Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Digital Cameras & Shooting Techniques => Topic started by: David Anderson on December 06, 2014, 03:38:11 am
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Wow, what a lens. 8)
I know I'm late to the party on this one, but better late than never.
First up, the lens is very sharp corner to corner and has very low distortion.
Here's a shot @f8 off a tripod to check the corners -
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/DAVID_S_ANDERSON/Signal_zpsc688fbf5.jpg) (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/DAVID_S_ANDERSON/media/Signal_zpsc688fbf5.jpg.html)
And here's the corner crop -
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/DAVID_S_ANDERSON/Crop_zps0f023e73.jpg) (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/DAVID_S_ANDERSON/media/Crop_zps0f023e73.jpg.html)
Obviously screen rez shots don't do the sharpness justice, but trust me, it's very sharp.
I'll post up some people stuff I shot @f2 soon.
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looks like a winner. I rarely shoot 50mm, but I only have mf lenses in that focal length.
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Did you calibrate it to your camera with the $60 optional Sigma docking puck?
I have the 35mm version (Waiting on the 85mm one to show!) and it made a huge difference in sharpness as it is tuned to the body over four different focusing distances. Each one was different too. Very interesting toy to play with in tuning the auto focus part.
SG
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No, only done a quick calibration with the LensAlign so far.
I'm seeing some hit & miss focusing using the lens near wide open for portraits so will have another, more careful crack at the calibration.
The dock looks interesting though - I might look into them.
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No, only done a quick calibration with the LensAlign so far.
I'm seeing some hit & miss focusing using the lens near wide open for portraits so will have another, more careful crack at the calibration.
The dock looks interesting though - I might look into them.
Get the dock. Most likely you are operating in one of the three close focus zones that Sigma uses in the four distance zones it uses to tune the thing in shooting portraits.
I find the LensAlign or whatever works best at the single distance it is placed, but Sigma thinks more range of distances is best so they provide four in their tuning. I know Nikon can do 6, but I doubt if their techs spend that much time doing them all. Mine has some bizzare tuning numbers like -15, -9, -3, +2 from the close to infinity. Bad part is another body produces a whole different set of numbers showing the issues the current AF setups have. Close, but no cigar.
If anything, it make you more savvy as to the difficulties in the AF system using the Sigma dock. It's a pretty smart move by Sigma in that it gets a lot of warranty issues off their benches and onto the customer's for the $60 thing. Probably better done by the customer too.
SG
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Thanks SG, going to order one today..
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Here's a shot of my girl at F2.4
Focus is still a bit hit & miss, but this frame is very sharp across her eyes.
FWIW, poor little thing is a bit nervous about her kindy graduation and tight lipped - couldn't buy a smile ! 8))
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/DAVID_S_ANDERSON/Grad14_zpsd3f655ed.jpg) (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/DAVID_S_ANDERSON/media/Grad14_zpsd3f655ed.jpg.html)
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want to start by saying that I fully acknowledge that these near-thumbnails that we have to put up do not allow reliable comparison between.
Further I have yet to search out the files to which I am referring
But some OTUS images posted here by some fellows appear to have far more contrast and micro-contrast than the sets here
I know, far cheaper, etc I'm not dissing you or the lens. just voicing an opinion that I reserve the right tot change if i fine the OTUS images and change my mind
But I'm lazy these days...
OK, went and looked. Impression confirmed.
That does not mean it's not an excellent lens
The OTUS is one of those tools that makes images so sharp that you can't help but pause to check metadata to be sure. S2 was like that too.. even more so.
Here's a shot of my girl at F2.4
Focus is still a bit hit & miss, but this frame is very sharp across her eyes.
FWIW, poor little thing is a bit nervous about her kindy graduation and tight lipped - couldn't buy a smile ! 8))
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c35/DAVID_S_ANDERSON/Grad14_zpsd3f655ed.jpg) (http://s24.photobucket.com/user/DAVID_S_ANDERSON/media/Grad14_zpsd3f655ed.jpg.html)
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But some OTUS images posted here by some fellows appear to have far more contrast and micro-contrast than the sets here
Oh dear, should I have pumped the 'micro contrast' hard in Photoshop before posting ??????? ;D
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Oh dear, should I have pumped the 'micro contrast' hard in Photoshop before posting ??????? ;D
of course not
it is what it is.
I should not have posted perhaps...?
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I should not have posted perhaps...?
I'm always happy to hear the opinions of others on this forum - good, bad or ugly. 8)
You're right about the shots - they're flat and look to have lost something in their journey from raw to Jpeg to Photobucket.. ???
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I'm always happy to hear the opinions of others on this forum - good, bad or ugly. 8)
You're right about the shots - they're flat and look to have lost something in their journey from raw to Jpeg to Photobucket.. ???
Photobucket does seem to mangle pictures and personally I'd never try and judge image quality by looking at shots posted on an internet forum. I can appreciate a shot, composition, see it as a nice image etc., but rather than try to judge the actual quality based on a forum post I'd rather read the users opinion and you as the user say that the Sigma is the bees knees I believe you :D
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Here is a graduation portrait taken with Sigma Art 50mm at full open. Full frame and 100% crop detail. Camera was D800e, light coming from a 30cmx30cm LED panel, 1/800 sec at ISO 100. All photos were taken outside, in a forest like this one, and at the seashore. Of course playing with the shallow DOF every time.
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Here is a graduation portrait taken with Sigma Art 50mm at full open. Full frame and 100% crop detail. Camera was D800e, light coming from a 30cmx30cm LED panel, 1/800 sec at ISO 100. All photos were taken outside, in a forest like this one, and at the seashore. Of course playing with the shallow DOF every time.
That's nice light - what panel is it ?
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That's nice light - what panel is it ?
It is this one: http://www.lupolight.it/tv-video/led-lights/51_lupoled-1120-dmx-dual-color.html
Good-by to studio flash for location portraits! And power cords also...
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Looks good, thanks for the link..
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I've used it on three week long shoots (rented from lensrentals.com). Bloody sharp lens. I want to ditch my Canon 50/1.2, which just doesn't have the performance (see my bitching in an earlier post) and buy this one.
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I did a compare of the Canon to Sigma 1.2 vs 1.4 non-Art.
The Canon is a beafy solid lens, yet the focus is a so slow. Even if it was faster I couldn't say the 1.2 price of $1k+ was worth it.
For a 50, I wasn't so concerned about corners as I would shoot it wide often times. I did have some issues after lugging it in my case that gets abuse often.
The 4 year warranty came in handy as I sent it in after some time, and they went through the lens and fixed it. The build quality on the Art is likely better than the standard version, but for under $500, its still a great lens. With the 24-70 Canon L, it now just sits around more.
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I ended up selling my Canon 50/1.2 and bought the Sigma 50/1.4 Art. Happy with my decision.