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Posts Tagged ‘Sigma’

Pricing for Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM and 24-70 F2.8 DG OS HSM Art lenses announced, undercuts the competition

24 Jun

Announced in February, two highly anticipated full-frame lenses from Sigma are finally on their way to consumers. Sigma has also announced pricing – the 14mm F1.8 DG HSM will cost $ 1600; the 24-70mm F2.8 Art will cost $ 1300. In both cases, that’s well below the current asking prices for Canon and Nikon versions of similar lenses.

Sigma says the 14mm in Canon and Sigma mount will ship this month, and the Nikon version will be available in July. The 24-70mm will ship for all three mounts this month. Considering there’s not much time left in June, that’s basically now.

Press release

Sigma Begins Shipping Its 14mm F1.8 DG HSM and 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art Lenses

The world’s first and only F1.8 ultra wide-angle full-frame lens for DSLR cameras is available now for $ 1,599.00 USD; the new Sigma Global Vision workhorse zoom lens is available now for $ 1,299.00 USD

Ronkonkoma, NY – June 22, 2017 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading still photo and cinema lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, announced today the pricing and availability for its new Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM and Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art lenses from its lauded Global Vision line. The ultra-wide angle full-frame 14mm F1.8 Art lens begins shipping in June 2017 for Canon and Sigma camera systems and in July 2017 for Nikon camera systems, for a retail price of $ 1,599.00 USD. The standard zoom full-frame 24-70mm F2.8 Art lens begins shipping in June 2017 for a retail price of $ 1,299 USD.

The Sigma 14mm F1.8 Art, which is the first and only F1.8 ultra wide-angle lens among interchangeable lenses for digital SLRs*, incorporates the same aspherical element as Sigma’s critically acclaimed 12-24mm F4 Art, allowing the lens to deliver a new dimension of visual experience. Boasting outstanding image quality from center to edge, the 14mm F1.8 Art features an 80mm front lens — the world’s largest glass aspherical lens in the industry, offering photographers an ultra-wide prime with virtually no distortion, flare or ghosting. Equipped with a superfast and efficient autofocus system, three FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) elements, and four SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements to reduce chromatic aberration and coma flare, the 14mm F1.8 Art is suitable for a wide range of photographic needs including astrophotography, architecture and landscape photography.

The 24-70mm F2.8 Art lens, Sigma’s new workhorse standard zoom lens, touts a brand new Optical Stabilizer (OS), Hypersonic Motor (HSM) for highly efficient and fast autofocus, as well as a dust- and splash-proof mount with rubber sealing. The 24-70mm F2.8 Art lens embodies all the technical qualities and finesse that define the high-performance Sigma Global Vision Art series. A popular industry focal range covering a wide array of shooting scenarios, the 24-70mm’s optical design also includes three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements and four aspherical elements to ensure image accuracy and sharpness. The 24-70mm F2.8 Art aspherical elements use Sigma’s thicker center glass design and highly precise polishing process, delivering stunning images and bokeh effects. The lens’ purpose-built structure boasts a new metal barrel for optimal durability with TSC composite internal moving components designed to resist thermal contraction and expansion.

Both the 14mm F1.8 DG HSM and the 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art lenses are available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts. The Sigma and Canon mount lenses work with Sigma’s MC-11 Sony E-mount converter. The Nikon mounts feature the brand new electromagnetic diaphragm.

Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens Features and Benefits:

> Sharp, rich image quality

  • Minimized chromatic aberrations: Three FLD (“F” Low Dispersion) glass elements and four SLD (Super Low Dispersion) glass elements help reduce transverse chromatic aberration, which tends to be noticeable in shots taken with ultra wide-angle lenses. The result is outstanding image quality from the center of the image to the edges.
  • Distinctive bokeh effect: Even at the 14mm ultra wide-angle of view, F1.8 brightness makes possible a very shallow depth of field with the subject standing out dramatically against a pleasingly softened background. It’s the unique mode of expression that only a large-diameter lens can deliver.
  • Minimized distortion: Serving as the front lens element, the large 80mm precision-molded glass aspherical lens effectively minimizes distortion. Offering excellent peripheral brightness, this lens delivers outstanding image quality from the center to the edges.

> Offers full-frame coverage

Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG HSM OS Art Lens Features and Benefits:

> Superior optical performance

  • Optimal image quality for ultra-high-megapixel DSLRs: This lens offers top performance from the center to the edges of the image thanks to the optical system minimizing coma, which causes points of light to streak, and transverse chromatic aberration, which cannot be corrected via aperture control. The optical system also minimizes distortion, which can be particularly evident in wide-angle shots, resulting in excellent optical performance throughout the zoom range.
  • Expressive bokeh effect every time: At wide-open aperture, this lens offers outstanding photographic expression. The area in focus is extremely sharp, while the background exhibits a beautiful, creamy bokeh effect with only slight spherical aberration. Since large-diameter zoom lenses are often used at wide-open aperture, Sigma has paid close attention to the shape of the bokeh, aiming for artistic circularity.
  • Aspherical Lens Processing Technology: The Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art incorporates an aspherical lens element that helps achieve extremely high resolution. This element is much thicker at the center than the edges, and forming its unusual shape is a feat of manufacturing technology. Moreover, Sigma processes the surface of this aspherical lens element with ultra-precise tolerances that are measured in hundredths of a micrometer. This extremely fine surface allows the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Art to deliver a very natural and smooth bokeh effect, without the visible concentric rings that afflict typical aspherical lens elements.

> Fast and nimble autofocus photography

  • Designed for advanced utility in a wide variety of situations, the optical stabilizer (OS) offers a powerful stabilization effect. The newly designed large hypersonic motor (HSM) offers 1.3 times the torque of its predecessor for exceptionally stable performance.

Sigma Global Vision Line Features & Benefits:

  • Each lens is eligible for user customizable micro-focus and in-home firmware updates with the optional USB Dock and Sigma Optimization Pro software.
  • Each unit is crafted in Aizu, Japan and individually tested for QC and optical performance with the exclusive A1 MTF device.
  • Sigma’s Exclusive Mount Conversion Service allows lenses to be switched between any released mounts (fee-based).
  • Compatible with Sigma Mount Converter MC-11, allowing use of Sigma lenses in Sigma and Canon mounts with the Sony E-mount camera systems.

*As of February 2017

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Quick Review of the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens

22 Jun

In this quick review of the Sigma 135mm f1.8 Art Lens, I will go over some of its features and give you my overall impression of this lens.

Photographers like gear

I belong to several photography groups, both online as well as within my local area, and often times when we meet, we end up talking about our gear. Conversations typically revolve around the gear we have, what we would like to have, and what we want to sell off. On several occasions, I have heard my fellow photographers talk about the Sigma Art series of lenses. They always start the conversation with, “Oh, I absolutely love my Sigma Art lens. The bokeh is so dreamy!” Now, I am a Canon shooter – always have been and always will be. But that does not mean that every once in a while, I don’t like to test out gear from other companies to compare performance, specifications, and price.

Quick Review of the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens

The Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens comes with a case and a lens hood.

So when I had the opportunity to test out the Sigma 135mm 1.8 DG HSM Art lens, I jumped at the chance. I spent about three weeks with this lens and used it for a variety of photography assignments – both indoors and outdoors. Here is my review based on my personal experiences with this lens.

Technical Specifications

As per Sigma’s website, the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art is a medium range telephoto prime lens designed for modern high-megapixel DSLRs. A new large Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) delivers ample torque to the focusing group for outstanding speed, ensuring exceptionally stable performance even at lower speeds. This state-of-the-art prime lens touts a dust and splash proof mount for guaranteed performance in any condition and its large 1.8 aperture allows for more creative control over imagery.

Quick Review of the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens

The Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens attached to my Canon 1V film camera.

My telephoto lens of choice is my Canon EF 70-200L lens. It’s heavy and bulky but gives me some of the best picture quality in its class. Compared to that lens, the 135mm felt lightweight and comfortable to carry around all day. Being a fixed lens, there are no moving parts, unlike the zoom ring on the 70-200mm. While this meant that I had to move around to get shots at various distances, it was not an inconvenience. I just used pretended to have a zoom lens by moving my feet!

The lens looks very sharp and clean. The smooth matte black finish of the lens gives it a certain visual appeal. The build quality is very clean and it feels like a solid piece of glass. The lens is a little heavy (at about 2.56 pounds or 1.2 kg) but if you are used to walking around with other telephoto lenses, it’s not any different compared to using those.

Sharpness of the Sigma 135mm F1.8 Art Lens

The legendary quality of having the dreamiest bokeh is very true with this lens. It is super sharp even when shooting absolutely wide open. I typically shoot very wide opened with all my Canon L-lenses which fits my style of photography. The aperture of f/2.0 is my personal sweet spot – the one that I really trust to give me a shallow depth of field and dreamy bokeh (blurry background). This lens did not disappoint at my favorite f-stop.

But even at f/1.8 (the widest aperture on the Sigma 135mm), the lens was tack sharp with very shallow depth of field. Once it was stopped down to f/16, there was some softness on the edges of the frame but it’s not very prominent. With a lens of this quality, the best aperture would be between f/1.8 to f/4 (in my opinion) to get the best of the shallow depth of field and bokeh that we all love.

Quick Review of the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens

Shot at ISO 200, f/1.8 – wide open – look at that dreamy bokeh.

Quick Review of the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens

ISO 200 at f/2.0

Quick Review of the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens

ISO 200 at f/9 – more of the entire scene is clear and visible – with a wider (deeper) depth of field here.

Vignetting

The Sigma 135mm at f/1.8 Art Lens showed slight edge vignetting when shot wide open. But for my style of photography, it’s minimal and nothing I could not fix in post-processing. I was very impressed with the number of tack sharp images that I could keep even when I used the lens completely wide open at f/1.8.

Quick Review of the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens

The image above left was shot at ISO 200, f/2.0 and on the right, the same scene was shot at ISO 200, f/9. There is no visible softness or vignetting at either aperture. The bokeh at f/2.0 is so dreamy (shallow depth of field) and at f/9 more of the background is visible.

Autofocus

The Sigma 135mm has an electronic hypersonic motor. This makes the autofocus very fast and smooth. I found that the lens locked focus easily and did not hunt while focusing. The AF motor was also relatively quiet and smooth as compared to other telephoto lenses like the Canon 85mm f/1.2L II USM that is really slow while hunting for focus in the AF mode.

Quick Review of the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens

While hiking my two boys decided they would lead the pack. I really wanted to capture this independent streak and both images are shot less than 2 seconds apart. The Sigma 135mm had no problems tracking focus as they moved up the trail. Both images were shot at ISO 200, f/2.0 and both have the subjects tack sharp and in focus in spite of the movement.

Macro capabilities

While the Sigma 135mm is not described as a macro lens, it did offer 0.2x magnification with a minimum focusing distance of just under three feet. Since I have a dedicated macro lens that I use for my detail shots, I did not pay much attention to this feature. However, in a pinch, this lens could be used to provide some magnification.

Karthika Gupta Memorable Jaunts DPS Article - Sigma 135mm lens review-11

The 135mm zoom was a little tight when I had to take in-studio headshots but once I got the focus locked, it turned out beautifully. Both images were shot at f/2.0 ISO 640, 1/125th.

Summary

Overall I was really very impressed with the Sigma 135mm 1.8 DG HSM Art lens. It is a superbly built piece of gear that was incredibly fast, easy to carry, handle, and use.

The only thing I needed to get used to was the fact that it was a prime lens and not a zoom, unlike my favorite 70-200mm telephoto lens. This meant I had to move around to get shots at different angles and different focal lengths, but I don’t consider that a con. Instead, I feel that shooting with a prime lens makes you more careful and thoughtful about your compositions since you have to physically move around to get a diverse range of shots.

The Sigma 135mm lens is definitely something to look into if you are in the market for a good quality telephoto lens.

The post Quick Review of the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art Lens by Karthika Gupta appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Silkypix adds clarity tool and compatibility with Sigma dp Quattro series

14 Jun

Ichikawa soft laboratory has included compatibility with the X3F Raw file format of the Sigma dp Quattro series of cameras in the latest version of its Silkypix software application. Developer Studio 8 allows owners of the dp 1, dp 2 and dp 3 Quattro cameras to process the Raw files produced by their unique Foveon sensors.

The version 8 of the application also adds a clarity slider tool for the first time, as well as an updated control slider for noise reduction. Those who like hard copies of their images will be able to take advantage of a new soft-proofing function that displays pictures as they will be printed, and some general improvements to the user interface are said to make using the program more straight forward for everyone. Focus peaking is another new feature, and now a single license permits the software to be activated on up to three computers.

The application costs 16200 Japanese Yen (approx. $ 150) for new purchasers but those with existing licenses from software bundled with cameras can upgrade for a smaller fee.
For more information and to download Developer Studio 8 see the Silkypix website.

Press Release

SILKYPIX Developer Studio 8

RAW Photography Software for Windows and macOS Released

Ichikawa soft laboratory Co., Ltd. (Mihama-ku, Chiba-city, Chiba, Japan : Representative Director Yoshikuni Ichikawa) announces the release of SILKYPIX Developer Studio 8, the latest version of the RAW photo software series for Windows and macOS. It is immediately available on the ISL Online Store.

About SILKYPIX Developer Studio 8
SILKYPIX Developer Studio 8 is the standard version of the SILKYPIX Developer Studio series that includes adjustment of exposure, white balance and contrast, as well a correction tools such as dust removal and lens aberration.
In addition, it incorporates the advanced image processing engine as SILKYPIX Developer Studio Pro8, achieving higher image quality in high color separation performance, excellent noise reduction and more.

SILKYPIX Developer Studio 8 Key Features

Clarity Adjustment
Tone adjustment tools now include a clarity parameter to adjust the luminance level of each pixel based on information from surrounding pixels. Increasing clarity enhances details of the subject in a photo that may otherwise have muted features. Decreasing clarify results in a soft ambience with a soft focus. Clarity adjustment is a powerful tool for achieving desirable results especially in women and children’s portraits.

Soft proofing
Utilizing ICC profiles, SILKYPIX Developer Studio 8 includes a soft proof display that simulates the appearance of a photo as it may appear when printed. With this new feature, printing mistakes can be prevented, and printing result closer to the intent of the photographer can be obtained.*1
*1 It must be an environment where the monitor is color managed

Focus Peaking
Focus peaking detects the parts focused, based on from adjacent pixels in the image, and to display them with colors added to those parts. Focus peaking is extremely useful for analyzing the area of focus when the photo was taken.

One License for Three Computers
SILKYPIX Developer Studio 8 is used by photographers that utilize multiple devices including desktops, laptops and tablets running either Windows or macOS. Now each license can be used on a total of three devices in any combination of operating system.

Supports SIGMA dp Quattro series X3F file (RAW format)*2 (only supported with 64-bit)
SILKYPIX Developer Studio 8 has supported the SIGMA dp Quattro series X3F file (RAW format) equipped with Foveon X3®*3 sensor. With the SILKYPIX image engine color expression and various adjustment tools, the range of possibilities for creative expression in the SIGMA dp Quattro series X3F file (RAW format) expands.
Supported Cameras: SIGMA dp0 Quattro, dp1 Quattro, dp2 Quattro, dp3 Quattro
*2 It is compatible with SILKYPIX Developer Studio 8 series or later.
*3 Foveon X3® is a registered trademark by Foveon Inc.

New function / Improvement list
Tone – Clarity slider addition
Dodge / Color Burn (HDR) – Dodge and Color Burn can be individually adjusted
Noise reduction – Neat noise slider addition
Display warning – Soft proofing addition
Warning indication – Focus peaking addition
Preview display Select background color
Choose Rating Display / Non-display under the thumbnail display
Improved User Interface
One License Can Be Used on Three Computers

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Firmware update improves AF performance of Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens for Canon

07 Jun

Sigma has released new firmware for its 100-400mm F/5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens for Canon mount. According to Sigma, firmware version 1.01 improves the AF performance of the lens. When attached to the Sigma mount converter MC-11 AF performance will be improved as well. In addition the optical image stabilization mechanism can operate at faster speeds.

As usual, Sigma lens owners with the Sigma USB Dock must first update the Sigma Optimization Pro software to, at minimum, version 1.4.1 (Windows) or version 1.4.0 (Mac) before downloading and installing the new firmware.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sigma Quattro H Review

31 May

The Sigma Quattro H is a mirrorless interchangable lens camera with an APS-H (1.3x crop) sensor. It has a spacial resolution of 25.5MP but uses a sensor technology very different from other cameras, capturing around 38M pieces of information and capable of producing files with far higher levels of detail than you’d expect from a conventional 25.5MP camera.

Key Features

  • 25.5MP Foveon X3 Quattro APS-H sensor
  • Hybrid (combined phase + contrast detection) autofocus system
  • JPEG, X3F Raw or DNG file output
  • 2.36m dot (1024 x 768 pixel) LCD viewfinder
  • 1.62m dot (900 x 600 pixel ) LCD rear screen
  • Dust and splash-resistant magnesium alloy body
  • In-camera Raw conversion (X3F only)

In keeping with Sigma’s history of idiosyncratic innovation, there are two things that set it apart from the majority of mirrorless cameras: the use of a full-depth DSLR mount (the company’s own SA mount) and the use of a Foveon X3 Quattro sensor, which captures light and perceives color very differently from other cameras.

Full depth SA mount

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a camera maker build a camera around a full depth DSLR mount, rather than taking advantage of the lack of mirror to make the camera smaller: Pentax’s K-01 took the same approach.

There are two potential disadvantages of this approach. The first is, as you’d expect, the wasted space of building a mirror box for a camera with no mirror. The second, arguably more important downside, is that most DSLR lenses are designed and optimized for phase detection autofocus and they often perform poorly when asked to focus by contrast detection, meaning you have a wide choice of lenses but perpetually hamstrung performance. Sigma has tried to mitigate this by adopting on-sensor phase detection in the SD Quattro H.

If nothing else, the use of the full-depth SA lens mount means you can use any of Sigma’s impressive Art series of lenses.

The obvious appeal of using an existing mount is that the lenses already exist for it. Sigma produces SA mount versions of 39 of its lenses, which plausibly means the Quattro H has more native lenses available than any other mirrorless camera.

Foveon X3 Quattro Sensor

The X3 Quattro sensor is at the heart of what makes the SD Quattro H interesting and is, far more than any physical difference, the thing that most sets this camera apart from all its rivals.

As with all Foveon chips, the sensor interprets color based on the fact that different colors of light have different amounts of energy and so can penetrate the sensor to different depths. This is radically different from conventional designs that place filters in front of the sensor, throwing away around half of all the light so that each pixel only ‘sees’ light of a predetermined color.

Unlike previous Foveon chips, the Quattro design doesn’t attempt to capture full color information at every pixel, instead capturing more spatial resolution than color resolution. This is a fundamentally similar trade-off made by conventional sensors, so it’ll be interesting to see whether this latest design can maintain enough of what made Foveon distinctive while trying to offer more competitive results in other respects.

DNG capability

The other big difference is that the Quattro H can be set to shoot DNG files. These are produced by the camera deconvoluting its sensor’s output and writing them as ~150MB files with three 12-bit color channels. This means the files are significantly larger and theoretically less flexible than the camera’s native X3F Raw files.

The DNGs can’t be used with the camera’s in-camera Raw converter and you can’t shoot DNG + JPEG, but it hugely expands choice of software for processing the files. For this reason, the rest of the review will primarily be based on the camera’s DNG output.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Thoughts and Field Test of the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art Lens

31 May

In November 2016, Sigma introduced the world to its widest zoom lens offering to date: the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM Art lens. This is actually Sigma’s third version of the 12-24mm DG (full frame) lens, but it is the first to have the “Art” designation and a constant aperture. Previous lens versions share the same focal length but differ in maximum aperture, weight, size, and price.

Priced at $ 1,600, this isn’t the cheapest lens, but it is a steal compared to Canon’s EF 11-24mm f/4L USM, which runs just under $ 2,700. Here are some more details on the Sigma 12-24mm lens and reasons why it may or may not be for you.

Sigma 12-24mm Art Lens

Thoughts and Field Test of the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art Lens

Sigma 12-24mm mounted on a Canon 6D.

Specs of the Sigma 12-24mm

  • 12-24mm focal length
  • Maximum aperture of f/4
  • Minimum focusing of 0.24 m (9.45″)
  • Available in Canon EF, Nikon F (FX) and Sigma mounts
  • Ring-type hypersonic motor
  • Item dimensions of 3.3 x 4.7 x 3.3 inches
  • Item weight of 1.5 lbs
  • Weather sealing, dust and splash proof
  • Comes with a solid lens cap and a zippered carrying case with shoulder strap
Sigma 12-24mm Art Lens

A phenomenal lens for architecture and interiors. Shot at 12mm.

Pros of the Sigma 12-24mm

Solid build quality

The build quality of the Sigma 12-24mm is impeccable. Constructed mostly of metal and glass, this is a solid and rather heavy lens. It takes up quite a bit of space in your bag and can make it difficult to travel with (more on that below). On the plus side, I would expect it to hold up well over time. Also, it is dust and splash proof as well as being weather sealed.

Thoughts and Field Test of the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art Lens

Excellent distortion control

Ultra-wide angle lenses often suffer from distortion, where straight lines may appear more curved, and proportions may seem off. This can often be corrected in post-processing. Shots that were taken with my previous wide-angle lens, the Canon 16-35mm f/2.8, often needed quite a bit of Photoshop post-processing to straighten lines and correct distortion. The Sigma 12-24mm, however, does an outstanding job of keeping photo subjects pretty free of distortion, no matter what focal length you’re using.

Sigma 12-24mm Art Lens

Interior image shot at 12mm.

Sigma 12-24mm Art Lens

Same photo subject from above, but shot from a slightly closer angle at 24mm.

Things to consider

Not for everyday shooting situations

Shooting with an ultra-wide angle lens takes a certain eye for composition. Not everything will photograph well at 12mm due to perspective distortion. People, for example, may end up with body parts that appear much larger or longer than they should be when they are photographed at wide focal lengths. Thus, it’s important to manage your expectations with a wide-angle lens and realize that not everything will photograph well with it. Generally speaking, ultra-wide angle lenses suit the needs of architecture and landscape photographers. Portrait and product photographers, not so much.

Thoughts and Field Test of the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art Lens

Not a great image due to poor composition and distortion of shooting at 12mm.

Sigma 12-24mm Art Lens

With better composition and positioning, 12mm can work in certain situations, like landscape or cityscape photos.

Curved front lens element

The Sigma 12-24mm f/4 has a bulbous, curved front lens element that makes it impossible to use standard, threaded filters. This might be a hindrance to landscape photographers needing to use circular polarizers and neutral density filters, or the average photographer who likes to stick a UV filter on for added lens protection. There are other filter solutions such as slip-in rear gel filters, but those can be quite large and cumbersome to deal with.

Heavy lens

While a solid lens is great in terms of being reliably built, the weight and bulk of this lens are undeniable. Combined with the aforementioned con of not being able to add a protective filter to the glass, the Sigma 12-24mm becomes very unfriendly as a travel lens. If you do travel with it, you’d need to be extremely careful to avoid damaging the glass.

Thoughts and Field Test of the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art Lens

Other Lens Options

Since this is the third iteration of Sigma’s 12-24mm lens, there are two previous models to consider if you are looking for alternatives.

  • Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM lens (version 1)
  • Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 DG II HSM lens (version 2)

This Sigma lens is also going up against the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM lens ($ 2699), the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ($ 1899), and Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 ($ 1199). Focal lengths, apertures, and prices all vary, so it really depends on which features are most important to you.

In Conclusion

In terms of image quality, I found the Sigma 12-24mm to be incredible for shooting architecture and interiors in particular. However, its weight and fragile, bulbous lens make it tricky to travel with.

Would you pull the trigger on investing in this lens? Let me know in the comments below!

The post Thoughts and Field Test of the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art Lens by Suzi Pratt appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Sigma Mount Converter MC-11 experiences focus bug when used with Sony a9

31 May

Sigma has warned that the use of its Mount Converter MC-11 and certain Sigma zoom lenses with the Sony a9 may result in missed focus. According to a notice recently published by Sigma, the issue may arise ‘occasionally’ when using AF-S mode and while shooting ‘in the telephoto range.’

The phenomenon, according to Sigma, affects both the EF-E and SA-E versions of the MC-11. The company says it is investigating the issue and that it will publish an update ‘shortly,’ presumably with a software fix in the pipeline.

Via: Sigma Photo

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sigma offers firmware updates for four Canon mount lenses

19 May

Sigma has released new firmware for Canon mount versions of four of its lenses:

  • 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM | Contemporary Canon
  • 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | Contemporary Canon
  • 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary Canon
  • 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM | Art Canon

According to Sigma, the new firmware improves the AF accuracy of the lenses when used with the Sigma Mount Converter MC-11, as well as decreasing the lens diaphragm blades noise when using the aforementioned converter.

The same AF accuracy improvement and decreased noise also apply to the lenses when they are used with Canon EOS DSLRs while shooting video or while in Live Mode. Finally, Sigma says these lenses are now compatible with the Canon Digital Cinema Camera EOS C300 Mark II. 

Sigma lens owners with the Sigma USB Dock must first update the Sigma Optimization Pro software to, at minimum, version 1.4.1 (Windows) or version 1.4.0 (Mac) before installing the new firmware.

The full Sigma changelog is below:

Benefits of this firmware update

  • It has improved the AF accuracy when the lens is attached with the SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11.
  • ?It is necessary to use the SIGMA USB DOCK for Canon ver.1.02 or later to update the firmware.
  • ? For customers who own SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 EF-E, it is necessary to update this to the latest firmware ver. 1.05.
  • It has reduced the operating sound of the lens diaphragm blades when attached with the SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 EF-E and used for video shooting.
  • It has improved the AF accuracy when the lens is used for video shooting as well as with Live View mode of EOS DIGITAL SLR cameras.*1
  • It has reduced the operating sound of the lens diaphragm blades when the lens is used for video shooting on EOS DIGITAL SLR cameras. *1
  • It has become compatible with the Canon Digital Cinema Camera EOS C300 Mark II.
  • *1 The degree of improvement may differ depending on the camera used.

Via: Sigma

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sigma releases updated firmware for 30mm F1.4 APS-C lens for Sony E-mount

12 May

Sigma has released an updated firmware version for its 30mm F1.4 APS-C lens for the Sony E-mount. Firmware version 0.2 brings the following improvements:

  • Improved peripheral brightness correction when an aperture value of F1.7 is selected on the Sony a6300 camera.
  • Fixed the AF operation when using focus points in peripheral areas of the frame with the Sony a6300 camera
  • Fixed freezing and not properly operating touch focus feature on the Sony a5100 camera 

Firmware Version 0.2 for the Sigma 30mm F1.4 APS-C lens for Sony E-Mount can now be downloaded from the Sigma support website. 

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Imaging Resource publishes Sigma 135mm F1.8 gallery

03 May

Imaging Resource took a look at Sigma’s fast 135mm telephoto prime lens, calling it once of the sharpest lenses they’ve ever tested.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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