p.1 #1 · Anyone else having terrible focus problems with their Sigma 35 1.4?
I've had the Sigma 35 1.4 since early January, and it's a FANTASTIC lens...when it works. On both of my 5D3 bodies, AF has been incredibly hit or miss lately. On stationary subjects in good light, it'll randomly front focus/back focus/not focus at all. I don't have problems with any of my other lenses.
Lately, my camera will confirm focus lock, and the image looks sharp through the viewfinder, but once I take it, the focus can be off by as much as several feet. I still don't know how to explain this one, but at yesterday's wedding, I manually focused on the wedding invite from 2 feet away using Live View. I zoomed in 10x to ensure that my focus was spot on, and when I took the shot, the focus was off by at least a foot or two. Literally nothing in the entire frame was sharp. I shot it again, and the same thing happened. A minute later, it started working fine again.
I love this lens, but it's starting to become more trouble than it's worth.
p.1 #2 · Anyone else having terrible focus problems with their Sigma 35 1.4?
Yes same here on a D700 (2 diff bodies)
I have fine-tuned split matte-screens in both from Katz-eye (great by the way). I tried to fine tune the AF. Sometimes it is spot on, but other times it is WAY out of focus.
What I donīt got totally understood yet is why it can be sharp on the matte-screen (or your life view) and still be unsharp in the pic (please remember I have split screens!) I have to take the time and do some tests again, but just now I have no motivation. Equipment has to go out of the way and donīt keep you occupied.
very odd. I got so frustrated I am back to my 35/2.0D
p.1 #5 · Anyone else having terrible focus problems with their Sigma 35 1.4?
Heiko, sounds like your screen might be very slightly out of align. Perhaps try giving it a clean and re-installing it.
I'm curious, those that have problems, have you also had issues with your native 35/1.4 lens if you've owned one? I've sometimes found mine challenging to focus, simple because its more difficult to see the point of focus in a wider field of view like this. But not exactly as you describe. If its just giving you completely unreliable / unpredictable results then its absolutely just not a tool for wedding photography. Try getting it serviced, or dump it, or throw it against a wall.
p.1 #8 · Anyone else having terrible focus problems with their Sigma 35 1.4?
D. Diggler wrote:
my camera doesn't do micro-focus adjust.
Good grief, what are you using, a D200? AF adjustment has been around since the D300.
As for me, my copy works great, having needed no tuning out of the box with my 2 D700. Of course, I only bought mine in- eh, April? So maybe I bought after all the bugs had been stomped on.
p.1 #9 · Anyone else having terrible focus problems with their Sigma 35 1.4?
I'm unsurprised about another inconsistent Sigma focus issue. I have never had anything but inconsistent results with Sigma focus...so I no longer own any Sigma lenses except a fisheye.
p.1 #10 · Anyone else having terrible focus problems with their Sigma 35 1.4?
form wrote:
I have never had anything but inconsistent results with Sigma focus...
Not trying to be rude, mean, cruel, unkind, etc., but based upon your posting history on Canon vs. Nikon- do have ANY gear whatsoever that you haven't had problems with?
p.1 #11 · Anyone else having terrible focus problems with their Sigma 35 1.4?
dlateulade wrote:
I've had the Sigma 35 1.4 since early January, and it's a FANTASTIC lens...when it works. On both of my 5D3 bodies, AF has been incredibly hit or miss lately. On stationary subjects in good light, it'll randomly front focus/back focus/not focus at all. I don't have problems with any of my other lenses.
Lately, my camera will confirm focus lock, and the image looks sharp through the viewfinder, but once I take it, the focus can be off by as much as several feet. I still don't know how to explain this one, but at yesterday's wedding, I manually focused on the wedding invite from 2 feet away using Live View. I zoomed in 10x to ensure that my focus was spot on, and when I took the shot, the focus was off by at least a foot or two. Literally nothing in the entire frame was sharp. I shot it again, and the same thing happened. A minute later, it started working fine again.
I love this lens, but it's starting to become more trouble than it's worth. ...Show more →
Any issues that you have using LV to focus is not a lens focus issue. The same is true for any AF screen focus miscalibration.
The inconsistency is troubling. I was hoping that the Art series had improves focus stability vs the 50/85 (which I still own and use)
p.1 #12 · Anyone else having terrible focus problems with their Sigma 35 1.4?
ricardovaste wrote:
Heiko, sounds like your screen might be very slightly out of align. Perhaps try giving it a clean and re-installing it.
No, my screen is perfectly aligned. As I said I have a split indicator screen. To properly set it up I put the cam on a tripod, place a 45 degree focus-target on a table and do the testing. There is a little allan-wrench screw in the mirror-box for fine-adjustments. Mine is perfect on the millimeter (0:
p.1 #13 · Anyone else having terrible focus problems with their Sigma 35 1.4?
Nikon_14 wrote:
Not trying to be rude, mean, cruel, unkind, etc., but based upon your posting history on Canon vs. Nikon- do have ANY gear whatsoever that you haven't had problems with?
Everything has some flaw or limitation...that said, I have not had any actual problems with my 16-35L, 135L or 70-200 f/2.8L IS, nor any functional defects with any of my 5d2s. My light stands keep going strong year after year. I haven't had any problems with my 5d3 either, or most of my flashes (the ones I haven't dropped). And my Sigma 15 fisheye works fine (within its limits).
I have had issues with 50L and 24L focus problems, some self-caused problems with the 35L focus rack locking (was dropped) and needing repair, the 35L's focus switch keeps falling off despite going to Canon for repairs twice, a number of the Phottix strato II triggers have broken from weight strain...
Just because I'm not wow-ed by the performance of a new item doesn't automatically mean I'm dissatisfied. But I am picky about certain things.
p.1 #15 · Anyone else having terrible focus problems with their Sigma 35 1.4?
My impression is that sigma lenses are a bit of a lottery. I have the 50 and its usually on target most of the time.but there are times when it just hands me a big hot cup of WTF?
FYI, my 35L had some fairly weird behavior on the 1D3.
(please remember I have split screens!) I have to take the time and do some tests again, but just now I have no motivation. Equipment has to go out of the way and donīt keep you occupied.