# Sigma Dock Firmware, does it help?



## Viggo (Feb 5, 2014)

Hi guys!

I recently bought a Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art, and I was wondering if there was any improvement in AF performance after the 1.02 update? I ran mine through Focal today and it turns out to be pretty sharp and Focal said 99.1% on the AF Consistency test, however, testing in real life the AF performance is very poor... I wonder if buying the docking and upgrading would improve this, or is it just to make the AF quiet and smoother?

What could have been an epic lens is, at least for now, useless and can't be trusted.

Thanks.


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## AcutancePhotography (Feb 5, 2014)

Sorry to hear that you are having issues. Mine is just fine. It is a really sharp lens. 

You might want to ask around where you live (camera clubs) and see if someone else already has the dock. 

Since I plan on expanding my Sigma kit, I went a head and bought it.


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## Viggo (Feb 5, 2014)

AcutancePhotography said:


> Sorry to hear that you are having issues. Mine is just fine. It is a really sharp lens.
> 
> You might want to ask around where you live (camera clubs) and see if someone else already has the dock.
> 
> Since I plan on expanding my Sigma kit, I went a head and bought it.



Thanks, yeah that's a good idea to try and borrow one. I was going to expand my Sigma set with the 50 Art also, but after seeing Sigma suffers just as much from copy variation/AF isses like they always did, I'm not sure if I'm going to bother with the 50 either. 

I love everything else about the lens, and the 35 L is my all time favorite from Canon so it's saying a lot I was prepared to sell it and keep the Sigma. Color, contrast, distortion, sharpness and build even, is better with the Sigma, but when the focusing is soooo hit and miss, it's just not worth it.


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## AcutancePhotography (Feb 6, 2014)

Viggo said:


> but when the focusing is soooo hit and miss, it's just not worth it.


Everyone has their own experiences and impressions. I have not found any AF issues with my Sigma lenses.

I personally, have no reservations about buying the current Sigma Art lenses.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Feb 6, 2014)

Viggo said:


> Hi guys!
> 
> I recently bought a Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art, and I was wondering if there was any improvement in AF performance after the 1.02 update? I ran mine through Focal today and it turns out to be pretty sharp and Focal said 99.1% on the AF Consistency test, however, testing in real life the AF performance is very poor... I wonder if buying the docking and upgrading would improve this, or is it just to make the AF quiet and smoother?
> 
> ...


 
In what way is the performance poor? I'm just curious if you refer to focus accuracy, focus speed, consistency, or what. The focus dock lets you adjust the AF accuracy of the lens at various distances, since a lens can be dialed in at one distance and be way off at another.
FoCal merely tells what focus accuracy a lens is capable of getting at the tested distance, but there are a lot of other factors to consider as well, not excluding someone like me who can mess up a lot of things  

Many of us check lens AF accuracy at various distances, having learned the hard way.


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## Viggo (Feb 6, 2014)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Viggo said:
> 
> 
> > Hi guys!
> ...



It's the consistency that's the issue for me, I can defocus my lens, lock on the target and take a shot ten times in a row and I have all sorts of varying degree of sharpness. It's always and with any focusing point. And I have 35 L, and had two copies recently so I can test the exact same scenes and it's NO DOUBT the Sigma is very "random".

Regarding Focal I disagree, tested at 50x the distance I have calibrated at least 20 lenses to four bodies and never ever had a problem with any lens being good at one distance and not other distances. And all of these lenses are fast lenses.


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## Halfrack (Feb 6, 2014)

LensRentals will rent it to you 

http://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon/accessories/calibration/sigma-usb-dock-for-canon-ef-lenses


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## Viggo (Feb 6, 2014)

Halfrack said:


> LensRentals will rent it to you
> 
> http://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon/accessories/calibration/sigma-usb-dock-for-canon-ef-lenses



Thanks, but I'm a bit far away from the States. I will buy it with the 50 art


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