Tony Hoffer wrote:
I still think the Sigma is a better lens than the 85L overall, but I have gone back to the 85L. My decision came down to the fact that Sigma's service takes longer than Canon CPS platinum and with the amount I use an 85 and the amount of times I use CPS it didn't make sense anymore. The Sigma focus would seem to struggle and was at times inexplicable. Better overall, but not as consistent.
I have both Love the 85L, but it is a Slooow lens. the 85L is still outstanding for portraits and weddings, but for everything else I use the sigma for it's speed. The best of both worlds...
Writing this next sentence is like disowning a child…. The Sigma 85 1.4 is a better lens than the Canon 85L. There, I said it. It’s not ‘as good’, it’s actually better.
Reading that made me feel like the people in the car commercial where the car is in the driveway with the bow on it and everyone's happy. Then some other car drives down the street and they stare at it longingly.
I wonder if the difference in opinion over the lens is whether or not someone has the ability to finely adjust focus of the lens at home? Obv the D3 D700 have it, and it appears the 5d2 does as well. Ay ideas?
I have the 50 and 85 Sigmas as well. They both work great for me so far. The 50 is super sharp. Nothing compares to the bokeh of the 85L though, it's just a masterpiece.
I had a bit on it , but recently did some more involved test shots and decided it did not need any at all. It's razor sharp and is my "stock" lens I bring about.
Hahahaha... Tony went back to 85L II? Lol tht made me laugh.
No seriously, I saw his review A FEW TIMES already and it was such a good review... That he almost made me buy one.
Unfortunately I picked up an 85L II and will never look back. I don't care for focus speed. If speed is an issue, wellaaaa, I pick up my 70-200 II for that.
Guys... seriously. If you need technical analysis of camera gear, there are many places to get that. Tony is obviously an awesome photographer, but following someone's coattails and taking their opinion as the last word on camera gear is just silly.
My personal opinion...
I sold the 85L to get the Sigma and I regret it. Sharpness is close, but it is NOT a consistently focusing lens and build quality feels very hollow.
For $900 it's a great lens, but it's no 85L. This will in all liklihood be the last Sigma lens I own for quite a while. I might pick up a cheap, slower zoom from them in the future, but the focusing with their fast primes is just abysmal. I wish I could get my 85L back for what I sold it for.
After my AF motor died on the Sigma 85 I sent it in for repair and it has come back better than it was before. Extremely accurate and indistinguishable at normal viewing distances from any other 85 I've used.
Mine went in for calibration and came back ok but still serious back focus on the outer AF points, sent in in again and they reset the AF system and now zero focus hammer/uncertainty that used to happen in AFC with static subjects BUT still backfocus on the outer AF points.
There just seem to be too many variations in AF performance between copies of this lens. Nikon have a reasonably priced 85 1.8 now with decent bokeh so the sigma may get ditched. Lentip recorded only 2.5% focus misses - the sigma was double that.
Ever since Sigma lost one of my lenses (then found it a few days later) I haven't bothered with getting new Sigma lenses. Though my 150 F2.8 macro is one of the sharpest lenses I have.
deepbluejh wrote:
Guys... seriously. If you need technical analysis of camera gear, there are many places to get that. Tony is obviously an awesome photographer, but following someone's coattails and taking their opinion as the last word on camera gear is just silly.
My personal opinion...
I sold the 85L to get the Sigma and I regret it. Sharpness is close, but it is NOT a consistently focusing lens and build quality feels very hollow.
For $900 it's a great lens, but it's no 85L. This will in all liklihood be the last Sigma lens I own for quite a while. I might pick up a cheap, slower zoom from them in the future, but the focusing with their fast primes is just abysmal. I wish I could get my 85L back for what I sold it for....Show more →
Sigma primes suck. Personally, I'd stay away from them...
Don't you own 6 or 7 of them Alan? With lenses it is almost always horses for courses and strokes for folks. Get them in your hands and find what works best for you; isn't that what really matters?
Mark_L wrote:
Mine went in for calibration and came back ok but still serious back focus on the outer AF points, sent in in again and they reset the AF system and now zero focus hammer/uncertainty that used to happen in AFC with static subjects BUT still backfocus on the outer AF points.
There just seem to be too many variations in AF performance between copies of this lens. Nikon have a reasonably priced 85 1.8 now with decent bokeh so the sigma may get ditched. Lentip recorded only 2.5% focus misses - the sigma was double that.
Are you shooting with a nikon per chance? My d700 did that with my sig85, and a few others. It was most pronounced with the 85 though. The D3 I am shooting with now does not show the same behavior.
SloPhoto wrote:
Are you shooting with a nikon per chance? My d700 did that with my sig85, and a few others. It was most pronounced with the 85 though. The D3 I am shooting with now does not show the same behavior.
Yes, D700. I have not found any reports online of any issues and sigma could not come up with an explanation even when referred to Japan. Basically I'm hanging on to it until the D800 is released, if it show the same issue the lens will get ditched.
Love the 85L, but it is a Slooow lens. the 85L is still outstanding for portraits and weddings, but for everything else I use the sigma for it's speed. The best of both worlds...