[osv]

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some great photos in this thread! I was so inspired that I went out and got an a7r... *big* step up from the old k10d

100% crop from a jpg that came straight from the a7r, I haven't processed the shot at all.

Tamron SP 52BB, 90mm wide open at f2.5, 1/400th, using a monopod... that's my reflection in the big water droplet, with the sun right next to me.

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[Christine Tham]

some great photos in this thread! I was so inspired that I went out and got an a7r... *big* step up from the old k10d

100% crop from a jpg that came straight from the a7r, I haven't processed the shot at all.

Tamron SP 52BB, 90mm wide open at f2.5, 1/400th, using a monopod... that's my reflection in the big water droplet, with the sun right next to me.

Nice!

Welcome to the club!

[osv]

thanks Christine! when it comes time to pay the credit card bill for the a7r, i'm gonna blame it all on this thread, lol

keep posting those xlnt shots of yours, they are great.

[Christine Tham]

thanks Christine! when it comes time to pay the credit card bill for the a7r, i'm gonna blame it all on this thread, lol

keep posting those xlnt shots of yours, they are great.

Thanks - you've just reminded me I haven't post any pics yesterday - too busy shooting photos at Cockatoo island.

Anyway, here's some more from our visit to Hunter Valley gardens - on the Heliar 28mm f2 - mainly different perspectives of the rotunda











And now different perspectives of the tea house:












And finally, a panorama done on the Heliar 28mm:

[Christine Tham]

The CV Super Wide Heliar 15mm again - I like this lens a lot, even though it produces very flawed images. I can understand now why Leica owners tend to shoot in monochrome for this lens - since it has colour cast issues even on Leica cameras.

[hinman]

Well, got my Sigma 30mm f/2.8 back today, did some test photos (I will present them on my blog later on this week) and my conclusion is that if you need a very good quality (sharpness, no smearing and no vignette - landscapes for example ) from corner to corner, you have to stop the lens down to f/5.6 and crop it down to 40mm field of view. Otherwise you can get more or even use a full frame, like here:

I got my Sigma 60mm f/2.8 as well. I should have ordered the silver one. If you have not ordered, think for a bit difference and consider the silver. The black one looks good on paper but adapted to A7, it looks too plain. But the overall size is very appealing. I still use CIZ feature and dial in 1.2x magnification and I manage to get very sharp pictures in the center just like the Sigma 30. I don't like the focus throw on the shiny Sigma 60 and I much prefer the oddly designed old Sigma 30mm. A tip for the Sigma 30 is not to squeeze the focus throw upon focusing; otherwise, you will be disappointed. The Sigma 30 needs a light touch approach in MF. I am VERY sickly in love with the Sigma -- very sick ma(n). With the three amigos in 19, 30, 60, I am quite happy.

I am not well qualified in pixel peeping and my opinion can be bias and can change with times and more usage. As much as many people like the Sony FE 35mm f/2.8 ZA (with Zeiss label), I find too many negatives that I will hesitate to recommend the FE 35mm for its current price. To me, it is NOT worth $800. I will rate it in the rough ballpark of $600 at best. For one, it has quite severe vignette especially in wider apertures. The Zeiss 35mm works great with close object and has fantastic bokeh but at far distance, I don't see the same thing. In landscape shooting, the corner performance is not convincing.

Here are few interesting threads and links: (can be controversial, read with open mind)

• http://verybiglobo.blogspot.com/2013/11/sony-alpha-a7-ilce-7-and-sony-alpha-a7r.html -- read the comment section
• Eagle Eye Game: Sony Zeiss FE 35mm f2.8 vs Sigma 30mm f2.8 on A7: Sony Alpha/NEX E-mount Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review -- compare Sigma 30 with Sony FE 35mm
• Testing Sigma 30 f2.8 on A7: you got a dirty cheap 35mm f2.8 FF autofocus lens!: Sony Alpha/NEX E-mount Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review -- testing Sigma on A7
• http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/52741858 -- Sony SAL 35mm f/1.8 DT

Cheers,
Hin

[Michelek]

Christine, I really like your Heliar 15mm lens photos. I know, I know - it's a toy lens on the Sony cameras, but the pictures are really interesting, different from the technically perfect, boring photos we see everywhere.

Hin, thanks a lot for your valuable inputs on Sigma lenses. I do agree the old design of the Sigmas was better but there's nothing we can do...
Would be you be so kind and show us some pictures from the 60mm Sigma? CLose and distant focus at full aperture, if you don't mind and if you find time and opportunity to do it.
I'm planning on buying this lens but unfortunately it's not available in my city to try it with my A7 camera...

In the meantime I finished my short 30mm f/2.8 Sigma lens test with the A7 camera (thanks again Hin for the inspiration) - you can find it here: Per analogia: A7 + Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN
I think it performs decently for such a cheap lens. The AF is OK (it's a little slower and less reliable than the SOny 35mm f/1.8 lens, especially in bad conditions). I will put my thoughts on this combo in the second part of the test together wit some real life samples - which BTW look much better than the test shots which were supposed to show all the weaknesses of such a set.

[Christine Tham]

In the meantime I finished my short 30mm f/2.8 Sigma lens test with the A7 camera (thanks again Hin for the inspiration) - you can find it here: Per analogia: A7 + Sigma 30mm f/2.8 DN

I like the vignette effect - I would keep it (rather than crop) if I was shooting with this lens.

I do have the Sigma 30mm f2.8 but I have to admit I am not in love with it - I bought it because it was super cheap, but I think I have only used it for one photoshoot and then it's been sitting on the shelf ever since. Not sure why - the images are decent enough - I guess I like some character in my images, and there was nothing striking in the images that draw me to this lens.

[Michelek]

I like the vignette effect - I would keep it (rather than crop) if I was shooting with this lens.

I do have the Sigma 30mm f2.8 but I have to admit I am not in love with it - I bought it because it was super cheap, but I think I have only used it for one photoshoot and then it's been sitting on the shelf ever since. Not sure why - the images are decent enough - I guess I like some character in my images, and there was nothing striking in the images that draw me to this lens.

In normal photos, especially close focus ones, I'm definitely keeping the vignette as I think it adds to the pictures.
It's not an outstanding or special lens, you're right. But it's decent and as a cheap alternative of a Zeiss 35/2.8 I think it does the trick.

[hinman]

I like the vignette effect - I would keep it (rather than crop) if I was shooting with this lens.

I do have the Sigma 30mm f2.8 but I have to admit I am not in love with it - I bought it because it was super cheap, but I think I have only used it for one photoshoot and then it's been sitting on the shelf ever since. Not sure why - the images are decent enough - I guess I like some character in my images, and there was nothing striking in the images that draw me to this lens.

Christine, you are right on. The lens does not have a unique character that one can relate to the lens. To me, every lens is like a person, some can be boring and some can be a joy with a unique character. And there is sometime a sweet spot to turn on a boring lens. I happen to love the Sigma 30 for its sharpness and very dependable performance on wide open shot. It is quicker to focus when compared to SEL 50mm f/1.8 on nex 5n. On nex 6 with updated firmware, the SEL 50mm f/1.8 may AF faster but on my nex 5n with CDAF, the sigma is more reasonable to use with AF.

If one places the Sigma 30 f/2.8 and FE 35mm f/2.8 next to each other, one can see close resemblance especially on the size. Dare I say that the FE 35mm f/2.8 is not well built for a Zeiss. The FE 35mm feels all plastic and the lens cap and hood don't stand flat when placed reverse on a flat floor.

Cheers,
Hin

[hinman]

In normal photos, especially close focus ones, I'm definitely keeping the vignette as I think it adds to the pictures.
It's not an outstanding or special lens, you're right. But it's decent and as a cheap alternative of a Zeiss 35/2.8 I think it does the trick.

I will post pictures when time allows. I currently suck on the A7 usage and you don't see much pictures from me as I am struggling with FE 35 with a lot of bad pictures due to user errors. It is not funny that I totally suck in FF with A7 with many shots coming out blurry and not-in-focus especially with the FE 35. Maybe it is the missing of OSS or something. I pride myself in frequent shots with SR in K-5 with 1/10th of a second. I even shoot nex 5n with 1/4 seconds. I have some shots in 1/2 th second hand-held. Those good records are ALL gone with A7, most of my shots in 1/60 -- the default lowest shutter go very blurry in my book without much pixel peeping. Very frustrating to say the least that I have to resort to using Shutter priority with 1/125 sec.

With some hesitation, I do not recommend whole-heartedly on the FE 35mm. I have my doubts especially for landscape for corner performance, unusual vignette and tendency of greenish cast without lens correction! Please bear with me as I am struggling to get good pictures.....

Cheers,
Hin

[hinman]

@Michele,

If you have not gotten a lens hood for your older version of Sigma 30mm f/2.8, I highly recommend the leica style vented lens hood 46mm and you can reuse the original sigma 30mm f/2.8 cap



And I just look up one that is similar in ebay

46mm Metal Vented Screw in Lens Hood for Leica 46mm Filter Size Lens Camera | eBay

If you search for 46mm vented lens hood, you will find plenty similar



Cheers,
Hin

[Christine Tham]

I will post pictures when time allows. I currently suck on the A7 usage and you don't see much pictures from me as I am struggling with FE 35 with a lot of bad pictures due to user errors.

I am surprised. I haven't had a single bad picture from the lens - and I have been shooting lots of stuff at ISO6400 (okay, I will confess, I like taking pictures of Christmas lights). It's also sharper than my Summicron 35. I don't have any issues with vignetting because I shoot Raw and apply the lens profile in Lightroom (comes with Lightroom 5.3).

Maybe you have a bad copy?

Here is example of low light photography - hand held - as you can see, superb flare control, zero cola, great sharpness corner to corner even when wide open - I dare say this is the best 35mm lens in my modest collection:

[Christine Tham]

Extremely low light photography, on the Nokton 50mm f1.1

[Michelek]

Nicely done, Christine, lots of excellent shots!

Hin, thank you for the info on a vented hood for the Sigma lenses. I don't use a hood very often, but this one surely looks sexy ;-)

Just one shot today, A7 + Sigma 30mm, heavily cropped: