Sven Jeppesen
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 p.36 #13 · Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM first impressions | |
Rickuz wrote:
Indeed.
Like I've said before, Adorama has launched a pilot scheme whereby on request they test Sigma lenses before shipping. They even admit that they have caught a large number of bad lenses in this way.
Official comment from Adorama:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1265016
Why would a big and reputable store like Adorama do or say something like this, unless there really is a problem with Sigma? .. Are they just a bunch of trolling Sigma bashers? 
Actually Roger Cicala talked a lot about this on hid website. This thread is Roger Cicalas first impression of the Sigma lens that Fred Miranda started. And in the beginning of the thread he have a link to Rogers LensRental site and blog.
He also write that The old Sigma was bad and had bad repair and service. But he also write that this have change a lot and that quality control, service and repair is much much better today. The pilot scheme that Adorama did launch before was not at all about the Sigma 35/1,4. Here are quotes from roger Cicalas site about this.
"About 5 years ago, I wrote a blog post explaining that quality control problems and horrid repair service meant we would probably stop carrying Sigma products entirely.
Since then, the most amazing thing happened. They got better. The repair center sprouted an efficient and intuitive web page, real people started answering the phones and knew where your stuff was, repair times went from months to weeks, to often days. Quality control seemed to improve, too, except for the large telephoto zooms. Recently they announced ( making announcements – what a concept, Nikon) quality control improvements, redesign of some problematic lenses (OK, they didn’t use the word problematic lens, that’s me. They just said redesign), and are going to offer the gearheads among us unprecedented ability to fine tune their lenses to our cameras.
So today, we received our first 35mm f/1.4 Sigma lens. The first in their new revamped lineup. (No, you can’t rent it yet. It’s going to have to undergo extensive testing at my house over the long weekend. Maybe next week.) I was eager to see it, hoping it was going to be another step forward and hoping to find some signs of what will be adjustable in these new lenses.
OK, you can get out your crayons and color me Fanboy, but this lens is built solidly. It really feels more like a Zeiss 35mm than a Canon or Nikon. Sigma says there’s a lot of metal in there, and at 1.4 pounds I believe them. On the other hand, that makes it several ounces heavier than either the Canon or Nikon, but about the same amount lighter than the Zeiss 35mm f/1.4.
It feels solid, too. The manual focusing ring is smooth and accurate, although I found it a bit stiff. Not problem stiff, but certainly not move-it-with-a-fingertip. Autofocus speed was reasonably quick, about on a par with the Canon 35mm. More importantly to me, AF accuracy was good, too, even when we darkened the room down to the point where many Sigma lenses start hunting."
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