2014 Sigma ART 35mm test - a photo on Flickriver

2014 Sigma ART 35mm test

            Probably the best lens a person aiming for clinical image quality for dSLR can get today (although getting the Olympus equivalent would most probably triple-outresolve this in a click). Although, getting with the calibrating USB dock is probably the right course of action. I would have to say, thx to my friends, that I had the opportunity to try this very hyped lens on a Canon 7D, Canon 5D and 6D as well as on my Nikon D750.

The lens performance is top notch: fast focus, unreal top of the class sharpness, excellent build quality. The review would stop there with a high recommendation, shouting OMG and embracing this lens as the saviour of photography, but I am sorry to tell you that for now, I do not like this lens.

It has everything going for it, but the list of downsides for me was way too long to justify a purchase. I was probably a victim of the Sigma lottery. It’s just plagued by lens-body compatibility issues (which probably would have been solved with the USB dock and yes you probably would say that my friends and the many copies of stores I have tried have the wrong copy).

On the 7D, it was irregular in its micro-adjustment sometimes in the positive, sometimes in the negatives, never right. On the 5D, I was lucky for its accuracy. On the 6D, the micro-adjustment nightmare began again. I compare it to a nifty-fifty f1.8 on Canon and that lens was more accurate than the Sigma. On the D750, I adjusted it once and it was consistent from there on (nothing fools the D750 AF… it’s just that good).

The lens also lacked soul. There was something about its clinicality that threw me off. The in-focus zone would be degradingly sharp on my human subjects, the out of focus zone wouldn’t fade in fast enough to balance the sharpness out as it felt like the circles were confused between halfway fading or halfway showing. Then the faded veiled somewhat faded colors are a thing need to get used to. If you have used Nikkor lenses, you know how saturated and nicely contrasty they can get, this lens just isn’t it.

To top that off, the weight of the lens was close to uncomfortable. I believe my work with the 35mm focal length is of the street photography and candid. Having to move nimble with the ART35 was definitely more blocking than flowing. The ART35 needs to be used with two hands like my 24-70. It wasn’t long until I ran out of passion in using it.

Of course all those problems and whining could be solved by time and getting used to it. Time nowadays is a luxury I have less and less. If I purchase a piece of equipment, I’d rather have it working and pleasing me at my current state. After all, photography is an instinctive sport. This last problem was the one that made me drop the idea of getting the lens: exposure consistency or the lack thereof. I mostly shoot AUTO-ISO on Program, Shutter and Aperture priority. I go Manual only when absolutely needed. The lens and the camera wouldn’t agree on the proper exposure. If the subject is in the “vignetted” zone (not in the center), the camera would overexpose and under if the subject was in the center. I suppose I trust my “matrix metering” a lot more than I should, but this is how Nikkor lenses are used and work perfectly.

The Sigma ART35 and me never connected yet. It might take time, a lot of it. I’m not saying it’s bad. For many, it will probably be THE BEST LENS they would have purchased in a long time and perhaps the best 1000$ lens investment in their gear. They’d even have enough time to work around the problems and make it shine. I just have the downside of being optically spoiled by way too many more interesting options and I’m looking for something with a better balance of personality and optical performance in which using the Sigma was like dating a lifeless incredibly pretty yet expensive girl. Wouldn’t mind meeting her again on special specific occasions. We all need one like that ;)

Taken on: October 27, 2014

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Camera: Nikon D750, f/4.5, 1/400 sec, 35mm, ISO 250 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D750
Lens:	35.0 mm f/1.4
Aperture:	f/4.5
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/400)
Focal Length:	35mm
ISO:	250
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Saturation:	High
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.7 (Macintosh)
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