikon 85mm f/1.4 and a Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8. Suits me down to the ground if I'm honest.
 
puddleduck said:
True though :lol:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1635160&postcount=2

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1564663&postcount=3


http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1562093&postcount=6

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1520120&postcount=8

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1476468&postcount=3

Seriously - my point is that while I would quite like this lens again, if you are contemplating a D700 then this lens is going to be very useful.

Although on a crop camera, IMHO the Sigma 30mm is a better lens. Its certainly sharper wide open in the center ... 35/2 wins in the corners.
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LOL :D

PD - is the Sigma sharper at 1.4 then the Nik at 2? If so, might have to reconsider lens choice...
 
sdb thats my ideal set up! but dont have the money for an 85 f1.4 never mind that plus 50 and 80-200. The 50 would take the place of the 35 for most of my use but that'd be a f1.4, the prob is I would like a f1.4 to use until i get a D700.


Looks like a great copy.
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that's the thing, i feel you're always trying to find one thats sharp wide open which either means getting test shots from folk here or buying new (for a premium) and returning if necessary
 
fontmoss said:
that's the thing, i feel you're always trying to find one thats sharp wide open which either means getting test shots from folk here or buying new (for a premium) and returning if necessary
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I've owned two different copies of the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and one Sigma 50mm f/1.4 (all purchased new). All of them were excellent out of the box, no calibration or returning necessary.
 
sdb123 said:
I've owned two different copies of the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and one Sigma 50mm f/1.4 (all purchased new). All of them were excellent out of the box, no calibration or returning necessary.
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I think I've had 3 Sigma 30mm's (flipped between that and the 35/2 a couple of times) and all have been exactly the same, all sharp and focus properly.

Ditto with my 50mm f/1.4.

I think a lot of the "problems" with fast glass are user error - frankly if Sigma had half the QC's probably that are suggested they wouldn't be in business...

Having said that, I still think their 24-70 f/2.8 HSM absolutely stinks :lol:
 
puddleduck said:
I think I've had 3 Sigma 30mm's (flipped between that and the 35/2 a couple of times) and all have been exactly the same, all sharp and focus properly.

Ditto with my 50mm f/1.4.

I think a lot of the "problems" with fast glass are user error - frankly if Sigma had half the QC's probably that are suggested they wouldn't be in business...

Having said that, I still think their 24-70 f/2.8 HSM absolutely stinks :lol:
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:D

Sigma's primes certainly seem to cut it more so than their zooms. I'm surprised they've never released an 85mm prime tbh.
 
rdh said:
Not as well as the 24-70 of course, but that's magical.
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The 24-70 is probably Nikon's fastest focusing lens.

The speed of the AF-G is embarrsing, they must have used the motor from the 18-55 kit lens I think :lol:
 
rdh said:
I had a Sigma 50/1.4 and it had terrible focussing problems. Changed it for the Nikon/1.4G which is excellent (especially at f2), focuses accurately in really low light.
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That was unlucky. :(

My Sigma 50mm f/1.4 is spot-on wide open (used it at a Christening the other week).
 
so did everyone buy new? they're a a hell of a chunk of cash, think id stick with nikkor rather than buy new
 
fontmoss said:
so did everyone buy new? they're a a hell of a chunk of cash, think id stick with nikkor rather than buy new
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My Sigma 50mm f/1.4 I bought used from here.

My first Sigma 30mm I got in 2005, and I bought that from OneStop - no problems.

Sold that for a 35/2, then missed the 30mm so sold the 35mm and re-bought. Warehouse Express - again perfect.

I think my final one might have been used... not sure. Again perfect. I've seen no variation in performance, either for sharpness or focusing.

Bearing in mind that its the camera and user that decides where to focus, I tend to distrust "focus problem" reports on the 30mm....
 
puddleduck said:
The 24-70 is probably Nikon's fastest focusing lens.

The speed of the AF-G is embarrsing, they must have used the motor from the 18-55 kit lens I think :lol:
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Can't argue that, it's slow in the full range. Thing is, if you're using AF-C on moving people, it's more than enough and keeps focus very well indeed, so it's not an issue (personally).

Will try the 30/1.4 at WEX this weekend :¬)
 
I have a 35mm F1.8, want to sell
Don't know if you are interested?
Image Quality of the lens is very good.!
 
i think ive set my sights on the sigma but pm me by all means, pics and price, and ill get back to you

Cheapest place i can find the sigma new is one stop but at £271 id need to sell my lens and put another ton to it! not sure its worth it really
 
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