got a 50mm f/1.4 yesterday, today i got a Sigma 30mm f/1.4

And i cant decide what to keep.
I was knocked out by the IQ of the Canon (the first time i have felt this)but its a bit too long for some of the things i want to shoot although its ideal for others.
so i took it back and got a Sigma 30mm f/1.4. this is the second time i have had one. The first time i had a 350D and i got 100's of great shots with it but in the end i got rid of it as it was focusing "funny" outdoors.
I have done a quick test with the focus chart and it seems to be ok but something is worring me. Im sure its just paranoia.
It doesnt seem quite as sharp as the canon but i guess i also have to take the different FOV into account.
I shot the same scene with my 24-105L set roughly at 30mm, the 50mm f/1.4 and the Sigma (i moved in a bit for that one and used the VF to frame the same scene). camera set to M, f/5.6 but i didnt use a tripod so just a very quick test. All three produced good sharp images (to my eyes anyway) but the Sigma seemed a bit softer.
Im now thinking of taking it back and getting the 50mm again.
sorry, just thinking out aloud.
Any thoughts. i really want to be convinced to keep the Sigma.

So you have the 17-50, the 24-105, the 35 f/2, the 50 1.4 and the Sigma 30 1.4? What are you shooting? Seems like a lot of overlap.

Hmm.. Common sense tells me that you should get rid of the 35mm and the 17-50 because you're hardly going to be using them with those other lenses in your bag.

The new 50mm f/1.4 gives you all the fastness/bokeh that you'll need in the "normal" focal range. The 24-105 and 70-300 gives you a great zoom range and IQ.

Just my tuppence worth.

Well the 50mm is only in my sig as i took it back so i dont have that now.
The 50mm or 30mm is to replace my 35mm.
I play in a couple of bands at weekends and as they are normally really nice places (weddings, parties etc) i take my 30D and (at the moment the 35mm). i dont take the zooms so really i use a prime just for these situations. I have found that f/2.0 isnt quite fast enough at some of the gigs so i wanted a faster lens. plus i live in quite a small flat so being able to blur the mess in the background appeals to me when im shooting my kids. Also with the Christmas period almost upon us there will be more parties to go to, so again a fast prime is good to have.
dont use the 70-300APO at all these days but i keep it as its nice to be able to shoot longer if i need it.
so that really only leaves the 24-105L as my main lens and the 17-50 if im going to be inside. i normally shoot with flash at home so i guess the 17-50 is better for that.
Hope that makes sense.

dave_bass5 wrote in post #2266479
Well the 50mm is only in my sig as i took it back so i dont have that now.
The 50mm or 30mm is to replace my 35mm.
I play in a couple of bands at weekends and as they are normally really nice places (weddings, parties etc) i take my 30D and (at the moment the 35mm). i dont take the zooms so really i use a prime just for these situations. I have found that f/2.0 isnt quite fast enough at some of the gigs so i wanted a faster lens. plus i live in quite a small flat so being able to blur the mess in the background appeals to me when im shooting my kids. Also with the Christmas period almost upon us there will be more parties to go to, so again a fast prime is good to have.
dont use the 70-300APO at all these days but i keep it as its nice to be able to shoot longer if i need it.
so that really only leaves the 24-105L as my main lens and the 17-50 if im going to be inside. i normally shoot with flash at home so i guess the 17-50 is better for that.
Hope that makes sense.

In that case it makes more sense to keep the 30. It sure seems to have its ups and downs but when it is up the shots I have seen are amazing. As to the softness, if you shoot jpeg just bump up the sharpness from the camera settings.

I think FOV is more important than sharpness. You can try playing dice again to see if you can get a sharper copy of the 30.... But glass too long (50) will miss way more shots than a soft one (30).

You can also try the 28/1.8 which is amazingly sharp =)

Thanks guys.
I always shoot RAW as i find a bit of PP in C1 usually is enough for me.
Im sure the copy i have of the Sigma is ok. i would say its as good as my last one. it was the only one in the shop and sending it to sigma is out of the question as last time they asked for the camera as well. I guess it could be sharper but its only just behind the 50mm
I would be quite happy with either, and both are sharper than my 35mm f/2.0 im just trying to convince myself the 30mm is the better one to keep for my needs.

I've just got the sigma 30 and love it to bits - it seems sharp enough for my tastes, I like how the pics come out and that's the main thing - and the FOV is just what I wanted. I also love the f/1.4 thing - fast aperture glass is fun!

so actually I want to get the 50 1.4 and the 85 1.8 over time - this is the gear head in me speaking....

Incidentally with all the lenses you take back, I bet your camera dealer winces when you enter the store....LOL, never mind, I'm fussy too....

steved110 wrote in post #2266637
Incidentally with all the lenses you take back, I bet your camera dealer winces when you enter the store....LOL, never mind, I'm fussy too....

Actually ive only taken the one back (although i did take 2 400D's back within a week), and as its Jessops i get a different member of staff each time i go in.
Thats one of the reasons i use them. its no hassle.
I think if i had gone straight for the Sigma i wouldnt have started this thread and would be happy.
The 50mm f/1.4 was the lens everyone was going on about 18months ago when i got my 350D so its a lens i have always wanted to try. i had a 50mm f/1.8II for about a year but it didnt get a lot of use when the Sigma 30mm came along as i felt 50mm was too long but i loved the IQ of it. when the Sigma started playing up i got rid of it for the 35m f/2.0 but kept the 50mm f/1.8II and have been happy with both, thats untill just recently when i notice its now my softest lens. plus i sold my 50mm as part of a package when i got rid of the 350D so i needed to get another fast lens again.
I actually prefer less choice in lens's, i would rather get by with what i have rather than have a lens for each type of shot and i would be quite happy just having the 30mm or 50mm on the camera for any event. its just its bugging me that the 50mm f/1.4 is sharper and it also seems to blur the background more but i guess that could be the FOV effect and im sure it focuses closer than the Sigma.
ill give it 24 hours and see how i feel tomorrow.

Dave, I think if you need convincing, then you have the wrong lens for you. The lenses have different FOV's and any side by side comparisons I look at show they're pretty equal. But if you can't get behind that lens in your mind, get rid of it!

To be honest if I had to just have one basic lens I'd be looking at one of the constant f/2.8 aperture offerings - and probably would opt for the Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS

But I like swapping lenses and changing stuff - it's half the point.

Long live stuff!

Mr. Clean wrote in post #2266790
Dave, I think if you need convincing, then you have the wrong lens for you. The lenses have different FOV's and any side by side comparisons I look at show they're pretty equal. But if you can't get behind that lens in your mind, get rid of it!

The thing is i like both of them
The 50mm for sharpness and the 30mm for wideness
My style of shooting is to zoom in a bit more so the 50mm fits in better but its replacing a 35mm and i have found that also fits in to the band situation i mentioned above
I should give the 30mm more of a try before i make my final choice

There is always the 35L.

dave_bass5 wrote in post #2266432
Any thoughts. i really want to be convinced to keep the Sigma.

Nah get rid of it and get te Canon 35mm f1.4 (mmmmmm )

dave_bass5 wrote in post #2267041
The thing is i like both of them
The 50mm for sharpness and the 30mm for wideness

If you like both, I'd say get both. They are excellent lenses.