Sigma 30mm f/1.4 vs EF 50mm f/1.4 and XT kit lens

PeaceFrog · Jul 7, 2005

I spent a little time this morning with the Sigma 30 f/1.4, Rebel XT kit lens and EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. These are some samples that are right out of the camera with no post processing at all.

Sigma 30 @ f/1.4 center
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863682

Sigma 30 @ f/1.4 edge
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863684

Sigma 30 @ f/4.5 center
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863697

Sigma 30 @ f/4.5 edge
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863693

Sigma 30 @ f/8 center
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863696

Sigma 30 @ f/8 edge
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863694

Kit lens 30mm @ f/4.5 center
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863686

Kit lens 30mm @ f/4.5 edge
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863691

Kit lens 30mm @ f/8 center
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863689

Kit lens 30mm @ f/8 edge
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863692

50mm f/1.4 @ f/1.4 center
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863698

50mm f/1.4 @ f/1.4 edge
http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/image/45863699

I hope this is useful to someone. Comments are greatly appreciated.

Greg

--

http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

Petteri Sulonen · Jul 7, 2005

The 30 is clearly better than the 50. Look at the grit in the zone of focus -- the 50 shows much more "dreaminess" than the 30.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

Petteri
--
My flickr page: [ http://www.flickr.com/photos/primejunta/ ]
Me on photography: [ http://194.100.88.243/petteri/ ]
Me on politics: [ http://p-on-p.blogspot.com/ ]

YellowBullet · Jul 7, 2005

If Sigma is better than 50mm 1.4 (as your test shots seem to show), then I'm definitely keeping it. It arrives today (it's on the UPS delivery truck right now), and I can't wait to get home to try it out.

deepak rao · Jul 7, 2005

The sharpness of the 30 looks better to me but is my monitor wrong or is the colour of the 50 better?
--
Deepak

http://www.images.rnhinfo.com/

stingfish · Jul 7, 2005

Your test is misleading... because you are comparing a 30mm and 50mm, the DOF is going to be the differentiator... the DOF in the 50 is miniscule... close it down a little and I think you will see more similiar results between two... likewise, bring the 30mm closer to the subject. With the same DOF (not aperture), I'm guessing the 30mm is no better

The 30mm shot of the forklift operator in your samples gallery shows some pretty nasty looking purple fringing... Hard not to at f1.4, but the 35L definitely controls it better.

Larry Winters · Jul 7, 2005

Hello Greg:

Thanks for prviding those marvelous comparisons...

The 30 is sharper in the center wide open but the 50 exhibits a tighter dedth of focus, which I like better...The 50 is definitely sharper on the wide open corner shot...

LW...

PeaceFrog said:
I spent a little time this morning with the Sigma 30 f/1.4, Rebel
XT kit lens and EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. These are some samples that are
right out of the camera with no post processing at all.

PeaceFrog · Jul 7, 2005

Actually I think the DOF is pretty similar. I moved the rig back to get similar magnification so the test should be OK. Anyone else want to comment on this?

The purple fringing that you are seeing in that pic and several of the others has a lot to do with the sensor in the camera I believe. The exposure is pretty extreme and I have seen exactly the same results with the 50mm f/1.4, 24mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.2 and 135mm f/2.

I have had several 35mm f/1.4L’s and believe me when you shoot something like that you will get blooming all over the place.

Greg

--

http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

Larry Winters · Jul 7, 2005

Hello Greg:

PeaceFrog said:
Actually I think the DOF is pretty similar. I moved the rig back
to get similar magnification so the test should be OK. Anyone else
want to comment on this?

I think you got the magnification perspective pretty darn close...Bringing them up in ACDSee cmparison they are the identical size...To me it's still evident the 50 has a tighter depth of fucus on both corners and edge...Even with the matching perspective the 50 should still exhibit a tighter DOF becasue of the increased focal length...Right?...

LW...

PeaceFrog said:
Actually I think the DOF is pretty similar. I moved the rig back
to get similar magnification so the test should be OK. Anyone else
want to comment on this?

The purple fringing that you are seeing in that pic and several of
the others has a lot to do with the sensor in the camera I believe.
The exposure is pretty extreme and I have seen exactly the same
results with the 50mm f/1.4, 24mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.2 and
135mm f/2.

I have had several 35mm f/1.4L’s and believe me when you shoot
something like that you will get blooming all over the place.

Greg

--

http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

Larry Winters · Jul 7, 2005

no text

Jason Hutchinson · Jul 7, 2005

Wow, the 30f/1.4 appear to be corrected for LCA behind the focus plane which is rare in fast lenses like this. Look at the out of focus circles on the 50f/1.4, and they both have the telltale green and purple LCA, yet the 30f/1.4 doesn't have this to nearly the same degree.

Even the 85f/1.2's bokey would get spanked by the 30f/1.4... pretty impressive.

Jason

P.S. Greg, this is one of the best executed quick lens tests I've seen in a while for a bunch of reasons. Great job.

Powerdoc · Jul 7, 2005

Larry Winters wrote:
hanks for prviding those marvelous comparisons...

Larry Winters said:
The 30 is sharper in the center wide open but the 50 exhibits a
tighter dedth of focus, which I like better...The 50 is definitely
sharper on the wide open corner shot...

I am not sure, the shot from the Sigma is less perpendicular than the one from the 50. If you look at the base of the screw, you will see that both pic are equally sharps. If you look at the upper part of the element, you will see that the focus is clearly behind.

I cannot conclude on those pics, but I will say that both the 50 and the 30 are very close in the edges.
--
I love the crop factor at the long end, I hate it in the wide range

Powerdoc · Jul 7, 2005

Yes the bokey of the sigma is fantastic. The one of the Canon sucks in comparison.

Here one pic from my copy : look at the original size. The fur is very sharp especially in the ear, and the bokey in the background is one of the best I ever seen.

For full size image go here :
http://www.pbase.com/powerdoc/image/45824681/original
--
I love the crop factor at the long end, I hate it in the wide range

Eric Sorensen · Jul 7, 2005

Bokeh is much better with the Sigma. Much, much better. And these ARE great test shots. They tell a lot about these lenses.
--
Eric Sorensen
Bossier City, Louisiana
http://www.pbase.com/ericsorensen

Larry Winters · Jul 7, 2005

Hello:

That's what I had just noticed...It appears the camera/lens was lower for the 50 as five valves are visible whereas only three for the 30..Maybe when Greg moved to counter perspective the exact position got changed a tad...Still a grand and very informative test..

LW...

Powerdoc said:
Powerdoc said:

The 30 is sharper in the center wide open but the 50 exhibits a
tighter dedth of focus, which I like better...The 50 is definitely
sharper on the wide open corner shot...

Click to expand...

I am not sure, the shot from the Sigma is less perpendicular than
the one from the 50. If you look at the base of the screw, you will
see that both pic are equally sharps. If you look at the upper part
of the element, you will see that the focus is clearly behind.
I cannot conclude on those pics, but I will say that both the 50
and the 30 are very close in the edges.
--
I love the crop factor at the long end, I hate it in the wide range

Eric Sorensen · Jul 7, 2005

What do you think? With a lens collection and lens experience as vast as yours, I'm interested in your opinion of your new Sigma 30mm. Give us a run-down, please!

--
Eric Sorensen
Bossier City, Louisiana
http://www.pbase.com/ericsorensen

Chez Wimpy · Jul 7, 2005

With a somewhat unwilling model (my English class student) I shot some tests wide open. Had the lens for a week, but this was my first chance, and the results were amazing. GREAT wide open.

and a 100% with no USM:

and 100% with 0.4 and 150 USM:

--
-CW

Eric Sorensen · Jul 7, 2005

...for quite a while. When you gonna get it, Petteri? I look forward to your complete and concise review! (if you still do those, that is)
--
Eric Sorensen
Bossier City, Louisiana
http://www.pbase.com/ericsorensen

Powerdoc · Jul 7, 2005

no text
--
I love the crop factor at the long end, I hate it in the wide range

PeaceFrog · Jul 7, 2005

Yes, the angle did change a little bit when I moved the tripod back to get similar magnification. The two lenses do have a significantly different focal length and this is why I didn’t compare the 50 to the 30 in my initial test. I think what would be more interesting than this test would have been to have the 50 on a FF body and the 30 on a 1.6x body and have everything in the same position and whatnot since in real life you would be using these two lenses for different purposes.

Greg

--

http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

PeaceFrog · Jul 7, 2005

Having had the lens for less than two days and not having had a chance to spend much time in front of a calibrated (or even decent quality) monitor this is just my initial feeling. To me the Sigma 30 seems to be a very good lens. It would have been nice if it was a bit smaller in size but this isn’t really a problem. The pictures look pretty good from what I can tell. There does appear to be a significant sharpness drop-off around the edges of the frame but I don’t think that will be too much of a problem for me.

So far I really like the lens and think it will see a lot of use on my XT.

Greg

--

http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 vs EF 50mm f/1.4 and XT kit lens

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