From Sigma: "It has improved focusing accuracy in single AF (AF-S)."
I've read reports that it has improved AF-C as well..
Let's hope that is true. That would be wonderful on this lens, and it might also mean that Sigma is taking its AF performance more seriously and devoting resources to it.
Then I'm not sure should post anything in regards to how to make it work. If Sigma says it isn't supported, then it isn't supported.
But I upgraded successfully. I do vaguely remember having to do something special for the Sony software to get it to work, and the Sigma software looks exactly the same (if you do "Get Info" on the updater software in Finder, you'll see it's copyright Sony Corp.) So that's why I just blindly went ahead knowing I had updated Sony lenses no problem.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I did not tried with 10.14 but Sigma's page says it's not compatible:
On the previous Sigma 45 firmware update, I got it to work by taking a working firmware update for a recent Sony lens (in previous case, I used latest 24 GM update and copied all the files from the dmg to another folder), then opening up the resource folder and swapping out the lenssystemsoftwareupdater file with that from the Sigma 45 update (the file that contains the actual firmware bits I assume). I think Sigma distributes an old version of the update settings tool as part of the package but last time at least the newer update tool (v3 from 24GM update while Sigma was distributing v2 w/ the 45 update) worked with the Sigma firmware file. I don't have the Sigma anymore to test if this still works but might...
Looks like after it fails launching, you can open up the Security & Privacy pane in System Preferences and you'll see a message there about the app being blocked. You can choose to allow it to launch anyway from there, and then try to launch it from Finder again. Of course, it then immediately crashed for me, but YMMV.
itai195 wrote:
Looks like after it fails launching, you can open up the Security & Privacy pane in System Preferences and you'll see a message there about the app being blocked. You can choose to allow it to launch anyway from there, and then try to launch it from Finder again. Of course, it then immediately crashed for me, but YMMV.
My previous work around required that additional step as well, since the Sigma update is unsigned...
I did nothing special, it just worked (on 10.14.6.) But at some point in the past, I did have to go through the following about granting access to Finder, for Sony Corp. I believe that's why this worked for me without having to do anything special, as I had already done this is the past with other Sony software. And the update tool provided by Sigma is Sony software.
Hmm I think I was overly optimistic about the update or AF-S is simply still more precise. I've taken some comparison shots and AF-S is still on point, while AF-C varies, but maybe the variation is lower...
Yeah, I'm not sure I can say it's perfect....only updated last night. But at least in my initial testing, it seems to be nailing it for me. But again.....non-moving objects, no eye AF.
j4nu wrote:
Yeah, for me it's just difficult to say it's 100% better.
tsdevine wrote:
Yeah, I'm not sure I can say it's perfect....only updated last night. But at least in my initial testing, it seems to be nailing it for me. But again.....non-moving objects, no eye AF.
I will test Eye-AF in low light today. Under harsh lighting, it's nailing focus even using AF-C. I took a quick stroll around my neighborhood and all 30 images I took were in focus. Here are a few:
It's my favorite lens in terms of rendering. It always deliver even under bad lighting.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I will test Eye-AF in low light today. Under harsh lighting, it's nailing focus even using AF-C. I took a quick stroll around my neighborhood and all 30 images I took were in focus. Here are a few:
It's my favorite lens in terms of rendering. It always deliver even under bad lighting.
AF-C seems to work fine with stationary objects. The consistent problem I have is trying to track an eye in AF-C. The lens and camera (an A9) report focus is achieved but in fact the eye is blurred and the picture unusable. Others have reported a similar problem (with the 85mm, first eye shot in a series has focus then others are misfocused) with some other Sigma lenses, but it seems most consistently bad with the 45mm, especially at closer distances.
In general, Sigma's AF for the lenses I have seems inferior to Samyang's, let alone Sony's.
The Sigma 45's AF will never do as well in tracking mode compared to other lenses because SA glow tricks the pd algorithm. When I initially wrote the review, I thought it was a shortcoming but now understand this is a compromise to achieve a special rendering look.
So, it's not a lens I would recommend for tracking kids playing sports nor for moving portraits. It was not designed for excel at many applications but I personally love it for group portraits and still life.
chiron wrote:
AF-C seems to work fine with stationary objects. The consistent problem I have is trying to track an eye in AF-C. The lens and camera (an A9) report focus is achieved but in fact the eye is blurred and the picture unusable. Others have reported a similar problem (with the 85mm, first eye shot in a series has focus then others are misfocused) with some other Sigma lenses, but it seems most consistently bad with the 45mm, especially at closer distances.
In general, Sigma's AF for the lenses I have seems inferior to Samyang's, let alone Sony's.
45mm and 85mm dn cases are completely different imho... The former has general issues with AF-C, the latter you will have a hard time distinguishing from native Sony until you shoot a series of a moving target towards you...
Which Samyangs are better at AF than respective Sigmas? I wish I tested tracking when I still had SY85 but I only recently started to shoot bursts so I didn't bother with it when I did the comparison.
j4nu wrote:
45mm and 85mm dn cases are completely different imho... The former has general issues with AF-C, the latter you will have a hard time distinguishing from native Sony until you shoot a series of a moving target towards you...
Which Samyangs are better at AF than respective Sigmas? I wish I tested tracking when I still had SY85 but I only recently started to shoot bursts so I didn't bother with it when I did the comparison.
Not the same problem with the 85, I agree, but still an af problem that shouldn't be there. IMHO, it should be able to shoot a series keeping the eye in focus.
The two Samyang lenses I have at the moment are the 45/1.8 and the 75/1.8. Both of them do AF-C so accurately and quickly that it has never occurred to me that there is an issue. I also briefly owned the 18/2.8 that one also seemed to me to focus with no worries.
chiron wrote:
Not the same problem with the 85, I agree, but still an af problem that shouldn't be there. IMHO, it should be able to shoot a series keeping the eye in focus.
The two Samyang lenses I have at the moment are the 45/1.8 and the 75/1.8. Both of them do AF-C so accurately and quickly that it has never occurred to me that there is an issue. I also briefly owned the 18/2.8 that one also seemed to me to focus with no worries.
Yeah, both of these Samyangs have very good AF.
I used to normally shoot only 1-2 frames at a time so I didn't really bother with testing my lenses for tracking. I don't have any Samyangs anymore to check how close they are to Sony in that regard...
chiron wrote:
Not the same problem with the 85, I agree, but still an af problem that shouldn't be there. IMHO, it should be able to shoot a series keeping the eye in focus.
The two Samyang lenses I have at the moment are the 45/1.8 and the 75/1.8. Both of them do AF-C so accurately and quickly that it has never occurred to me that there is an issue. I also briefly owned the 18/2.8 that one also seemed to me to focus with no worries.
The 35/1.8 is very good too, better than the 35i, very similar to the 35/1.4 ZA but not quite up to the FE 35.