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Sigma 24-35 F2/ Sigma 35 1.4 Plus many comparison lens tests

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I thought since I just got the Sigma 24-35 F2 and Sigma 35 1.4 Art series lenses( Canon Mount) that I would run my normal initial tests on them just to see how they compare and make sure there are no issues with performance. So let me say right out front I do this test on every lens I BUY so I have a catalog that is pretty extensive going back several years to even when I shot Medium Format. Its the same test , pretty much the same framing and pretty much always in the early morning. So one may ask what this does for me. Well its a test I can always repeat and look at other lenses I buy to compare against to see what I maybe after. Disclaimer I get paid by no one , i have no dog in any fight over brands and no one pays me to do these and more important no one lends me anything so I have no affiliation with anyone and absolutely no bias. I have been doing this for decades and I get paid by clients that want my services and pay my fees. Thats it ( WELL I DO TEACH WORKSHOPS TO YOU FOLKS)LOL. Anyway as I normally do these test individually and I thought to myself what if i went back and tried to catalog the whole series of tests i have done with a bunch of lenses. The one issue is they are done on different days and even months but it is always the same test so do count that variability in as it is a variable to testing as it would not be possible to shoot all of this glass the same day.

Reason I bought these two Sigmas is the new Sigma MC-11 adapter promises to offer full AF functionality on my A7rII. So in effect these lenses will be native with that adapter. Now these tests are done on a Metabones Version IV T until the sigma adapter is in my hands. I will test that as well but only for AF functionality it should have zero effect on optical performance.

As I show the 24-35 F2 i pitted a few lenses against it to show how they compare. I used a Loxia 21mm at the same framing as the zoom at 24mm for instance. Be aware I consider the Loxia 21mm to be the new GOLD standard in the industry for super wides. This lens is amazingly fantastic. I apologize right out front your looking at wall images but at least its interesting to look at. LOL

I will add other images as well but if your bored looking at them , change the channel its that simple. LOL

So lets show the Loxia 21 and the Sigma 24-35 at 24mm with same framing. I did shoot these at the same time frame. Just FYI there is no correction available yet for the Loxia 21mm but its very clean in regards to distortion. Something to consider



24-35 at 24mm same framing







Need to ignore the color on the Batis 25mm it was shot last August and the light was pretty ugly. I also missed the light fixtures but on the corner upper left tests we will still see a section to compare. Coming up upper left corner tests. FYI I had to pull the Batis 25mm off the GetDPI servers since i can't find the raws and so the center crops are missing but I do have the corners.
























NO BATIS 25 AT F8

As you can see how amazing the Loxia 21 is followed fairly closely by the Batis 25. Now considering the Sigma 24-25 is a zoom its really pulling its weight good here at 5.6 looks very good at 24mm which i consider maybe the weakest focal length in this zoom. Yes it has more distortion than the primes but thats a easy fix. We also need to remember what this Sigma is up against these are two of the finest prime wide angles around. I actually consider the Loxia 21 the best i have seen and folks coming from me thats a big compliment.


Lets take a look at the center crops. I did not go past F4 and my belief is if a lens can't get sharp by 2 or 3 stops down in the center , I really want no part of that lens and will not buy it PERIOD. The Batis 25 is not part of this section













As you can see how good the Loxia is wide open at 2.8 just as impressive is the Sigma zoom at 24mm matches it by 2.8 which is one stop down. Typical for a zoom at one stop down on center

More impressive is the Sigma at 28mm. Coming up next
 
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Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Sony 28mm F2 versus the Sigma 24-35 F2 at 28mm. These are shot maybe 2 months apart





Upper corners

















I did not do F8 but the Sony at F8 just gets there ing the corners. This is why i sold the Sony I found the corners not very good overall. I like this stuff to happen at 5.6 for the corners.

Lets do the center crops













On center they are both very good wide open but I think the Sigma has the edge here at 28mm focal length. Price difference 450 compared to 1000 retail but you get 24 and 35mm focal length and 35mm looks very good against the Sigma 35 1.4 and the Sony 35 FE 1.4. Those tests are next
 
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Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Lets move on to the 35mm setting which for me is what i am after the most. I have tried almost everything here and here i have the Sony FE 35 1.4 which this test was shot a couple months ago on the best copy I had and I have been through 4 of them. Than we have the 24-35 F2 Sigma and the Sigma 35 1.4. Now the Sony 1.4 and the Sigma 1.4 fall more in the category of falloff going into the corners and have more field curvature than the Sigma 24-35 zoom so you need to decide here if these 1.4 lenses are best for landscape because they really are best for people and the falloff. The zoom is more flat field and the corners are very good compared to 1.4 glass but on center as we will see the 1.4 glass will be sharper on center. Really have to decide what you are really after here. Not in the test is the Loxia 35mm F2 and the Tamron 35mm SP 1.8 and the tamron i can tell you right now will blow everyones doors off in the corners at 2.8 its killer but the lens is designed for that and does not have the look of these lenses tested here. Ill post this test now but will come back with comparable images of other subjects so you can see more of the character , bokeh, bokeh balls and onion rings. Im just flat out of time to get into that right now and again its a lot of work this took me about 7 hours at this point and I have some paying client work. One needs to eat but this test is not over just on hold.







Files as marked

FE 35= Sony 35mm FE 1.4 lens
S35= Sigma 24-35mm F2 lens at 35mm
Sigma 35= Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art

Lets start with 1.4









































 
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Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Lets look at the center copies . The Sony 35mm was a touch further back.





















Well thats it for now. Ill post this and than i will add other images for comparison. I can't see now. LOL
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I will give some opinions on what i think at a later point but one thing is for sure if you can handle the weight and size just at 28mm alone beats that sony 28. This is a interesting zoom as it really has only one weak spot at 24mm it has some distortion but Im seeing nothing else but goodness to this lens. The bokeh is not something to write home about but I am not seeing onion rings either at least for now. Im not sure it would replace folks 35 1.4 glass as it is a different type of lens more flat field but I will say this it maybe one of the best mid zooms around. Now I have not tried the latest Nikon and Canon versions of there 24-70's but this is about the same size and weight pretty much and we don't know about the GM 24-70 but I will tell you this its damn good and it punches above its price for sure. Now Im picky as hell and i like it a lot and its not expensive either like the Canon/Nikon and GMs so it maybe right up some ones alley here at 800 I paid. Of course you need a adapter and I'm waiting on the Sigma and this thing will be full NATIVE AF lens. Same with the Sigma 35 1.4 and I'm really liking that lens even over the Sony 1.4 its sharp , it has a decent look and Im not seeing onion rings yet. I do wish my test on the Sony 35 1.4 matched a little better and I still have my files from the Tamron 35 1.8 and the Loxia 35mm F2 as well. Looking at this test my pocket is starting to hurt. Lot of money back and forth to find a decent 35mm has left me a little cold folks. I just have to be honest about that as going through 4 Sony 35mm really got under my skin. But thats life and we move on, at least thats my attitude as i have been doing this so long and seen so many pitfalls with so many systems . Ill be back to check in
 
Thanks for all the hard work on this. Very illuminating.

We have an embarrassingly rich selection of lenses for our little Sonys these days! What a change from a couple years ago.

Mike
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Great work, Guy, and really a lens to consider :clap:

This looks more like 3 primes in one than a zoom lens. Have you checked it for CA? I use a Nikkor 24-120mm, and although it's very sharp and very convenient, CA is pretty bad, and not easily correctable sometimes if the background is a clear, blue sky. Going for the Sigma plus a 70-200 f/4 might be a better alternative for me, with a fast 50 in the middle and the Zeiss 21 at the wide end.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I agree it's not really a zoom it's a 3 primes in one and as I am viewing it. I have not seen any CA yet. I usually get it in those lamp reflections but they look pretty clean. I'll keep check, the bokeh balls are a little ugly but this lens is really not meant for that per say. I would grab a 1.4 for that kind of look. This makes a nice landscape lens even though it's big and heavy it's really 3 primes in one and it's not much money either. They do have it in Nikon mount as well
 

Slingers

Active member
Thank you. This zoom looks quite good.

I can't wait to see what happens with this new adapter and the sigma art lenses. Although I'm most interested in the a6300 and the 150-600, the a7rii and the 35mm art would be a close second.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Found another shot I did for comparisons the Sony FE 35 was shot slightly further away and in more subdued light.


Framing of scene








 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Another sample here and I'm still on a tripod. Love this truck. LOL

Im focusing squarely on the headlight





Here the Prime Sigma 35mm shows its central sharpness and the zoom would match it at 2.3 just slightly down from open on the zoom. If you want sharp dead center wide open the 35 1.4 is it. If 2.3 is acceptable in the zoom than you can easily match the prime. Landscape shooters as we all know could care less here but they do care about corners and even at F4 the corners and centrally or across the frame is extremely good. Folks that focus stack this is a big benefit as you can be at F4 and shoot at higher shutter speeds as you knock off 4 or 5 focus stack frames and you should be more wide open doing it than at F8 I have found.






Okay here you can look at two things the Bokeh and the Bokeh balls. The zoom does not looks great here with bokeh balls but in another comparison i did it does look better. Honestly its going to depend on how you are using these lenses if it matters or not

The Zoom at F2 is first posted than the Prime at 1.4



 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Great test Guy, as usual from you!

This seems to be an impressive lens, getting definitely now on my radar screen for my D810 :cool:

Many thanks for doing this indeed!!!!!

Peter
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Okay this is the worst torture tests I have done to several lenses and the Sony FE 35mm 1.4 and the Tamron 35mm 1.8 failed it it pretty bad. The Bokeh balls had bad onion ring effect and I am not really seeing it here. Sure they may have different shape but is anyone seeing onion ring here. Now i only have a solid base sharpening here that i use all the time but this is interesting to me. Thoughts but remember this is a ugly ugly test on any lens. LOL





The area is right to the left of the cows horn



 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Just found my Loxia 35mm test . It gets to level at 5.6 in the corners. Which looks to even the zoom at F4



 

Barry Haines

Active member
Thank you Guy that is a ton of useful information for all of us to devour...I for one appreciate all the hard work that goes into producing these tests...many thanks Barry
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Okay here is where if you make a mistake on focusing you pay dearly in the result. Not really a mistake on my part but I focused squarely on the corner of the building which I was trying to see that detail but given this is a wide image I should have focused more on the Bull rider to handle the DOF i did not but this is a classic case of wanting good corners because as you will see the Sigma 1.4 lens did not handle it well the Zoom having better corners did better but neither is perfect because i did not focus for the whole scene.















As you can see with the focus on dead center of the building even at 5.6 the Sigma Prime could not even come close to handling it because the corners do not get good till your really stopped down where as the Zoom with much better corner resolution handled the mistake in focus much better. If I did focus where I was supposed to like at the Bull Rider the Zoom would have nailed it at F.56 and maybe sooner but the Sigma prime my bet at F8. So even a small focus mistake can be deadly. Now this was not a mistake on my part per say because i was looking at the corner but hopefully you understand what I am saying. Pretty interesting
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Don't want to leave any stones unturned







and the lonely Loxia 50mm




Notice the Loxia 21mm at 5.6 has some vignetting which I kind of like.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Guy, the last post, the one that includes the Loxia 21 and 50mm and shows the building from a diagonal perspective, is particularly interesting, at least to me:

- It reveals one of the weaknesses of the zoom, at least compared to these Zeiss lenses, by giving a "shallower" expression than the primes. The vignetting of the 21mm even seems to add to the depth of that photo, which is an interesting aspect that I haven't thought of before.
- It shows how perfect the Zeiss primes are for an old Velvia enthusiast, with their bold colours and strong contrast. That is particularly valuable when shooting using a low contrast colour profile, which I do. Is it possible to use S-log for stills on the Sony? Have you tried that? Even though it's a profile specifically aimed at video shooters, I find the similar profile on the Nikon extremely useful.
- It also shows the enormous difference in perspective between 21 and 24mm. Even if you would have to go even closer to get the same crop from the 21mm as you do with the zoom, the perspectives are dramatically different as they are shown here. Another proof that owning both a 21 and a 24/25mm can make a lot of sense.

This is a bit OT, but still partly relevant, at least from a "philosophical" point of view. The focal lengths/apertures that I mention also exist for the A7 from Zeiss:
After I looked at your samples yesterday and started considering buying the zoom, I was offered a zf 25mm f/2.0 (I'm talking F-mount here, as most of you probably know). Since I already own the 21mm f/2.8, I was a bit doubtful, but considering that the 25 is more compact, a stop faster and a lens that is easier to use for general photography, I considered buying that instead of the zoom, cropping to 35mm when necessary. It also helps that the price offered is very reasonable, well under that of the Sigma. Looking at your samples above here, the decision has in reality been made, and unfortunately, my plastic money will take another hit.

Was this confusing?
 
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Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
A little but the Zeiss 25 F2 Zf is probably there best legacy lens. It was updated not to long ago. I had it and it was very very nice. I guess a 21 does force the perspective quite a lot over a 24 so yes I understand your point very well. To me this happens around 21 and wider where the perspective creates a more 3D effect. So what your seeing makes perfect sense. The 24 focal length has a little forced perspective than up like 28 and 35 it's a more normal view. One reason I like wides is you can play tricks with lenses to emphasize certain things in the frame. My feeling is the zoom is very very nice and has some great qualities but it's no 21 and for that matter no 50. Everything changes in regard to prespective and yes I like the vignette get in the 21 although it could be a issue doing interiors. So there you can fix it in post of course. What I find interesting is the color between Sigma and Seiss it's like they grew identical twins it's so close. The zoom fills 3 primes which is pretty interesting in itself with very few lens issues. Little distortion at 24 but I did fix it in the shot above. Simple barrel
 
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