Watched reviews from Gordon, CF and Gerald - very impressive performance from the Sigma. Looks like a winner all around, especially when price and build quality come into play.
Compared to the GM it looks like it's as sharp or sharper in the centre, sharper in the corners with similar distortion, far less breathing and pretty similar bokeh.
So glad I have a Sony body so I can have the option to enjoy fine lenses like this from Sigma. I'll gladly trade internal 7k raw and open gate for access to more and better glass :-)
aCuria wrote:
Someone needs to test the close up performance, which has plagued many Sigma lenses like the 35i
Magnification is 1:5.4 = 0.18x, which is not as good as the 35GM (0.23x AF, 0.26x MF)
Yes, that's a good point. The first version had lousy performance up close (well basically at MFD, but still AFAIR).
Looks alright at 7:40 in Christopher Frost's review (also supposedly focuses a bit closer than advertised) :
I'd also argue that a smaller magnification ratio at MFD actually means lesser focus breathing ...
j4nu wrote:
Yes, that's a good point. The first version had lousy performance up close (well basically at MFD, but still AFAIR).
Looks alright at 7:40 in Christopher Frost's review (also supposedly focuses a bit closer than advertised) :
I'd also argue that a smaller magnification ratio at MFD actually means lesser focus breathing ...
IMO If focus breathing is a problem get the Sony lens and turn on compensation.
aCuria wrote:
IMO If focus breathing is a problem get the Sony lens and turn on compensation.
Sigma has almost no breathing and no distortions, GM has pincushion. Gerald Undone says Sony even after using breathing compensation which results in narrower view has more breathing than this Sigma. Sony still pulse a bit.
He also mentions Sony has bad distortion at MFD and Sigma has none, you can see the comparison and Sigma offers slightly lower MFD but completely undistorted.
This release from Sigma feels like a new school old school lens
Meaning - the last decade, design innovations have given us very sharp lenses, sharp at large apertures and across the frame. Sharper than we could have dreamed of in the past. That came with a price - designers left optical distortion correction on the table, and relied on software profiles. The tradeoff was generally worth it for sharpness in the corners at apertures we could scarcely imagine before.
But now, that's commonplace, even inexpensive lenses from lesser known 3rd party companies can do that. So, with this lens, it appears Sigma went new school on the sharpness, and old school on optical distortion correction and focus breathing. Lovely.
What would you all recommend now that this Sigma 35mm has the Sony GM beat in a number of categories.
Buy the new Sigma 35mm, or purchase a good quality used Sony 35mm GM? Both are now at a similar price point so I'm trying to decide what might be the best option.
Excited for this. I had a 35mm GM that sadly got damaged when a bag strap came apart, with the 35mm GM in the bag, I am never getting another camera bag with a clip on the strap again. At the time, nearly 2 years ago, I couldn’t fathom paying another $2k CAD to get the same 35mm GM, it would be a painful reminder of an accident, so I got a Sigma 35mm f/1.2. I love the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 and won’t part with it, but I have been missing the brutal sharpness and perfection of the GM lens with it’s compact size; I am in the market again to get a more mobile 35mm and I think this will do. I really hope I still don’t miss the GM after getting this lens.
screamsi wrote:
What would you all recommend now that this Sigma 35mm has the Sony GM beat in a number of categories.
Buy the new Sigma 35mm, or purchase a good quality used Sony 35mm GM? Both are now at a similar price point so I'm trying to decide what might be the best option.
I think I would wait for some more user testing, but it is an interesting question now. I prefer Sigma's build quality on their Art series, but I know others prefer the GM, but that's a preference consideration.
Sigma Canada includes a 7 year warranty, and since warranties are non-transferrable, I would appreciate the 7 years on a new Sigma vs. none on a used GM.
...
