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Archive 2014 · 50 Art, do I need the Dock?

  
 
sivrajbm
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 50 Art, do I need the Dock?


My 50 Art is due soon do I need the USB Dock to get the most out of this lens
Will the Dock provide better AF adjustment than just using FoCal on the lens body combo
I would like to hear from those that have actually used the lens/dock and your findings with and without.
Thanks in advance...

Edited on Oct 09, 2014 at 12:20 PM · View previous versions



Sep 23, 2014 at 10:11 PM
Thorsten
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 50 Art, do I need the Dock?


I had the Sigma 35/1.4 Art in my Nikon days, and it was good to have the dock. I upgraded the firmware at some point when Sigma fixed an issue with the outer focus points the lens had on the D800 (after which it worked better than Nikon's own lenses on the D800). Also, my sample of the lens had front focus for nearby subjects, while focus was spot on for distant subjects. Not much you can do with AF micro adjust in the camera body, but the dock allows to tune the focus separately for different distances.

That said, you could just wait if you have such issue, or a new firmware comes out that fixes something that you need, and buy the dock then.



Sep 23, 2014 at 10:18 PM
snapsy
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 50 Art, do I need the Dock?


I needed the dock for my Sigma 50 Art Nikon - the AF tune spread between MFD and infinity was too great to compensate for with a middling AF tune value. Here were my results.


Sep 23, 2014 at 10:20 PM
sivrajbm
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 50 Art, do I need the Dock?


Thanks Thorsten & Snapsy...


Sep 23, 2014 at 10:21 PM
fraga
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · 50 Art, do I need the Dock?


You can buy just the lens and if you don't encounter any kind of problem or issue, then there is no need to own the USB dock.
However, if you want to fine tune the AF or if you are aware of a firmware update that somehow upgrades the lens performance, then you can buy it, and that is only if you don't want to send the lens to sigma.

Having said that, I have one and never had a need for it.
I bought it at the same time I bought the sigma 120-300 sport.
No need for AF tweaks, no firmware upgrade released to this day.

My advice is buy the lens and see if you "need" or not.

Hope this helps.



Sep 24, 2014 at 04:03 AM
zlatko
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · 50 Art, do I need the Dock?


sivrajbm wrote:
My 50 Art is due soon do I need the USB Dock to get the most out of this lens
Will the Dock provide better AF adjustment than just using FoCal on the lens body combo
I would like to here from those that have actually used the lens/dock and your findings with and without.
Thanks in advance...


Related to that question, does FoCal even work for non-Canon lenses? In other words, do Canon cameras remember AFMA settings for third-party lenses?



Sep 24, 2014 at 11:42 AM
dhachey
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · 50 Art, do I need the Dock?




snapsy wrote:
I needed the dock for my Sigma 50 Art Nikon - the AF tune spread between MFD and infinity was too great to compensate for with a middling AF tune value. Here were my results.


I too had problems, not so much the spread, but the lens was +15 out of focus. Get the dock, you'll likely need it to update firmware and do AFMA. IMO Sigma should include it free with each new ART series lens. After adjustment the lens is lovely.

...dave



Sep 24, 2014 at 03:16 PM
dhachey
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · 50 Art, do I need the Dock?


Yes, it works just fine with the 50 ART.

zlatko wrote:
Related to that question, does FoCal even work for non-Canon lenses? In other words, do Canon cameras remember AFMA settings for third-party lenses?




Sep 24, 2014 at 03:18 PM
mmurph
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · 50 Art, do I need the Dock?


Roger Cicala at Lensrentals walks through teh process of testing and adjusting a lens with the Sigma dock here:

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2013/06/sigma-optimization-pro-and-usb-dock


I would suggest that you do the tests. Then if you have different adjustment requirements at different focus distances, you could buy a dock. If your lens focuses perfectly, or it "misses" by the same amount at all distances, you can dial in a single adjustment on your body and be done with it.


I have the Sigma 35 1.4 Art that I am using on a Nikon D7100. It seems to focus perfectly wide open with no adjustment.

I did pick up a dock used when I had a chance, because I intend to buy more Sigma Art lenses as they become available. I am very happy with the 35!



Sep 25, 2014 at 06:29 PM





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