Alan actually owns Sigma.... not many people know this and he doesn't like to publicize this fact. Last year, I had the pleasure of walking the PhotoPlus floor with Alan and when we got to the Sigma booth, they rolled out the red carpet for him... I'm certain they were welcoming in the secret owner and CFO.
Mark_L wrote:
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.
My d700 showed the same issue with the 14-24 f2.8 along with minor error with my 50mm1.8g. The only lenses I had that were dead on were my 35 1.4g and 200 f2. This D3 is dead on with all of them.
Just commenting here in case anyone who is thinking of buying the Sigma versus the Canon is reading. I've owned both and kept the Canon 85L 1.2 II.
The Sigma had issues focusing. I bought it before the Canon thinking I might get a good copy and luck out. Great image quality at a great price, right? Well, I never trusted the lens from day one. It was extremely inconsistent from the first time I took it out. I was so disappointed when I viewed the photos later and found most to be out of focus.
The Canon 85L, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. Super accurate. Slow focusing from minimum focus distance to max, sure, but that really never bothered me because I could trust the lens.
SloPhoto wrote:
My d700 showed the same issue with the 14-24 f2.8 along with minor error with my 50mm1.8g. The only lenses I had that were dead on were my 35 1.4g and 200 f2. This D3 is dead on with all of them.
Hmm I may have been giving sigma UK a hard time for nothing then! My 70-200, 50 1.8 and 35-70 are all fine (zero fine tune too) - the sigma is the oddball on my D700. Hopefully this will be solved with the D800.
Mark_L wrote:
Hmm I may have been giving sigma UK a hard time for nothing then! My 70-200, 50 1.8 and 35-70 are all fine (zero fine tune too) - the sigma is the oddball on my D700. Hopefully this will be solved with the D800.
Try retesting the 50mm 1.8. I bet it has an ever so slight error. (2-5ma off on the outer point, but each MA step is tiny on that lens). I cannot fathom it being a d700 design issue given that my nikon lens showed the same issue. I could be wrong though as I have only owned one d700. (The D3 should have the same/similar AF system)
cjrpostma wrote:
Just commenting here in case anyone who is thinking of buying the Sigma versus the Canon is reading. I've owned both and kept the Canon 85L 1.2 II.
The Sigma had issues focusing. I bought it before the Canon thinking I might get a good copy and luck out. Great image quality at a great price, right? Well, I never trusted the lens from day one. It was extremely inconsistent from the first time I took it out. I was so disappointed when I viewed the photos later and found most to be out of focus.
The Canon 85L, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. Super accurate. Slow focusing from minimum focus distance to max, sure, but that really never bothered me because I could trust the lens....Show more →
This is my experience with the Sigma 85... I will be trying out the 85 1.8.
Tom Dix wrote:
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?
Too simple?
I was kidding....hence the winky emoticon. Sigma lenses are fine....at least for me they are.
After owning both the sigma and canon version #2 I ended up keeping the canon. Other than inconsistant focus and a warmer white balance I liked the sigma better, but I couldn't live with the inconsistant focus. After trying out 6 copies of the sigma I am under the assumption they all have issues.
Well, I had an 85L II for two months. Realized I didn't use it as much so I sold it. I lasted exactly four days without it and guess what? I picked up one again. That's how much I missed it. I dont think I'll ever sell it again unless I completely quit shooting.
Im debating on this right now, sell the 85f1.8 for the Sigma 85f1.4, now I am not so sure after reading this. MIght be better to put upgrade money into the 70-200 II. I have no issues with my Sigma 50f1.4 on either my 7D or 5D3.
Tony Hoffer wrote:
Wow, I need to hire silentwings to do our PR...
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.
This has always been my issue too. The sigma 50 1.4 is a good lens too, but for professional use the issues with focussing and long delays for service just don't make sense.
I do wish that Canon would make an 85 1.4 - lighter, faster to focus, better bokeh than the 85 1.8. Right now it's a lens I don't have in my bag for that reason. I did buy the 135 f2 though - that's lovely!
Iluxa007 wrote:
Well, I had an 85L II for two months. Realized I didn't use it as much so I sold it. I lasted exactly four days without it and guess what? I picked up one again. That's how much I missed it. I dont think I'll ever sell it again unless I completely quit shooting.
Same here this is the last lens I'd sell, unless they make a version iii of it.
I'm extremely happy with my Sigma 85 after a year and a half. I use it in single shot focus mode on 2 5D2's, it has been bang on for focus and sharpness.
