New Sigma 35mm f/1.4 HSM DG

LV Moose wrote in post #15505145
I hear ya. I initially found mine needed roughly +10. After playing with it more yesterday, got it narrowed down to +8 at close distances (MFD to about 30 feet). Problem is, shooting a mountain at near infinity, it was sharpest at +5. Not sure what I'm gonna do at this point.

That is what was happening with mine, but a bit more severe.... MFD to normal distances, perfect at +9... Anywhere near infinity, needed -2 to 0.

I will be getting this lens soon. I do have a question though. People are saying the 35L is not sharp at the edges...well at 1.4 shouldn't the edges be blurry? I want to understand as this just popped up in my head.

thanks.

What do you guys shoot at f1.4 and infinity distances? I would assume for those landscapes shots you at f8, f16 so MA shouldn't matter. I could be totally wrong.

I could easily trade my 35L for this lens at a local store where I live.

They buy used and sell new, and I wouldn't lose a dime on the trade. But I am so afraid of this whole focus distance issue. Total bummer, because this lens clearly blows the 35L away when it hits.

bobbyz wrote in post #15505267
What do you guys shoot at f1.4 and infinity distances? I would assume for those landscapes shots you at f8, f16 so MA shouldn't matter. I could be totally wrong.

That's what I was thinking of course I don't understand if I would shoot things past 15 ft @ f/1.4; it's always a learning thing for me. >_<

slimninj4 wrote in post #15505261
I will be getting this lens soon. I do have a question though. People are saying the 35L is not sharp at the edges...well at 1.4 shouldn't the edges be blurry? I want to understand as this just popped up in my head.

thanks.

The background will be blurry. But if your subject goes all the way to the edges, you want the corners and edges as sharp as possible. Some lenses are much better than others in this aspect.

Osiriz wrote in post #15505270
I could easily trade my 35L for this lens at a local store where I live.

They buy used and sell new, and I wouldn't lose a dime on the trade. But I am so afraid of this whole focus distance issue. Total bummer, because this lens clearly blows the 35L away when it hits.

I would sell the 35L on here and buy it new from that place and you'd have $200 left over.

I think trading a 35L for this puppy is a bit of a rip if you ask me...

Would you sell the 35L for $900?

If so, in about 2 months I'll have the money to buy it

bobbyz wrote in post #15505267
What do you guys shoot at f1.4 and infinity distances? I would assume for those landscapes shots you at f8, f16 so MA shouldn't matter. I could be totally wrong.

Vixen89 wrote in post #15505301
That's what I was thinking of course I don't understand if I would shoot things past 15 ft @ f/1.4; it's always a learning thing for me. >_<

THink environmental portraits in low light. You have all seen dankanta's work like this. He almost always shoots wide open.

Mine was waiting for me when I got home today!!

First thing I did was to run FoCal, which said it needed +5. Fair enough, so let FoCal set that and then started started photos of wife and baby. None were in focus wider than f2.8

So i'm thinking oh no, I've lost the Sigma lottery etc etc.

Shot a manual MA chart and it was back focusing consistently. Set the MA back to 0 and it's perfect. Shot a load more photos and every single one is bang on, perfect focus, and omg, so sharp!!

So it didn't need any MA, it's stupid sharp, it seems EXTREMELY well made and the AF is really quick, and to me, the bokeh looks great! Well done sigma!

Only thing i'm not too keen on is the stiffness of the focus ring. It's really stiff, esp as my other lens is the 85L which you can spin with the flick of a finger tip, which I love. Maybe it'll loosen up a little...

RMH wrote in post #15505942
Mine was waiting for me when I got home today!!

First thing I did was to run FoCal, which said it needed +5. Fair enough, so let FoCal set that and then started started photos of wife and baby. None were in focus wider than f2.8

So i'm thinking oh no, I've lost the Sigma lottery etc etc.

Shot a manual MA chart and it was back focusing consistently. Set the MA back to 0 and it's perfect. Shot a load more photos and every single one is bang on, perfect focus, and omg, so sharp!!

So it didn't need any MA, it's stupid sharp, it seems EXTREMELY well made and the AF is really quick, and to me, the bokeh looks great! Well done sigma!

Only thing i'm not too keen on is the stiffness of the focus ring. It's really stiff, esp as my other lens is the 85L which you can spin with the flick of a finger tip, which I love. Maybe it'll loosen up a little...

Great ! now please try to focus on subjects positioned far away from you @ 1.4 and tell us if the focus is spot on.
Focus ring stiffness would be my last concern.

Revolverz wrote in post #15505972
Great ! now please try to focus on subjects positioned far away from you @ 1.4 and tell us if the focus is spot on.
Focus ring stiffness would be my last concern.

ok, i'll try that tomorrow- it's dark outside here now, and biggest room i have is 15' square :P

in the mean time, have one at v close to MFD, f1.4, 0 MA, SOOC, 100% crop

I bought Focal thinking it would solve my 135L problems. It just created more.

If your lens is fine with a bit of MA, no need to post about it. It's normal. All my Canon lenses need MA on my 6D.

We know the Sigma 35mm f1.4 is at is best with near subjects.

If your lens require different MA at different distances, this is more delicate as the AF system of the body might also be part of the problem. Changing the lens might not fix it. (it did not for me when replacing my 135L)

bobbyz wrote in post #15505267
What do you guys shoot at f1.4 and infinity distances? I would assume for those landscapes shots you at f8, f16 so MA shouldn't matter. I could be totally wrong.

non-issue for me, as is soft corners and vignetting at big apertures.

Here is what I did: I gave the camera to another photographer and asked her to shoot the same things I shot. It was fine, just as when I shot.

Greg35 wrote in post #15507015
Received the 35mm 1.4 today, tested it out on a 7d, and returned it today.

Tried MA for awhile, ended up at +8, and when I thought I had it, tried it out and it was pretty good for close shots, but going beyond that had some issues. There was even a time when I took a shot, took 2 steps back and shot the same object with point focus and had a problem. Tried stills, people, focus charts, different focus settings.

Will try another copy.

After hours of trying to dial it in, I thought maybe I screwed up a setting along the line but then tried other lenses (100L, 85, 50, 17-50), all of which were MA'd a small amount except for the 100 which didn't need it, and those were all fine.

Hopefully the next Sigma copy doesn't have those issues. The lens really is built very well and has an impressive feel. Very solid. Better feel than the canon lenses I have. Crossing fingers....

Revolverz wrote in post #15505972
Great ! now please try to focus on subjects positioned far away from you @ 1.4 and tell us if the focus is spot on.
Focus ring stiffness would be my last concern.

Interesting...

Here's F1.4 at a couple of hundred feet. The buildings are way OOF. The trees actually look in focus, and they're about half way between camera and building, so it's front focusing by a very, very long way at longer distances.

I'd never use it like this, so this isn't actually going to affect me in my photography, but I guess the AF on this lens does indeed have issues...