Sigma Lenses + Adapter.... Autofocus?

dohdoh · Jan 13, 2011

So Sigma does make some 4/3 mount lenses. Is anyone using them with the 4/3 to m4/3 adapter? Does the auto focus work on them? I'm using an E-pl1. The reason I ask is I'm considering selling my DSLR gear, but I know I'm going to miss my Sigma lens. I have an adapter to use it as a manual lens but I would love to have control over aperture and the ability to utilize the auto focus.

Brent Gair · Jan 14, 2011

I have a Sigma 18-50 which I use on my E-p1 with an adapter.

Autofocus is a touch hesitant at times but it does hit focus well and image quality is excellent.

PhotoMED · Jan 14, 2011

Why blame the lens when the body is trash? Not that the lens is super but the focus problem is ingenious to Olympus bodies.

Eric MORAND · Jan 14, 2011

Do you mean that the Sigma 18-50 AF would work perfectly on a Panasonic Body - like my G2 ?

Brent Gair · Jan 14, 2011

No Text

Brent Gair · Jan 14, 2011

I know that some Panasonic cameras don't seem to be as universally adaptable to full size 4/3 autofocus. I can't speak to any specific Panasonic model because I don't have experience with them.

I can only tell you that my E-P1 will autofocus with any autofocus 4/3 lens including Sigma. It maintains full normal function (autofocus and aperture) when used with an adapter on the E-P1. But I make no promises about Panasonic.

Another Sigma picture taken with the E-P1:

saghost · Jan 14, 2011

PhotoMED said:
Why blame the lens when the body is trash? Not that the lens is super but the focus problem is ingenious to Olympus bodies.

So that's why not one lens that was designed without CDAF considerations focuses quickly on any CDAF body, of any brand?

And obviously, that was what DPR really meant when they told us that the firmware up date made the Olympus bodies as fast as the Panasonic ones with the same lens?

I get very tired of the willful ignorance I see here these days...

The GH2 is far and away the fastest. At this point I don't think any of the others have a real advantage or disadvantage - and the problem most definitely is with lenses that were never designed to be used this way.
Walter

Paul Pasco · Jan 14, 2011

PhotoMED said:
Why blame the lens when the body is trash? Not that the lens is super but the focus problem is ingenious to Olympus bodies.

Uh, do you mean to say indigenous?
--
Regards, Paul

Lili's Dad

PhotoMED · Jan 15, 2011

Paul Pasco said:
PhotoMED said:

Why blame the lens when the body is trash? Not that the lens is super but the focus problem is ingenious to Olympus bodies.

Click to expand...

Uh, do you mean to say indigenous?
--

That is a good question. Olympus has AF assist on other cameras. So, I don't know if it is indigenous problem. There may be a purpose for which the AF assist is not provided on E-PL1, because of which I used the term ingenous, but unfortunately that plan is turning out to cause pain to E-PL1 users.

PhotoMED · Jan 15, 2011

Eric MORAND said:
Do you mean that the Sigma 18-50 AF would work perfectly on a Panasonic Body - like my G2 ?

I don't about that. But, the EP systems have focus issues which are well documented. So, if you are testing the lens against a system with focus issues, you can never know whether the problem is with the lens.

Willgo · Jan 15, 2011

I have the four thirds mount sigma 30/1.4

It does not autofocus on my e-pl1 - I thought from previous threads that this was normal.

--
Paul

toon12 · Jan 15, 2011

Willgo said:
I have the four thirds mount sigma 30/1.4

It does not autofocus on my e-pl1 - I thought from previous threads that this was normal.

--
Paul

Totally normal. I had the sigma30/1.4 for about 3 hours, tried it on my e-p1 with the panasonic adapter. It would focus, but miss about 20 or 30 per cent of the time. Took it back, and there was a sigma rep there (Henrys). I gave him my card, etc, he said he would check it out, but confirmed that it looked like a compatibility issue. Never heard another word.
Bought the Olympus 50mm, wow, what a lens.
Richard

dohdoh · Jan 15, 2011

Hmm.. so looks like mixed reviews. Aside from whether the e-pl1 has focusing issues or not... just wondering if the autofocus works with all 4/3 lenses or not. It sounds like it depends on the lens. I'm wondering if it depends on the right adapter as well.

Vaughan Williams · Jan 16, 2011

dohdoh said:
Hmm.. so looks like mixed reviews. Aside from whether the e-pl1 has focusing issues or not... just wondering if the autofocus works with all 4/3 lenses or not. It sounds like it depends on the lens. I'm wondering if it depends on the right adapter as well.

I can assure you that the adapters behave identically. They are just tubes which pass the electrical contacts through.

For the full story for lens compatibilities with Panasonic bodies go here:

http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/connect/index.html

The Olympus story is that all CDAF compatible 4/3 lenses will autofocus correctly on Olympus m4/3 bodies. None of the Sigma 4/3 lenses are CDAF compatible. For non-CDAF compatible 4/3 lenses Olympus say the m4/3 bodies will provide 'focus assist'. What this means in practice is that most of them will in fact autofocus accurately but very slowly.

Sigma were/are part of the 4/3 consortium but not part of m4/3. Their 4/3 lenses are guaranteed totally compatible with 4/3 bodies. They can give no such guarantee for m4/3 although logically there should be no reason why they will not work successfully on m4/3.

--
Vaughan
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/jvwpc/

Vaughan Williams · Jan 16, 2011

I've just read your first post again. There is room for confusion. Am I correct in assuming that your Sigma lens is NOT a 4/3 lens? If that is the case then it can only be used in amnual mode with no aperture control (unless it has an aperture ring on the lens itself).

--
Vaughan
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/jvwpc/

dohdoh · Jan 16, 2011

Hey Vaughan,

Thanks for the excellent response. Sorry for the confusion there. The reason for the question is not for my existing Sigma lenses (which I already have an adapter for) but for possible future purchases of 4/3 lenses.

PhotoMED · Jan 16, 2011

dohdoh said:
So Sigma does make some 4/3 mount lenses. Is anyone using them with the 4/3 to m4/3 adapter? Does the auto focus work on them? I'm using an E-pl1. The reason I ask is I'm considering selling my DSLR gear, but I know I'm going to miss my Sigma lens. I have an adapter to use it as a manual lens but I would love to have control over aperture and the ability to utilize the auto focus.

Read this thread posted 13 months ago. Discusses the same issue.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1041&message=33888034

Search

Sigma Lenses + Adapter.... Autofocus?

dohdoh

Senior Member

Brent Gair

Leading Member

PhotoMED

Forum Enthusiast

Eric MORAND

Active member

Brent Gair

Leading Member

Brent Gair

Leading Member

saghost

Senior Member

Paul Pasco

Forum Pro

PhotoMED

Forum Enthusiast

PhotoMED

Forum Enthusiast

Willgo

Forum Enthusiast

toon12

Leading Member

dohdoh

Senior Member

Vaughan Williams

Leading Member

Vaughan Williams

Leading Member

dohdoh

Senior Member

PhotoMED

Forum Enthusiast

Similar threads

Keyboard shortcuts