p.15 #1 · In Stock: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art ($799)
Unfortunately this is the Sigma thread. Taking a lens that's been scrutinized for years, puts any new lens at a disadvantage.
I don't think any inference can be made from any of the published FE 90 sources, including Lensrentals, as they do not have any information for the Sigma.
Maybe post how great the FE 90 is with a link to the FE 90 thread? Or if you have some comparisons of the two, that would be awesome. Or links to sites where the two are compared would great too.
-Tim
osv2 wrote:
i have huge respect for your work, and i'm looking forward to seeing your eval of this sigma 105.
as far as instigation goes, i didn't start it, lol: "...as good as the sigma 105 macro appears to be, i don't see it being a substitute for the fe90... it's a xlnt cheaper alternative for people who don't already have the fe90"
everything that's been posted pretty much bears that out... you sure wouldn't want the sigma over the fe90 for manual focusing, or af either, if you needed ois, etc... minor differences in p.q. are rather insignificant in comparison to those things.
one exception, and the biggest problem with the fe90 by far, is that it has to be stopped down to get clean corners at long landscape focus distances... but how many people shoot landscapes with a 90mm macro lens, at wide apertures? if you are one of the few who does that, the fe90 isn't the best choice.
as for how sharp the fe90 is... see this dxo measurement(not calculation) vs. a $4000 macro lens, and early lensrentals proof that focus distance matters with the fe90:
p.15 #2 · In Stock: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art ($799)
we've been thru this already.
if it's a sigma-only thread, why did fred miranda bring up the fe90 in the third post to this thread?
why did brianaabram just post: "Am I crazy to consider selling both the 90 and 135 for this 105 macro?"
posters in this thread put up fe90 charts, just like i did, but you didn't call them out for it... don't be insecure about data that doesn't jive with your preconceived notions.
there are relevant inferences to be made from the lensrentals data, as i specifically stated, fe90 sharpness and field planarity changes with focus distance, which could affect the fe90 claims that people in this thread have made.
tsdevine wrote:
Unfortunately this is the Sigma thread. Taking a lens that's been scrutinized for years, puts any new lens at a disadvantage.
I don't think any inference can be made from any of the published FE 90 sources, including Lensrentals, as they do not have any information for the Sigma.
Maybe post how great the FE 90 is with a link to the FE 90 thread? Or if you have some comparisons of the two, that would be awesome. Or links to sites where the two are compared would great too.
p.15 #3 · In Stock: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art ($799)
It's all Fred's fault!
I'm not insecure, it's just there is no frame of reference to the Sigma. We can't publish the vendors MTF charts as a comparison, you've already ruled that out...and the FE 90 has 5 years of content you can pull from. AFAIK, Lensrentals hasn't published anything on the Sigma at this point. There isn't much left for us to do here other than worship the FE 90. It is a great lens.
Maybe I should ask for more FE 90 info? There has to be a ton of it....the more the better. I want all of it, I can take it!
Anywho, I'll try to post some shots at more landscape type apertures from Longwood Gardens later today. Maybe I'll post the SooC JPEGs and a link to the full size processed versions.
p.15 #7 · In Stock: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art ($799)
osv2 wrote:
"Definition of rhetorical:
: of a question : asked in order to make a statement rather than to get an answer."
I don't think this is a rhetorical question. I think vdo1 is sincere in suggesting that you ask Fred himself whether his brief mentions of the low price of the Sigma combined with it's high quality would have a negative effect on the pricing of the old Sony 90mm macro was meant to give permission for rude postings, and diverting the focus of a positive thread.
I think Fred was sincere in his postulations. I don't think that Fred intended to open the thread up to trolling, baiting, and rude posts by some with the neurotic need to do that.
So rather than once again deflect with this Rhetorical B.S., why don't you just ask Fred himself. I know he has received PMs from members regarding the rudeness of some posts on this thread. I choose not to take part in the reporting, but know that it did happen.
p.15 #9 · In Stock: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art ($799)
So here are some non-macro shots, all at f/8. Posting links to full size SooC JPEGs as well as processed. Note the SoC JPEGs will look flat, due to how I have my a7R III setup to try to allow me to judge exposure in camera (since there is no true RAW histogram.)
All corrections are turned off in camera, and in Lightroom it said the built in profile was applied.
p.15 #10 · In Stock: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art ($799)
So, great we are backing to posting images shot with this lens.
I had a visitor to my backyard early this morning. This nice, Anna's Hummingbird.
Since there has been discussion of the focusing performance of this lens, I decided to once again challenge it by shooting this bird. Hard to get too close as they are skittish. Because of that, this is a reasonably heavy crop. Still the details, rendering, and colors are excellent. This is one of about a 12 frame burst, each of which was nice and sharp like this one.
Anticipating the need for the heavy crop, I chose to shoot with my a7RIII instead of the a9. So, the lens was not getting the benefit of the amazing a9 AF system during this shoot.
Is it the best lens for this job? No, I have faster focusing lenses. Still, the AF is good when set to the proper focus limiting range and it is capable of keeping up with even some challenging AF situations.
Sure is nice and sharp with great rendering as a plus.
p.15 #13 · In Stock: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art ($799)
I started my working career as a young Geologist/Gemologist exploring East Africa for gem minerals way back in the mid 1970s. I still keep my fingers in it, although I long ago switched primary careers.
One of the more recent gemstone field discoveries has been in the Eastern Congo where gem quality tourmalines are being found in conjunction with the Coltan mining ( a difficult story). I am active in supporting the indigenous miners in developing these resources, as well as other kinds of stones in other East African Countries.
Sometimes I have to take images of either minerals, or a finished gemstone for various reasons. I have read, and it has been posted in this thread, that manual focus is not very good on the Sigma 105mm macro lens. I hadn't noticed difficulty in MF when casually focusing on things around the house. So, I thought I would give it a try in a more formal task where I would likely use the lens.
Below is an image of a large rough (uncut) multi-color tourmaline from the Congo deposit, and a stone I cut from a similar piece of rough. Normally for an image like this one I would just use my cell phone. But, hey we are having fun with a new lens.
With the camera on a tripod, I used manual focus, and touch screen to pick the focus point as I commonly do when shooting shots like this. These stones are quite large, so it is impossible to get them both in focus at the same time. I set them up in the positions shown, then focused on the cut stone in front, followed by another shot focused on the rough crystal. I then stacked the two shots into a single image.
I never found the MF focusing to be difficult, inaccurate, or substandard in any way on this Sigma. I am used to shooting MF with my Voigtlander MF lenses which have legendary MF ergonomics so I have a high standard to compare against. No, this Sigma is not on that level. But, I found it to be on par with my other "focus by wire" lenses.
Anyway, here is the image.. Once again nice and sharp, beautiful colors, and I am pleased with the output from this lens.
p.15 #14 · In Stock: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art ($799)
1bwana1 wrote:
I started my working career as a young Geologist/Gemologist exploring East Africa for gem minerals way back in the mid 1970s. I still keep my fingers in it, although I long ago switched primary careers.
One of the more recent gemstone field discoveries has been in the Eastern Congo where gem quality tourmalines are being found in conjunction with the Coltan mining ( a difficult story). I am active in supporting the indigenous miners in developing these resources, as well as other kinds of stones in other East African Countries.
Sometimes I have to take images of either minerals, or a finished gemstone for various reasons. I have read, and it has been posted in this thread, that manual focus is not very good on the Sigma 105mm macro lens. I hadn't noticed difficulty in MF when casually focusing on things around the house. So, I thought I would give it a try in a more formal task where I would likely use the lens.
Below is an image of a large rough (uncut) multi-color tourmaline from the Congo deposit, and a stone I cut from a similar piece of rough. Normally for an image like this one I would just use my cell phone. But, hey we are having fun with a new lens.
With the camera on a tripod, I used manual focus, and touch screen to pick the focus point as I commonly do when shooting shots like this. These stones are quite large, so it is impossible to get them both in focus at the same time. I set them up in the positions shown, then focused on the cut stone in front, followed by another shot focused on the rough crystal. I then stacked the two shots into a single image.
I never found the MF focusing to be difficult, inaccurate, or substandard in any way on this Sigma. I am used to shooting MF with my Voigtlander MF lenses which have legendary MF ergonomics so I have a high standard to compare against. No, this Sigma is not on that level. But, I found it to be on par with my other "focus by wire" lenses.
Anyway, here is the image.. Once again nice and sharp, beautiful colors, and I am pleased with the output from this lens.
p.15 #17 · In Stock: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art ($799)
The rumour has it that it's going to be a wide angle announcement...
I know I willl be contemplating the macro again this weekend when Sigma black friday deals are supposed to hit around here .
p.15 #19 · In Stock: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art ($799)
Besar wrote:
1bwana1, great story, beautiful photo.
Thanks Besar. As you can imagine the real stories are about the crazy adventures in the early days of the East African gem business. That is when many of the now famous new stones, and deposits were discovered. What is really amazing is that we are still finding new things to this day.
My first Wife is Polish, and many times her first words to me when I made it back home were "Dupa Yash". She is the Mother of my two kids, and Grandmother to three. We are still friends,(as I am with my full coven of exes), and she still calls me that with a laugh.
p.15 #20 · In Stock: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art ($799)
j4nu wrote:
The rumour has it that it's going to be a wide angle announcement...
I know I willl be contemplating the macro again this weekend when Sigma black friday deals are supposed to hit around here .
.