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Sigma 30mm f2.8 DN

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Vivek

Guest
Cool, looks pretty good. This bodes well for the 19mm, which I may be interested in.
I never had much interest in either of these. The need for a "normal" prime drove me to the 30mm DN. Just my luck. :) Fabulous performer all around.:thumbup:

If Jim's link is the typical of the way the 19mm is going to be, that is not for me.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
What the 30mm going for it are:

1. The size/build quality.

2. Flare resistance.

3. Minimal CA.

4. Sharpness (by f/5.6 it is as sharp as it can be).

:)
 

douglasf13

New member
I've been interested in the 19mm, since there aren't a lot of smallish wides out there for NEX, but I'm not encouraged by those samples.
 
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Vivek

Guest
This was made using the reversed lens (aperture was set in the camera, lens dismounted and reversed). ~1X magnification.


NEX-7, Sigma 30/2.8 DN (reversed), f/10.

Gear: NEX-7, NEX to 49mm adapter, 49mm to 46mm step ring, lens.
 
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Vivek

Guest
This was diffused window light with lens wide open.



NEX-7, Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN, f/2.8, 1/80s, ISO 100

I must say that the Gariz half case made the gripping way better and it shows.
 

NicholasRab

New member
Thanks for the writeup Vivek.

How does the focusing work on this lens? Is it a pure focus by wire, or more like the sigma HSM lenses where focusing manually moves a helical? If it is focus by wire, is it better than the sony implementation?
 
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Vivek

Guest
Pleasure to me of help, Nicholas. :)

It is focus by wire. One can use it in MF or DMF modes (by changing the settings in the camera) and the focus grip is (to me) is much better than those of the Sony E primes.

It is internal focus and the length of the lens remains the same throughout its focal range.
 

Amin

Active member
Performance looks very good, and the size and appearance are also appealing. My only problem with Sigma primes on DSLRs in the past was that autofocus accuracy/precision was less than ideal. The glass was always very good. With CDAF, I suppose that the AF issues which have plagued some Sigma lenses (like the Sigma 30/1.4) will be a non-issue.

Thanks for sharing this, Vivek. Looks like a great buy. I'll probably get the 19mm f/2.8 lens for Micro Four Thirds if it's up to the standard of what you've shown here for the 30.
 

Rich M

Member
Thanks for sharing this, Vivek. Looks like a great buy. I'll probably get the 19mm f/2.8 lens for Micro Four Thirds if it's up to the standard of what you've shown here for the 30.
Amin....why would you do that when there is the 20/1.7? Less noisy for video?

R
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Thanks Vivek; I pre-ordered one of these from B&H; looks like an excellent normal.

I am using the MS Perar 35/3.5 on a Hawk's adapter in the meantime, on a NEX 5N. manual focus, but the focus aids make getting accurate focus easy (assuming a relatively static target!). Do I recognise that flash? :) Cheers, KL
 
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Vivek

Guest
Amin, Let us know (m4/3rds thread) how the 19/2.8 fares. I am sure it will be even better on the smaller sensor.:)

Kit, Thanks. Yes, the familiar flash! :)
 

douglasf13

New member
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. :)
 

Jonathon Delacour

Subscriber Member
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. :)
+1

Vivek, the seed you planted seems to be flourishing. The Sigma 19/2.8 and 30/2.8 lenses aren't yet shipping in Australia but I was able to preorder both when I picked up my Sony 50/1.8 earlier in the week.

I've settled on the 35mm and 75mm (EFoV) as my preferred focal lengths so the 50/1.8 and the Zeiss 24/1.8 combo adds AF to the MF lenses that I (like Douglas) normally prefer. But the small size and cost of the Sigma lenses were impossible to resist.
 

HeavyDuty

New member
+1

Vivek, the seed you planted seems to be flourishing. The Sigma 19/2.8 and 30/2.8 lenses aren't yet shipping in Australia but I was able to preorder both when I picked up my Sony 50/1.8 earlier in the week.

I've settled on the 35mm and 75mm (EFoV) as my preferred focal lengths so the 50/1.8 and the Zeiss 24/1.8 combo adds AF to the MF lenses that I (like Douglas) normally prefer. But the small size and cost of the Sigma lenses were impossible to resist.
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.
 

douglasf13

New member
Yeah, although I do wish the Sigma 30 was f2, I think the 19, 30 and Sony 50 seems like a no-brainer AF combo for only $700 total...especially when I consider the cost of just one of my rangefinder lenses. I'll likely be carrying the 30 on its own much of the time.
 
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Vivek

Guest
I think the f/2 is the magic mark, unfortunately. Once people start using the 30/2.8, I am positive that will be forgotten quickly. Mine is almost always on the 7. :)

For the first time (comparing all the other E primes), I see onion rings in the OOF highlights through this lens.

This is indicative of molded glass aspheric lenses used in the lens.
 

douglasf13

New member
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.
 
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