Sigma 30mm f1.4 EX DC HSM

FadedBlackSocks wrote in post #12781333
This I know.

What I'm asking is how do people shoot wide-open and get everything in focus?

According to www.dofmaster.com, 30mm at f/1.4 on a 7D with a 2.03ft (0.62m) distance yields a 0.07ft (0.84in) DoF.

The subject's face, or any human's face for that matter, is not that shallow. The picture has plenty in focus yet it's supposed to have less than one-third of the DoF of my shot in question.

I pretty much settled for "calling it art" a while ago (haha), but my curiosity is getting the best of me; that's why I ask.

THis shot wasn't cropped was it? I bet the photog was greater than 2 feet away which would give you more DOF than 0.84 in. However, it does look as if there is at least 3 in of DOF. Hmmm....

idsurfer wrote in post #12781690
THis shot wasn't cropped was it? I bet the photog was greater than 2 feet away which would give you more DOF than 0.84 in. However, it does look as if there is at least 3 in of DOF. Hmmm....

That's what I'm saying. My initial thoughts were (and still are) the photographer was standing further back and cropped the pic. I'm also wondering how reliable and accurate the distance from the exif really is.

jbm7777 wrote in post #12782254

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Olivia's First Birthday-183.jpg by Mijer7, on Flickr

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Olivia's First Birthday-188.jpg by Mijer7, on Flickr

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Olivia's First Birthday-195.jpg by Mijer7, on Flickr

A few More on Flickr, check the link below if you are interested. Thanks for looking!!!!

great shots. looks like you have a really sharp copy. i cant wait to get mine back and see how sharp it is after being calibrated to my body. the wait is unbearable lol

^had it calibrated at Sigma after I bought it and these were all shot at f2. 1.4 is nice, but super shallow and with kids you need just a bit of DOF. All of my 1.4 shots were a little soft but not too bad. Don't feel locked to 1.4, its nice but I am now a believer in that you shoot at what works best for the shot. I troll the 135 thread all day long just to peek at the magic that lens does at f2. Thanks for the kind words!

idsurfer wrote in post #12765658
You will love it...It 's my favorite! Then again I only own two lenses... love the primes.

I already am in love - it is perfect, I love the size and weight of it, and the sharpness! And the f1.4 is awesome to play with!!

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/dpockett/595268​9496/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/dpockett/595269​0424/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/dpockett/595268​7514/

I do have to do some more tests, but I think it might be slightly front focussing. When I focus on the eyes, it seems to get the eyebrows or the nose in focus.

In this shot here, I focussed on her eye but her hair is perfectly sharp:

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/dpockett/595267​8300/

I had back and front focusing issues with all my three lenses (I do not have the sigma) The following page has a good PDF file with instructions. Print page 18 and test with that one. Easy to see if it's focusing correctly or not.
http://focustestchart.​com/chart.html

Also in my 550d it matters a lot what metering mode you are in. I get best results with "spot metering". My nifty-fifty front focuses 30mm with all other metering modes, only 5mm with spot metering.

Looks good. But it works with 1D MIII or is particularly for 1.6x FOVCF Bodies?

its intended to be used on crop bodies. it will work on a FF but with vignetting

similae wrote in post #12783986
I had back and front focusing issues with all my three lenses (I do not have the sigma) The following page has a good PDF file with instructions. Print page 18 and test with that one. Easy to see if it's focusing correctly or not.
http://focustestchart.​com/chart.html

Also in my 550d it matters a lot what metering mode you are in. I get best results with "spot metering". My nifty-fifty front focuses 30mm with all other metering modes, only 5mm with spot metering.

I tried this pdf printout (I had already printed it in the past for other lenses), and on portrait it is about 14mm out, and on landscape about 10mm out. I know this isn't much, but it is the difference between hitting an eyeball and getting the lashers/brow in focus instead.

I haven't tried the different metering modes, but I will continue to test it out.

I had tried my 50 f1.8 with this page, and from memory it was bang on.

a few from my grandma's 80th..

IMAGE LINK: http://www.bongestrell​a.com …RRK5F5#13933426​92_sGXh77J

IMAGE LINK: http://www.bongestrell​a.com …RRK5F5#13933437​60_P4j2JHt

IMAGE LINK: http://www.bongestrell​a.com …RRK5F5#13933494​61_XmN9k53

Ordered this puppy today....can't wait to get it! Will post some samples after I receive it! Hope I get a good copy!

Old school...

50D, f/1.4, 1/500, ISO100

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/mikeguffin/5964​278654/