Lensrentals tested the newly released Sigma 35mm f/1.4 which is also available for Sony A-mount at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (click here). And Roger writes: “So I’m clear, this copy of the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 was a bit better in the center and clearly better in the corners than the best copy of the Canon 35mm f/1.4 I’ve ever tested. For the Nikonians amongst us, the Nikon 35mm f/1.4 tested on a D3x resolves almost identically to the Canon.” Sounds amazing or not? I am rpetty sure now that the Sigma will beat the Sony 35mm f/1.4 lens (here at Amazon) on both fronts…image quality and price. Some more Sigma 35mm f/1.4 image samples can be sen at DC.watch (Shot on a Canon).
And if you want to spend even less money than check out the Samyang 35mm f/1.4 lens review at Photographyblog: “If you don’t mind the lack of auto-focusing or big-brand name, we can heartily recommend the Samyang 35mm f/1.4 ED AS UMC as a fantastic and affordable ultra-wide prime lens for full-frameDSLR owners.” In US you can find it as Rokinon at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and on [shoplink 7453 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. In Europe the name is Samyang and you can find it on [shoplink 7380 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and with the name Wallimex again on [shoplink 7831 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
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P.S.: Links to the newly announced Samyang/Rokinon lenses:
8mm f/3.5 fisheye at Amazon, BHphoto,
14mm f/2.8 at Amazon, BHphoto,
24mm f/1.4 at Amazon, BHphoto,
35mm f/1.4 at Amazon, BHphoto,
85mm f/1.4 at Amazon, BHphoto,
28 Responses
Best news I’ve heard all day.
I will buy this lens for sure, always love Sigma’s colour, i find their build to be good too.
obviously, pricing is very attractive compare to Sony’s, Canon L and Nikon. This should sell well.
Sigma, please make 24mm F1.4 and 135mm F1.8 or F2 !
any words on this lens will work on the A99 AF range function?
What do you need the AF-Range for with a 35mm lens?
It would certainly be nice to have an AF 24/1.4 in our mount, seeing as Sony doesn’t think we’re worthy of that.
That Samyang 35 1.4 is amazing ….. extremely sharp, good color & good bokeh. 1/3 price of the Canon’s one. There is no reason not buying it for your Sony SLT which has peaking function to assist MF – without pain !
Admin:
It may be less expensive but it is not “cheap” or “cheaper”. 🙂
There is a big qualitative difference in the use of inexpensive vs cheap.
Among these four crops I would still give Canon 5D III an edge, a very slight one nonetheless.
Too bad the bokeh is horrible. Now that I have a full frame DSLR again, I’m going back to the Samyang 35mm, unless the Minolta 35/1.4 goes down in price soon.
Is the bokeh really horrible? That’s very disappointing…bokeh has really been Sigma’s strong suit with their fast primes over the last few years.
Canon’s and Nikon’s own 35/1.4 primes also have horrible bokeh.
When to japanese site and saw samples. Bokeh is no match for one from 135mm STF but they are far from “horrible”. It has simple neutral bokeh. Infact I would consider it on the creamier side.
Could we get one of these for the E mount as well please Sigma?
Roger does tremendous job since nobody including Zeiss publishes figures for sample variation. Never. Resolution of the best Canon glass varies within +/-13%. This is amazing! I assume this figure to be 50% for Samyang because they don’t check their lenses, apparently. Sigma is very ambitious and very open in this respect. I’m waiting for Roger’s test results impatiently.
I count Sony 35mm f1.4 lens as most overpriced lens ever. Its IQ is so bad and price is 3.5 times higher than 50mm f1.4 which has far better IQ.
My 35/1.4 is sharper and better in all respects than my 50/1.4.
Sample variation?
You must be lucky, the Sony 35mm f1.4 is pants.
I’m glad I’m not the only one that noticed the bokeh isn’t the best, but since I need something sharp and fast, I might have to get this anyway.
On the Photographyblog review: did we lose the definition of ultra-wide? To me 35 mm is a standard lens, even on FF, though others might call it a light wide lens. Ultra-wide at FF starts with 24 mm and below.
Yea… I was wondering that myself. Since when 35mm is ultra-wide?
o_O
Hope the table they putted in there isn’t as reliable as this sentence…
Would they have confused it with the (ultra wide) Samyang 8mm ?
Yeah, 35mm is pretty much were wide ends as far a wide goes for a lens.
I wouldn’t describe the bokeh as horrible – I could happily live with it… The Sony 35mm f1.4 arguably has better bokeh, but in all other respects the Sigma completely outclasses it. The Sigma’s definitely looking like the best choice if you want an AF 35mm for a Sony…
Does anyone know which is the lens ID?
You mentioned the Samyang as well and I might as well point this out since I didn’t see it mentioned:
Bower, one of Samyang’s alternate names, is on a $75 discount in the big sites you mentioned. It’s making an already cheap and decently sharp lens line even more reasonable to get.
buy a 1dx and buy a 135 f2 canon so you can sleep well
The bokeh does seem a little harsh, which is surprising since the 50/1.4 has perhaps the best bokeh of any of my lenses (other than the 135/STF, but that’s not entirely fair). The prevailing wisdom is that for fast lenses, there is a tradeoff between sharpness and bokeh. I’m not sure it is as clear a tradeoff as some might think.
The sharpness is not everything. 1.4/35 by Minolta/Sony is less sharp but its picture is more attractive, standing closer to 85 or 135 mm lenses.
I have two Sony 35 1.4G. One used as backup lens, and these 35Gs cant be missing in my bag when I shoot events, they may not be the sharp lens when it comes to corners @ wide open f stop, it doesnt mean Sony 35G is not sharp at all, but colors and bokeh is super CREAMY and photo pops out with 3D look, dont ask me why because its Minolta magic baby!!! Sharp maynot be the only thing that can please my clients, well, I still want to see more sample photos of this sigma 35.