Sigma 35mm f1.4....?!!

It's different from subject to subject and lighting of course, some it looks sharp and defined while others it looks soft and creamy. Seen similar shots from the L in the past too as well as from zooms but obviously at 2.8.

There is enough sample range out there of pics to show it at least anyway :-P
 
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ITT: We learn that the 35mm can withstand a light shower:
rps20121222_230520_425.jpg


Also:

Gary (New Place - De Vere) by Robbie Khan, on Flickr


Lymara - Morning prep (New Place - De Vere) by Robbie Khan, on Flickr


Guest (New Place - De Vere) by Robbie Khan, on Flickr

Kicking myself for not closing the cupboard door on the left of this one.

Bridesmaid 2 (New Place - De Vere) by Robbie Khan, on Flickr


Bridesmaid 2 (New Place - De Vere) by Robbie Khan, on Flickr

And 100% @ 1.4 (AF point = eye).

So yes, I do quite like this glass :)
 
Hmm I could I think.

It would be the biggest PS correction job I've done yet if successful though!

Will work on it later on :-D
 
Just seen that this is back in stock in bhphotovideo so hopefully onestop-digital will get some stock in the next couple of days!

BTW, got my 5d3 today :eek:
 
Bokeh looks a little nervous in the top right window. My 35g would render those highlights like smooth butter. Still it's a fantastic lens by all accounts and by the samples posted, but if it has a slight weak point, then it's the bokeh rendering, otherwise it seems like the perfect 35.

8299094146_dc89a74a12_o.jpg
 
mrk said:
Hi,

You can see the barrel through the viewfinder, it's a DC lens though so I should have realised this from the start so this kind of puts a downer on any suitable comparison :o

Anyway, differences I've noticed:

- Close focusing distance is worse.
- Resolving power is worse.
- AF speed is worse.
- CA is worse (more purple fringe, similar green fringe on some highlights but the 35mm is more controlled and eliminates them whereas the 30mm has some left after PP).
- Quality of bokeh is decent though I give it that.
- Weight (too light!)
- Feel.
- Looks, it doesn't look manly enough!

Obvious points are obvious considering the eye watering price difference between the two but thought worth mentioning :p

Basic quick comparisons, I don't think it's gonna be worth comparing these two lenses any further really!

35mm:
5D3_3253.jpg


30mm:
5D3_3255.jpg



35mm closest focusing:
.....

In the last 2 examples you can see what I meant elsewhere when i mentioned that you get more in focus on the 35mm and 85mm at the same wide aperture (1.4 here) whereas on the 50mm (and this 30mm) that wasn't the case. The buttons on the right are the giveaway.
Click to expand...

mrk said:
In the field I've not seen any problem at all.
Click to expand...

Well, as I said previously the Bokeh on the Sigma 35 in this image is definitely worse than the 30mm.

I don't want to nit-pick too much and I don't have any evidence beyond the photos you have posted and what DPreview has said but the what evidence there is seems to point towards a more nervous Bokeh with outlining.

This is something that is not too uncommon with Sigma, the 24-70mm f/2.8 is a classic example. The Sigma 50mm and 85mm f/1.4 don't have as creamy a Bokeh as the Nikon 50mm/85mm (1.4 or 1.8G).

It is also something that often arises in fast but wider-angle lenses (e.g. 35mm vs 85mm) and a lot of the optimizations to make a lens sharper (e.g. Aspherical elements) can contribute to ringing, outlining and nervousness. Nikon and Canon, and especially Zeiss have a tendency to balance absolute sharpness over a uniform frame and nice rendition properties, Sigma on the other hand seem more focused on Sharpness now they have the ability to produce razor sharp glass. Also glass with more contrast can lead to more defined Bokeh while lower contrast glass like the classic Nikon 85mm f.1.4D (the older not the newer G) actually has relatively low contrast wide open.

What you will probably find is the usual case where the background matters, strong highlights or contrast may cause problems without care.
 
I see what you guys mean about the bokeh "sharpness" - the edges are sharper instead of softer like the Zeiss, there is a difference of course there but without paying some attention to care when shooting it may create an undesired effect to images.

The 24-105 has sharper bokeh too and I quite liked that look ever since that lens came out, this appears to be similar in bokeh although at a much wider aperture.

I've found that the bokeh as quoted above in the bridesmaid image is sharper the further away you are from the subject. Closer to the subject and you get smoother soft bokeh edges.

Not a complaint of course! I love the look, some call it nervousness, I think it makes subjects pop out a bit more like 3D. Maybe a bit more character?

both are brilliant. The 30mm though I would not even use it. While the bokeh is a slight bit smoother, everything else is much much worse.
 
To be sure the rest of your sample looks great, so it is probably only in th difficult situations that there is anything noticeable. Also, bokeh quality is much more apparent to photographers than the general public, who pick up on the shallow DoF but not the subtleties.

I will probably buy the sigma 35 because I will need the resolution on a d800e and it looks to be a bargain compared to the Nikon f/1.4.
 
I think that's exactly it yeah!

Resolution is just insane as well the sharpness and contrast. I mentioned before about images needed little to no colour correction and that's still true!
 
i heard canon are gunna announce there version of this lens in 8th of january that could blow this away but at teh same time cost more then many peoples monthly morgage payments
 
jonneymendoza said:
i heard canon are gunna announce there version of this lens in 8th of january that could blow this away but at teh same time cost more then many peoples monthly morgage payments
Click to expand...

I don't know how it would blow it away really, real the bokeh should be buttery-er but I can't see how it can out-resolve the Sigma given that the Sigma is so well controlled and so sharp and good control of optical issues (CA/Fringe). It should match it in all respects.

I always thought the current 35L was weather sealed too, didn't realise it wasn't! So the new version should add weather sealing I guess?
 
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