I’ve been enjoying the Sony Nex-5 camera I got a few months ago with both the original 16mm pancake lens and the 18-55mm zoom lens which came in the double lens kit offered by Sony Japan. As I noted before when I posted I’m not a pro in any way when it comes to photograpy and this is the first time I’ve owned a interchangeable lens camera of some sort.
I’ve been very happy with the camera so far but I’ve decided to get some new lenses to try out now that there are so many adapters available for the Nex series.
My first foray into aftermarket lenses is the Sigma Japan 30mm F1.4 DC Wide Angle prime lens which according to Sigma: “built for professional use, is a high quality prime lens suitable for professional use delivering outstanding optical performance for the discerning photographer. As a large aperture standard lens for digital cameras with a fast 1.4 aperture makes hand held shooting in dim light possible. 30mm corresponds to the diagonal of the imaging sensor found on most small ship cameras and as such, functions as a “normal” lens closely replicating the human eye’s field of vision.”
- For use with smaller chip APS-c and 4/3 cameras only
- HSM (Hyper-Sonic Motor) ensures a quiet & high-speed auto focus
- Aspherical glass elements offer correction for distortion
- Special Low Dispersion (SLD) & ELD (Extraordinary Low Dispersion)glass provides optimum color correction & sharpness
I read a lot of positive reviews on the web about this lens and its fast performance so i can’t wait to try it out. One of the reviews that definitely influenced me was by cult internet video reviewer Jetdaisuke from Japan who reviews everything from electronic gadgets to food to toys and to music and other strange and interesting items from Japan. He has over 1150 videos on Youtube and over 19000 subscribers… funny guy. His videos aren’t the most technical or even opinionated, they are funny and entertaining.
I look forward to taking all kinds of pictures with the new lens including golf clubs, dog and people pics and of course food!
How do you find focusing on this lens T?
I know some people have had focusing issues with this lens and have had to have it recalibrated by Sigma. It’s not an issue for me on the Nex as the Nex cannot autofocus with this lens anyway. It’s manual focus all the way. Pictures though so far are very very good!
Why did you buy a lens which only works manually on your NEX? Silly man! Especially when you’re most likely taking photos of your golf clubs one-handed? You would want your lens to be able to focus automatically as you hold the camera with one hand, right? Bad investment. You should return it and get an auto-focus lens. You’re not going to care about its low-light capability – TRUST me on that. After a while, you’re going to frustrate yourself with the manual focus, and this lens is going to sit in your closet.
Dude, I use a camera for more than just taking golf club pictures. There are NO other autofocus lens now for the Nex. I own both that came with the kit. The Nex-5 body can’t drive the autofocus motor of any lens except Nex lenses. so far I love the lens, I don’t use it for golf clubs, unless they are artsy shots laid down on the ground. There are many scenarios where you can use manual focus and manual control… isn’t that why you own all those DSLR’s? I do care about its low light capability because adding the external flash to the nex is a pain in the ass and honestly I have not even mounted it once yet. Neither current nex lens can do same low light performance so this lens is a keeper. Pictures so far are beautiful!
Also remember I live in Japan, these lenses are not big investments… they are very cheap used and this is a great lens to add to the collection.
As you can see so far, not one golf picture:
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/9552608634/invite/8AC7D2BCB4E54560887AF2CC19C5C5A2
Lol GT. You make me laugh. Really skilled photographers often do everything manually. It is a better way of unending photography, so we should all have to manually focus now and then. But I bet you are not so serious about photography, as you dismiss a fast lens because of lack of af!
@Kragom – NOT true. Skilled photographers THESE days DO NOT use manual lenses, at all, actually. They all use excellent fast-response auto-focus lenses – including fashion, sports and nature photographers. Really IN THIS DAY AND AGE, manual is phasing itself out – unless you’re shooting Medium or Large format, and FILM, to boot. I know – I am one of them that shoot fashion and sport for money and nature and art photos for hobby. And yes I’ve got those GIANT long lenses.
@Gocchin – OK, OK OK, it’s cheap. That says it all, really.
More and more photographers are shooting with MF and the NEX since that’s all they can do. The NEX is definitely becoming a favorite of many enthusiasts like this guy who paired it with a classic looking voitglander
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6431162#post6431162
Luv your pics. With the new firmware V3 out, does it help in communicating with the Sigma? Does it do AF now? Is there a dial for aperture control? if not does the nex communicate with lense to control aperture?
Even before the firmware update, the nex could already communicate aperture settings with the Sigma.
After the firmware update though the lens still does not AF because it doesn’t use HSM. Sigma has already said that older lenses probably won’t AF with the nex anyway without re chipping or being upgraded.
Has anyone tried the Sigma with the Sony LA-EA1 and Firmware v03 in the meantime? In theory this adapter together with the firmware upgrade should enable AF on lenses which have — like the Sigma with its HSM technology — a built-in AF motor. Any idea?
If this doesn’t work on the NEX, it seems more sensible to me to take a A33/A55 when using the Sigma 30.
Your Message@Mister X:
The Sigma won’t autofocus with the Nex even with the adapter and new firmware. The 30mm doesn’t have HSM and Sigma has said most of their lenses anyway will probably have to be rechipped.
I tried my 30mm on a new a33 and it worked flawlessly. Considering a a33/55 as well.
Hi, when u’re adjusting the aperture, will the blades move along, or the body will hold on to it?
Post: “HSM (Hyper-Sonic Motor) ensures a quiet & high-speed auto focus”
Comment: “The 30mm doesn’t have HSM”
Sigma website says this does have HSM. ie an Internal Focus Motor. Ergo it should AF with the NEX adapter, no? Or is it just that you haven’t got it working? Just curious…
Oops@Paul:
Oops – I see the Sony version does NOT have HSM – sorry!
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/shop/30mm-f14-ex-dc-hsm-sigma
Thanks @ gocchin. Finally an amateur photographer who holds pro standards when it comes to finding out stuff that matters to many, including me. I go buy a nex-5 without lenses, and use my old Nikon lenses with it. No AF, but who needs that? I don’t miss it it on my new Mamiya, nor on my old 1971 Hasselblad.
Your Message@GT:
You are one of the bigger photographic fools I have met in my 8 years of photography. One of the better photographers around today, Patrick Demarchelier, uses an all manual focus Mamiya with a digital back. My photography friend frank, who has been a photographer for almost 50 years, probably before you were born, uses a manual focus manual exposure Mamiya too. The only people who really use auto gear are sport photographers. I can out run many who autofocus with a Nikon manual lens on my 5D because I have trained myself to focus it. These lenses are probably half the price and are as good if not better. They are also built like a brick outhouse. Back to the point. I would say 9/10 of the best photos ever taken were completely manual. FOOL! I would put my money that most amateurs take better photos than you, a supposed professional. Just because you have long lenses doesn’t make you good. My dad has long lenses and he is no better than me.
I own a NEX 5 and am looking for lens options. What kind of mount adapter did you use for mounting this sigma lens?
Sony already launched mount-adaptor for NEX-5 compatible with other lens.
The owners of NEX only need to wait the trigger and/or hot shoe for NEX version so we can connect with studio lighting.
The Sigma is an alpha lens made for sony so I used the standard LA-EA1 nex-5 alpha adapter. I’ve also used Leica M and Leica R adapters which produce some very awesome results with Leica lenses and yes… with manual focus. (^_^)
I have no theard that. You got a site for more information?
Your Message@Ruby:
Hey! Does it work with the Sigma 55-200 mm and the LA-EA1 alpha adapter? I’ve got a NEX 3.
I just got a Metabones (Japanese) adapter for the NEX-5, and using it with my Mikkor F1.4D lens the results are excellent.
I’m glad to see GT has been laughed off this discussion – he is both arrogantly rude AND pig-ignorant.
Although I have a Nikon D80 camera, it is in quite bad shape, doesn’t do video, and is bulkier than the NEX-5 with combo.
I have to say, I enjoy using the manual focus because it is more WYSIWYG, and forces one to really look at overall composition. And also, (slightly shallow reason perhaps) it looks unique and unusual. Aesthetically, I enjoy the oddness of the device, rather than the ubiquity of the DSLRs.
I just got my first non-kit lens with my nex-5 and I also choose the Sigma 30mm 1.4 lens via sony’s la-ea1 adapter. That’s how I found your website as I have the exact same setup now.
My photos are very noisy and look awful! I have been through all the settings numerous and I’m dumbfounded as this lens has gotten numerous glowing reviews!
I’ve turned off D-R, ISO is on the lowest setting 200, great custom white balance, perfectly focused using the 14x manual focus zoom aid, exposure is set correctly…… and still pictures look noisy and pixelated compared to the 18-55mm kit lens that comes with the nex-5 . Am I doing something wrong?