Sigma 35mm f/1.4 - reliable investment or lottery?

Hello to everyone,

i really need to get 35 mm focal for my Canon 5d Mark II and there is 2 options.
Canon 35 1.4L and Sigma 35mm f/1.4 . I been researching internet for past month and everyone seems to be raving about image quality and sharpness of this lens, BUT also almost every second reviewer has complained about:
1. Bad copy , has to choose from many at store directly or to send back to retailer after for another copy
2. Problems with front/back focus.
ALMOST every single one has some complains about this topics.

The biggest thing which bothers me - HOW RELIABLE this lens will be in long term?
I use L glass and im pretty shue it will not let me down, but i complitely lost my believe in Sigma after reading this reviews. If i pay 900USD - i want to get decent working product! I dont want to resend them back, or i dont want to send them for microadjustment and also i dont want to invest extra for some dock stations and spend my time on micro adjustments.

Is there anyone here who has this lens for long period - can you confirm that lens performs without any problems? Cuz, i really want to buy this lens! There is no Sigma service in my country and i dont want to get in situation where after couple month of usage i will have to send it with my camera somewere abroad for adjustments.

In my opinion PRO level lenses should be reliable, PAY and GO!

With the USB dock I'd say it's 98% reliable Remember even with Canon lenses you have to do micro adjustments sometimes so there's no 100% safe choice

i think its a great lens, and the issues greatly overblown. However, it seems that 5DMk3 users report the most issues, maybe because the AF is more robust than my Mk2/6D.

I think the dock should be a requirement, not only to adjust AF parameters, but to update firmware.

I purchased a refurb unit directly from Sigma. Personally, on my 5DIII body, I was highly pleased (both sharp and consistent, although a bit slower to focus at times than my Canon glass). IMO, from the feedback I've heard from other refurb purchasers, the refurb units might be a more reliable purchase since they've already been back to Sigma to have any potential AF issues dealt with.

Arrida wrote in post #16601832
Hello to everyone,

i really need to get 35 mm focal for my Canon 5d Mark II and there is 2 options.
Canon 35 1.4L and Sigma 35mm f/1.4 . I been researching internet for past month and everyone seems to be raving about image quality and sharpness of this lens, BUT also almost every second reviewer has complained about:
1. Bad copy , has to choose from many at store directly or to send back to retailer after for another copy
2. Problems with front/back focus.
ALMOST every single one has some complains about this topics.

The biggest thing which bothers me - HOW RELIABLE this lens will be in long term?
I use L glass and im pretty shue it will not let me down, but i complitely lost my believe in Sigma after reading this reviews. If i pay 900USD - i want to get decent working product! I dont want to resend them back, or i dont want to send them for microadjustment and also i dont want to invest extra for some dock stations and spend my time on micro adjustments.

Is there anyone here who has this lens for long period - can you confirm that lens performs without any problems? Cuz, i really want to buy this lens! There is no Sigma service in my country and i dont want to get in situation where after couple month of usage i will have to send it with my camera somewere abroad for adjustments.

In my opinion PRO level lenses should be reliable, PAY and GO!

Hey. I fully understand your concern and who wouldn't be concerned as $900 is lot of money. Just few things: Sigma's bad reputation on these forums is largely based on some older lenses with less-than-stellar autofocus performance, such as the old 30mm f/1.4 and the older Sigmalux 50/1.4. However, with the introduction of Art-series Sigma has demonstrated that they are more than capable to equal (or surpass in this case) the quality of the L-lenses. Also understand some things get blown out of proportions, such as Sigma and amount of autofocus problems. It's just the way internet forums seem to work. Based on my experience the Sigma 35/1.4 is more than reliable autofocus performer. Yes, I did purchased the USB-dock as it helped me to update the firmware on the lens (I do recommend updating the firmware). And it helped me to fine-tune the microfocus adjustment, since the in body options regarding microfocus adjustment is extremely limited on 5D mark II.

So what I am trying to say is you are just as likely to get a Canon L-lens which requires microfocus adjustment in your body. Especially on your body as 5D II has kinda obsolite autofocus performance. I have the same body but most of the time I find myself using only the center autofocus point as it's by far the most reliable one. If you update your body one day (5D III or 6D) the situation will improve. Also understand that microfocus adjustment is combination of body and lens. The purpose of the USB-dock is it saves you lot of time and effort when you actually can do the adjustment yourself instead of sending it for fine-tuning. Which always takes lot of time and effort. In my opinion it would be just as beneficial for Canon to release such a device. Although my guess is future Canon bodies will also have a variable distance microfocus adjustment in-body, as they just released a patent covering such capabilities.

So with the Sigma 35 you will get:
- optically the best performing 35mm f/1.4 lens on the market
- a good investment for $900
- longer warranty than with Canon (3-5 years depending when you live?)
- the 35L is still ~400-500$ more expensive than the Sigma, so it will save you some money
- Sigma 35 won't lock focus as fast in extremely pitch black light as 35L but we are talking about very tiny differences. 35L also happens to be one of the fastest lenses to autofocus, but by comparison the Sigma certainly is no slouch either
- The rumoured 35L II is said to be released this year. It can drive the price of 35L mk. I much lower. I'd expect 35L II price to be far greater than 2000$, though...

However, nobody can tell you for sure if you will have to do some microfocus adjustments as whole phase detection autofocus is not as accurate as contrast based autofocus is. You will know this until you get the lens and test it. But what I can guarantee you is that it's very easy to do. I suggest googling Magic Lantern + Dot Tune method. It's available on your body and you can do the adjustment in approximately 10 minutes. Very easy. And obviously the odds are that you don't have to even do this as most lenses work just fine out of the box. It's just the internet myths spreading so rapidly when people seem to think all their lenses are faulty. Also I'd like to remind you that Canon's latest 35mm lens, Canon EF 35 f/2 IS USM, is d@mn fine lens and has IS. It's also a little cheaper. However it can't do f/1.4

Good luck in your decision

if you live in america, you will get a 5 year warranty..... that's pretty long term IMO.

it's a prime, not too many parts can break.

All the lenses with large apertures 99% need autofocus microadjustment. If you want a lens like this, you have to work with it. Sigma opticly is the best 35mm on the market right now but if you buy it, you NEED the dock also because with it you can microadjust it in all the focusing range, close and far. When I got my copy (6 months ago) the focus was horrible. Everybody was saying to me ''you got a bad copy'' etc..... They were all WRONG, I got the dock, made the adjustments and it works like a charm with all the 61 autofocus points of my 5D3... The decision is yours......

Charlie wrote in post #16602022
if you live in america, you will get a 5 year warranty..... that's pretty long term IMO.

it's a prime, not too many parts can break.

2 years in my country no sigma service, nowhere to adjust professionaly.

I paid 639 to buy one from the grey market..to use on my Nikon cameras. It is a great lens, sharpest ever and very robust built.

Heya,

It's good glass, but the focus issues are just every where. I picked up the 30mm F1.4 ART. Focus issues. I got the USB Dock. I tried to calibrate it. I got frustrated and eventually realized I was doing the job of the people who made the lens in the first place, and I paid even more for that "honor" by getting the USB Dock. I returned the lens and dock. That's absurd. Sigma has good glass, but their focus issues are not just overblown. The fact that it's more prevalent than another is enough for me. When dropping that kind of money, you expect perfection, or at least near perfection. Yes, even Canon lenses and the "best" lenses out there can have these issues. But when's the last time you saw a group of people saying the 35L had focus issues? I wish Sigma would get it together. In the mean time, I look to Tamron for my third party stuff these days.

Between the two, the 35mm F1.4L is fairly legendary in terms of everything. I would go for it.

If you need an inexpensive alternative, look to the 35mm F2 IS.

Very best,

I purchased the Canon 35mm f2 IS because of price and scared of getting a bad copy of the Sigma. When I got the Canon 35mm f2 it front focused. I returned it and got another. The replacement is great. I first wondered if I should have just returned it and buy the Sigma, but the photos with the Canon 35 f2 are great. Get the Sigma if you need build quality/F 1.4. You can get a bad copy of any lens.

Arrida wrote in post #16601832
BUT also almost every second reviewer has complained about:
1. Bad copy , has to choose from many at store directly or to send back to retailer after for another copy
2. Problems with front/back focus.
ALMOST every single one has some complains about this topics.


In my opinion PRO level lenses should be reliable, PAY and GO!

Do I smell a troll? Or have you been misreading reviews?

almost every second reviewer? I have yet to read a single professional reviewer complain about bad copies.
And here are the reviews from consumers:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …REG&si=rev#cost​umerReview

http://www.adorama.com​/SG3514EOS.html#review​s

http://www.amazon.com …_acr_txt?showVi​ewpoints=1

How many negative reviews are there compared to positives?

Sirrith wrote in post #16603581
Do I smell a troll? Or have you been misreading reviews?

almost every second reviewer? I have yet to read a single professional reviewer complain about bad copies.
And here are the reviews from consumers:
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …REG&si=rev#cost​umerReview

http://www.adorama.com​/SG3514EOS.html#review​s

http://www.amazon.com …_acr_txt?showVi​ewpoints=1

How many negative reviews are there compared to positives?

Reviews are mostly positive, BUT majority of them complain about focus issues. Everyone knows there is a problem here, including people in this topic!

Arrida wrote in post #16603861
Reviews are mostly positive, BUT majority of them complain about focus issues. Everyone knows there is a problem here, including people in this topic!

As I thought. Troll.

Of all the positive Adorama reviews (15), 1 mentions a focus issue that was fixed.

Of the first couple of pages of B&H reviews (60, I didn't read through all 130+ of them), 3 mention focus issues.

I didn't bother counting the Amazon ones because I've proven my point. BUT I did notice one of the reviewers who reported focus issues on B&H also left the same report on Amazon. Again proving another of my points: people with problems will report them on multiple sites/forums/wherever and make the problem seem bigger than it really is.

No "majority" complaining about issues.

Tmuussoni wrote in post #16601941
Hey. I fully understand your concern and who wouldn't be concerned as $900 is lot of money. Just few things: Sigma's bad reputation on these forums is largely based on some older lenses with less-than-stellar autofocus performance, such as the old 30mm f/1.4 and the older Sigmalux 50/1.4. However, with the introduction of Art-series Sigma has demonstrated that they are more than capable to equal (or surpass in this case) the quality of the L-lenses. Also understand some things get blown out of proportions, such as Sigma and amount of autofocus problems. It's just the way internet forums seem to work. Based on my experience the Sigma 35/1.4 is more than reliable autofocus performer. Yes, I did purchased the USB-dock as it helped me to update the firmware on the lens (I do recommend updating the firmware). And it helped me to fine-tune the microfocus adjustment, since the in body options regarding microfocus adjustment is extremely limited on 5D mark II.

So what I am trying to say is you are just as likely to get a Canon L-lens which requires microfocus adjustment in your body. Especially on your body as 5D II has kinda obsolite autofocus performance. I have the same body but most of the time I find myself using only the center autofocus point as it's by far the most reliable one. If you update your body one day (5D III or 6D) the situation will improve. Also understand that microfocus adjustment is combination of body and lens. The purpose of the USB-dock is it saves you lot of time and effort when you actually can do the adjustment yourself instead of sending it for fine-tuning. Which always takes lot of time and effort. In my opinion it would be just as beneficial for Canon to release such a device. Although my guess is future Canon bodies will also have a variable distance microfocus adjustment in-body, as they just released a patent covering such capabilities.

So with the Sigma 35 you will get:
- optically the best performing 35mm f/1.4 lens on the market
- a good investment for $900
- longer warranty than with Canon (3-5 years depending when you live?)
- the 35L is still ~400-500$ more expensive than the Sigma, so it will save you some money
- Sigma 35 won't lock focus as fast in extremely pitch black light as 35L but we are talking about very tiny differences. 35L also happens to be one of the fastest lenses to autofocus, but by comparison the Sigma certainly is no slouch either
- The rumoured 35L II is said to be released this year. It can drive the price of 35L mk. I much lower. I'd expect 35L II price to be far greater than 2000$, though...

However, nobody can tell you for sure if you will have to do some microfocus adjustments as whole phase detection autofocus is not as accurate as contrast based autofocus is. You will know this until you get the lens and test it. But what I can guarantee you is that it's very easy to do. I suggest googling Magic Lantern + Dot Tune method. It's available on your body and you can do the adjustment in approximately 10 minutes. Very easy. And obviously the odds are that you don't have to even do this as most lenses work just fine out of the box. It's just the internet myths spreading so rapidly when people seem to think all their lenses are faulty. Also I'd like to remind you that Canon's latest 35mm lens, Canon EF 35 f/2 IS USM, is d@mn fine lens and has IS. It's also a little cheaper. However it can't do f/1.4

Good luck in your decision

Thank you !