Sigma 30mm f/2.8

[Ken Ford]

I have one of these inbound. They seem to be a very nice quality lens for the price ($200US), from the web samples I've seen sharpness and contrast are improved over the kit lens. Back in the late 80s and the 90s before I got back into Leica, a very common walking around kit for me was one of my meterless Nikon F2 bodies with my 45/2.8GN - I like the FOV of the 45.

Anyone else here have or is getting one of these?

 

[jmilkins]

ooh - interesting - I hadn't seen this, or their 19mm... will be keen to hear what you think of it...

 

[Ken Ford]

I'll report back - mine won't be here until sometime next week, probably late. The 30 is getting a lot of positive reviews from users, but the 19 seems like it may not be up to the same standards, at least in the eyes of the committed pixel peepers. I want to see how the 19 does in real life usage before I form an opinion.

I've already started lobbying Sigma for a 60/2.8 in the same DN lens line. 😉 I figure a 19/30/60 kit would make a lot of people happy!

This is fun - I'm gathering a small kit of AF lenses for this NEX-7, but also pursuing using some of my legacy glass, too. (I have piles of them!)

 

[zuikologist]

I have had the 30/2.8 for a week and it is driving me mad. Would be interested to hear your views.

The 19/2.8 is too close to the 16/2.8 Sony lens. I would really like a 30/2 pancake, like Samsung NX series 🙂

 

[tomdavis111]

Could you be a little more specific about how it's driving you mad?

 

[Ken Ford]

Could you be a little more specific about how it's driving you mad?

+1.000452 (to beat minimum number of characters required to post)

 

[zuikologist]

The lens hunts more than the either the kit lens or 16/2.8 when focusing and has a strange and very strong aperture mechanism that can be felt and heard, especially when switching between viewing images on screen (when the aperture closes down) and back to taking mode whent he aperture opens up. The delay is somewhere around 1 sec. I wonder whether I have a faulty lens or perhaps Sigma have reverse engineered the lens and have not got it quite right.

 

[Ken Ford]

Sounds more like a defective lens - I haven't seen many reports like yours. Sony shared the spec with other makers, no reverse engineering was involved.

 

[sevo]

The lens hunts more than the either the kit lens or 16/2.8 when focusing

The kit lens being the 18-55 zoom, I presume? The zoom is stabilized, the 16mm considerably shorter - both are (or at least should be) less vulnerable to camera movement in low light than a unstabilized 30mm. You'd better compare against the Sony macro to make sure the lens is at fault.

 

[jsrockit]

Hmmm, didn't know about this lens at all. Suddenly the Nex-7 is more attractive. Any other non-sony e mount primes?

 

[Ken Ford]

Just the Sigma 19/2.8 released at the same time... so far!

 

[zuikologist]

Sounds more like a defective lens - I haven't seen many reports like yours. Sony shared the spec with other makers, no reverse engineering was involved.

I would be interested in your opinion when your lens arrives Ken. I may be expecting too much or it is defective.

 

[zuikologist]

The kit lens being the 18-55 zoom, I presume? The zoom is stabilized, the 16mm considerably shorter - both are (or at least should be) less vulnerable to camera movement in low light than a unstabilized 30mm. You'd better compare against the Sony macro to make sure the lens is at fault.

Yes, the maligned 18-55, which I think is quite good.

 

[Paddy C]

Anyone else here have or is getting one of these?

It's on the list but I'm not in a rush. I would really like to read a few reviews before I buy one.

 

[jsrockit]

Just the Sigma 19/2.8 released at the same time... so far!

Hmmm, interesting... a 28.5mm lens? Are they considered good sigma or bad sigma products?

 

[Ronald_H]

I wanted to order both the 19 and the 30. The focal lengths are perfect for what I do with AF lenses. The Dutch Sigma site lists them but the major stores do not (yet).

 

[Ken Ford]

Hmmm, interesting... a 28.5mm lens? Are they considered good sigma or bad sigma products?

I think the jury is still out on the 19mm. Some people seem to have good examples, but others aren't as happy. I'm waiting for bench testing before I make up my mind - I'm not entirely sure that some of the less favorable results aren't due to bad technique.

Like I mentioned above, if Sigma would release a 60/2.8 to go with the 19 and 30 they'd clean up.

 

[jsrockit]

Like I mentioned above, if Sigma would release a 60/2.8 to go with the 19 and 30 they'd clean up.

Kind of similar to Fuji's lineup for the XPro1. Someone's gotta make these lenses for the nex. Such a cool camera let down by sony's lack of good primes.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I'm considering these lenses for m4/3--same ones, different mount. They are attractively priced and there's plenty of barrel to grab.

FWIW, these are the lenses from the DP1 and DP2. If you like those, you'll like these, optically speaking.

 

[Ken Ford]

I really am hoping Sigma will continue developing small moderate aperture DN series primes - IMO they're doing it right by making each of these in both m4/3 and NEX mounts. And if they can keep the same "look" across the whole series... yeah, baby.