p.1 #3 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
freaklikeme wrote:
I doubt sales were all that great to begin with if they're moving to this model.
That was my first taught, but the fact that it's sold out at most stores and that the PR says they have no stock and are experiencing significant delays producing the lens, makes me wonder.
p.1 #4 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
Performance of this lens is impeccable. Amazing, considering f1.4.
But nearly 3 pounds of weight clearly is too much for most people. It is only fo those that do need this performance at f1.4 to f2. Others are better served with the Sony 14/f1.8 or any of the f2.8 ultra wide zooms.
I wonder if a similar arrangement of buying and paying will come for the 15mm/f1.4 fisheye as well.
p.1 #5 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
Knut. wrote:
Performance of this lens is impeccable. Amazing, considering f1.4.
But nearly 3 pounds of weight clearly is too much for most people. It is only fo those that do need this performance at f1.4 to f2. Others are better served with the Sony 14/f1.8 or any of the f2.8 ultra wide zooms.
I wonder if a similar arrangement of buying and paying will come for the 15mm/f1.4 fisheye as well.
Yep, if you can live with f2.8 there are definitely more convenient lenses out there. But the 14mm f1.4 is also definitely the best wide angle lens I have used. Happy I picked it up a few months ago.
I had the same thought about the 15mm f1.4. If the 14mm had limited sales, I have to think the 15mm is even more limited. A small part of me wonders if it's worth snatching up a copy. But while I knew how I would use the 14mm f1.4 I am not sure how much I would end up using the 15mm. I can think of very few situations where I wouldn't mind the fish eye distortion. Now give me something like a 12mm f2 and I probably won't be able to resist.
p.1 #6 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
DWOfPaul wrote:
That was my first taught, but the fact that it's sold out at most stores and that the PR says they have no stock and are experiencing significant delays producing the lens, makes me wonder.
It's just the e-mount that's on backorder, and I don't think either of us can say if there are outstanding e-mount orders going unfulfilled. Moving to a made to order model itself wouldn't be that unusual for such a complex specialty lens, but what you didn't mention before is that people will only be able to order it between 9/4 and 10/31 of this year (for delivery next year). After that, you'll have to wait until the next open order period, which they've yet to determine.
I'd say the lens isn't long for retail offering, for whatever reason.
p.1 #7 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
I just got a new Sigma 14mm f/1.4. It's one of the last remaining DG DN models before Sigma switches to the DN model. I spoke to the Sigma rep about the lens at a recent camera show event. He said the new model has a slightly different texture and the badging on the lens will be slightly different, but it does not sound like the process for producing them is changing. He stated that every 14mm f/1.4 is individually inspected by hand and verified to be optically within spec. We were talking about dealers and he strongly recommended using a reputable dealer because you can get grey market lenses through certain shops, which is what happened to me on the first 14mm f/1.4 that I purchased. He commented that you should be fine if you order (in the USA) via B&H (NYC) or Roberts (Indianapolis), as both are reputable. I bought mine through a local shop who also happens to be an authorized Sigma dealer.
p.1 #8 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
scrappydog wrote:
I just got a new Sigma 14mm f/1.4. It's one of the last remaining DG DN models before Sigma switches to the DN model. I spoke to the Sigma rep about the lens at a recent camera show event. He said the new model has a slightly different texture and the badging on the lens will be slightly different, but it does not sound like the process for producing them is changing. He stated that every 14mm f/1.4 is individually inspected by hand and verified to be optically within spec. We were talking about dealers and he strongly recommended using a reputable dealer because you can get grey market lenses through certain shops, which is what happened to me on the first 14mm f/1.4 that I purchased. He commented that you should be fine if you order (in the USA) via B&H (NYC) or Roberts (Indianapolis), as both are reputable. I bought mine through a local shop who also happens to be an authorized Sigma dealer....Show more →
I recently checked B&H and it was listed as discontinued.
p.1 #9 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
Lt.Deadeye wrote:
I recently checked B&H and it was listed as discontinued.
Retailers are selling remaining stock, provided they have remaining stock. B&H is clearly out. Some vendors still have stock, but if they are authorized retailers, I assume there won't be much stock available, if any.
p.1 #11 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
One thing worth noting is that if your local camera stores have events, or can hook you up with the local Sigma sales/technical folks, take advantage of that. I got to chat with the Sigma rep at an event over the weekend and not only test the 14mm f/1.4 (the old version), but also the 200/2, 135/1.4, 35/1.2 II, 20-200, etc. The technical rep reviewed my test shots with my old version of the 14/1.4 and gave me feedback on those. Talking face to face with the reps from the manufacturers can be very interesting and informative.
With respect to the new 14/1.4, the Sigma rep told me that the company will be manufacturing the new ones in quarterly batches. It sounds like folks looking to buy the 14/1.4 in the future will need to go on a list and wait 6 months. He also stated that all the parts in their lenses are manufactured directly by Sigma, from the plastics in the casings to the screws, so they are vertically integrated. The only component that comes from a third-party is the glass, which comes from Hoya. Apparently Hoya and Schott produce most, if not all, glass in consumer lenses.
p.1 #12 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
I tested my new Sigma 14mm f/1.4. The stars are pretty good at f/1.4. If interested, below is a link to a zip file with DNG test shots at f/1.4 to f/2.8 in 1/3 stop increments with my A1.
I think I figured out how to get the focus right with the lens. If you focus in the mid-field at f/1.4, there is a point in which you gently turn the focus and the lens does not improve. When you are in that range, you then go out to the extreme periphery and likely see astigmatism. If you very delicately noodle the focus with light touches, the astigmatism will disappear in the corners. Then if you scroll to other parts of the frame, the stars will remain fairly round through the entire frame. The lens is not perfectly flat field, so it requires a very light touch to get right and some regions are better than others, but for the most part, the stars are roundish. My lens is good at f/1.4, which is amazing for a 14mm lens. Stopping it down to f/2.8 will tighten the stars a little and the dim stars will pop a little more, but mostly, if you nail the shot at f/1.4 it's about 95% there. The best part is that if you nail the focus, you can lock the focus so you never have to focus again all night, even if you remove the lens from the mount. I'm in heaven.
p.1 #13 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
Last night I got to play around with the 14mm f1.4 for some Northern lights photos, and I was very impressed with the results. Unfortunately, it was cloudy most of the night, so I only got about 30 minutes of photography in, and didn't get to head out to a picturesque location. But I am happy I was able to get some photos in as the clouds were uncooperative most of the night.
The results definitely cemented my opinion that the Sigma 14mm f1.4 is an awesome lens if you need a fast wide angle lens and can deal with its size and weight. If you're on the fence about picking it up to use next year, you may want to jump on the waiting list.
p.1 #14 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
I've seen stores clearing this lens out recently, so it must be a really slow seller. I was tempted to grab one at the sale price, but I have such limited opportunities to do astrophotography.
p.1 #15 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
Cliff L. wrote:
I've seen stores clearing this lens out recently, so it must be a really slow seller. I was tempted to grab one at the sale price, but I have such limited opportunities to do astrophotography.
I own this lens. It's an astrophotography specialist lens. It has astrophotography features that are incredible. It has odd behavior and is not well suited for general wide angle photography during the day. Let me explain...
If you focus in the middle at f/1.4, you won't find a sharper 14mm lens than you will in the center of this frame even at f/1.4. However, that same shot will have a blurry mid-field and periphery, even if you focused at infinity and the midfield and corners are at infinity. Even if you stop down to f/5.6, it's still not flat field - the corners will be great, the other parts of the frame will be soft. You have to stop down to f/8+ to get the whole frame to look better at 100%.
At night, if you focus in the midfield and gently focus out the astigmatism in the periphery, you will have circular stars at f/1.4 across the frame. This is its super-power. The stars won't be as tight as if you focus in the middle and just look at the middle, but they will be round across the frame.
For night stuff, it's amazing. For day stuff, the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 and Samyang 14-24mm f/2.8 are better general purpose lenses (and more flat field at f/2.8), and they shoot pretty good at night.
You will be lucky if you can find one for sale from any authorized dealer anywhere. Don't buy from an unauthorized dealer because if the lens has any issues, Sigma may not evaluate/fix the lens or do it for free under warranty if it is grey market.
Bottom line: it's a lens you need to evaluate with open eyes. During the day, I don't see the purpose of using it. At night, there is nothing better, except perhaps the Sigma 15mm f/1.4 fisheye. If you don't have the time/ability to shoot a lot at night, there are other options that are pretty good, more general purpose, and cost less.
p.1 #18 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
scrappydog wrote:
I own this lens. It's an astrophotography specialist lens. It has astrophotography features that are incredible. It has odd behavior and is not well suited for general wide angle photography during the day. Let me explain...
If you focus in the middle at f/1.4, you won't find a sharper 14mm lens than you will in the center of this frame even at f/1.4. However, that same shot will have a blurry mid-field and periphery, even if you focused at infinity and the midfield and corners are at infinity. Even if you stop down to f/5.6, it's still not flat field - the corners will be great, the other parts of the frame will be soft. You have to stop down to f/8+ to get the whole frame to look better at 100%.
At night, if you focus in the midfield and gently focus out the astigmatism in the periphery, you will have circular stars at f/1.4 across the frame. This is its super-power. The stars won't be as tight as if you focus in the middle and just look at the middle, but they will be round across the frame.
For night stuff, it's amazing. For day stuff, the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 and Samyang 14-24mm f/2.8 are better general purpose lenses (and more flat field at f/2.8), and they shoot pretty good at night.
You will be lucky if you can find one for sale from any authorized dealer anywhere. Don't buy from an unauthorized dealer because if the lens has any issues, Sigma may not evaluate/fix the lens or do it for free under warranty if it is grey market.
Bottom line: it's a lens you need to evaluate with open eyes. During the day, I don't see the purpose of using it. At night, there is nothing better, except perhaps the Sigma 15mm f/1.4 fisheye. If you don't have the time/ability to shoot a lot at night, there are other options that are pretty good, more general purpose, and cost less....Show more →
For nighttime photos, I completely agree with your experience and suggestions.
For daytime photos, my experience is a bit different. I do focus 90% of my landscape photos that are at infinity in the mid field for most lenses. I have found that this usually gives me the best across the frame results regardless of brand or lens. When I do this with the Sigma 14mm f1.4 I do feel the results are really good. By f2.8 on the results are just as good as my Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 S, which up until I got the Sigma 14mm f1.4 I would say is the best wide angle lens I have used (and I have used quite a few). But I will agree that for landscape use during the day, there are more convenient lenses. For example, comparing it to Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 S, the Nikon is lighter, smaller, basically just as good optically at landscape apertures(sometimes I would give the Nikon a slight edge some sometimes the Sigma), and the ability to zoom from 14-24mm opens up a lot of framing possibilities. I would definitely recommend having other wide angle options before getting the Sigma if you photograph more than astrophotography.
Do you have the 15mm f1.4? It's tempted me, but I can't find much info on it or sample photos.
p.1 #19 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
DWOfPaul wrote:
For nighttime photos, I completely agree with your experience and suggestions.
For daytime photos, my experience is a bit different. I do focus 90% of my landscape photos that are at infinity in the mid field for most lenses. I have found that this usually gives me the best across the frame results regardless of brand or lens. When I do this with the Sigma 14mm f1.4 I do feel the results are really good. By f2.8 on the results are just as good as my Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 S, which up until I got the Sigma 14mm f1.4 I would say is the best wide angle lens I have used (and I have used quite a few). But I will agree that for landscape use during the day, there are more convenient lenses. For example, comparing it to Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 S, the Nikon is lighter, smaller, basically just as good optically at landscape apertures(sometimes I would give the Nikon a slight edge some sometimes the Sigma), and the ability to zoom from 14-24mm opens up a lot of framing possibilities. I would definitely recommend having other wide angle options before getting the Sigma if you photograph more than astrophotography.
Do you have the 15mm f1.4? It's tempted me, but I can't find much info on it or sample photos. ...Show more →
I probably need to test my Sigma 14mm f/1.4 during the day more. Admittedly, I almost never use it for daytime use. It makes sense that my night techniques would probably work for daytime use too.
Re the Sigma 15mm f/1.4, I have never shot it. That said, the YouTuber "Nebula Photos" did a review of the lens and he zooms in a lot to 100%. The shots are killer. The sharpness across the frame is amazing. It's like the 14mm f/1.4 in the middle, but across the entire frame because Sigma does not have to correct the distortion in the midfield and corners. The reason we have to monkey with the focus so much with the 14mm at f/1.4 is to get the astigmatism out, but the 15mm does not have the same issue.
p.1 #20 · Sigma 14mm f1.4 switching to made to order 6 months in advance
Lt.Deadeye wrote:
Thanks scrappydog. I really wanted a fast ultra wide Sigma lens to further my kit. Now I know where not to look.
Most people seem to like the Sony 14mm f/1.8. My spouse has a copy, but I never shoot with it so I cannot tell you much about it. It's really small and light for the speed of the lens. What I do know is that it's not flat field, so testing is need to be done to get the most out of it.
I don't want to discourage you from the Sigma 14mm f/1.4. It's a really cool lens and has amazing features that you won't find on most/any other lens (focus lock, aperture lock, built in foot, accommodation for lens warmers). If you are into night photography, the speed, focus lock, and built in foot are worth the price IMO.
