Sigma 35mm 1.4

Sigma 85 f1.4 is great for a creamy bokeh whereas the Nikon 85 f1.4 is possibly a little bit sharper, so reviews can be subjective ... depends what you are looking for I guess.
 
Cagey75 said:
They do go out and test them 'in the field' so to speak. Contrast is contrast, sharpness is sharpness, colour is colour, whether it's just running tests or using it to shoot random flowers or people on a street. I don't see how "real world" use makes anything seem better.
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Real world photos show me the "end result", the difference in colour, contrast, the difference in the OOF areas. Numbers mean nothing, if I like the way a lens produces these things in different ways Il buy it over a "higher numbers" lens.
 
Well I guess. I'm finding the Sigma 150mm offers creamy bokeh, smooth as butter, but when I looked up comparisons between it and the 180mm, the reviews stated it's 'bokeh' was a bit busier, not as smooth. Since I don't have the 180mm personally to direclty compare for myself, the 150mm certainly seems well smooth enough for me.

example:


DSC_8508 by Cagey75, on Flickr

A broken branch on a tree, the backdrop was busy enough in reality, leaves and random other branches and twigs ... I don't see how the 180mm would have gotten it smoother.
 
It's the first Sigma lens I have been delighted with right out of the box :) When they do get it right, they can match the big boys no problem. I prefer this to my 105 Nikon [which is sold, awaiting buyer to collect!]
 
Thats why I prefer the Sigma 85 over the Nikon, just has the look I prefer.
 
Good enough reason right there ;)

I just got the 1.8G for the price, tbh. I sold my 70-200, so just needed to fill that gap from 70 - 150, 85 was perfect. And after splashing on the 35 1.4 and the 150 macro, I needed it cheap.
 
I had both the Sigma 85 and Nikon 85 1.8G recently for comparison, not a lot in it but the Sigma has something of a nicer feel to the images, very hard to quantify though. Plus it focuses a fair bit faster which is always welcome, and is surprisingly good in low light too, focus accuracy is dead-on.
 
It's almost twice the price of the 1.8G though.

I find with sigma, lenses either go one way or the other. I know a few people who won't use them because they say the images have that 'washed out feel' to them. I found that with the older 70-200 HSM II. I didn't like it at all. But, when you get a nice copy, seems to happen more with their primes, they have lovely deep colours and contrast. The 150mm reminds me a little, quality wise, of my old 80-200 Nikon - which had beautiful colour rendition.
 
It only did in this case as I bought 2 Sigmas already. Now I'll have 2 Nikon, 2 Sigma, all nice and balanced :)
 
Cagey75 said:
Well I guess. I'm finding the Sigma 150mm offers creamy bokeh, smooth as butter, but when I looked up comparisons between it and the 180mm, the reviews stated it's 'bokeh' was a bit busier, not as smooth. Since I don't have the 180mm personally to direclty compare for myself, the 150mm certainly seems well smooth enough for me.
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I used to have the 150mm Sigma on a D700 and it was one of my favourite lenses tbh. I've been lucky when it comes to Sigma primes in that the 30mm, 50mm and 150mm I had were all good examples. :)
 
Got home to find my sigma 35mm had arrived :)

Of course i had to have a quick try of it so off came the sigma 85mm 1.4 and on went the 35mm.

Here are a few quick shots, this are jpeg from camera, just a little cropping and convert to srgb, saved compression 90 with ps cs6.

All taken hand held with center focus point, f1.4, d700, flash used for pug ones.

Full size and couple more can be viewed here


focus on eye
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focus on green button
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focus on white text on lens
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Focus is brown mark where two logs meet second row
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focus on middle edge of cuttle
_DSC8711.jpg



will run through focal and do more tests on other focus points in next few days.
 
Looks more on point than mine was.

I'm expecting mine tomorrow or there will be trouble!
 
Think I might go for one of these, probably also go UK as import is to much hassle if it needs exchanging (plus return postage costs £60+) and UK has 3yr warranty.
 
Let us know who you use for the lens fella.

I'd maybe consider going UK, as I'm seeing the Sigma 85mm is keeping not bad value, even though they have been out a couple years now.

Also curious to find out if the new Sigma 30mm will only be crop...
 
drb5 said:
Let us know who you use for the lens fella.

I'd maybe consider going UK, as I'm seeing the Sigma 85mm is keeping not bad value, even though they have been out a couple years now.

Also curious to find out if the new Sigma 30mm will only be crop...
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I reckon the 30 will be dx only. Thats also why I think UK wont be a bad thing, Sigma primes hold their value very well and I think this will be even more popular than the 85, esp with the stellar reviews. I just dont want to get a soft copy and pay return shipping, as that would be UK prices but with less warranty and the possibility Sigma UK wont touch it. Guess its like paying insurance.
 
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Hopefully an 85mm Art lens comes from Sigma.

From samples and thedigitalpicture it seems the Sigma 85mm is actually sharper than the 85L at f1.4 and is faster at focusing too.
 
Photogaz said:
Hopefully an 85mm Art lens comes from Sigma.

From samples and thedigitalpicture it seems the Sigma 85mm is actually sharper than the 85L at f1.4 and is faster at focusing too.
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Take a look on POTN and you soon see that's true in 90% of users thoughts.
 
twist said:
Think I might go for one of these, probably also go UK as import is to much hassle if it needs exchanging (plus return postage costs £60+) and UK has 3yr warranty.
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My thoughts exactly when making the purchase, paid £705 posted from Clifton Cameras who i believe are sigma dealer. Arrived two days are order made.

This was the cheapest i could find it from a UK supplier.
 
twist said:
I reckon the 30 will be dx only. Thats also why I think UK wont be a bad thing, Sigma primes hold their value very well and I think this will be even more popular than the 85, esp with the stellar reviews. I just dont want to get a soft copy and pay return shipping, as that would be UK prices but with less warranty and the possibility Sigma UK wont touch it. Guess its like paying insurance.
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Yer, I expect so when 35 is so close to 30.

Yer, I see they do, but difference from UK to import is just so vast and even if your honest in describing the lens sharpness, I reckon in an ebay advert, you could get your money back and more if you sold it on. Ok it's hassle and not the right way to look at it, but we pixel-peep....we really shouldn't. :) it's only for when the lens is REALLY bad and MA isn't good enough....
 
Its a specialist lens, I could never sell on a lens with a BF/FF issue. Not sure about getting money back as even if you sold for £650 (nobodies going to pay more than RRP) you have fees, which take sale price down to £ 562.30. Which is a £60 loss after import.
 
drb5 said:
Take a look on POTN and you soon see that's true in 90% of users thoughts.
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I have a Siggy 85mm and it's a very good lens IMVHO. It seems sharper than the 50mm f1.4 at the widest apertures and the only bad thing I have to say about it is it's big and heavy... but to be fair it's possibly about the same as other 85mm f1.4's :D With lenses like this I think that the look at wide apertures is one of the most important factors, and I like the look this lens gives.

I'd be very interested in the 35mm but TBH I tend to use my MFT more these days and when the 5D does come out it usually has the 50mm fitted.
 
twist said:
Its a specialist lens, I could never sell on a lens with a BF/FF issue. Not sure about getting money back as even if you sold for £650 (nobodies going to pay more than RRP) you have fees, which take sale price down to £ 562.30. Which is a £60 loss after import.
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Panamoz is under £490 delivered remember, but I'd probably use OneStop for the fact they'd price beat, if only by £1.
 
woof woof said:
I have a Siggy 85mm and it's a very good lens IMVHO. It seems sharper than the 50mm f1.4 at the widest apertures and the only bad thing I have to say about it is it's big and heavy... but to be fair it's possibly about the same as other 85mm f1.4's :D With lenses like this I think that the look at wide apertures is one of the most important factors, and I like the look this lens gives.

I'd be very interested in the 35mm but TBH I tend to use my MFT more these days and when the 5D does come out it usually has the 50mm fitted.
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Yer, I keep looking at POTN's lens threads and the Sigma 85mm and the shots look wonderful.
 
drb5 said:
Panamoz is under £490 delivered remember, but I'd probably use OneStop for the fact they'd price beat, if only by £1.
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No, Panamoz has no stock (no date either) and I highly doubt it that they will sell new stock for £100 less than DR and OSD. OSD also sold the initial launch batch at a lower price, when stock dried up, price went up.
 
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Cagey75 said:
They do go out and test them 'in the field' so to speak. Contrast is contrast, sharpness is sharpness, colour is colour, whether it's just running tests or using it to shoot random flowers or people on a street. I don't see how "real world" use makes anything seem better. I have seen many say the Sigma 85 is great, but I've seen others disappointed. I would just be wary of any lens that gets mixed reviews, no matter where from.

Really hope my 35 gets here tomorrow, should do if they posted it right after the call to them yesterday, as they made out.
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In this case though my understand wasnt that Photozones "field rating" reffered to the lens performing any differently in the field but rather how it performed with respect to its likely use.

In this case for example the typical use of an 85mm 1.4 lens would be portrait shots where boarder performance at large appatures seems much less important than it would be on say an UWA f/4 zoom.
 
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A few more from today and quick outing to the park. Will be going to Chinese new year in London on Sunday, so will give it a good run out then.

Have to say the more use it the more i like it, now if they re-release the 85mm 1.4 to same spec and finish i would upgrade current version i have.


1.4
_DSC8780.jpg


5.6 focus point is near water edge where people are on path
_DSC8811.jpg


100% crop of above focus is bottom right
_DSC8811-crop.jpg


1.4
_DSC8857.jpg


1.4
_DSC8875.jpg


1.4
_DSC8916.jpg


You can see a couple more Here and here
 
Of note i did a quick focus test with Focal and it recommended -7 adjustment.

Focus point for both is 5

pre focus adjust -7
_DSC8791.jpg


with -7 focus adjust
_DSC8790-fa.jpg
 
There's a very, very subtle difference. The 2 is slightly more in focus in the first, but that makes it right, as there is always a little more DOF behind, than in front of where you lock on.

Mine was way off, the 2 would have been sharp and the 5 OOF. And they tried telling me it could be user error ... well I ...

Still not arrived. Better be tomorrow now or I'll start filling out the amazon feedback
 
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Problem @ f1.4 is the DoF is tiny at short range, the slightest movement will affect focus ...

The IQ looks good though :) (not of the remotes, I mean the other images ;))
 
I can't wait to get this lens. Hope I get a good copy as I'm ordering from panamoz!

Also that bokeh looks creamy !
 
TonyNI said:
I can't wait to get this lens. Hope I get a good copy as I'm ordering from panamoz!

Also that bokeh looks creamy !
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panamoz have not had any stock for ages, and when they do i doubt it will the price they have it for now. That is just to get you to visit their site.
 
here is one from yesterday that has been processed from raw in cs6.

I did note on the raw that there was some chromatic aberration, both purple and green which was not on jpg which indicates in camera removal working fine. For the raw i removed it during processing.

The purple was on the tips of feather arch on swan in between the Geese, the green was on on the white bellies of Geese.

crop provided as is crop of head.

Both crops 100%


One thing i do like about this over my sigma 85mm is the switch for man/auto focus. On the 85 i found i kept knocking it onto manual without realising it. I have resorted to apply some gaffer tape when i want to stay in auto focus. The 35s switch is better and requires firm flick.


_DSC8927.jpg


_DSC8927-ca.jpg


_DSC8927-head.jpg
 
My replacement has arrived, and right out of the box it seems a much better copy! phew! I've only done a few kitchen shots, as I always do when a lens arrives first. But it's focusing where asked each time at 1.4, so that's a great start :)

Anyone awaiting theirs, you will love it. I really found it hard to send the last one back, I tried to make it good so I could keep it - but had to be sensible. It's a real gem, build-wise, lovely to hold, and really looks the part on the D800. My 24-70 is going to have a bit of a rest now for a bit while I push this baby!
 
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