# Hoping Sigma can make a 35L alternative



## MK5GTI (Jun 28, 2012)

Ok, so i can't afford the 35L @ $1479 USD, and the 35mm F2.0 is not really what i am looking for. 

I hope Sigma can make a 35mm F1.4 HSM just like the 50mm & 85mm, and have it price between the two.

I am sure this lens would sell well for Nikon and Sony mount as well, since the Nikkor 35mm F1.4 is ~$1650 and the Sony G 35mm is ~$1500

anybody else want the same thing?


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## wickidwombat (Jun 29, 2012)

i have the siggy 85 and its by far the sharpest lens I own (sharper than all my L glass too)
it would be nice if they remade their 50mm to this standard and a 35 too it would be killer

sigmas new non crincle paint lenses have really stepped up their game


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 29, 2012)

I think lots of Nikon shooters would, their 35mm f/1.4 is not a good price to performance lens, while the Canon 35mmL is worth it. I've had too many poor Sigma lenses to be easily won over, I've read good reviews, but when I got one, it was a disappointment.


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## wickidwombat (Jun 29, 2012)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I think lots of Nikon shooters would, their 35mm f/1.4 is not a good price to performance lens, while the Canon 35mmL is worth it. I've had too many poor Sigma lenses to be easily won over, I've read good reviews, but when I got one, it was a disappointment.



the 85? mine was front focusing but a short trip to sigma for calibration and its amazing


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## dr croubie (Jun 29, 2012)

I've said it before and i'll say it again:
If you can get away without AF (like for landscapes, or anything about f/4 is hyperfocalled anyway), you can't do better than the Samyang 35 (although yes, the Samyang optical quality plus AF would be killer if it were less than $500)


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 29, 2012)

wickidwombat said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > I think lots of Nikon shooters would, their 35mm f/1.4 is not a good price to performance lens, while the Canon 35mmL is worth it. I've had too many poor Sigma lenses to be easily won over, I've read good reviews, but when I got one, it was a disappointment.
> ...


The 85mm Nikon is outstanding, so both Canon and Nikon users have a excellent option with that one, but the OP is talking 35mm.


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## wickidwombat (Jun 29, 2012)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> wickidwombat said:
> 
> 
> > Mt Spokane Photography said:
> ...



i meant were you disappointed with the sigma 85


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## Canon-F1 (Jun 29, 2012)

i had a few sigmas over thw years and i sold them all... do i need to say more about my experience with sigma?




> I've read good reviews, but when I got one, it was a disappointment.



dito....


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## Marsu42 (Jun 29, 2012)

MK5GTI said:


> Ok, so i can't afford the 35L @ $1479 USD, and the 35mm F2.0 is not really what i am looking for.



If you have the time to search around: There are rather cheap 35L lenses used from time to time on local markets. This lens has been around very long, is a rather specialized prime and too expensive to keep it as a paper weight - these three things seem to make amateurs in need for money sell it when they figure they seldom use it next to their standard f2.8 or even f4 zoom.


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## bchernicoff (Jun 29, 2012)

I would LOVE to see Sigma partner with or license the optics from Samyang for their 35mm f/1.4. Sigma HSM on that lens with proper aperture control would be a dream!


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## MK5GTI (Jun 29, 2012)

glad i am not the only one....

i have thought about the Samyang, but can't live without AF.

a 35mm F1.4 and 85mm F1.4 from Sigma sounds like a good combo for Canon user, since the 85mm 1.2L is not everyone's favorite (price and focus speed wise)

how does the Sigma 85mm compare to Nikkor 85mm F1.4 (creammachine) anyways?


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## RLPhoto (Jun 29, 2012)

Sigma can, But Will it blend? 8)


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## AdamJ (Jul 2, 2012)

Sigma has f/1.8 primes in 20mm, 24mm and 28mm focal lengths, all of which are badly in need of updating. It's strange that they haven't yet updated these, given that wide-angle is Sigma's specialism. They'd make a killing with new versions, along with a 35mm f/1.4.


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## wickidwombat (Jul 3, 2012)

MK5GTI said:


> how does the Sigma 85mm compare to Nikkor 85mm F1.4 (creammachine) anyways?



very similar actually
9 circular blade aperture gives it very very nice bokeh although if its bokeh that you are chasing pure and simple i dont think anything beats the canon 85L 1.2 however the sigma has faster AF by a long way and the sigma from f2 onwards is razor sharp


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## MK5GTI (Jul 3, 2012)

good to know, i can never afford the 85L or the cream machine from Nikkor


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## wickidwombat (Jul 9, 2012)

MK5GTI said:


> good to know, i can never afford the 85L or the cream machine from Nikkor



the sigma 85 f1.4 is so good i've almost stopped shooting with my 70-200 f2.8L IS II
at f2 its considerably sharper than the zoom is at f2.8 so now i'm considering selling my 70-200 an getting the canon 200 f2L since i only use my 70-200 these days when i'm chasing 200mm


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## skitron (Jul 11, 2012)

dr croubie said:


> I've said it before and i'll say it again:
> If you can get away without AF (like for landscapes, or anything about f/4 is hyperfocalled anyway), you can't do better than the Samyang 35 (although yes, the Samyang optical quality plus AF would be killer if it were less than $500)



+1000

I have the "Rokinon" branded Samyang and it is a _very_ cool lens. I put a programmable autofocus confirm chip on mine and it's a joy to use. Put the camera in "A", half-depress the shutter and twist the focus ring until the camera confirms focus then press for the shot. Caveat is aperture needs to be open enough to allow enough light to focus...otherwise you have to focus at f1.4 then stop it down on lens.


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## MK5GTI (Jul 18, 2012)

any info on the AF confirmation chip? does it has to be retrofit, as in taking the lens apart?


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## wickidwombat (Jul 19, 2012)

MK5GTI said:


> any info on the AF confirmation chip? does it has to be retrofit, as in taking the lens apart?


stuck on the back apparently, you could use the same chips edmika puts on his FD-EF adaptors
you have to program the info into them so they report lens focal length and aperture correctly to the camera


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## dr croubie (Jul 19, 2012)

wickidwombat said:


> MK5GTI said:
> 
> 
> > any info on the AF confirmation chip? does it has to be retrofit, as in taking the lens apart?
> ...



I have and did.
It's easiest to line the chip up in the correct posistion either by pulling the rear mount off the lens (4 screws, not a big deal), or by lining up the pins on an extension tube (kenko or canon, as long as it's an extension tube with pins). Being able to see where the pins line up makes it so much easier, if you're trying to line up the pins on the chip using the lens on a camera, you won't be able to see anything and it's almost impossible.

The chips edMika uses come from ml-gvalt on ebay (in lithuania or something). Same as the chips from peleng8.com.
They're a bit weird to program, have to half-unmount the lens and whatnot, but after installing 3 chips i'm getting better at it...


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## skitron (Jul 21, 2012)

BozillaNZ said:


> It's problem of that Samyang is not losing AF, it's about losing AE. Manual focus? Fine, manual focus + manual metering? That's way too much hassle for me.



It's not so bad. Just put the camera in "A" and set lens aperture where ever you want and leave body aperture setting on f1.4. The body will then adjust shutter as needed so all you have to mess with is focus. 

The caveat I found is that as you stop down on the lens, the body metering tends to overexpose no matter what mode its in. By f11 it over exposes about a stop and a half best I can tell. But I tend to shoot mainly f1.4 thru f5.6 and its manageable in that range.


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## haring (Jul 24, 2012)

I would love to have the Sigma 35mm as well! The Canon is just too expensive! My 24-70 covers the 35mm range though...


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