Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

My first 1.4f lens and WOW, I have been missing out! I have a 60D and so w/ a crop sensor this is a lot better than the 50mm, which I also have (but 1.8f) and I felt that the 30mm is a lot better and easier to use indoor and around tight space

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

I had been on the fence for several months between the Sigma 30 f1.4 and the Canon 28 f1.8. My copy is spot on with focus, and produces phenomenal image quality. F/1.4 shots are sharp if you don't miss your focus with such a small depth of field, and the bokeh is absolutely gorgeous. Stop down to F/2 or F/2.8 and the image quality is through and through. In EXTREME low light, the lens does have issues focusing, but I would expect this out of any lens. The added benefit of coming with a lens hood and case is a nice touch on Sigma's side. I would purchase this lens again in a heartbeat.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

One star for decent build quality, enclosed hood. Did not focus accurately, very unsharp in corners. I returned the lens and purchased a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

I shoot mostly kids indoors every weekend.
For weddings, I shoot mostly couples and groups of guests.
I heard online that it is possible to get a defective lens with focusing issues.
I had mines for 3 weeks so far and it works great.
I was really nervous that I would get a bad copy of the lens, but luckily, I was wrong.
I recommend anyone to get this lens.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

I bought this lens for my t2i mainly for video, and is has become my new prime lens. It is excellent in low light, maintains a sharp image, and easy to pull manual focus. Overall a great lens, especially for the price.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

I decided on this lens over the Canon 28 mm f/1.8 based on reviews and the extra stop of light. I don't regret that decision. This lens is great in low light situations plus it is very light. It works well with my 7D. Another infrequently discussed use for this lens is movies which its works well for. It takes a little getting used to the shallow depth of field but any new lens has a learning curve. Decent build quality with a hood that attaches firmly.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

I bought this lens because I wanted a fast lens that was a bit wider for my Canon 60D. I have the Canon 50 1.8 and I like it, but it was a bit tight for a good walking around lens. The Sigma 30mm has turned out to be perfect for me. I shoots great wide open and produces really nice shots.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

I purchased this as my second lens as an upcoming music video director. I love the build quality of the lens with the tight focus the 30mm offers. The frame makes it so you see the drastic focus change to the image you are shooting. A very tight lens. The music video I produced with the lens quality convinced LOTS of people to work with me. Ca$h.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

Just got a Canon 7D and wanted a bright prime lens. I primarily use this camera for video, but I will give my opinion based on stills and video.
Pros:
- Fast 1.4 lens and valuable in controllable, low light situations
- Shallow DOF
- Relatively wide field of view
- Affordable for desired result
Cons:
- Loud and slow autofocus
- Definite chromatic aberration when light hits subject a certain angles
Bottom line:
I got this lens to use as a prime for shorts and indoor scenes. I was able to workaround the CA but by switching lenses. I gave 4 stars because for the price, in the right situations it is a a very effective lens. If there was IS, quiet fast AF and no CA then it would be a few hundred more dollars. If you use this for low light situations in controlled environments the results are more than pleasing.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

This lens is very fast and works excellently even in low light conditions. I decided to test in in very basic conditions... night time outdoor party, medium to low light, auto settings on camera... so that even an idiot could use it... (me) I put on my flash but turned it behind me and up... Amazing shots. Wide open, you have to get used to the shallow DOF. And you have to be careful what you are focused at... so check your pictures... but WOW what amazing shots. Definitely a keeper

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

Seemed well built and looked great when focus was right or at apertures F/2.0 or greater with a slightly larger depth of field where absolute accuracy wasn't as critical. Also seemed inconsistent - sometimes it was right on, but more often it was off. Considered getting it calibrated to my camera by Sigma for free, until I thought about what would happen when I get another camera and it doesn't focus on that body, or if a buddy wants to borrow it etc. Too much of a headache - so I am going to get the Canon 28 F/1.8 instead.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

This is my go-to "normal" lens. I like it much better than a normal zoom. Smaller with similar (17-55) or better (everything else) image quality than any of the several lenses that I've tried. For zooming I just step a little closer or farther. When too far away I put on an 85 1.8 or 200 2.8. I may opt for an UWA zoom to complete the picture, but maybe not.
I've found this to be even better than similar Canon primes. The 28 1.8 that I had was very sharp, but didn't have that nice "contrasty" look demonstrated by the Sigma 30 1.4.
And I've not experienced any of the periodically reported focus issues. I wonder if they're user error in not being up-to-speed yet with using the narrow depth-of-field of large apertures.
All in all a fantastic lens and a rare keeper. Particularly good when you travel with just one lens.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

I just bought this 2 weeks ago and up until now Im still a little bit blown away on how good the lens is - The build is so compact and solid, it's so sharp, it's silent when focusing, and it has an elegant finish.
I use the lens mostly for videos. Right now, I couldn't ask for more. But maybe as I get use to its quality, Ima have to find the next best thing again :)

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

Can be a bit soft at f/1.4 but sharp as a tack at f/2.2 and up. Auto focus is fast but can get lost in low light. Bokeh is absolutely gorgeous and extremely pleasing to the eye. Very nice build quality feels very professional. Kind of a bummer it only works on APS-C sensors, so your thinking of ever upgrading to a 5D or 1D you'll have to leave this lens behind. All in all a great lens if you want to shoot in low light and don't want to spend a ton of cash.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

It would be hard to find such quality for less than this price! The build is amazing, the weight is perfect. It just feels good to hold. The pictures are amazing with great bokeh. This thing also works great in low light. Get this lens. When doing video, though, it's hard to keep the focus on the subject with such a shallow d.o.f

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

The bokeh on this lens is amazing, and is an excellent focal length for my 7D cropped sensor. Nearly a normal 50mm in comparison to full-frame, and the auto focus is outstanding and fast.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

I use this lens for portrait photography and it is an absolute beast. Pictures are sharp and works really well in low light. Autofocus is terrible but I shoot manual focus with portrait photography anyways. Deffinately worth the money.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

I was hesitant to buy this lens due to some of the negative reviews out there. This is my first non-Canon lens. My current lineup includes the 24-105 f/4 L IS and the 70-200 f/4 L IS (both are close to perfect lenses by the way). The Sigma 30 fits in nicely to provide me with a fast normal/wide lens that I use primarily for low light and night shots. That being said, the applications for this lens are wide ranging. With a crop sensor (1.6 for my 7D) it is close to a 50mm lens that is great for walking around with.

My main concern with this lens was that a lot of people complained of "bad copies" and poor focus performance compared with the Canon lenses. I have noticed none of this. The Sigma focuses relatively quickly and accurately from what I have seen so far. Keep in mind that a lens opened to a 1.4 aperture has a VERY narrow depth of field and therefore is difficult to focus on where you want sometimes. That is not a problem with the Sigma lens, it is inherent to the lens aperture.

Very nice build quality, good size, less conspicuous compared with some Canon lenses. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

Great lens. I film wedding videos and this lense is great for low light receptions. Easy to focus and sturdy construction. Great lens for the price.

Comments about Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital:

I am often finding myself doing Fashion Photography, and I love using a prime lens, since many shots are in the evening using the glow of the sunset, or whatnot. In these cases, I want a lens that can let in lots of light and ope up wide.

Now, I WILL note that the DOF is razor thin on this lens, so I don't find myself going down to 1.4 very often, unless its for specific things (like a product photo and I want to catch just a little detail artistically).

The lens is very sharp, especially once you get into 2.8, 3.5 etc. Even at 2.0 its pretty nice!

I have NOT had any auto-focusing issues with this lens, as people think it may have. Maybe I got lucky, maybe Sigma worked out the bugs. Some people have been complaining about forward/rearward focusing tendencies. None here. :)

The build quality of the lens is great. Feels heavy enough, and makes my Canon 50mm 1/8 II looks like useless plastic. The Sigma feels professional, the finish and fit are perfect, and its overall well put together. Everything looks and feels solid, and I like the way it feels when I grab it to mount it, and love the chunkiness of it when I focus (manually).

The only thing that has me giving it 4 and not 5 stars, is the focusing (NOT the sharpness or accuracy, but rather the mechanical aspect). The auto focus motor sounds a bit... "clunky" to me when it works. Its not too loud or anything, but it is a bit cheap sounding/loose (it feels like its flopping around in there). However, the focusing works, so its just the sound/feel.

Also, I REALLY wish the focusing ring in manual mode was a bit smoother. It feels a tad rough, like it didn't have bearings or wasn't lubed. This may be because its brand new and it will wear in slowly.

Overall? Buy this lens! Great on a crop sensor like the 7D or 60D etc. I have the 7D, and I love this thing. Its my go to prime (until maybe one day, I can buy a Canon L series 35mm 1.4) .

No regrets, just buy it!