Sigma 30mm 1.4 - Odds to re-calibrate?

I want to buy this lens, but I have seen that a great deal of people who have it needed to send it back immediately to get it properly calibrated for focus.

What kind of odds am I looking at here? Is there also a reasonable chance that it's perfectly OK new? If it IS an issue though, I presume that it's only with auto focus, so the full time manual focus is still an option?

KimLeece wrote in post #6519373
I want to buy this lens, but I have seen that a great deal of people who have it needed to send it back immediately to get it properly calibrated for focus.

What kind of odds am I looking at here? Is there also a reasonable chance that it's perfectly OK new? If it IS an issue though, I presume that it's only with auto focus, so the full time manual focus is still an option?

50/50. i don't think you can buy this lens and not expect to have to send it in at least once, if not multiple times.

ed rader

I've owned 2 and neither needed calibration. i sold the 1st with the intention of replacing it with the 35L. i had seller's remorse and purchased a second, good copy.

So, I'm 2 for 2.

Well....I wouldn't be buying it and simply presuming that it will be OK, but I am hoping!

We're going back to the UK for a family Christmas this year, so I really want to have a decent fast prime. I need to wait until middle of November to buy it though, and if it needs to go back....well....it took them 3 weeks to do my 17-70mm.

Still - I suppose I could just use manual focus until we come back if it came to it.

I like you was concerned about the idea of buying this lens, but I figured it was worth the risk, given the great output I've seen and the fact that I could exchange it for 14 days if there was a problem.

My lens was perfect out of the box. It does misfocus a little more often than my Canon lenses do, but, if you pay attention to focus on something with high contrast, the difference is so little that I would not be able to quantify it.

To put things in perspective for you. I was back at the camera store today, and, given how great this lens has turned out to be, I asked 3 different sales people about the satisfaction rate on this lens, and only 1 of the 3 could recall an instance where they had to exchange a lens for bad focus. Each claims to sell at least 2 to 3 Sigma 30mm a week (all mounts included).

I'd say your odds are very good with respect to getting a good one.

One thing to note however (which may not apply in your case), contrast detect in live view does struggle with this lens on my XSI, to the point where it's not usable, but standard AF is pin sharp. I was back in the store today to verify this with 2 other copies

Cheers

Alph wrote in post #6519478
One thing to note however (which may not apply in your case), contrast detect in live view does struggle with this lens on my XSI, to the point where it's not usable, but standard AF is pin sharp. I was back in the store today to verify this with 2 other copies

That's not an issue as I want it for a 400D...no live view.

I'll just have to hope I suppose, as I've already decided that I want it!

I was 0 for 3. I sent the first two back (absolutely horrendous front focusing). The third required calibration for minor backfocus, and came back spot on. Now that mine works well, it's truly a spectacular lens. Sharp straight from f/1.4, and great colors, contrast and bokeh. If you don't need it right away, it's worth the hassle, but I would factor two weeks in for calibration. Maybe you'll be lucky.

You have to look at it from two viewpoints.

a) camera is not calibrated

b) the lens is not calibrated

If I had a dollar for every body that was out of alignment, I'd have a nice stash.

Just keep in mind that for most people this is their first f/1.4, and it could be either a or b. I've seen canon 50' f/1.4 hate and they work just fine on the bodies I have, but friends bodies have been front focusing. This was also evident in L glass tests.

I'm just offering another perspective, or something to think about!

I've had one copy, purchased about 3 yrs ago. It was front focusing a bit so it went to Sigma NY. It came back about 5 days later bang-on. 3 yrs later, one of the best lenses I've used to date, and one of my most used personally.

My lens is perfect! I heard about the issues but I decided to take a chance with it and it works flawlessly. Great smooth bokeh!

syntrix wrote in post #6519551
You have to look at it from two viewpoints.

a) camera is not calibrated

b) the lens is not calibrated

If I had a dollar for every body that was out of alignment, I'd have a nice stash.

Just keep in mind that for most people this is their first f/1.4, and it could be either a or b. I've seen canon 50' f/1.4 hate and they work just fine on the bodies I have, but friends bodies have been front focusing. This was also evident in L glass tests.

I'm just offering another perspective, or something to think about!

no way is the canon 50 1.4 returned as often as the sigma 30 1.4. not even close .

ed rader

Yeah...for whatever reason, this lens seems to have the worst quality control of any lens in existence. I have read accounts of at least 3 or 4 other people just on POTN and FM that have had to return multiple copies due to focus error. Add myself into that mix (as I detailed above), and it's not a small percentage of miscalibrated lenses.

One annoying thing was when I called Sigma about my 2nd lens, the guy was trying to tell me that the lens had to be fine since AF was controlled by the body. Seems Sigma either doesn't know that they're servicing tons of these lenses, or they outwardly aren't going to admit it. Regardless, when I sent it in, it came back great, so there you go.

I would not be surprised to hear that the chances of getting a misfocusing lens on the first try is approaching 50%. Who knows for sure, since those with problems are more vocal.

I must stress again, though...despite the pain it was to get a great copy, now that mine DOES focus accurately, it really is a wonder of a lens.

Jman13 wrote in post #6519799
Yeah...for whatever reason, this lens seems to have the worst quality control of any lens in existence.

That's certainly an impression it's easy to get. The other one (impression) is that once it's focusing properly it's about as good as a prime at that size, to use on a 1.6 cropped sensor, gets!

The problem I have also is where to buy it. I checked my local shop yesterday and they quoted me a price about $60 more expensive than if I buy it over the net from a bigger shop in Nara. They would also need to order it themselves from Sigma, and that takes ten days - from Nara I'd get it in two. First I figured that the local shop would be a better bet, even for more money, because it would be easier to take it in if it needs to go back. But yeah....they take forever to do stuff....10 days to order....3 weeks to calibrate. I'm beginning to think that Nara would be a better choice. Even if I end up having to swallow a bit of postage, I've still got 60 bucks to play with.
I'll have to ask my wife to talk to them in Fuji Camera and explain what I'm considering....maybe I can get them to check the lens already before they send it as new..... service in Japan is normally excellent, so maybe they would.

The camera is fine. Works perfectly with the lenses I already have - although the Sigma 17-70mm needed to go back once. Sigma quality control isn't exactly perfect on their new product. I'm beginning to think that they just run the stuff through hoping for a reasonable out of the box success rate, and deal with the failures as and when they need to. Maybe that saves them money doing it that way or something.

KimLeece wrote in post #6519959
That's certainly an impression it's easy to get. The other one (impression) is that once it's focusing properly it's about as good as a prime at that size, to use on a 1.6 cropped sensor, gets!

The problem I have also is where to buy it. I checked my local shop yesterday and they quoted me a price about $60 more expensive than if I buy it over the net from a bigger shop in Nara. They would also need to order it themselves from Sigma, and that takes ten days - from Nara I'd get it in two. First I figured that the local shop would be a better bet, even for more money, because it would be easier to take it in if it needs to go back. But yeah....they take forever to do stuff....10 days to order....3 weeks to calibrate. I'm beginning to think that Nara would be a better choice. Even if I end up having to swallow a bit of postage, I've still got 60 bucks to play with.
I'll have to ask my wife to talk to them in Fuji Camera and explain what I'm considering....maybe I can get them to check the lens already before they send it as new..... service in Japan is normally excellent, so maybe they would.

i wouldn't trust another person's "test" unless i really knew the person. i would not buy this lens unless you are prepared to send it in for service.

the good news is this lens is fixable but it may take multiple trips to get it right.

ed rader

ed rader wrote in post #6519995
i wouldn't trust another person's "test" unless i really knew the person. i would not buy this lens unless you are prepared to send it in for service.

the good news is this lens is fixable but it may take multiple trips to get it right.

ed rader

I understand that. It's not really a question of trust though....more, just making it very clear from the start that if it isn't right it WILL go back. It might give them incentive to check it first - but maybe I'm dreaming too.....