Sigma 30mm 1.4 at DVinfo.net

Jonathan Shaw · July 29th, 2010, 04:39 PM

Anyone use this lens on a regular basis?

Yesterday I was looking at the Canon 35mm F2.0, Sigma 30mm 1.4 and also the Canon 35mm 1.4

35/2.0 was okay, didn't feel great abd the focus ring was average. Could have done with being faster also.
Sigma, I was really surprised, it looked great and felt pretty good. Image looked pretty good too as far as I could tell
35/1.4... awesome lens just expensive

Does anyone have any feedback on the Sigma?

Chris Westerstrom · July 29th, 2010, 04:49 PM

I'm wondering, doesn't a 30mm lens on a 7d actually make it match what a 50mm lens would be on the 5d?

Jonathan Shaw · July 29th, 2010, 05:30 PM

That is exactly right give or take a couple of mm, I'm looking for a fast prime with 50mm equiv.

Bill Pryor · July 30th, 2010, 01:47 PM

I like the Zeiss ZE 35 better than the Canon. Cheaper too.

Benjamin Eckstein · July 31st, 2010, 05:12 PM

I have the Sigma. Great for video. Not so great for stills as I find it autofocuses pretty poorly/slowly. But it's nice and sharp and a good normal lens for video. I would hesitate from shooting below 2.0 as it softens a bit, but it's certainly a usable image wide open if you have to go that far.

I've shot with the Canon 35/1.4 and it rocks for video and stills. If you can afford it, it's awesome, but the Sigma is quite good in video land.

Mike Dulay · August 1st, 2010, 06:41 PM

It's 48mm equivalent which is in the "normal" range. The AF can be unpredictable at times, so flick the switch to MF when you're doing video. At 1.4 the DOF is so shallow its impossible. At 2.8 it's really good for faces.

Jonathan Shaw · August 1st, 2010, 07:06 PM

Thanks for the comments guys.

Ryan Hargrave · August 3rd, 2010, 01:04 PM

It's the lens that stays on the camera most often for me. It's a good middle of the road lens that is super fast. I use it at 1.4 all the time in darker venues with focus at infinity and it's not that soft. Even bringing it closer 1.4 is not unusable, just depends on the shot.

this was musician shot at 1.4 with the sigma 30mm and the room was fairly dark

Sam Tansey · August 4th, 2010, 10:11 PM

Just used this lens on a music video, shooting in a cramped cubby house, it was a perfect focal length, it was difficult to get light in without making bad shadows so the speed was great.

Its very nice as a widish lens for shooting people and other 3d objects. It has a very strong focus curvature that gives nice blurred backgrounds but makes it impossible to get sharp results from corner to corner
Coupled with that the corners and sides are soft even if you focus specifically on an object on the sides.

Nice saturated color and contrast.

Infinity is tricky, your still best to set focus using your eyes rather then the scale. Digital zoom focussing is a god send.

Its fast but to be honest it doesn't get much brighter between 1.4 and 1.8

Mine front focuses, Autofocus is useless, sending it back for calibration when I don't need it.

Jonathan Shaw · August 5th, 2010, 12:09 AM

Jes.. the amount of people who have had issues with lens is nuts....

Sam:- Did yours always front focus or has it happened over time?

Sam Tansey · August 5th, 2010, 01:51 AM

Font focussed out of the box. I didn't take it back in the return period because I needed it now and for video it is fine.

I actually think my 550d might be partly the culprit, my 50. f1.8 also front focuses slightly as does a 70-300 old kit lens I had kicking around. The 18-55 is kit lens that came paired with it focuses bang on target though.

The sigma is by far the worst, front focusing about 2 times more than the canon 50mm, It never goes near infinity on the scale no matter how far away an object.

I dont know why Canon don't put focus calibration/offset on all models, surely it would only save them money in both returned lenses and camera bodies.

Jonathan Shaw · August 8th, 2010, 07:47 PM

Thanks Sam, I will actually take my 7D into the shop I buy it to check. What is the best and fastest way to check? Focus on something close check, then repeat for distances getting further and further away?

Sam Tansey · August 8th, 2010, 08:42 PM

A menu, newspaper or a tape measure, get down to the level of the table to exaggerate distances, something where you can pick a line, focus on it, take a picture and then zoom in to see how close you are, shoot at minimum aperture to make any problems stand out. Take a whole bunch of pictures so you can be sure it is a consistent problem.

Phil Yisrael · August 12th, 2010, 01:47 PM

I like the Sigma lens a lot Jonathon...images are great and the price is...well...unbeatable for an f1.4

July 29th, 2010, 04:39 PM	#1
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	Sigma 30mm 1.4 Anyone use this lens on a regular basis? Yesterday I was looking at the Canon 35mm F2.0, Sigma 30mm 1.4 and also the Canon 35mm 1.4 35/2.0 was okay, didn't feel great abd the focus ring was average. Could have done with being faster also. Sigma, I was really surprised, it looked great and felt pretty good. Image looked pretty good too as far as I could tell 35/1.4... awesome lens just expensive Does anyone have any feedback on the Sigma? __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm

July 29th, 2010, 05:30 PM	#3
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	That is exactly right give or take a couple of mm, I'm looking for a fast prime with 50mm equiv. __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm

August 1st, 2010, 06:41 PM	#6
Mike Dulay Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Somerville, NJ Posts: 304	It's 48mm equivalent which is in the "normal" range. The AF can be unpredictable at times, so flick the switch to MF when you're doing video. At 1.4 the DOF is so shallow its impossible. At 2.8 it's really good for faces. __________________ DIY, 35mm, HV20: http://www.primitivebuteffective.net

August 1st, 2010, 07:06 PM	#7
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	Thanks for the comments guys. __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm

August 3rd, 2010, 01:04 PM	#8
Ryan Hargrave New Boot Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 14	It's the lens that stays on the camera most often for me. It's a good middle of the road lens that is super fast. I use it at 1.4 all the time in darker venues with focus at infinity and it's not that soft. Even bringing it closer 1.4 is not unusable, just depends on the shot. this was musician shot at 1.4 with the sigma 30mm and the room was fairly dark Jason Eady - Promises and Pieces on Vimeo

July 29th, 2010, 04:49 PM	#2
Chris Westerstrom Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden Posts: 259	I'm wondering, doesn't a 30mm lens on a 7d actually make it match what a 50mm lens would be on the 5d?

July 30th, 2010, 01:47 PM	#4
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I like the Zeiss ZE 35 better than the Canon. Cheaper too.

July 31st, 2010, 05:12 PM	#5
Benjamin Eckstein Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 380 Images: 1	I have the Sigma. Great for video. Not so great for stills as I find it autofocuses pretty poorly/slowly. But it's nice and sharp and a good normal lens for video. I would hesitate from shooting below 2.0 as it softens a bit, but it's certainly a usable image wide open if you have to go that far. I've shot with the Canon 35/1.4 and it rocks for video and stills. If you can afford it, it's awesome, but the Sigma is quite good in video land.

August 4th, 2010, 10:11 PM	#9
Sam Tansey Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Australia Posts: 59	Just used this lens on a music video, shooting in a cramped cubby house, it was a perfect focal length, it was difficult to get light in without making bad shadows so the speed was great. Its very nice as a widish lens for shooting people and other 3d objects. It has a very strong focus curvature that gives nice blurred backgrounds but makes it impossible to get sharp results from corner to corner Coupled with that the corners and sides are soft even if you focus specifically on an object on the sides. Nice saturated color and contrast. Infinity is tricky, your still best to set focus using your eyes rather then the scale. Digital zoom focussing is a god send. Its fast but to be honest it doesn't get much brighter between 1.4 and 1.8 Mine front focuses, Autofocus is useless, sending it back for calibration when I don't need it.

August 5th, 2010, 12:09 AM	#10
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	Jes.. the amount of people who have had issues with lens is nuts.... Sam:- Did yours always front focus or has it happened over time? __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm

August 5th, 2010, 01:51 AM	#11
Sam Tansey Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Australia Posts: 59	Font focussed out of the box. I didn't take it back in the return period because I needed it now and for video it is fine. I actually think my 550d might be partly the culprit, my 50. f1.8 also front focuses slightly as does a 70-300 old kit lens I had kicking around. The 18-55 is kit lens that came paired with it focuses bang on target though. The sigma is by far the worst, front focusing about 2 times more than the canon 50mm, It never goes near infinity on the scale no matter how far away an object. I dont know why Canon don't put focus calibration/offset on all models, surely it would only save them money in both returned lenses and camera bodies.

August 8th, 2010, 07:47 PM	#12
Jonathan Shaw Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 552	Thanks Sam, I will actually take my 7D into the shop I buy it to check. What is the best and fastest way to check? Focus on something close check, then repeat for distances getting further and further away? __________________ www.ginclearfilm.com www.facebook.com/ginclearfilm

August 8th, 2010, 08:42 PM	#13
Sam Tansey Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Australia Posts: 59	A menu, newspaper or a tape measure, get down to the level of the table to exaggerate distances, something where you can pick a line, focus on it, take a picture and then zoom in to see how close you are, shoot at minimum aperture to make any problems stand out. Take a whole bunch of pictures so you can be sure it is a consistent problem.

August 12th, 2010, 01:47 PM	#14
Phil Yisrael New Boot Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Posts: 9	I like the Sigma lens a lot Jonathon...images are great and the price is...well...unbeatable for an f1.4 Itay's birthday on Vimeo