Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM

[dgcorner]

Hi!

First up, although I've just joined the forum, and that this is my first post, I've been on the sidelines for the last couple of weeks doing research on what lenses I should be purchasing for my 20D. It's has been both an enlightening and confusing 2 weeks ;) but I've narrowed it down to a couple of what I need... but...

Has anyone used a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM? This lens comes nearest in focal length to the venerated 50mm f/1.4 if the 1.6X multiplier of the 20D is taken into account.

How good is the Sigma compared to the Canon EF 50mm?

Do you have other portraiture lens recommendations?

Thanks in advance for all your input!

John

[LightRules]

I've got some test shots at my site below. The 30 f1.4 EX is a VERY good lens and VERY sharp by f2.2-f2.5. It is very useable/good wide open, though DOF is very narrow. I'd recommend this lens. That said, it isn't the best portrait lens. You might want to look at the Canon 85 f1.8 though.

[buze]

The Sigma is reputed to be an excellent lens... If you get a good copy ! I've returned my second one last week :( Symptom : frontfocus
Apparently my reseller is getting one from Sigma Japan directly, one that has been hand-tested. Or whatever bollocks he came up with to tell me he's out of stock of course :D

And yeah, I'm with fStopJojo with the 85mm; but on a x1.6 body the 50 works wonder too for portraits, and is easier to use inside !

[Andy_T]

Can't comment on the 30/1.4, as is just at Sigma Germany being readjusted for ... ahem ... front focus :rolleyes:

But I got the EF 28/1.8 at the same time as the Sigma 30/1.4, and it is a hell of a lens. Also quite sharp from f/2.2 to f/2.5...

If you want to see which focal length is better suited for portraits on the 20D, take a look at the images from both the 28/1.8 and 50/1.4 I posted in this thread (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=748753#post748753).

In a nutshell ... if you want to take environmental portraits (subject+surroundings) at close range, then the 28 mm is right, but the 50 mm (80 mm equivalent) gives much more powerful images IMO.

Best regards,
Andy

[buze]

Huzzah ! I've got a new 30mm f1.4 ! They got another in, and I shot it, and it's great. Seems the focus is spot on; I'll have to do some more tests of course, but my walk-about-town got me pretty good results.
Only black spot (literaly) on opening and looking inside, there is some kludge in ! A piece od what appears to be black finish is in the lens, new. Unbeleivable.
So I'll have to return it to get ir cleaned ! But at least, I will keep that copy, thats (in total, including the one I didn't even take out of the shop) the fourth copy !

[Jon]

. . . assuming that when they're cleaning it they don't mess up the AF mechanism . . .

[buze]

Indeed!

In any case I've posted a small gallery of the shots I did this afternoon. No crops for now, but it's pretty sharp from what I've seen. Stopped down it's massively sharp. I'll have to experiment with f1.4 later tonight.
It has the "warm" color cast that caracterizes Sigma; I like it.

http://galleries.oomz.net/pub/350d/30-f14-sigma/

[dgcorner]

Hi guys!

Wow, thanks for your feedback -- they've been very helpful.

FstopJojo: thanks! I'm blown away by your gear... leaves me drooling... I saw the pic of your son on one of the other threads - fantastic!

Andy: Great pic of your son. I'm sure he'll relish this when he is older. Thanks for the input

Buze: Nice pics. It does make me wonder why these lens companies spend so much on advertising, yet seemingly very little in terms of quality. This applies not only to Sigma, but also for some Canon lenses.

Now, back to the drawing board and realigning my choices for lenses. I guess the exercise will be worth it when I get my pics!

Cheers!

[SolPics]

The 50 1.4 is a very good portrait lens on a 20D. For indoors or portraits, I use it more than the 24-70L.

[CorruptedPhotographer]

I was about to get this lens, but then I realized it was a D[/b]C[/b] lens which will not play friendly with FF cameras. Hence the reason I am buyin a 35 L this week or so.

[Andy_T]

Can't comment on the 30/1.4, as is just at Sigma Germany being readjusted for ... ahem ... front focus :rolleyes:


OK, there's news here.

Sigma Germany have re-adjusted the front focus on my 30/1.4 EX.

Unfortunately, they sent me back a 28-105/2.8-4.0 instead :o

Now ... while I understand that such errors can happen ... couldn't they have sent back a 14/2.8 EX instead ???:wink:

... so back to Sigma it went ...

Best regards,
Andy

[buze]

LOL. now the thing is, they corrected some front-focusing on that 28-105, and some BACK focusing on the 30mm you are going to receive next :D

Nahhh just kidding :D

[Andy_T]

Haha ... you may just be right.

Let's wait & see.
Hopefully the guy who has received my 30/1.4 instead of this 28-105/2.8-4 sends it back. They said something like 'we normally wait until the other guy sends in the lens that he received wrongly, and then we'll come back to you ... ' :rolleyes:

Total turnaround time so far was 1 month :rolleyes:

Best regards,
Andy

[buze]

Ouch; sucks ! I'm glad I returned my copies instead of trying to get one fixed !

Or well maybe I'd have received *your* copy in 2 days :D :D :D

[Tom Camilleri]

Can't comment on the 30/1.4, as is just at Sigma Germany being readjusted for ... ahem ... front focus :rolleyes:

But I got the EF 28/1.8 at the same time as the Sigma 30/1.4, and it is a hell of a lens. Also quite sharp from f/2.2 to f/2.5...

If you want to see which focal length is better suited for portraits on the 20D, take a look at the images from both the 28/1.8 and 50/1.4 I posted in this thread (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=748753#post748753).

In a nutshell ... if you want to take environmental portraits (subject+surroundings) at close range, then the 28 mm is right, but the 50 mm (80 mm equivalent) gives much more powerful images IMO.

Best regards,
Andy

Really cute kid and nice shots, Andy. The one taken with the 50 does indeed have more punch.

I need a fast lens between between 20 and 50 and am considering the EF 28 f/1.8, the Sigma 20 f/1.8 and the EF 35 f/2. I don't need any particular focal length, just want to get a fast prime in that ballpark for ambient light, sharpness and bokeh. Since you own two of them, which is the all-around more solid performing lens in your opinion?

[Andy_T]

Tom,

as I already stated in another thread, my copy of the 28/1.8 is really very nice and sharp, and the USM is very nice as well.
I sometimes see reviews that prefer the 28/2.8, but I can't really imagine that the 28/2.8 is sharper than the 1.8 ... especially as the 28/1.8 is already stopped down quite a bit when using it at f/1.8. So I can really endorse that lens.

Haven't used the 35/2, but it is reputed to be very similar to the 50/1.8 (which I also had and liked, but the build quality was not the same as the 50/1.4, to which the 28/1.8 resembles).

I'd really like to check out the Sigma 20/1.8 myself once, as it's really wide.

Hope that helps you :wink:

Best regars,
Andy

[Andy_T]

Update:

I've received back my Sigma 30/1.4 EX (Sigma Germany have got their act together).
From the first very cursory tests I did with the lens ... I am highly impressed :D

Haven't had time to do a real head-to-head-comparison, but it looks that my Sigma 30/1.4 is visibly sharper wide open than the 28/1.8.
That means I have an extra stop with an increase in sharpness... something really helpful in the 30 mm range where you need to shoot really wide open to get something like bokeh.
It looks even a bit sharper than my 50/1.4 wide open (distance adjusted), but I have to do my tests and post the pictures.

Best regards,
Andy

[buze]

Glad you got that bugger back ! took a month ?

[Andy_T]

6 weeks in total :confused: ... got the wrong lens back after 1 month, took them only 2 weeks to get the right one back to me.

But as I mentioned ... the quality of the lens makes up for a lot of that.
I got it at an eBay auction at a price I couldn't refuse (similar to what I had paid for my EF 28/1.8 ) and wanted to decide which one to keep ... now after about 20 shots with the Sigma it looks as if the Canon has to go...

Only problem for me is that it looks different than the 50/1.4 ... which increases my chances of being discovered guilty of having unauthorizedly acquired another lens by my significant other... :wink:

Best regards,
Andy

[buze]

Ahah you are one of these poor souls :D

Just take a few nice portraits of her in low light etc etc, that'll make up for it :D

And yeah, it seems to me the Sigma when it works is very very good, and is better than my 50mm f1.4 too; a lot more color and contrast at f1.4!
Some guy on dpreview.com make a comparative test and the Sigma *smoked* the two canons; I was very, very surprised...

[Jetmech1]

Glad you like your Sigma 1.4 lens. I'm also considering that lens.

[rrreese]

Yes the sigma 1.4 looks excellent considering its price. I am slightly concerned about the problems some of the other forum members have mentioned though. I use my Canon 50mm 1.8 all the time and the Sigma 1.4 would really compliment it.

[Andy_T]

Take a look at this site:

There are in-depth reviews/tests of the Sigma 30/1.4 and my Canon EF 28/1.8 online.

http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/index.html

Best regards,
Andy

[LightRules]

I've posted some new findings with my 30EX here:

http://www.pbase.com/fstopjojo/image/51413833/original