This year I finally decided to pick up a fast prime lens for shooting holiday family gatherings - I ended up with a Sigma 30mm f1.4 lens. I put it to good use over Thanksgiving and am very happy with the copy I have - sharp and accurate.
It's a brilliant lens. It took me three tries to get a properly focusing one (darn Sigma QC), but now that I have one, it's just stellar. Very sharp right from f/1.4, and beautiful contrast, color and bokeh. It really can't be beat for the price.
No, I've never used the 24/1.8. I need the extra 2/3 stop. I had the Canon 28 f/1.8 (which is a fine lens), and got the Sigma 30/1.4 to replace it. The extra 2/3 stop has come in quite handy at times.
Likewise, I used the Sigma 30/1.4, I have not used the 24/1.8. For me I was looking for 1.4 and the primary options were Sigma 30/1.4, Canon 24/1.4 or Canon 35/1.4. The cost difference between the Sigma and the Canon's was simply to great so I chose the Sigma - so far so good...
Excellent shots. It's a great little lens, IF as everyone says, you get a great copy. I had one in the Canon mount that was decent wide open, sold that one. Later when I was using Minolta, I got another copy and it was superbly sharp wide open.
I am so torn apart... i would love to have this as my siggy 17-70 replacement, BUT if i buy a lens tat is 1.4, i will use it at 1.4...and if i need to replace the lens infinite times to get the right copy.... i don't know....i event wouldn't mind the small focus shift as long as manual focus is good!
Paulius wrote:
I am so torn apart... i would love to have this as my siggy 17-70 replacement, BUT if i buy a lens tat is 1.4, i will use it at 1.4...and if i need to replace the lens infinite times to get the right copy.... i don't know....i event wouldn't mind the small focus shift as long as manual focus is good!
A simple solution is a used one from the B&S forum that has been tried and true. Keep in mind though that the focusing problems are likely vastly exaggerated; you'll have a much better chance of getting a good copy than one that needs calibration. People who have a negative experience are much more likely to gripe about it than those who are satisfied.
This lens pretty much lived on my camera when I shot only crop bodies. Excellent IQ and fairly sharp wide open. I'm still lusting at its FF-equivalent big brother (50/1.4) for my 5D...
dfresh - i did some serious googling and just CAN't believe that people say this is a bad lens.... just from the pictures here in FM it is just awesome! But still i have to save up 400 pounds and thats a lot for me...
About the 50 1.4 - do you mean Sigma? Or canon? I had a chance to try out canon 50 1.4 on 5D mark 2 and had mixed feeling...it is very sharp i mean very sharp at f2.2 and smaller, but 1.4 is well just ok... And if the Sigma is sharper at 1.4 - i wouldn't hesitate
This is my favorite lens. I bought a used copy and it was perfect... until now. It seems the HSM motor was beginning to fail. It was working fine, just making an odd noise. Sent it to Sigma and they are replacing the motor.
Paulius wrote:
dfresh - i did some serious googling and just CAN't believe that people say this is a bad lens.... just from the pictures here in FM it is just awesome! But still i have to save up 400 pounds and thats a lot for me...
About the 50 1.4 - do you mean Sigma? Or canon? I had a chance to try out canon 50 1.4 on 5D mark 2 and had mixed feeling...it is very sharp i mean very sharp at f2.2 and smaller, but 1.4 is well just ok... And if the Sigma is sharper at 1.4 - i wouldn't hesitate ...Show more →
I was referring to the Sigma 50/1.4, the Sigma 30/1.4's big brother
Buy a used Sigma 30/1.4, if it turns out you don't like it, you can always resell it at the price you paid or close enough for the difference to be considered a 'rental fee'. Chances are you'll love the lens though.
I've used the excellent 30mm f1.4 (THIRD copy, the first two were bad... what up sigma QC?) on my 5D2. It vignettes like a banshee but in sort of an interesting way. There's definitely a 'look' there, but not something you can use that often, unless you like heavily cropping your images.
It's definitely a looker. I love mine, but sadly it's going up for sale in the next couple months. Moving to full frame and he'll have no place next to the 35L.
