# Sigma 35 mm ART lens -- any autofocus issues?



## [email protected] (Jun 7, 2014)

The autofocus issues with the new 50 mm Sigma ART are very dismaying, in light of its great build quality and image quality. 
Has anyone had autofocus issues (or any other such issues) with the 35 mm Sigma ART?
I use the 5D3 and 1Dx.
Thoughts and advice deeply appreciated.

Please pardon my erroneous posting location--I put this post originally in the Canon section -- my error, sorry.


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## Dick (Jun 7, 2014)

Yes. The 35A sucks at focusing. I always take multiple shots to assure that a well focused one is captured. I will not buy another Sigma lens ever.


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## wickidwombat (Jun 7, 2014)

my 35 ART is perfect and never misses focus

my 50 ART after calibration is the most accurate and consistant 50mm lens I have ever used it leave the old sigma and the canon 50mms for dead in every aspect except weight as its alot bigger


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## candyman (Jun 7, 2014)

wickidwombat said:


> my 35 ART is perfect and never misses focus
> 
> my 50 ART after calibration is the most accurate and consistant 50mm lens I have ever used it leave the old sigma and the canon 50mms for dead in every aspect except weight as its alot bigger




I do not own the 35mm Art but I do own the 50mm Art and have the same experience with the 50mm as wickidwombat


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## christakespictures (Jun 7, 2014)

Dick said:


> Yes. The 35A sucks at focusing. I always take multiple shots to assure that a well focused one is captured. I will not buy another Sigma lens ever.



Can totaly NOT apply to this.  My 35 1.4 ART works without any calibration at all absolutely flawless on my 5D MK III. Never misses a shot, only if the 5D screws up (too dark to meter).


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## TommyLee (Jun 7, 2014)

my story...for what it is worth................

on my 5D3
.if I can get silly for a moment...
my sigma 35A is 91.52 % as accurate as my 35L (which I sold)...
maybe more so....hard to tell...... they both do/did well...

bokeh on sigma is .... 92.36 % ....as good as Canon 35L was...
and sig focus SPEED is 90.03 % as fast as the 35L

wideopen sharpness......the Sigma is 122.45% better than Canon... 
Chromatics performance.....116% over canon

I guess you can see my point about pixel/performance peeping...

.......

I had.... and worked with.....
the old sigma 30mm f1.4 on a 20d 40d and 50d...it had to be coaxed (after one return to sigma for work)
...i.e. pump the 1/2 press button...in servo or single shot...prep the lens for accuracy...this DID work...

the sigma 35 ...is different... it is ready...to nail focus ALMOST as good as the 35L did....

further
I tried a 50L a number of times at the counter 
and it was erratic enough, soft wide open.... and CA filled...that I avoided it
cost unimportant..
plus I like 35mm MORE than 50mm....for that view range...
==============

NOW.....
I ordered the sigma 50.... as soon as allowed
and also had a dock put aside for me for the new 50 and the owned 35 A...and coming 85mm f1.4 or whatever....

...after waiting and having first place in line... in town
...and after reading of focus issues.......I gave up my place and withdrew from the purchase..
....(it was about to arrive)

a small part of withdrawing... was about 50mm versus 35mm field of view
....mostly I did not want to put in some new work to get this new product functioning...if needed
but I got the feeling that this focus was possibly a trouble spot for the sig 50mm A.....

now I am not so sure.....
but no worries

I do know that no one had an auto-focus lens suitable for me 
......... until the sig A was coming in...

35 A lens is a wonderful lens ...which i use as standard ...on the 5D3 all the time....
it is very good

I still wonder if the dock and the 50mm A ... and some work ...would have been just fine..
but I love the 35A so much that I ....just let this all go..................................for now...

I think I am waiting out the field testing by everyone... thankyouverymuch

and I am usually first on a new lens...

==========
I think Sigma had to back-engineer the (35A AND 50A) lens....
but they had experience with their 30mm from the old days..


this is just my experienced comment...that may be similar to others....

I may still get the 50mm... but it is not compelling at the moment

I have 14L II, 35 Sigma, 85L II 
and 135L .... as my prime setup they are the best available for me....

(actually I recently sold 135L to a friend...but will likely buy one again... it is already missed
...but I am only talking about $100 different between new and used... a solid commodity...
...the 135L is like a Krugerrand in that respect...a known quantity...when it is in pristine condition)

so I await the final conclusion here...and await the coming Sig 85mm f1.4 A lens

and dream of a sigma 135mmm I.S Arts lens........ or Canon 135mm f2L I.S.

we are playing out Sigma's latest success story.... in slow motion here...I believe

Canon LET this happen...by inaction IMO

...........

what a great forum this is....VERY useful...
I enjoy reading everyone's ideas and respect and learn from them 

TOM


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## ScottyP (Jun 7, 2014)

My 35 Art works perfectly. No autofocus issues at all on my 6d. It is also impressively sharp, and it renders colors beautifully. I have almost entirely stopped using my 24-105L in favor of this 35mm, despite the fact that the zoom would seem to be so much more convenient. I have just started getting off my butt and walking closer to or farther from the action as needed. It is worth it to get images so nice.


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## JumboShrimp (Jun 7, 2014)

My refurbished 35 ART has focused perfectly from day one. I use it now as my go-to normal lens.


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## nubu (Jun 7, 2014)

Waiting for the 35mm - the 50mm on the 5D3 works perfect (AFMA 5,5,2,2). Very reliable focus und stunning sharpness even in critical astrophotography tests...


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## Viggo (Jun 7, 2014)

I'll save everyone the trouble of reading/writing these "mine works" "mine doesn't" posts.

It still an extreme amount of quality control issues. You can get a working copy that is great, at least with the center AF point and struggle more with the outer points. And you can also get the copies that simply places focal plane wherever it feels like, and not give [email protected] where you actually aimed, no matter if it's calibrated to perfection.

And you can also get a flawless copy that works for a while and then starts to miss and become like the ones I described above with complete random focus.

But it new where you can easily return it for a replacement.


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## distant.star (Jun 7, 2014)

.
One day in April, 2013, I picked up my Sigma 35mmA at my post office (purchased at B&H). I drove straight to an event, put the lens on my 5D3, went outside and took a few shots of a brick wall and a passing train to confirm it functioned. Then I went into a bar, grabbed a lovely bartender, put her next to a window with gentle, soft light and checked focus at f/1.4. Everything was fine. I shot the event with the lens and have never had a problem of any kind with that lens -- it rarely gets disconnected from my 5D3 nowadays.

Now, using it on a T2i was a whole different story. I tried shooting one event using the T2i with the Sigma 35 as a second camera. The OOF rate was in the 50% range. I never used it on the T2i again. The T2i was not at fault, per se, as I used many other lenses on it and all were perfect to acceptable.

For my part, I do not accept any idea of widespread AF issues with the 50mmA -- at least not on FF camera bodies. There will always be lenses, no matter who makes them, that do not work perfectly. If I had to guess, I'll bet the actual faulty AF rate for the Sigma 50mmA is less than 1%. I'd bet the house that I could buy a 50, stick it on my 5D3 and do excellent work.

That's my story, and no one can make me say anything else!!


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