9 replies to this topic

[Dallas]

Have you used this lens? If so, share your experiences with others by replying to this thread. Please keep all comments on topic.

[afx]

It is a top notch available light DX lens.
Perfectly usable at f1.4 already. Nice Bokeh. The HSM works fast.

In its price range, there is no competition.

Note recommended for repro work as the focal plane is curved.
Seems to have a bit more sample variance than the Nikkors, so check your sample. The first one I tried at the dealer had a rather nasty feeling to the focus ring. The second was perfect.

cheers
afx

[NuteShack]

what AFX said ....absolute "must have" lens on dx, imho. shoot it mostly wide open to 2.8. utterly sharp @1.4, excellent bokeh!

from my wife's d40 @1.4 (lens is still glued to that camera).


loads of samples in this folder ->
http://markcox.smugm...432508106_F6ohz
;D

[ap-alexander]

This lens was the only option for me, since I was looking for a sub-50mm prime lens that would AF on my D40.

I agree with what AFX and NuteShack have already said, it's a beautiful lens! I've had it for about almost 5 months now, and nearly every picture I take, I think (man, I love this lens!) I was, however, destined to love this lens since my favorite shots in the world are anything with extremely small depth of field.

I have had a few instances where is hasn't picked the focus that I thought I was going for, but I usually attribute that to user error, and the manual focus override makes it a non-issue anyways.

The lens also shines in the "normal" aperture range (above 5).

I only have one gripe worth mentioning for D40(x) and D60 owners. The Nikon version of the lens does not have a MF/AF switch, as on the Canon version. They have opted for the MF override method. Since the D40/60's don't have MF and thus, no switch themselves, you cannot force the focus to infinity in dark situations where there is little light. So paired with those cameras, you will have a tough time with night shots of stars, because unless the camera can find its own focus with the available light, it won't lock and you won't be able to use the MF override.

But all in all a suberb lens.

[hughlook]

I like this lens & use it a lot on a D60 and D300. One thing - although there is no MF wswitch on a D60, you can set it to MF through the menus (going in through the "i" button, or Custom settings/focus mode). Trickier than a switch, but it does work.

Hugh

[HarryM]

I borrowed one of these from a friend and took a few shots with it on my D40X.  A nice lens, for sure.  I'm looking forward to some comparisons of it with the new NIKKOR 35mm 1.4G AF-S.  How do you think they will compare?

[hughlook]

The new Nikon is f1.8, apparently - not f1.4. Early reviews suggest it's very good and nicely compact. Personally, I prefer a slightly shorter normal  - the Sigma equates to a 45mm lens on 35mm, the Nikon a 52mm lens and that does make a distinct, if small, difference. If it had been 30mm I'd have gone for it, as the Sigma is a hefty brute. I might yet, as the 35mm on a D60 would make a very nice, compact take-anywhere low light street photography camera. I'm going to try cropping some pictures taken on the Sigma to see if it will make the difference I think it would - might be negligible after all.

[BourbonCowboy]

....absolute "must have" lens on dx, imho. shoot it mostly wide open to 2.8. utterly sharp @1.4, excellent bokeh!

I agree, as I shoot mostly in lower light.  If you get a sharp copy (or have a copy calibrated by Sigma), it's an amazing lens.  It's so good, that I decided to keep a seperate DX kit after I moved to FX.

[iamunique127]

I recently acquired one of the Sigma 30 f1.4 lenses in a trade. Although I thought I had no use for it and put it up for sale, I used it in the meantime.

I am very impressed with this lens. I also own the Nikon 35 f1.8 DX and I'm sorry to say I prefer the Sigma. It's the first non-Nikon lens I've owned and it makes me consider other Sigmas.

First, it is hefty. This makes it feel more well-built than the Nikon because the Nikon is so light and plasticy. Second, the image quality appears better with the Sigma- more contrasty, sharp and no CA. The 1.4 really works in low light. On my D300S I can bump up the ISO and get surprisingly good shots in very dim lighting.

Although I bought the Nikon 35 as a light, walk around lens I find myself leaving it at home and carrying the Sigma 30 instead. I guess there are more important factors than weight.

I captured some wonderful available light photos at an intimate gathering in a friends home the other evening. The room was only lit by a dim lamp in the corner and the photos came out sharp wide open, giving nice OOF areas. Unfortunately, they are all people shots that I can't share.

I'm very pleased with this lens.

[helioer]

I bought this lens to be the "low light option" for my DX gear (now serving as a travel kit.) I have used it mostly indoors. Focuses fast and perfectly usable from wide open.