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Best 24mm
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PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Sigma Super-Wide I had was nowhere near the level of the Nikon and Konica 24mms I have, it wasn't as good as my Hoya (Tokina) 24mm either.

Maybe this says more about Sigma's QC than anything else, it would explain how some people can think it's a great lens and others think it's not very good.


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 2:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
The Sigma Super-Wide I had was nowhere near the level of the Nikon and Konica 24mms I have, it wasn't as good as my Hoya (Tokina) 24mm either.

Maybe this says more about Sigma's QC than anything else, it would explain how some people can think it's a great lens and others think it's not very good.


I think you make an excellent point, and it is very well taken. While it's fun for us to opine here regarding the various MF lenses, too often we pay scant heed to variations lens to lens. Add to that the fact many of our lenses are acquired in used condition, with unknowable provenance. It's no wonder our experiences, with the very same lens brand and model, can vary so widely!

Finally, and especially with a (primarily) third party manufacturer such as Sigma, there is an added consideration:

Sigma made the "Wide" series lenses (for example) to be fitted to many different camera bodies having a variety of register distances. So how did the splendid designers at Sigma pull this off? Did they mess with the lens barrels/mounts? Did they alter the optical parameters because doing so was less expensive than changing barrels? Or did they use a combination of the above-mentioned solutions? While I don't know the answer to that, not having been at Sigma "back in the day", I can understand that such lens-to-lens differences, mandated by need to achieve (whatever) register distance, could have resulted in lenses within the same series providing nevertheless a different photographic experience.


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excalibur wrote:
Why are you guys surprised the Sigma super wide II is a good lens Rolling Eyes 3-4 years ago, here and at other forums they were saying it's a hidden gem....so I got mine for £8 Cool


MF lens aficionados need to pool their money and hire a scientist to create for us a time machine. With time travel we could go back, even ten years, and clean up!!

Your £8 lens sells routinely today for north of £60 . . . . at least here in North America they do. Sad

Congratulations! You are a winner in life's lottery.

http://www.ebay.com/csc/i.html?_sacat=0&_nkw=sigma+super+wide&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc


Last edited by guardian on Thu May 23, 2013 3:14 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
The Sigma Super-Wide I had was nowhere near the level of the Nikon and Konica 24mms I have, it wasn't as good as my Hoya (Tokina) 24mm either.

Maybe this says more about Sigma's QC than anything else, it would explain how some people can think it's a great lens and others think it's not very good.


Well true about QC, but did you try the Sigma on a film camera Question


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 3:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

guardian wrote:
Excalibur wrote:
Why are you guys surprised the Sigma super wide II is a good lens Rolling Eyes 3-4 years ago, here and at other forums they were saying it's a hidden gem....so I got mine for £8 Cool


MF lens aficionados need to pool their money and hire a scientist to create for us a time machine. With time travel we could go back, even ten years, and clean up!!

Your £8 lens sells routinely today for north of £70 . . . . at least here in North America they do. Sad

Congratulations! You are a winner in life's lottery.



The secret is to have a film camera as a Canon FD Sigma wasn't popular back then. Wink


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excalibur wrote:
guardian wrote:
Excalibur wrote:
Why are you guys surprised the Sigma super wide II is a good lens Rolling Eyes 3-4 years ago, here and at other forums they were saying it's a hidden gem....so I got mine for £8 Cool


MF lens aficionados need to pool their money and hire a scientist to create for us a time machine. With time travel we could go back, even ten years, and clean up!!

Your £8 lens sells routinely today for north of £70 . . . . at least here in North America they do. Sad

Congratulations! You are a winner in life's lottery.



The secret is to have a film camera as a Canon FD Sigma wasn't popular back then. Wink


Yup. I did go back and amend my (earlier) post just a bit. And I added a reference.


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excalibur wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
The Sigma Super-Wide I had was nowhere near the level of the Nikon and Konica 24mms I have, it wasn't as good as my Hoya (Tokina) 24mm either.

Maybe this says more about Sigma's QC than anything else, it would explain how some people can think it's a great lens and others think it's not very good.


Well true about QC, but did you try the Sigma on a film camera Question


Makes no difference whether on film or digital, that is a spurious point.

I bought the Sigma brand new in 1994, it did the job but I was never happy with it.


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 3:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Excalibur wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
The Sigma Super-Wide I had was nowhere near the level of the Nikon and Konica 24mms I have, it wasn't as good as my Hoya (Tokina) 24mm either.

Maybe this says more about Sigma's QC than anything else, it would explain how some people can think it's a great lens and others think it's not very good.


Well true about QC, but did you try the Sigma on a film camera Question


Makes no difference whether on film or digital, that is a spurious point.

I bought the Sigma brand new in 1994, it did the job but I was never happy with it.


Well are you saying any old lens gives the same results no matter what digital camera you use (like for like) Question

This member seems to like his Sigma
http://forum.mflenses.com/comparison-pentax-24mm-sigma-super-wide-ii-24mm-t23367,highlight,%2Bsigma+%2B24mm.html


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I should add more on my own experience with the Sigma Super Wide 2. I got it initially for my Pentax since Pentax does not have too many affordable 24's. It was a AF version (Pentax KAF) and I love it. I also have Pentax 21, 43, 50 and 77. I also have other prime lens from Zeiss, Canon, Nikon, Konica and others. So I am familiar with good lenses.

The IQ of the Sigma SW2-24 matched those of my other good lenses. It became my favourite since I like 24 focal length in digital. Unfortunately I lost it in one of my trips. I missed it so much I replaced it with another one at about $200 about 2 years ago, also KAF. The IQ is similar but my feeling was it was just not quite as good as the first one but very close. It was this second one that I tested with the other 24mm lenses on a Nex5N (manual focused) and it still came out ahead. Please note that both my Sigma24 are the later AF and coated versions. I have no experience with the older manual focus versions.

My surprise was not with the Sigma but that the Nikon did not come out ahead and that the Miranda came out second, just ahead of the Nikon and others. I don't know who made the Miranda (a KA mount). I got it by accident since it came with an old film camera and other lenses I bought as a package for about $75. Now I mainly use the Miranda on my Nex5N (manual focus) and the Sigma on my Pentax 5 (AF). the Miranda is smaller and lighter than the Nikon and others.

Brian


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excalibur wrote:

Well are you saying any old lens gives the same results no matter what digital camera you use (like for like) Question


No, of course not. I'm saying that a crap lens is a crap lens, whether you put it on a film camera or a digital camera.

However, sometimes 35mm film, particularly C41 colour print film, can hide some of the flaws of a lens, particularly in sharpness.


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Excalibur wrote:

Well are you saying any old lens gives the same results no matter what digital camera you use (like for like) Question


No, of course not. I'm saying that a crap lens is a crap lens, whether you put it on a film camera or a digital camera.

However, sometimes 35mm film, particularly C41 colour print film, can hide some of the flaws of a lens, particularly in sharpness.



Well we agree on Hexanon lenses Wink


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 5:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I think it's pretty obvious that 24mm f2.8 Sigma has no place in the "The best 24mm lens ever" thread, even though it might be a very good lens. I would be very much surprised if any Sigma belongs to "best ever" thread (unless it's "best ever Sigma" thread) and that's coming from someone who likes his Sigma 90mm f2.8 macro very much and confessed to using it more than Contax G Sonnar.


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 5:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

fermy wrote:
Well, I think it's pretty obvious that 24mm f2.8 Sigma has no place in the "The best 24mm lens ever" thread, even though it might be a very good lens. I would be very much surprised if any Sigma belongs to "best ever" thread (unless it's "best ever Sigma" thread) and that's coming from someone who likes his Sigma 90mm f2.8 macro very much and confessed to using it more than Contax G Sonnar.


Well I suppose not, but the thread drifts because how many members have the experience of owning a selection of the fabulous, expensive, 24mms in the world. Wink


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 5:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

fermy wrote:
Well, I think it's pretty obvious that 24mm f2.8 Sigma has no place in the "The best 24mm lens ever" thread, even though it might be a very good lens. I would be very much surprised if any Sigma belongs to "best ever" thread (unless it's "best ever Sigma" thread) and that's coming from someone who likes his Sigma 90mm f2.8 macro very much and confessed to using it more than Contax G Sonnar.


Finally, the voice of reason.


PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TSherman wrote:
16:9.net did an amazingly thorough 24mm comparison the "24mm world cup" crowning the zuiko. Its a beautiful little lens, definitely the smallest of the full frame 24s. It even stacks up pretty well against canon's 24 1.4 That said I recently sold my copy because I hated the ultra short focus throw so much.

Yep : "The Olympus is astoundingly good at f5.6-8 at distance, and produced the highest resolution captures of anything shot thus far at 24mm"
and
"Centre frame, the Olympus just outresolves the Sigma and Yashica" (f2.Cool
Well, my copy is not astounding at f2.8...


PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2013 6:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.16-9.net/lens_tests/24mmcup/final/24mm_final13.html

Ok thread ends as the Canon 24mm f1.4 L is the best in the world Wink


PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2013 6:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excalibur wrote:
http://www.16-9.net/lens_tests/24mmcup/final/24mm_final13.html

Ok thread ends as the Canon 24mm f1.4 L is the best in the world Wink


and they compare these lenses agains each other: Canon 24mm f1.4 L v Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 v Olympus 24mm f2.8
what an unfair world! Very Happy


PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2013 6:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

hoanpham wrote:
Excalibur wrote:
http://www.16-9.net/lens_tests/24mmcup/final/24mm_final13.html

Ok thread ends as the Canon 24mm f1.4 L is the best in the world Wink


and they compare these lenses agains each other: Canon 24mm f1.4 L v Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 v Olympus 24mm f2.8
what an unfair world! Very Happy


It would be unfair if someone paid about £1000 for the Canon 24mm F1.4L and it wasn't the best in the world Laughing


PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2013 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for all the comments and suggestions

Anyway that's the Pentax A-24/2.8 just yesterday on the nex5








and here the link to the full res versions
http://www.telltale.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC1967.jpg
http://www.telltale.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC1968.jpg
http://www.telltale.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC1969.jpg


PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2013 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excalibur wrote:
http://www.16-9.net/lens_tests/24mmcup/final/24mm_final13.html

Ok thread ends as the Canon 24mm f1.4 L is the best in the world Wink


There was a test showing that FD 24mm f2 beats 24mm f1.4 L. Ahh here it is. http://home.comcast.net/~starka/24mm/24mmIntro.htm As all similar tests, it's just one copy v another copy, so the results must be taken with a grain of salt...


PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2013 11:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Carl Zeiss Biogon 25/2.8 ZM T* is the best Smile


PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2013 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ForenSeil wrote:
Carl Zeiss Biogon 25/2.8 ZM T* is the best Smile

I found out that it costs the same (or more) as Zeiss 1.8/24 E-mount.

Rick1779 wrote:
...I was just wondering a bit on different possibilities excluding the espensive AF Zeiss in E-Mount

This Zeiss lens 1.8/24 E-mount, might be the best I have used so far - consider image quality, small size, light weight, and AF.


PostPosted: Fri May 24, 2013 1:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

fermy wrote:

There was a test showing that FD 24mm f2 beats 24mm f1.4 L. Ahh here it is. http://home.comcast.net/~starka/24mm/24mmIntro.htm As all similar tests, it's just one copy v another copy, so the results must be taken with a grain of salt...


Well that saves me spending out £1000 for the L lens Wink


PostPosted: Sat May 25, 2013 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ForenSeil wrote:
Carl Zeiss Biogon 25/2.8 ZM T* is the best Smile


I understand that the new Zeiss 25/2 is much improved over the old biogon. But it also depends what one is shooting on. On Nikon D800E one may see a lot of difference, but on NEX-3C a lot less.


PostPosted: Sun May 26, 2013 12:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

fermy wrote:
Excalibur wrote:
http://www.16-9.net/lens_tests/24mmcup/final/24mm_final13.html

Ok thread ends as the Canon 24mm f1.4 L is the best in the world Wink


There was a test showing that FD 24mm f2 beats 24mm f1.4 L. Ahh here it is. http://home.comcast.net/~starka/24mm/24mmIntro.htm As all similar tests, it's just one copy v another copy, so the results must be taken with a grain of salt...


I read one test where somebody compared his 24mm f1.4L to samyang 24mm 1.4 (for use in aurora photography), and after the test he sold the L lens and kept the samyang, because the samyang was so way much better.