Sigma 30mm brings me back to my NEX-3

[JJJPhoto]

I haven't been using my NEX-3 as much as my other cameras over the last few months because I wasn't overly happy with the native E-mount lenses I owned and I felt almost depressed over the fact that I "needed" to use my legacy lenses on my NEX-3 to get ideal image sharpness most of the time. That changed today with the arrival of my Sigma 30mm f/2.8 lens from B&H. I won't say this is the best lens I own but I absolutely will say it's the best native E-mount lens I own. I took this snapshot of my daughter using the 30mm wide open at f/2.8 and I'm VERY pleased with these results ... particularly for a lens that only costs $200:

NEX-3    E 30mm F2.8    30mm    f/2.8    1/50s    ISO 640

 

[madmaxmedia]

I can't find this lens anywhere right now!

I agree with you on the current E lens lineup. Interestingly the kit zoom and 16mm look a lot better to me on the NEX-5N, due to CA correction and better JPEG processing. But I still prefer a regular normalish to wide prime.

 

[Dioptrick]

I took this snapshot of my daughter...

Cool pic!

Have you tried the facial recognition shutter? I think the NEX can be set-up to take the shot automatically the moment your subject smiles...

 

[JJJPhoto]

I haven't tried the smile shutter in large part because I think sometimes a great portrait happens when someone isn't smiling. Heck, one of my mother-in-law's favorite photos of my son is a shot I took when he was crying. I think conveying emotion is more important to a portrait than a great smile ... But that is just a matter of opinion.

 

[madmaxmedia]

Just use the cry shutter for those-

 

[david6785]

very happy with the photo samples ive seen of the sigma 30 around the net. should have mine any day now yeppie.

 

[david6785]

i was very very close to buying the zeiss lense glad i waited for the sigma. i can't believe how much sony is dropping the ball on lenses for the nex. nex lenses are selling out as soon as they come in.

 

[JJJPhoto]

I am also glad I decided to cancel my Zeiss preorder. The tests over at SLRgear.com suggest the Sigma gives roughly similar image quality to the Zeiss from 2.8 onward but for a faction of the cost. The build quality is MUCH cheaper on the Sigma and I can't open the lens up past f/2.8 but the Sigma is dirt cheap and it's smaller and lighter than the Zeiss.

 

[Poki]

Very nice lens indeed! Regarding the Zeiss lens: I got it - like I said - for a special price about 20% cheaper than normal, so it's not that bad. As of quality, I prefer the Zeiss' color rendering and I bet it resolves better on the NEX-7s 24MP sensor. But well, the nicely designed Sigma surely has its place in the NEX lens line-up (especially since the Sony 30mm is so much worse...)

 

[Amin Sabet]

Excellent shot. I sort of dismissed these Sigma lenses when they were announced, but it seems like I had it wrong. There was a nice write up of this lens at GetDPI: Sigma 30mm f2.8 DN - The GetDPI Photography Forums

I think Sigma is filling a real hole in the NEX lineup with these two lenses.

 

[JJJPhoto]

I was just like you, Amin. When I first heard about the Sigma 30mm and 19mm lenses I thought, "What a JOKE! These lenses are worthless junk." However, the more I starting thinking about it, the more I realized these might actually be GREAT lenses for the E-mount if (and it was a big "IF") they were reasonably sharp. As soon as I saw the first review of the 30mm online and saw it was actually pretty good I decided to go ahead and risk spending $200 on this lens. After I placed my order with B&H I saw the test results from the 30mm over on SLRgear and was blown away by how the optical performance at f/2.8 and onward isn't that far off from the $1,000 Zeiss. I'd love to have f/1.8 and the FAR superior build quality of the Zeiss but not for $1000.

I borrowed a friend's Zeiss 24 and used it on my NEX-3 last year and liked it but, again, couldn't justify the cost. Here is one of the shots I took with the much more expensive Zeiss last year (wide open at f/1.8 with ISO 200 and outdoors compared to the shot above which was f/2.8 with ISO 640 and indoors with the Sigma):

NEX-3    E 24mm F1.8 ZA    24mm    f/1.8    1/500s    ISO 200

Their will be a part of me that continues to lust after the Zeiss ... but my wallet (and my wife) is happier with the Sigma.

 

[madmaxmedia]

I was somewhat hopeful, since similar designs are going into the new Sigma DP cameras and those have always had great glass. But the impressions so far have exceeded my expectations given that $199 street price! I just ordered a 30mm on Amazon through Adorama (now seems out of stock again...)

They have 2 19mm right now on Amazon. I was torn between the 2 focal lengths (both work for me), and ended up going with the one that seems to have an edge in image quality.

 

[david6785]

I was just like you, Amin. When I first heard about the Sigma 30mm and 19mm lenses I thought, "What a JOKE! These lenses are worthless junk." However, the more I starting thinking about it, the more I realized these might actually be GREAT lenses for the E-mount if (and it was a big "IF") they were reasonably sharp. As soon as I saw the first review of the 30mm online and saw it was actually pretty good I decided to go ahead and risk spending $200 on this lens. After I placed my order with B&H I saw the test results from the 30mm over on SLRgear and was blown away by how the optical performance at f/2.8 and onward isn't that far off from the $1,000 Zeiss. I'd love to have f/1.8 and the FAR superior build quality of the Zeiss but not for $1000.

I borrowed a friend's Zeiss 24 and used it on my NEX-3 last year and liked it but, again, couldn't justify the cost. Here is one of the shots I took with the much more expensive Zeiss last year (wide open at f/1.8 with ISO 200 and outdoors compared to the shot above which was f/2.8 with ISO 640 and indoors with the Sigma):

NEX-3    E 24mm F1.8 ZA    24mm    f/1.8    1/500s    ISO 200

Their will be a part of me that continues to lust after the Zeiss ... but my wallet (and my wife) is happier with the Sigma.

i just got my sigma 30, its really sharp and focusing while shooting video is dead silent. im very happy with it must buy lense!!