just bought me self a SIGMA 30mm f1.4 EX DC HSM

::: CooliceT :: · 21 Feb 2008 at 20:31

hey all.

Been looking for a decent portrait / Landscape lens for awhile.
I know these go for £250 new,

so managed to pick one up just now for £160.

Lens Construction
7 Elements in 7 Groups

Angle of View 45 degrees (SD format)
Number of Diaphragm Blades 8 Blades
Minimum Aperture F16
Minimum Focusing Distance 40cm / 15.7 inches
Maximum Magnification 1:10.4
Filter Size Diameter 62mm
Lens Hood DiaPetal Hood
Dimensions Diameter 75.5mm X Length 59mm
2.97 inches x 2.3 inches
Weight 430g/15.2 oz.
Corresponding AF Mounts SIGMA,
CANON,
NIKON (D),
SONY/MINOLTA,
PENTAX,
FOUR THIRDS

anyone got this lens?
did I do right?

its going on a Canon 400d for now.
I want to get the right lenses first, then upgrade body in the year,
or next year...

anyone got pics? or some examples...
cheers

PardonTheWait · 21 Feb 2008 at 20:36

Need samples! I've been thinking about saving for one of these

Attu90 · 21 Feb 2008 at 20:41

It will be nice for landscape but 48mm (30x1.6) is going to be a bit wide for portrait work where really you want to be looking at 80mm to 100mm which is one of the reasons the 50mm lenses are so popular as they work out that 80mm on a 1.6 crop camera.

Shoei · 21 Feb 2008 at 20:51

Got one of these a while ago. Cracking lens.

Feels like there is no lens there on my D80, espcially since i have the battery grip fitted.

::: CooliceT :: · 21 Feb 2008 at 20:55

nice and sharp sweet!
looking forward to getting it, should come the weekend for me to play with.

next one... is the sigma 120-300mm....
oh, and a 580 flash.

Messiah Khan · 21 Feb 2008 at 21:18

Attu90 said:
a bit wide for portrait work

Says who?

I tend to like slightly wider portraits. Remember a lot of classic portraits where shot with 50mm on 35mm cameras, and the 30mm is the equivalent of 45mm. Longer lenses are generally chosen for portraits as they give a more flattering perspective compression. But as long as you don't get right into someones face a 30mm works just fine for portraits.

::: CooliceT :: · 21 Feb 2008 at 21:23

Messiah Khan said:
Says who?

I tend to like slightly wider portraits. Remember a lot of classic portraits where shot with 50mm on 35mm cameras, and the 30mm is the equivalent of 45mm. Longer lenses are generally chosen for portraits as they give a more flattering perspective compression. But as long as you don't get right into someones face a 30mm works just fine for portraits.

ah yea,
I remember this one

Think thats one of the reasons, I started looking at the lens.
was just from that shot!

cant wait!

Aod · 21 Feb 2008 at 23:17

Attu90 said:
It will be nice for landscape but 48mm (30x1.6) is going to be a bit wide for portrait work where really you want to be looking at 80mm to 100mm which is one of the reasons the 50mm lenses are so popular as they work out that 80mm on a 1.6 crop camera.

nah, i find that 40-60mm is easily fine for portraiture, it really depends on the look/style you're going for. for example, i find 50(80)mm too long for my style of portraits

i've got the Canon Equivalent to this Lens, the EF 28mm f/1.8
cost me about £200 quid including delivery and a hood.

here's a 100% crop from a shot made at f/2.8:

and a reduction of the full image (absolutely NO post processing!):

By the way, who likes my new Sig?

ElDude · 22 Feb 2008 at 00:30

You could look for the Canon 85mm 1.8. That's approx £300. The 85mm 1.2 is £1200ish. These are the next lenses on my list actually. Then I'll be replacing the 70-300 I never use with a decent lens.

I don't like the sig Aod. Although it does remind me of the Spectrum loading screens

Aod · 22 Feb 2008 at 01:30

As an aside from the topic of this thread, does anyone Like my photo?

At The Gates · 22 Feb 2008 at 07:57

It's a great lens. I've had it on my camera for about 4 months solid now. Awesome low light performance. Only grumbles are minor back focusing issues and it's not that sharp wide open. But at 250 quid for f/1.4 it was never going to be..

a1ex2001 · 22 Feb 2008 at 14:14

Messiah Khan said:
Says who?

I tend to like slightly wider portraits. Remember a lot of classic portraits where shot with 50mm on 35mm cameras, and the 30mm is the equivalent of 45mm. Longer lenses are generally chosen for portraits as they give a more flattering perspective compression. But as long as you don't get right into someones face a 30mm works just fine for portraits.

Not still pushing that tired old picture around

I'd have said that lens was more suited to portraits especially full body than it is landscapes when it's not really wide enough for my tastes allthough no doubt Kahn will produce some stunner too prove me wrong!

Messiah Khan · 22 Feb 2008 at 15:48

a1ex2001 said:
allthough no doubt Kahn will produce some stunner too prove me wrong!

EnglishMack · 22 Feb 2008 at 16:03

DC lenses are useless on full frame digital cameras. Such a shame because I'd love this lens for my 1DS. I think Canon get away with murder charging what they do for their lenses.

ElDude · 22 Feb 2008 at 16:06

Aod said:
As an aside from the topic of this thread, does anyone Like my photo?

I like the mirror shot, unfortunately the contents in the mirror are very unappealing (my god, that was diplomatic of me

). In this case I'd definitely consider cheating in photoshop and altering the contents of the mirror. Unless of course you've got something you could actually put in the way of that window.

I suppose you could take another photo with something in the background, and then photoshop that into the image, as it's currently nice with that lighting, and anything being by the window would probably block the light.

I was going to post this last night, but painkillers ate my brain

Aod · 22 Feb 2008 at 16:28

ElDude said:
I like the mirror shot, unfortunately the contents in the mirror are very unappealing (my god, that was diplomatic of me ). In this case I'd definitely consider cheating in photoshop and altering the contents of the mirror. Unless of course you've got something you could actually put in the way of that window.

I suppose you could take another photo with something in the background, and then photoshop that into the image, as it's currently nice with that lighting, and anything being by the window would probably block the light.

I was going to post this last night, but painkillers ate my brain

you mean the Sculpture and the Orchid?

Skullfish1 · 22 Feb 2008 at 16:54

::: CooliceT :: said:
anyone got pics? or some examples...
cheers

I think all the shots on my dA account are with the 30mm f/1.4. Might be a nifty fifty in there somewhere, but the 30 is my main lens.

ElDude · 22 Feb 2008 at 19:29

Aod said:
you mean the Sculpture and the Orchid?

Yeah. The problem is the window behind it. It doesn't go with anything in the whole image.

Aod · 23 Feb 2008 at 00:26

ElDude said:
Yeah. The problem is the window behind it. It doesn't go with anything in the whole image.

ah, i see. but if i had went and closed the window then (A) i would have missed the 16 seconds that that light lasted and (b) the light wouldn't have come in through it anyway...

GeX · 23 Feb 2008 at 02:19

i like the look of this lens. after using playing with a 350D equipped with a nifty fifty, i was unimpressed with being stuck at 50 (80)mm. i did like how quick the lens was though. now i know the nikon nifty fifty is a great lens, but i would just get annoyed with it not being wide enough i think. i was using the 50mm at a party, and admittedly i was a wee bit drunk - but from the kinda ranges i normally use my camera for taking shots of people it was too much.

30 (45)mm would be much nicer. Shame it costs oh so much more