Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 for Canon back in Stock

For some reason this lens has had fairly consistent stock in Canada

I just bought my Sigma 18-35mm EF mount along with Speedbooster about two weeks ago. I also purchased the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 ART lens which is another beast

This lens has transformed my GH4 into a completely different camera. I used to exclusively use the native Panny 12-35mm, 35-100mm f/2.8 lenses on my GH4 and while these are beautiful lenses in right the conditions, they were difficult to use in low light.

I can now use my GH4 in ridiculously low light situations which would have been near impossible with the Panny lenses. Shoot in 4K, down res to 1080 and the noise is virtually invisible. Really amazing lens combo. I can also use it on my FS700 and my 70D
 
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CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! Do you want video stills or photo? I only do video so still photos would be auto mode. :D Nature buildings or what?
 
A bit back I ran some non-scientific testing of most of my 14-35 range lenses. Downsides for general purposes are that I tested at GH4's 1080 50Mbps mode (which I was using for the project). Anyway, I shot lenses at f1.4, 2.8, 4, and 8 at focal lengths of 14, ~18, ~25, and 35, all on the same general scene, focused on the first t-post midway along the fence. Generally tried to work quick so daylight didn't change much, adjusted exposure with shutter angle and tried to get each within the same reading on the exposure meter. Noted a few operational flubs, i.e. the 12-35 and 14-140 didn't hold their focus after I zoomed back out so their wider-open shots aren't focused in the same location as the others. Probably got focus off here and there slightly. All lenses were wearing their stock hoods (or lack thereof). Pic profile was Natural 0.

Anyway, here were the 12-35 and 18-35 (boosted and unboosted) at ~25mm, f2.8 frame grabs, for whatever they're worth to anyone:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14657667/lenses at 2.8/12-35_25_f2.8.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14657667/lenses at 2.8/S18-35_25_f2.8.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14657667/lenses at 2.8/SB18-35_25_f2.8.jpg


If anyone wants the whole megillah (Lumix 12-35, 14-140, PanaLeica 25 and 14-50/2.8-3.5, Sigma 18-35 (boosted + non), Sigma 50-150 (boosted @35mm), Vivitar 28-80, Voigtlander 17.5, and Leica-R 28/2.8 and 35/1.4), here's a .zip
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14657667/1080-50 test Stills.zip


I'll likely retry again sometime in 4K, with a bit more precision
 
wwjd said:
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! Do you want video stills or photo? I only do video so still photos would be auto mode. :D Nature buildings or what?
Click to expand...

Video with some people in it would be great.

Mcbob - thanks for the side-by-sides! It actually looks like the SB is out of focus compared to the Lumix. Was that on purpose?
 
I'll see if I can bang something out in the next week with both lenses set at their optimal settings: usually F4 -ish
 
SuperSet said:
Video with some people in it would be great.

Mcbob - thanks for the side-by-sides! It actually looks like the SB is out of focus compared to the Lumix. Was that on purpose?
Click to expand...

Nope, not on purpose... and you're right, the focus on the 12-35 shifted when I zoomed out from the green u-post midway along the fence to the middle wooden post. Sigma held focus zooming out on that same green u-post. Not sure why the Lumix shifted, but oh well.
 
i dont know the "tech", but heard the Sigma MIGHT BE "parafocal" where it keeps the same focus during zoom? Yes, the 12-35mm kinda changes and comes back to close, zooming end to end.

If I had to choose one or the other, I would get the 12-35mm 2.8 for all its automating features: auto-focus, OIS, apeture... well, I DID buy it already having the Sigma 1.8. The sog looks great, does better in low light, but that is about the only advantage. There are more disadvantages: lack of aperture change without a canon body or newest SPEED BOOSTER with controls... just a lot to fuss with. The 2.8 stays on mine MOST of the time, then I switch out occasionally for sigma or prime. Sigma weighs twice the camera, 2.8 weighs half (just guessing) making carrying a different experience as well.

I'll still take some pics for ya, but both are really great. Feature sets are different.
 
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Here's the skinny on the Sigma 18-35... it's only as parfocal as its adapter will allow it to be. If the adapter is EXACTLY the right length, the lens will be parfocal... otherwise, not so much. Same with the Sigma 50-150.

Even good adapters aren't always perfect, and tend towards being slightly too short to ensure infinity focus.

The Metabones Speeedbooster adapter can be collimated by adjusting the booster element (Metabones gives instructions on how to do this), and some dumb adapters (i.e. Metabones, some Fotodiox) can be brought to the proper spec by adding shims of black wrap or the like underneath one of the mounting flanges (between the flange and body of the adapter). It takes a lens with precise witness marks and a tape measure, but you only have to do it once per adapter.

The 12-35 is a weird thing... splendidly compact and indispensable for stills shooting on the GHs, but there's that dang zoom flicker, and it's electronically parfocal... sometimes it will adjust properly as you zoom out, sometimes it just says 'feh' and does whatever.
 
new info... with my 12-35mm, weirdest thing: after manually focusing on a thing, and moving the zoom really slowly back out, I see out of focus foreground stuff kind wavering in and out of focus at even intervals during the zoom, like fly by wire is adjusting the focus per zoom setting to try to KEEP focus, all the while making focus jiggery? Does that make sense?

Also did a quick zoom for a production and it seems the focus at start and finish was okay, but inbetween moved in or out - I forget which - it was a FAST ZOOM on purpose, maybe that confused the focus adjuster doo dad..... this was in MANUAL FOCUS as I use that almost exclusively
 
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