Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art DG HSM Lens for Nikon, Black, 3.7 x 3.03 x 3.03 (340306)

I'm a prime lens guy. While I have a number of zoom lenses primarily for travel, my passion is for the high IQ provided by primes. 35mm and 85mm are my favorite focal lengths. Accordingly, I have owned and previewed multiple offerings of lenses at these two focal lengths. Currently, Nikon leads at the 85mm FL, with its 1.4G lens which matches the Canon 1.2L (I own both lenses) in IQ and bokeh, in a more compact package with faster AF. The story is very different at 35mm. I have owned the Nikon 35mm 1.8G, Samyang/Rokinon 35mm 1.4, and the Canon 35mm 1.4L. The Canon dominates the 1.8G, and from what I hear, is better than Nikon's 1.4G. The Samyang/Rokinon is close to the Canon--perhaps even sharper wide open--, but it's manual focus, and I strongly prefer AF for focal lengths greater than 24mm. I truly loved the Canon L lens. It is very sharp from f/2.0 (peaks in sharpness at f/4.0-f/5.6), has great color and contrast, and little vignetting above 1.8. I have used the lens as a walk-around lens, for street photography, and for taking photos in museums. It was great for this last purpose, because I could get sharp, vibrant, shots without using a flash. However, the lens is not perfect. It produces horrible chromatic aberration, and is rather soft wide open. Of course, all fast lenses are soft wide open, right? NO! The Sigma 35mm is sharp at all apertures. I purchased the Sigma to use with my D800E because I always use a 35mm prime (see above) in my photography. However, I wasn't willing to pay the tariff for the Nikon 35mm 1.4 especially since its reviews were so-so at best (it's softer than the Canon wide open but sharper than Canon by f/5.6). Given the Sigma's bargain price and its good reviews, I purchased a copy. I have not been disappointed. The lens is better than all 35mm lenses I have used. It is sharp wide open and just gets sharper as the lens is stopped down. The color and contrast is on par with the Nikon 85mm ( basically, amazing). Vignetting is well-controlled, only noticeable wide open. More importantly, CA, unlike the Canon L, is well controlled. It simply isn't a problem. The only knock on the Sigma is the quality of its bokeh. Some have complained that it is particularly harsh. Well, it is no match for the 85mm lenses (few lenses are), but it is no worst than the bokeh that any of the other 35mm lenses produce (I haven't tested the Zeiss version, and I hear that the Nikon 1.4 is very good, but not as good as an 85). My Nikon 1.8G produced the worst bokeh. The Sigma and Canon L are close in bokeh quality. For me, this isn't a problem. Bokeh is not that important to me at this FL (it is at 85mm and above!), and I have yet to find the background blur for this lens distracting. Therefore, the Sigma is absolutely a keeper. It is a well-built lens that balances nicely at the end of my D800E. It focuses quickly and accurately, and I love its slick, black machined look. It just looks very professional. At its price, it is an absolute bargain. It will spend a lot of time at the end of my camera.

"You pay for what you get" is true more often than not. Sigma is not synonymous for high quality, but rather a good price point with sacrificing on build quality and sharpness. If you wanted both, Canon and Nikon made you reach deep into your pockets. More recently, one has the ability to rent and try out professional quality lenses. Lensrentals and Hawaii photo rental are known for their reputation of quality products for rent along with great customer service. With regard to Sigma, Lensrentals has not had great experience with Sigma's in the recent past [...] But with the Sigma 35 1.4, all appears to be changing... Cost is about 1/2 the Nikon equivalent. Sharpness is incredible. Microcontrast is superb and bokeh appears smoother and better than Canon and Nikon. One of the most critical and comprehensive reviewers -- Lloyd Chambers (digilloyd) also rates it better than Canon and Nikon's version of the 35 1.4. Demand is soaring and many are becoming big fans of Sigma's new "art" lens. After reading many of the glowing reviews, I skeptically asked, "is it that good?" My answer -- YES...it's better than I expected. I'm shooting with a D800E and paired together, the photos appear 3D when it's shot wide open. Stopping down to 2.8-5.6 and the lens sharpness grows and grows with minimal distortion. Focusing is silent and quick. Quality of the lens is solid and not plastic feeling. The one downside is that the lens is not weather sealed. If you work in those demanding conditions then, this may not be the lens for you. Otherwise, why would you choose anything else? Cost is 50% less, build quality is fantastic, sharpness is incredible and outshines Canon and Nikon's counterparts, and it takes images that look like it was taken with a professional lens! Sigma has given me many reasons as to why I should purchase this and I have no regrets at all. The how is another story -- Amazon was sold out for weeks along with Adorama and B&H photo. Highly recommended and I don't think you'd have too many regrets!

I am happy with the lens although it does have some focusing issues as other people have stated. I have purchased the Sigma USB dock and hopefully that will sort that out. Would have been better if it worked straight out of the box but I purchased knowing that it might not be. It was a great price!

I love the Bokeh and sturdy build of this lens believe it has great potential. super sharp I loved it and I am not moving it from my body it's main lens A little bit heavy the motor noise illite bit high in recording but it's not a big deal as long as I am adding music in the meeting

First off, a warning: Sigma still have terrible QC issues! The first copy of this lens I received was back focusing horrifically. I did all the usual tests, after initially noticing it wasn't sharp where I was pointing focus. And no, it wasn't user error just because it's a 1.4, like Sigma will try to make you believe! It was off, by a significant margin, so I sent it back to the supplier. They contacted Sigma, who told them, to tell me, the customer, to wait for them to check it out. Well, I wasn't having that and requested a new copy or a refund. fair play to the store for seeing it my way and sending on a new copy, they will deal with Sigma on the other. Anyway, now that I have a decent, proper focusing version, I can say that all the reviews around the net are bang on! It really is a gem of a lens. It's nice and weighty, being a 1.4, without being over-sized. It balances really well on the D800E, and looks the part too. Sigma have got their new look right, with lovely sleek lines, smooth polished steel, discreet markings, and the hood snaps into place definitively - the hood also has a rubber seal, which is a nice touch. Though the lens itself does not have sealing near the mount, shame ... but considering the price difference between this and the Nikon 35 1.4, we'll let that slide. So how does it perform? Admirably. It's sharp on focus point at 1.4, and stopped down to f/2 and beyond is as sharp as you'd like. there is strong vignetting wide open, but where the vignetting is, is going to be OOF/bokeh anyhow, and it's easily corrected in LR. There is no profile for this model in LR4 currently, but I found that sigma 24-70 is close enough, with minor manual adjusting. Vignetting has mostly gone by f/2.8 and the lens continues to sharpen right through to f/8. The perfect portrait/street/general purpose lens IMO, and even good for landscape. If you could only have one lens in your bag at all times, you could do a hell of a lot worse than choosing this. Just test when you get yours, and make sure it's a good copy.

طلب العدسات من أمازون أفضل و أرخص سعراً و تصلك العدسة و مع إطمئنانك لنظام الإسترجاع في أمازون لو كان فيها خلل .. الحمدلله العدسة رائعة و نتائجها جبارة

Ich habe dieses Objektiv für meine D800 bestellt. Der Preis und die wirklich positiven Rezensionen animierten mich dazu. Leider wurde meine Vorfreude am Tag der Ankunft schlagartig getrübt. In allen Fokusbereichen hatte ich einen fürchterlichen Frontfokus. Durch die interne Feinjustage nicht in den Griff zu bekommen, da bei korrekt eingestelltem mittleren Fokusbereich die Außenfelder komplett daneben lagen und einen entsprechend starken Backfokus mit sich brachten. Zudem war nichts, was weiter als 2 Meter entfernt lag, bei Offenblende scharf zu bekommen. Selbst bei f2,8 war es extrem schwierig bis unmöglich. Nun, ich weiß, die Fehlerquelle liegt sehr oft hinter der Kamera. Es mangelt mir nicht an Selbstkritik, aber in diesem Fall konnte ich das ausschließen. Ich nutzte für alle Tests ein solides Stativ mit Funkauslöser. Wie dem auch sei.....das Obkjektiv ging zurück. Stattdessen bestellte ich mir das Original für den doppelten Preis. Was soll ich sagen, die Haptik war - im Vergleich zum Sigma - grausam. Irgendwie mutete es sehr billig an. Aber das Schlimmste war der laute AF und die üblen CAs bei Offenblende. Weit schlimmer als beim Sigma. Es ging also ebenfalls zurück. Ein weiteres Sigma wurde bestellt. Auch beim 2 Sigma-Objektiv hatte ich einen Frontfokus in allen Bereichen. Diesmal gleichmäßig aber genauso extrem. Die kamnerainterne Korrektur brachte nicht den gewünschten Erfolg. Ich entschied zu Sigma nach Rödermark zu fahren und das Objektiv mit der Kamera zur Justage abzugeben. Nach 3 Tagen erhielt ich alles per Post zurück. Ungläubig bis pessimistisch testete ich in diversen Aufnahmesituationen, bei denen es zuvor nur superweiche , unscharfe Bilder gab und konnte nicht glauben, wie scharf das Objektiv nun abbildete. Die Freistellung war perfekt ! Der AF nagelete das anvisierte Objekt fest. Knackscharf bei Offenblende. Ich bin begeistert ! Also am Ende definitiv 5 Punkte für dieses wunderbare Stück Technik. Schade, dass Sigma in Sachen Qualitätssicherung noch dermaßen nachholen muss. Hier ist man immernoch ziemlich auf sich allein gestellt, wenn man keine Lust auf Glückspiel hat und 10 mal zurücksenden möchte. Da für mich das Pendant von Nikon keine Alternative darstellte, war die Fahrt zu Sigma die beste Entscheidung. Das kann ich nur jedem empfehlen, der - wie ich - frustriert vor seinem Monitor sitzt und in Gedanken schon wieder den Gang zur Poststelle plant.