Sigma 14mm F2.8

niblue · 12-05-2018, 01:47 AM

Now I've moved to using a K1 the widest FF lens option I had was the Tokina ATX-Pro 20-35mm F2.8. Now while that is wide enough for most circumstances I find that long term use of both the Sigma 10-20mm & Pentax 10-17mm Fisheye on APS-C left me wanting something wider for occasional use. The led to me picking up a cheap (£99) Sigma 14mm F2.8 that is in great condition apart from a slightly heavy focus ring (slightly too heavy for effective AF use but fine for MF).

The reviews in the lens database here aren't stellar but I'd be interested to hear how users of the lens have got on with it, and maybe see some results. Anyone willing to oblige?

Thanks
Steve

**pepperberry farm** · 12-05-2018, 04:16 AM

no reviews since 2012 and the handful that are there are not terribly promising...

and no photo samples of it in the Photo Archive, either..

looks like you'll be our guinea pig!

niblue · 12-05-2018, 04:56 AM - **1 Like**

Ah well - will just need to get out and use the thing then!

If only this nasty working business wasn't getting in the way...

**pepperberry farm** · 12-05-2018, 06:24 AM

Originally posted by niblue

Ah well - will just need to get out and use the thing then!

If only this nasty working business wasn't getting in the way...

agreed - work only gets in the way...

(:

**pres589** · 12-05-2018, 08:05 AM

If you can live without AF, the Samyang 14 f2.8 is a very affordable way to get that kind of field of view.

There's also the Sigma and Tamron 17-35's. I've not touched either, they are probably kind of rare, but they're more wide than your 20-35.

I like my Tamron 17 SP Adaptall-2. Everything is great about it really save for the hood being where the filter threads are. It's less than 1/2 the size of the Samyang and I think it is worthy of consideration.

**clickclick** · 12-05-2018, 09:31 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by niblue

Ah well - will just need to get out and use the thing then!

If only this nasty working business wasn't getting in the way...

Yeah, I gotta keep reminding myself that no worky = no LBA

niblue · 12-10-2018, 07:09 AM - **1 Like**

Managed to make some time for a few test shots with the lens at lunchtime today - nothing startling, just a few shots at a small harbour not far from my office.

Close focus is pretty decent - you're almost touching the subject at closest focus:

Colour rendition and sharpness are ok (note this is a cropped image - it's quite tricky to find subjects that fill the frame well with a lens this wide):

So that's the good stuff. What's not so good is how the lens handles flare:

Shooting into the light (including any reasonably strong artificial light) is pretty much a no-no, which isn't that unexpected:

This shot however was shot at around 90 degrees away from the sun, with the sun miles away from being in-frame. As the lens bulges so much it still catches a lot of light directly, even when you're shooting well away from the source:

Anyway first opinion is that it's useable with care, especially with flare - but also just that it needs attention to the frame because with a lens this wide it really needs some strong foreground interest to make the shots interesting as it is very. very wide.

cmohr · 12-10-2018, 02:05 PM - **1 Like**

I have the Sigma 14mm/2.8 as well, mine too has that stiff focus, won't AF and manual is stiffish, but , I actually like that as it doesn't move when set . I have used it for some Astro shots. It's WIDE on a FF.... Wide Wide.

These are jpegs direct from the camera.

12-05-2018, 01:47 AM	#1
niblue Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 181	Sigma 14mm F2.8 Now I've moved to using a K1 the widest FF lens option I had was the Tokina ATX-Pro 20-35mm F2.8. Now while that is wide enough for most circumstances I find that long term use of both the Sigma 10-20mm & Pentax 10-17mm Fisheye on APS-C left me wanting something wider for occasional use. The led to me picking up a cheap (£99) Sigma 14mm F2.8 that is in great condition apart from a slightly heavy focus ring (slightly too heavy for effective AF use but fine for MF). The reviews in the lens database here aren't stellar but I'd be interested to hear how users of the lens have got on with it, and maybe see some results. Anyone willing to oblige? Thanks Steve

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12-05-2018, 04:16 AM	#2
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,679	no reviews since 2012 and the handful that are there are not terribly promising... and no photo samples of it in the Photo Archive, either.. looks like you'll be our guinea pig!

12-05-2018, 04:56 AM - 1 Like	#3
niblue Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 181 Original Poster	Ah well - will just need to get out and use the thing then! If only this nasty working business wasn't getting in the way...

12-05-2018, 06:24 AM	#4
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,679	Originally posted by niblue Ah well - will just need to get out and use the thing then! If only this nasty working business wasn't getting in the way... agreed - work only gets in the way... (:

12-05-2018, 08:05 AM	#5
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Wichita, KS Photos: Albums Posts: 4,529	If you can live without AF, the Samyang 14 f2.8 is a very affordable way to get that kind of field of view. There's also the Sigma and Tamron 17-35's. I've not touched either, they are probably kind of rare, but they're more wide than your 20-35. I like my Tamron 17 SP Adaptall-2. Everything is great about it really save for the hood being where the filter threads are. It's less than 1/2 the size of the Samyang and I think it is worthy of consideration.

12-05-2018, 09:31 AM - 1 Like	#6
clickclick Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Location: East Coast Posts: 2,903	Originally posted by niblue Ah well - will just need to get out and use the thing then! If only this nasty working business wasn't getting in the way... Yeah, I gotta keep reminding myself that no worky = no LBA

12-10-2018, 07:09 AM - 1 Like	#7
niblue Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 181 Original Poster	Managed to make some time for a few test shots with the lens at lunchtime today - nothing startling, just a few shots at a small harbour not far from my office. Close focus is pretty decent - you're almost touching the subject at closest focus: Colour rendition and sharpness are ok (note this is a cropped image - it's quite tricky to find subjects that fill the frame well with a lens this wide): So that's the good stuff. What's not so good is how the lens handles flare: Shooting into the light (including any reasonably strong artificial light) is pretty much a no-no, which isn't that unexpected: This shot however was shot at around 90 degrees away from the sun, with the sun miles away from being in-frame. As the lens bulges so much it still catches a lot of light directly, even when you're shooting well away from the source: Anyway first opinion is that it's useable with care, especially with flare - but also just that it needs attention to the frame because with a lens this wide it really needs some strong foreground interest to make the shots interesting as it is very. very wide.

12-10-2018, 02:05 PM - 1 Like	#8
cmohr Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Brisbane. Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,824	I have the Sigma 14mm/2.8 as well, mine too has that stiff focus, won't AF and manual is stiffish, but , I actually like that as it doesn't move when set . I have used it for some Astro shots. It's WIDE on a FF.... Wide Wide. These are jpegs direct from the camera.