Sigma 30mm f2.8 DN

[fotoingo]

Me too. I've got both Sigmas on their way, as well as the 50/1.8 OSS. I guess I should give this AF thing a try, after all.

I tried to go that route many times (using the kitlens more, using the Tamron 18-200 or the Sony 18_200) and my last try was the Sigma 30mm.

I have to admit: The lens is sharp and has good edges! It is small, black and lightweight.

But the thing with AF on the Nex is.... It just plain s****s.
It is too slow for anything moving and hunts every now and then. Close up work (not really macro) doesnt work well because of the hunting too.

So every time I tried the AF thing on the Nex I went back to my precious Contax G lenses and other manuell focus lenses.

If you use MF lenses often, your focus speed will match the AF on the Nex for sure.
So for me AF-lenses are a no-go on the current Nex line up.

If the AF improves with new Cameras I will surely check the lenses out again.

Greets!

 

[Vivek]

Yeah, I'm usually fine with f2.8, although I do use f2 a lot indoors. Why Sony can't build their own version of the Samsung NX 30/2 is beyond me, but the Sigma should be fine for me, most of the time.

I have had that lens with the NX10. If there is a 30/2 with that lens design, I would avoid it. I need not elaborate on that.

 

[douglasf13]

Interesting. I'd heard mostly good things about the 30/2.

 

[douglasf13]

I tried to go that route many times (using the kitlens more, using the Tamron 18-200 or the Sony 18_200) and my last try was the Sigma 30mm.

I have to admit: The lens is sharp and has good edges! It is small, black and lightweight.

But the thing with AF on the Nex is.... It just plain s****s.
It is too slow for anything moving and hunts every now and then. Close up work (not really macro) doesnt work well because of the hunting too.

So every time I tried the AF thing on the Nex I went back to my precious Contax G lenses and other manuell focus lenses.

If you use MF lenses often, your focus speed will match the AF on the Nex for sure.
So for me AF-lenses are a no-go on the current Nex line up.

If the AF improves with new Cameras I will surely check the lenses out again.

Greets!

I've been playing around with the kit zoom's AF the last day or two, and my feeling is that the best route will be leaving the camera in MF mode and using the Nex-7's rear AF/MF button to AF. That way, I can still MF easily, if need be, and AF is decoupled from the shutter button. We'll see how that goes.

 

[HeavyDuty]

I've been playing around with the kit zoom's AF the last day or two, and my feeling is that the best route will be leaving the camera in MF mode and using the Nex-7's rear AF/MF button to AF. That way, I can still MF easily, if need be, and AF is decoupled from the shutter button. We'll see how that goes.

This is how I set up my NEX-7, too - it's how I've been running my Nikon DSLRs for years, and I much prefer decoupling AF from the shutter button. I'm playing with both single AF point and multipoint on the NEX-7, I'm not sure yet which I prefer for a default setting.

 

[douglasf13]

This is how I set up my NEX-7, too - it's how I've been running my Nikon DSLRs for years, and I much prefer decoupling AF from the shutter button. I'm playing with both single AF point and multipoint on the NEX-7, I'm not sure yet which I prefer for a default setting.

Yeah, that's how I shot my A900, too. I forgot to mention that I'm using flexible spot AF spot with the spot in the center of the frame.

 

[Vivek]

Interesting. I'd heard mostly good things about the 30/2.

It seems it is easy mold plastic in the 5/5 design. It may be good for the Nokia pureview but will not do for an APS-C sensor.

Oh yeah, lots of good things written about that lens and even the NX cams.

 

[Vivek]

The OOF specular highlights show ring pattern (this is a crop of the original) due to the molded glass aspheric surfaces on the lens elements.


Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr

NEX-7, Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN, f/3.2

 

[Quentin_Bargate]

Looks good, Vivek. I just don't think it is a focal length I would use very much.

Quentin

 

[Vivek]

Quentin, I tried a few WA converters- the 0.75X Ricoh GW1 and a 0.65 Century Optics (both 37mm threads).

The Ricoh GW1 is the better of the two but the corners go mushy regardless of the aperture.

 

[mazor]

wow, what a lovely lens vivek. How long have Sigma E mount lens been available?

Still thinking of getting a VC 35mm f1.2 with helicoid adapter, but looking at the Sigma 30mm f2.8 DN seems like a good choice with AF capability sacrificing just over 2 stops of light.

Choices choices, which to go for in your opinion?

 

[Mike Hatam]

The Sigma E 19/2.8 is now in stock at 47th Street photo (and can be purchased through Amazon). At $219, I just plopped down for one - I'll report on the lens performance in about a week once I've had a chance to play with it.

 

[douglasf13]

I bought one yesterday overseas at DigitalRev for $190 including shipping. It appears B&H also has them in stock for $199.

 

[Jonathon Delacour]

This is my quandary, too. My normal lens kit for my (film) Leica is a 35 and a 75 and I work very well with this combination. However, the Zeiss 24 is financially out of reach for me right now; I'm compensating by purchasing adapters that allow me to try my Zuiko 24/2.8 and 50/1.8 and my Nikkor 24/2.8 and 50/1.2 on the NEX. The adapters should be here by the weekend so I can test my idea.

However, back before I got back into Leicas I used to frequently carry just a meterless Nikon F2 with a 45/2.8GN. I never felt constrained with using just this single lens for casual walking around; this is why I ordered a Sigma 30.

We're on the same page. I ordered the Sigma 3/2.8 for the same reason -- even though its 45mm EFoV doesn't fit my 35/75 ideal, if I'm constrained to using a single lens then 40-45mm on a full frame camera has always felt just right.

I think purchasing the OM and F adapters was a really smart choice. I was very happy with a series of pictures made this last New Year's Eve using a Rokkor 24/2.8 and a Hexanon 50/1.4 on my NEX cameras (because I wasn't sure how the tired and emotional* crowd might respond to being photographed).

* "tired and emotional" is a euphemism for "drunk" that Australian journalists borrowed from their British counterparts.

 

[alphaman]

wow, what a lovely lens vivek. How long have Sigma E mount lens been available?

Still thinking of getting a VC 35mm f1.2 with helicoid adapter, but looking at the Sigma 30mm f2.8 DN seems like a good choice with AF capability sacrificing just over 2 stops of light.

Choices choices, which to go for in your opinion?

In my opinion (for what it's worth), I think that if you have set your heart on the VC 35/1.2 then anything else will leave you with a sense of lacking. I think that the Sigma 30mm is a great little lens and pretty handy for general use but as I suspect, you are an available light shooter, the 2.8 aperture may be a bit of an issue for you.

If budget permits, perhaps both lenses? I can see myself, for example, being tempted to get both the CZ 24/1.8 and the Sigma 30/2.8 even though I already have a Contax G 35/2 Zeiss. I think that there are lenses for different occasions and where money isn't an issue, that can mean you "can have your cake and eat it"!

If I had to choose just one lens, I would get the one that I couldn't live without, so which one is that for you?

 

[Vivek]

wow, what a lovely lens vivek. How long have Sigma E mount lens been available?

Still thinking of getting a VC 35mm f1.2 with helicoid adapter, but looking at the Sigma 30mm f2.8 DN seems like a good choice with AF capability sacrificing just over 2 stops of light.

Choices choices, which to go for in your opinion?

Like Alphaman says, it is your call.

FWIW, I do not have the CV35/1.2 and have no clue how that works on the 7.

I do have the Olympus pen F 40/1.4 (as well as the 42/1.2 and the four different 38mm lenses) and that is just fabulous! One of the 38/2.8 lenses is a pancake (a true pancake).

Among the E primes, 30/2.8 DN, 30/3.5 macro (only for that- macro), 24/1.8, 50/1.8. All work well for me.

The rumored 30-35mm "fast" prime is most likely an f/1.8 lens just like the other two fast primes. I do not think Sony's current CDAF can handle faster lenses.

 

[douglasf13]

If budget permits, perhaps both lenses? I can see myself, for example, being tempted to get both the CZ 24/1.8 and the Sigma 30/2.8 even though I already have a Contax G 35/2 Zeiss. I think that there are lenses for different occasions and where money isn't an issue, that can mean you "can have your cake and eat it"!

That's exactly what I've just done. The G 35 has been my go to lens, so I sold a bunch of rangefinder lenses and bought a Sigma 19 and 30, as well as the Sony 24/1.8 and 50/1.8, to see how I like the option of AF. I figure that $1700 for a pretty well covered, 4 prime setup isn't too bad, when you compare it with the cost of rangefinder lenses.

BTW, from what I've seen, the CV 35/1.2 is about the best 35 out there for the Nex-7, if you can deal with the size and weight (which I can't.)

 

[m_driscoll]

Here's a quick one from in front of my office. It actually stopped raining for 1/2 an hour!

Nex 7; Sigma 30mm f/2.8; 1/4000s @ f/2.8; -1/3 EV; ISO 100

And, one with the Sigma 19mm at the camera store.

Nex 7; Sigma 19mm f/2.8; 1/100s @ f/4; -1/3 EV; ISO 1600

Cheers, Matt

Zenfolio | Matt Driscoll

 

[Vivek]

Looking good , Matt.

The 19/2.8 DN has been available here for the same price as the 30/2.8 DN. I am still not sure about it. The shop I bought the 30mm from has sold out their stock!

 

[ustein]

I start to like this lens. Worth its price clearly.

A few more images can be found here:

http://outbackphoto.smugmug.com/DOPFieldTests/NEX-7-Sigma-30mm-f18-E-Mount/