I do not know whether it was posted here, but I was just interested what do you expect from the new Sigma lens:
http://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/cas/product/art/a_35_14.html

Can the AF be as good as 35L? Can the IQ be as good as Zeiss or 35L?
What will make you buy it?

What is realistic and what is not?

I expect I will explain the "A" on the lens to people as standing for the Aspheric elements the lens uses or perhaps make something up about it standing for wide Aperture. I sure as hell will not tell them it stands for "Artist".

It's a seriously nice looking lens though. I expect it to outperform pretty much everything given it's design. I guess we will have to wait and see. Sigma has been producing some really outstanding lenses lately so there is every reason to be optimistic. If the price is under 1K or so and the performance is there, I will likely buy one.

Tariq Gibran wrote:
Sigma has been producing some really outstanding lenses lately so there is every reason to be optimistic. If the price is under 1K or so and the performance is there, I will likely buy one.

+1

I expect it to not be a 35ZA that doesn't yet exist. Honestly, I've just found a place I'm really happy and comfortable with in terms of colour consistency, drawing style, as nice as I'm sure this is I won't be buying one simply as it won't match up with my other lenses.

This lens had better be at least as good as the Samyang.

From my experience with Sigma, even the Samyang will probably have better autofocus.

carstenw wrote:
This lens had better be at least as good as the Samyang.

I think that's the IQ bar it has to meet, which is a very high bar.

The 50/1.4 and 85/1.4 are really good, so I'm hoping this will be in the same league.

Here's hoping that the IQ will be as good as the 85/1.4. If that's the case, my Nikon may be on the market.

The vignetting looks pretty heavy WO.
I know it's normal for fast lenses, but this much??

johnahill wrote:
The vignetting looks pretty heavy WO.
I know it's normal for fast lenses, but this much??

If you look at the Zeiss 35 1.4 MTF's,- which also show vignetting - it's almost exactly the same wide open.

I apply a vignette to probably 90% of my photos that are of subject matter I typically shoot wide open.

Sigma is merely saving me some time in post

when it will be available?

Light_pilgrim wrote:
when it will be available?

Don't buy it; get the 35L!!!

Sigma USA announces $899 price for 35mm F1.4 DG HSM prime lens:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/11/07/Sigma-35mm-f1-4-DG-HSM-899-dollars-street-price

EOS20 wrote:
Sigma USA announces $899 price for 35mm F1.4 DG HSM prime lens:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/11/07/Sigma-35mm-f1-4-DG-HSM-899-dollars-street-price



Great news! I'm particularly impressed that EVERY single lens is quality tested:

"Every 35mm F1.4 DG HSM will be checked using Sigma’s own MTF measuring system, “A1,” as will all new lenses under the Global vision categories. This system uses 46-megapixel Foveon direct image sensors to pick up previously undetectable high-frequency details for quality control inspections."

carstenw wrote:
This lens had better be at least as good as the Samyang.


haha couldn't say it better myself. It at least LOOKS damn good.

Really looking forward to see what people say about the IQ and AF performance. Looks too good to be true - 2 times less expensive than 35L and 2.5 times less expensive than Zeiss and 200 grams less heavy

With Sigma you never know.... Roll the dice and buy one.

Where did you find the weight for the Sigma, Light_pilgrim? The Global Vision website still lists it as ‘to be determined’.

I agree the lens looks very promising, and I’m pleasantly surprised by its price (though in France it’s a bit more expensive than in the USA). It’s still expensive, of course, but reasonably so considering its specification and all that fancy glass. Contrast with the seriously expensive Nikon 70-200 mm f/4, Canon 35 mm f/2, and Canon 24-70 mm f/4 that were recently announced.

Off topic: I'd love to see Sigma take another stab at a 14 mm prime, this time with the latest coatings to fix the old flare problems.