Sigma 35mm 1.4

I paid £799, but since it had to go back because of focusing issues, I'm glad I paid the extra. I couldn't but from any of the HK stores without being hit with customs charges, which would bring it well up from their cheap price anyhow.
 
Not for Panamoz or OneStop fella.

And Panamoz have a UK address for returns.
 
You don't know Irish customs, they won't care about what the store's policies are or what they may promise you. If it comes in from HK, it's getting hit with charges. 22%, which brings it almost back to Amazon prices.
 
Is my lens sharp or should I do some other test? I am more or less of the mind that if it seems sharp enough for me then it's sharp enough but it is always nice to get others opinions?
 
Ok here is a shot at 1.4 and a 100% crop....looks sharp enough to me :) ??

8441239617_fc6b4aa4d1_k.jpg


100%

8442332020_57db4c0750_h.jpg
 
No probs, I was surprised actually as I am not a pixel peeper at all!

Also like to to give a shout to Clifton Cameras who sold me the lens, excellent service and highly recommended! :)

Just to add, they were RAW images converted in Lightroom with just an adjustment in wight balance.
 
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Yup, looks a good copy there. If my replacement is as good I'll be happy.
 
Has anyone got any people shots with this lens they can post?
 
The feedback this lens has been receiving on dp forums, Fred Miranda etc is horrific! You would imagine sigmas quality control would have been tight on this release
 
It does make you wonder. All the reviews are excellent. Even on Digi Rev it beat the Nikon and Canon for "Bokeh"... but even real reviewers have been hailing it. Not one of them seem to have gotten a dodgy copy. yet tonnes of us Joe soaps have.
 
Cagey75 said:
It does make you wonder. All the reviews are excellent. Even on Digi Rev it beat the Nikon and Canon for "Bokeh"... but even real reviewers have been hailing it. Not one of them seem to have gotten a dodgy copy. yet tonnes of us Joe soaps have.
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This is exactly what I can't understand! I'm gonna hold out for a few months so they iron out any teething probs
 
Cagey75 said:
It does make you wonder. All the reviews are excellent. Even on Digi Rev it beat the Nikon and Canon for "Bokeh"... but even real reviewers have been hailing it. Not one of them seem to have gotten a dodgy copy. yet tonnes of us Joe soaps have.
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Two reasons:

1) loads of the dodgy copies will be user error.
2) the internet is great and bad news and rubish at good news.
 
What makes you think loads will be user error? Mine certainly wasn't. I badly wanted it to be, so I ran a tonne of tests, which I have never had to do with any lens, ever.

If the internet was great with bad news only, why are all the reviews positive? that makes zero sense.
 
Cagey75 said:
What makes you think loads will be user error? Mine certainly wasn't. I badly wanted it to be, so I ran a tonne of tests, which I have never had to do with any lens, ever.

If the internet was great with bad news only, why are all the reviews positive? that makes zero sense.
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+1 , amen to that!
 
Cagey75 said:
What makes you think loads will be user error? Mine certainly wasn't. I badly wanted it to be, so I ran a tonne of tests, which I have never had to do with any lens, ever.

If the internet was great with bad news only, why are all the reviews positive? that makes zero sense.
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Yup, people say that its user error, seriously?! There might be an extremely tiny percentage of people that will buy their first camera with a £700 Sigma on it and not have any comparison lenses or not know how to use a camera but it seems like its Sigmas usual QC.

Guess they want to boost sales of their USB AF thing so users not only have to MA their lenses but can now sort out their QC issues after buying something they shouldnt need to.
 
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The usb hub should come with the first batch of lenses, at least the first 3 they announced. I think it's a bit of a cheap trick on their part too. But they're risking losing many customers because we really did expect them to have copped on with a new range.

Thankfully, you can still get good copies of their lenses. The 150mm I got last week is a cracker, I've yet to really push it, but everything about it so far pleases me, and I sold my 105mm Nikon for it.

I'm dying to get my 35mm back, and really do hope it's a keeper.
 
Cagey75 said:
The usb hub should come with the first batch of lenses, at least the first 3 they announced. I think it's a bit of a cheap trick on their part too. But they're risking losing many customers because we really did expect them to have copped on with a new range.

Thankfully, you can still get good copies of their lenses. The 150mm I got last week is a cracker, I've yet to really push it, but everything about it so far pleases me, and I sold my 105mm Nikon for it.

I'm dying to get my 35mm back, and really do hope it's a keeper.
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Shouldnt have to be a lottery when spending those figures. Hopefully your next copy is a goodun.
 
I should have marked the box too :D in case the store try to be clever and send me back the same one! Won't fool me!! :D
 
Pulled the trigger on ones of these from clifton cameras, went with UK option so can return if required and to get 3year warranty.

Lets hope it is a good as they say, if so will go great with my sig 85mm 1.4 :)
 
Just been off the phone to Carmarthen cameras. They said they're sending the lens back to Sigma. I think they were expecting me to wait for it's return from there, but not a chance. I insisted they send me a new copy or a refund. So they're sending the last one they have in stock out today. Only fair, it's not me who should have to deal with Sigma direct, I dealt with the store in the first place.

Anyway, Sigma had said to them that because it's a D800 it was tested on there's more chance of it being off! because obviously people don't know how to handle these high megapixel cameras. They were harping on about micro adjusting and all that jazz. I told the guy, I'm not thick, I know to test a lens, I know how to use a lens, I know how to use my camera - the lens is simply off. We had a bit of a chat about Sigma being notoriously bad with their QC then, I do love that Welsh accent :D

I felt almost bad for them, they now have none in stock, and have to await a replacement from sigma, they've paid for it on their end from Sigma, and now they have to wait possibly weeks for them to return it. Really not my problem though, I paid up front, I should get the goods in full working order. No issues.


Sooner the replacement gets here the better.


In fairness though, carmarthen camera's were good about it. Sigma had told them to tell me to wait for them to test it out. Or so they say. I just have to trust them, they are also giving me £40 back on the price, because just after I bought it amazon dropped the price by that amount.
 
Yup, they could have been arsey about it, could have even told me they had none left in stock. Though I would have insisted on a full refund in that case. Once I get the replacement, and all is good, I'll give them a positive on amazon for sure.
 
Oh well, maybe next time. They're out of stock on that lens anyhow.
 
What lenses do you already own?

Photozone give the 85mm only 3 stars with "[just]" after it.
 
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Had a massive cut down to my 2 most used lenses (the others never saw much use), Sigma 50 1.4 and Nikon 85 G. Some reviewers dont rate the Sigma 85 but Ive seen enough images/real life reviews to know its fantastic.

Id like the 35 for everyday stuff but in reality Id probably use the 85 more as I mostly do portraits waist up.
 
You have the Nikon 85mm already? The 1.8? that shot straight into the top of DXO's lens rankings recently. It'll be better than the sigma, even the 1.4

I have it too, not really used it enough yet, but for the price I couldn't resist.


I don't really need a 1.4 as such, it'll be great for indoor portraits using natural light, but I only need to have the one.
 
Cagey75 said:
What lenses do you already own?

Photozone give the 85mm only 3 stars with "[just]" after it.
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To be honiest I think that photozones standard "optical quality" rating is probabley the least informative aspect of their reviews which they seem to acknowledge here with the "field rating".

To me the Sigma seems very well designed in terms of priorities looking at stats and samples, give you center sharpness at larger appatures and boarder sharpness stopped down where your likely to need it.
 
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Cagey75 said:
You have the Nikon 85mm already? The 1.8? that shot straight into the top of DXO's lens rankings recently. It'll be better than the sigma, even the 1.4
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I dont really read to much into DXO tbh, I prefer real world samples. Optically the Sigma 50 produces the images I like, they have a certain look and the 85 samples Ive seen have that same look. The G is fantastic, even wide open its very sharp (and as you say a bargain), but I guess Im just a bokeh whore.
 
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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