The-Digital-Picture.com posted a very informative review on the new Sigma 35mm f/1.4.
Here is an excerpt:
"The impressiveness of the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens' image quality becomes most apparent when comparing the results to the other great 35mm lenses. I have not used a lens of any focal length (Canon, Nikon, Zeiss, ...) that delivered better/sharper image quality at f/1.4." - Read full review
The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 is available for $899 with free shipping and 2% rewards:
"The impressiveness of the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens' image quality becomes most apparent when comparing the results to the other great 35mm lenses. I have not used a lens of any focal length (Canon, Nikon, Zeiss, ...) that delivered better/sharper image quality at f/1.4. "
Bruce Sawle wrote:
This might be the first really positive review of a 3rd party lens on the Digital Picture.com site. This says a lot about how good this 35 lens is.
THat USB optimizing AF fixing dock sounds interesting. I wonder if it merely adjusts interal AF parameters or can fully upgrade firmware too and do so to an extent that re-chipping would never be needed? It does seem that Sigma has been very plagued by many of their lenses becoming non-functional each time a new body generation comes out. Tamron has managed to have radically fewer of those types of issues. With Sigma it's been bad enough to be worrisome IMO. But maybe this fixes that and more?
skibum5 wrote:
THat USB optimizing AF fixing dock sounds interesting. I wonder if it merely adjusts interal AF parameters or can fully upgrade firmware too and do so to an extent that re-chipping would never be needed? It does seem that Sigma has been very plagued by many of their lenses becoming non-functional each time a new body generation comes out. Tamron has managed to have radically fewer of those types of issues. With Sigma it's been bad enough to be worrisome IMO. But maybe this fixes that and more?
Its supposed to be able to upgrade the firmware too.
I just wonder if it adjust a focus map, or if it would just be like changing the micro-adjustment in camera. Would be nice if you could do a multipoint calibration.
Perhaps I'm wrong, but the comparison here of the Sigma vs. the Canon IS shows the Canon to be sharper off center and in the corners from f2.0 to f/5.6 (where I stopped looking). Slight flare in the corner of the Canon on the f/2.0 corner square, but sharpness looked better.
Gunzorro wrote:
Perhaps I'm wrong, but the comparison here of the Sigma vs. the Canon IS shows the Canon to be sharper off center and in the corners from f2.0 to f/5.6 (where I stopped looking). Slight flare in the corner of the Canon on the f/2.0 corner square, but sharpness looked better.
Thanks snapsy! Yes, that's what I was looking at. I looked at the f/8 and f/11 this time -- it's not until f/8 that the Sigma catches up to the Canon, and they are about equal at those to apertures. There the Sigma seems a touch sharper mid-frame, but the Canon has more contrast. Just about a wash really. But f/2 thru f/5.6 the entire frame looks more favorable to Canon to me.
