Sigma 30mm f/1.4 (my first Sigma lens)

condyk wrote in post #2539489
So speaks the man who owns a 24-70mm L ... the most problematic lens reported here over the last 18 months. Everything else is a mere fad in comparision to the consistent critique that fat boy lens gets

Anyone can do a search and see I am right. Go ahead y'all but really who cares about this stuff when all people need to do is send it back or get a fix, whether it be Canon or Sigma?

Dave -- i don't think anyone would argue that sigma makes optically excellent lenses.

the problem is they don't always mate well with canon cameras, and then there's the future compatibility issue.

my 24-70L was handpicked by Dante and is excellent. i've never had to return any lens for focussing issues but i've only bought three third party lenses out of the couple of dozen i've owned and none was sigma.

i've heeded the well-documented tales of woe and while i am a champion of the underdog i will defend the siggie dogs !

ed rader

Just pullin' ya leg. With a doggie like yours how could you do anything but defend the underdog Anyway, I can only speak of my own experience and my 30mm is a peach, as is my 17-70mm (which has actually gobsmacked me as a replacement for my 17-40mm L). Mijbril is doing the right thing IMO as a small wait to get a pristine copy is worth it.

Its amazing that bad copies ratio is huge with Sigma 30mm 1.4. Probably Sigma need to re-design it. Over Amazon there is no satisfied user yet http://www.amazon.com …stomer-reviews/B0007U0GZM

condyk wrote in post #2539565
Just pullin' ya leg. With a doggie like yours how could you do anything but defend the underdog Anyway, I can only speak of my own experience and my 30mm is a peach, as is my 17-70mm (which has actually gobsmacked me as a replacement for my 17-40mm L). Mjib is doing the right thing IMO as a small wait to get a pristine copy is worth it.

well i think sigma got it right with the 17-70. from what i've read it's a very good lens .

ed rader

condyk wrote in post #2539565
Mijbril is doing the right thing IMO as a small wait to get a pristine copy is worth it.

Also glad I did not get a grey import, now that would have been painful (when I bought it, I talked the bricks & mortar store down to the same price as the grey marketers + postage anyway).

I have great hopes for this lens when it is focussing properly

Got it back

Something of a saga, apparently Kennedy's had lost the lens I sent in (via the B&M store I bought it at) for calibration. The lens is a hard one to get in Australia (none are expected until May at the earliest apparently), so after some intervention by the B&M store, Kennedy's sourced one at another outlet & have to buy the lens back from them to give to the store I was dealing with.

End result, I have a new lens & it's spot on with the focussing. Well worth the wait & I will definitely consider other Sigma options again in the future

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

hahhaah! Good news! What luck in the end eh? Congrats!

Glad things worked out. I'm in danger of selling all my other lenses and just using the 30mm 1.4

Congrats but did you test it using focusing chart? Mine also looked spot on in initially in realworld shots but later pixel peeping and proper tests confirmed backfocusing + inconsistent focusing issues.

farrukh wrote in post #2539568
Its amazing that bad copies ratio is huge with Sigma 30mm 1.4. Probably Sigma need to re-design it. Over Amazon there is no satisfied user yet http://www.amazon.com …stomer-reviews/B0007U0GZM

its not really. all you really hear is people complain on a few forums online I doubt thats everyone thats actually bought lens.

mij: have you any shots of the first lens you had, i would like to see how bad the soft focussing was in a real life shot- you can only gather so much from test shots.

Thanks.

mijbril wrote in post #2768524
Got it back

Something of a saga, apparently Kennedy's had lost the lens I sent in (via the B&M store I bought it at) for calibration. The lens is a hard one to get in Australia (none are expected until May at the earliest apparently), so after some intervention by the B&M store, Kennedy's sourced one at another outlet & have to buy the lens back from them to give to the store I was dealing with.

End result, I have a new lens & it's spot on with the focussing. Well worth the wait & I will definitely consider other Sigma options again in the future

It is a very fine lens and well worth any hassle to get a good copy. I use mine alot for group shots. Fortunately mine was good right out of the box. Enjoy your new lens...it offers you some significant phot opportunities.

Jim - I noticed you have a 17-55 IS in your sig. Do you find that you use the 30 alot? I was looking at the 30 to suppliment my 17-55, just was'nt sure how much use it would get.

Todd

unafaxer wrote in post #2771042
Jim - I noticed you have a 17-55 IS in your sig. Do you find that you use the 30 alot? I was looking at the 30 to suppliment my 17-55, just was'nt sure how much use it would get.

Todd

Todd,

I shoot weddings and group events (birthdays, family shoots, etc) as a volunteer to gain experience...mostly for friends and young folks who can not afford to hire a professional photographer. I was using my 50MM in tandem with the 17-55 to do these events. I found the 50MM somewhat long on the 1.6 crop so I switched (after lots of research here and elsewhere) to the Sigma 30MM f/1.4 as my second lens. There are time when you want the speed and bokah a prime brings to the table so I have learned that a prime and zoom work well together. The 30MM is also a great walkaround prime lens on the 1.6 crop body as it acts like a 48MM would on a FF.

Yes I do use it alot and it goes to all group and wedding events as the second lens on my second body.

Jim,

I have the 50 Mk I from my film days and it is too long indoors for me on a crop. I am looking at the 30 for indoor family and children events. Not being a pro, I am having a hard time justifying the cost to use ratio. Thanks for your reply.

Todd