Javier Gutierre Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 <p>Hi Folks. <br>I have the old school version of this lens. Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art Lens for Nikon.<br>I love this lens and is in my top three of the many lenses I own. I love it. Problem is that the HSM motor has recently started to make noise and is now slow to focus and misses. No complaints. I purchased it used 5 years ago and has made thousands and thousands of photos. So my question is this. There are quite a few on craigs list for between 250 and 330 bucks. If this new lens, the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art Lens for Nikon is an upgrade; then I would rather purchase new. But often, that is not the case. Some old school items are sometimes better. <br>p.s. What is an ''ART'' lens? <br>Any thoughts, opinions and comments are greatly appreciated.<br>Thanks Javier</p><p>http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/918893-REG/sigma_30mm_f_1_4_dc_hsm.html</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 <p>I have that same older DX-format 30/1.4 from Sigma, and when I was shooting more with DX, it was one of my favorites. The newer "art" series from Sigma are their higher-end lenses aimed at truly competing with the finest upper end lenses from folks like Canon and Nikon. Especially for the price, they arguably surpass the big makers. I use their newer 35/1.4 (in FX format) and it's just tremendous. It's not just marketing speak to say that if they've put the newest DX-format 30/1.4 into their "art" lineup, it will exceed your expectations. Unless you are truly in a budget bind, spend the extra couple hundred on not just a new lens, but THAT new lens. You'll love it. If you think you might wind up in FX land at some point, consider the stretch to the 35/1.4, which is just fantastic.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric_arnold Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 <p>pretty sure the new lens is better in edge to edge sharpness which was always a knock with the old siggy 30. it just wouldn't gain much acuity past the center, even when stopped down. not sure if the close-focusing range has improved (the other big knock on it). i'd probably get the new one as the changes are more than cosmetic. plus a used older model might suffer the same HSM breakdown sooner rather than later; with a new lens you get a warranty.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chip_chipowski Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 I have the original 30mm and I love it too. I think the new version has a closer MFD so that would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chip_chipowski Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 <p>Javier, you might be interested to read this <a href="http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2013/04/sigma-30mm-f1-4-dc-hsm-vs-sigma-30mm-f1-4-ex-dc">comparison</a>.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_foley4 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 I tried the original Sigma 30mm a while ago and found exactly what the reviews say. It was very soft at the edges. It also had inconsistent autofocus but that might have been my sample. I ended up with the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 AF-S DX and it did much better side by side. A new Nikon was cheaper than a used Sigma. The new Sigma Art may be better but not dollar for dollar in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric_arnold Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 <blockquote> <p>I ended up with the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 AF-S DX and it did much better side by side. A new Nikon was cheaper than a used Sigma. The new Sigma Art may be better but not dollar for dollar in my opinion.</p> </blockquote> <p>i have the nikon 35 too and it's not optically better than the sigma in my opinion. if you're trying to save money and/or need a lens which can fit in a shirt pocket, the nikon 35 is great. it's reasonably sharp, but my copy of the sigma was sharper at common apertures. the nikon is tack sharp stopped down, but has some weird fringing at open apertures which were more controlled on the sigma. overall, i think the nikon cut more optical corners, in addition to being slower and having far worse bokeh. if i was still primarily a DX shooter i would absolutely consider the newer siggy 30, especially if you've had the old one. generally, the second version of a lens tends to be better than the first, and it appears they made improvements where it counts, in build quality, edge sharpness and MFD. whether that's worth a couple hundred bucks is a personal decision. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 <p>I have the same lens and tried a few wide astro shots. The coma at the edges, not just the corners is 'Out of this World'. I've never seen such T shaped coma stars!</p> <p>Don't think I've used it in 2 years. I might just sell it. It doesn't seem to go for much....:-(</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_earussi1 Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 <p>If money is no object then get the new Sigma 35 f1.4 Art lens. If money is an important consideration then the new Sigma 30 f1.4 is still better than the original version. Of course, the Sigma 18-35 f1.8 is just as good and far more flexible if you don't mind the slight loss of aperture.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now