Sigma 30mm f1.4 EX DC HSM

That is an excellent shot.

I appreciate it!

Here's a few other shots from that day..

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …_and__designs/5​490140206/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …_and__designs/5​490140344/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …_and__designs/5​490140492/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …_and__designs/5​490140610/

Nice post processing.

Hi all,

I just got this lens on my 500D! i was expecting a lot seeing all the pictures online but i must say that i'm a little disappointed by the sharpness. It is pretty good in the center even wide open but it's very soft everywhere else. The third lines are really soft wide open (when i focus on something at those locations) and even when i close down to f/2.8 i think it's still a little too soft. Softer than my Canon 24-70 f/2.8 at 2.8 ! i don't think i have a bad version though since in the center it's pretty good. Anyway, i need to get used to it and try to think my pictures another way that i used to so it's also a good way to improve
at f/1.6

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Got the Siggy 30 today, so here is a quick shot from this evening.

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Got my Sigma 30mm today... some initial shots make me wonder if it's got focus issues. Take the following cropped shot for example... I was trying to focus on the N, but got closer to the "or" of "North". Seems to me that the "Pole" is more in focus than "North" when the center focus point was smack dab in the middle of the "North". This was on a tripod. The crop is of ~1/4 of the original picture size.

I can't manual adjust with the T2i and I intentionally bumped to F/2 so it's not an "I can't figure out how to shoot F/1.4" issue. Any advice would be helpful.

Here's the exif info from the original picture.

Make - Canon
Model - Canon EOS REBEL T2i
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
DateTime - 2011:03:03 19:19:00
YCbCrPositioning - Co-Sited
Copyright - 
ExifOffset - 348
ExposureTime - 1/40 seconds
FNumber - 2
ExposureProgram - Aperture priority
ISOSpeedRatings - 320
ExifVersion - 0221
DateTimeOriginal - 2011:03:03 19:19:00
DateTimeDigitized - 2011:03:03 19:19:00
ComponentsConfiguratio​n - YCbCr
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/41 seconds
ApertureValue - F 2.00
ExposureBiasValue - 0
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
Flash - Flash not fired, compulsory flash mode
FocalLength - 30 mm
UserComment - 
SubsecTime - 12
SubsecTimeOriginal - 12
SubsecTimeDigitized - 12
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 3456
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FocalPlaneXResolution - 3818.78
FocalPlaneYResolution - 3872.27
FocalPlaneResolutionUn​it - Inch
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Auto
SceneCaptureType - Standard

Maker Note (Vendor): - 
Macro mode - Normal
Self timer - Off
Quality - Fine
Flash mode - Not fired
Sequence mode - Continous
Focus mode - One-Shot
Image size - Medium
Easy shooting mode - Manual
Digital zoom - None
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Low , -32769
ISO Value - Auto
Metering mode - Evaluative
Focus type - Auto
AF point selected - 
Exposure mode - Av-priority
Focal length - 30 - 30 mm (1 mm)
Flash activity - Not fired
Flash details - 
Focus mode 2 - 65535
White Balance - Auto
Sequence number - 0
Flash bias - 0 EV
Subject Distance - 0
Image Type - Canon EOS REBEL T2i
Firmware Version - Firmware Version 1.0.6
Owner Name - 
Sharpness (0D) - 17408
File number - 000 - 0000
Sharpness (A0) - 3

Thumbnail: - 
Compression - 6 (JPG)
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
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JpegIFOffset - 8736
JpegIFByteCount - 11424

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Looks like it is backfocusing.

Not by much, but it is there.

This is why I would always have MA on a camera body.

mtimber wrote in post #11952207
Looks like it is backfocusing.

I always called that front-focusing.?

Anyway make sure you test it at distances you'll likely be using it at. If it's still front-focusing in those situations you might be best sending in for a calibration.

phreeky wrote in post #11952320
I always called that front-focusing.?

Anyway make sure you test it at distances you'll likely be using it at. If it's still front-focusing in those situations you might be best sending in for a calibration.

I thought that was front-focusing too. But regardless, I agree with the "test at distances I'll use it" point - I tried doing that with my kids, but they weren't really cooperating, so I don't know if those pictures appear soft because of them or the lens.

Sorry, been a long day!

No worries

After a few test shots (in less-than-ideal lighting, but lighting that should be fine for f/2), I'm beginning to think I need to return this lens. If I only had my zooms to compare to, the IQ is better, but after being spoiled by my EF 85/1.8, the Sigma 30/1.4 isn't making me a happy camper right now.

I'll do some more walk-around shooting tomorrow in daylight to see if it's any better.

hey cokeman, sorry to hear your not happy with your sigma. I had to return my first one due to focusing issues but i can say i'm pretty happy with the 2nd one - It took me a couple days to test the lens out. I know you said you just got it today why not give it a couple more days just to be sure.

I'm actually thinking about picking up the 85 1.8 - how did you like it on a cropped body?

6 copies, I'm done

geezz lol yeah i'd be done...

As far as I can see no trouble with mine out of the box. It does hunt a bit in low light but more or less fast and sharp. It maybe even hunts slightly more than my nifty fifty... However...

According to the poll goin nearly 70% of these lenses are fine out of the box. Are we just hunting for problems? I find it hard to believe one person gets 6 bad copies in a row out of lens that's showing in a poll to show up over 70% perfect each time. The poll going, I'd guess, is prob a pretty accurate sample now that so many people have responded.

https://photography-on-the.net …highlight=Sigma​+30mm+poll

Of those, another group needed a single calibration (8%)... Seems to me the problem may be blown way out of proportion.

I think testing any lens or anything for that matter looking for problems and suspecting problems, you'll eventually have no problem finding problems.

I forget my polling/sample training from university but it seems your chance of getting a funky lens is really like less than 10% with an almost 80% chance you'll have a perfect lens.. ANd maybe just maybe need a single calibration...

Conclusion: stop returning this killer lens if it's super close. Stop testing it so much looking to find faults. It's like buying a car, you don't notice all the problems until you read about them online.