Sigma 14mm F2.8 EX Aspherical A-mount lens reviews
reviews found: 14
 dgillet#10288 date: Jun-10-2012 | |
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sharpness: 4 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 3 flare control: 1 overall: 3.4 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | missing |
| price paid: | 525USD (used) |
| positive: | Sharp Well built |
| negative: | Distortion Major flare issue |
| comment: | Distortion can be corrected by using the existing Lightroom profile (look for this lens in Canon mount) |
; 36MP| Paperinik#8197 date: Nov-6-2010 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 3 overall: 4.6 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | minolta 20 2,8 24 2,8 28 2,8 sigma 28 1,8 sony 18-55 |
| price paid: | 400 eur |
| positive: | wide fast aperture close focusing buid quality Low distortion rectilinear |
| negative: | flare |
| comment: | Very very good performance on apsc. The sharpness is very good at 2,8 in center and outstanding from f5,6 and on.It doesn't suffer of diffraction untill f18. Distortion is very very well conrolled on apsc. buid quality is excellent. Flare control is poor. |
| amantipa#6521 date: Dec-5-2009 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 3 build: 4 distortion: 5 flare control: 3 overall: 3.9 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | sony 16-105 Sigma EX DG 24-70/f2.8 sigma EX DG 24/f1.8 prime Minolta 28/2.8 |
| price paid: | 380 USD ebay |
| positive: | Low distortion rectilinear FF wide angle Sharpness wide open |
| negative: | Flare AF accuracy muted colors reports as 15mm |
| comment: | I've had a love vs "I'm not sure if I hate you" thing going with this lens for a while. The flare and focus comments from everyone are just a fact of life with this design. I don't use AF ever with this lens and for landscapes, buildingscapes and artsy that's just fine. Almost always requires some external shading like a card or your hand to control flare. The round adapter is NOT a shade, it's just for the cap. Then right when I think I'm going to sell it, I produce something really nice. My bottom line is that this is an art tool and requires a lot of TLC and attention to make it live up to it's potential but that potential can be really great, especially considering the almost complete lack of distortion on APS-C. It's only a little wider than my Sony 16-105 so I don't break it out unless I'm serious about spending some time trying to work a building or landscape. Still want to try it on FF. Colors need a little boost to match the Sony or old minolta glass. I think that a large box shade would be worth constructing. |
| jonatanmelin#6462 date: Nov-25-2009 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 4.2 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Tamron 10-24 Sigma 20 1,8 |
| price paid: | 375 EUR (Mint) |
| positive: | Sharp!!! Even wideopen! |
| negative: | Prone to flare! |
| comment: | Have in mind i use it on Aps-c, on FF it probably go pretty soft at edges and corners. But my sharpnes-tating is mostlu based on center-sharpness. And in the center its REALLY sharp at 2,8!!! Dont think smaller appertures do much in rhe center at all, but in corners you will have to have f 5.6 or f8 to achive topp-sharpnes. Ireally love Sigma EX-build!!! It feels like holding a rock! I have no experiance of filteruse but i heard that with the extra filterholder in front, you are going to have some cornerdarkness.... I mainly use it for interiors, so i hav`nt had anu problems with flare or vinjetting at all 8) If you need a really sollid and very good wideangle for ff and aps-c, go for this one!!! I first bought the Tamron 10-24, but soon i felt disapointed with the performance, and sold it and went for the sigma. Ihave not regret it even a litle thats for shore! Excuse my bad english..... |
| pawulon#5246 date: Apr-16-2009 | |
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sharpness: 5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 4.4 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sony 50/1.4 Sigma 17-70/2.8-4.5 |
| price paid: | 310 USD (used) |
| positive: | Very sharp at f/2.8 Low distortion (like for wide angle lens) |
| negative: | Can't use front filters Big sun flare, but sometimes it makes great photos. AF sometimes set focus wrong. |
| comment: | Very good quality lens. Nice look - rounded front glass. My copy sharpness at f/2.8 is like Sony 50/1.4 at f/2. |
| nonac5#5232 date: Apr-13-2009 | |
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sharpness: 2 color: 4 build: 4 distortion: 3 flare control: 3 overall: 3.2 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | nikon 10mm |
| price paid: | 600 USD (new) |
| positive: | fine for stitching panoramas |
| negative: | vigneting with full frame Sunhood quali not very sharp on the edges fuzzy colors |
| comment: | missing |
| dA100vor#4320 date: Nov-3-2008 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 4.1 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | (yet to compare) |
| price paid: | 500ish USD (used) |
| positive: | - Built like a tank (all metal) - AF seems good even in low light on f2.8 - Awesome minimum focus at 18cm! - You can put front filters on the additional round hood that slides over the built in petal 'hood' (but this causes vignetting). |
| negative: | - FLAAAAREEE (managable with the additional round hood) - the above mentioned fit-over hood causes vignetting - BIG curved front element VERY exposed - might be a bit heavy for some - reporting as a 16mm fisheye with sony software or just 15mm exif |
| comment: | I thought about having a prime lens in the range of 20mm (of course crop sensor problem there) and this came up and seemed to fit my needs. It is paired with the tamron 90mm macro. The front element is something to admire, its one sexy 'eye'! A negative is that its quite exposed and you will have to use the blower quite a bit to get rid of dust. The supplied round slide-over hood increases protection A LOT, but it does cause vignetting a bit. It will help with flaring, but depending on the angle of the light hitting the front element sometimes nothing can be done. Im impressed with the low light capabilities and f2.8 sharpness, since I find that important. To me, the weight was a benefit in achieving low shutter speeds. I think with the a700 high ISO quality this lens will let me shoot in even darker conditions handheld. - - - A note on the scoring, a lens with such a big curved front element and 'built in hood' (which is more for protection, and even then not that effective) would be a 1 BUT since there is a provided slide-over hood it gets a 3 since it really does help. Distortion seems it could be corrected in PP easily (from what I think), as for sharpness Id say a score of 4 - 4.5 for f2.8 - f4 at infinity from the shots Ive taken recently. |
| Hezu#3977 date: Aug-17-2008 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 4.3 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | KM 11-18 (and number of lenses with less wide focal lengths) |
| price paid: | missing |
| positive: | - Wide view - Fast (F2.8) - Solid build |
| negative: | - Prone to flares - Minimal integrated sun hood - Clumsy lens cap - EXIF information says 15 mm |
| comment: | After a little disappointment with KM 11-18 super-wide angle zoom, I bought an used copy of Sigma 14/2.8 in near mint condition. And I found it much superior, sure there is some distortion (expected with this focal length) and it catches lens flares quite easily, but overall I find the picture quality is very good. Update after using this also with α-900: on 35 mm film-sized sensor the view is really wide and distortions look even more obvious - at least when there is subjects with straight lines. |
| zdenek.falar#3594 date: May-14-2008 | |
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sharpness: 3.5 color: 4 build: 4 distortion: 3 flare control: 3 overall: 3.5 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | M-AF 2,8/20mm on FF |
| price paid: | 18k CZK |
| positive: | no vigneting on cameras with crop factor 1,5 may use 82mm filters with special adaptor on cameras with crop factor 1,5 |
| negative: | vigneting on full frame cameras only rear gelatine filters on full frame cameras high distorsion on full frame cameras short running of manual focusing ring (~60°) |
| comment: | D7 and A700 detect f = 15mm http://www.photodo.com/product_431_p4.html |
| ja#2948 date: Nov-21-2007 | |
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sharpness: 3 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 3 flare control: 2 overall: 3.4 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | missing |
| price paid: | missing |
| positive: | Solid build |
| negative: | Flare, lens hood, chromatic aberration |
| comment: | missing |
| homo07#2776 date: Sep-25-2007 | |
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sharpness: 4 color: 4 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 2 overall: 3.8 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Sigma 17-35/2.8-4 EX, Minolta 24/2.8, Canon 14/2.8 II |
| price paid: | 440 Euro (new) |
| positive: | Very well built. Heavy. Good contrast and nice colors. Very good sharpness. Excellent handling. Price. Minimal focal distance. |
| negative: | Flare. Rear filter set up (I dont like it). Distortion (just to have mentioned it) |
| comment: | Generally a very good lens. Sharpness and contrast is good, stopped down very good, of course with an unavoidable decent to the border. On a digital body (crop) its nearly negligible, on film it might be troublesome...I shot some reportages and it didn´t matter anytime. The flare is the very huge problem of this lense, because of the really big front element. Shooting outdoor against the sun might be a problem. Stopping down doesn´t help, so you have to live with that. In general I am very happy with that lens and I just can recommend it. For ultra wide it is an excellent solution for minolta/sony-bodys. Of course it can´t take on the excellent lenses from Canon or Nikon( sorry for that), but...who cares for that price ... ;) |
| laguire#2685 date: Sep-3-2007 | |
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sharpness: 4 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 3 overall: 4.4 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | 18-70 kit lens. sigma 20 1.8. |
| price paid: | 400 usd (used) |
| positive: | Sharp in the center at 2.8. good corner to corner at F8 |
| negative: | Softer in the corners at 2.8. Big exposed front lens. Flare can be bad but what you would expect for a full-frame 14mm lens |
| comment: | missing |
| seagr112#708 date: Apr-22-2006 | |
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sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 3 overall: 4.3 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I have experience with this lens |
| compared to: | missing |
| price paid: | missing |
| positive: | Ultra wide angle of view Beautiful build Nice optical performance, especially with aps-c sized sensor Fast, quiet AF Ultra close focusing |
| negative: | Protruding front element No front filter thread Ineffective contiguous hood Flare Heavy |
| comment: | The crop factor issue inherent to the aps-c sensor size necessitates the use of an UWA lens in order to get any semblance of a wide angle view on these DSLRs. With my 7D, I knew I wanted an UWA lens and debated the purchase of this lens versus a competitor's, or one of the UWA zooms (Tamron/Minolta 11-18 and Sigma 10-20). . I enjoy landscape photography and shooting in tight locations and as such "needed" this lens or one like it. I decided on the Sigma 14mm due to it's superior optical performance and faster aperture, at the sacrifice of that wider angle of view offered by the zooms. The Sigma 14mm EX is almost double the price of the zooms, (I got mine used and minty at a discount.) but the price point is significantly lower and performance is equal or higher rated than the Tamron 14mm 2.8. The build is second to none on the Sigma. My experience with this lens to date is limited and I will update my review with time. So far, I'm extremely pleased with the lens, but admittedly, for the price, you would expect premium performance keeping in mind that getting a rectilinear lens at this wide angle is a complex feat of engineering. According to pro reviewers, you will note some softness near the edges wide open, but you can't expect perfection in such an optically demanding lens! I haven't enlarged anything to the degree that I've been disappointed. Of course, the APS-C sensor results in an immediate cropping of these outside edges and inherently improves lens performance at the expense of the aforementioned decreased field of view. The Sigma EX build is top notch, and the finish will likely hold up to decades of use. With all the metal and glass, the lens is relatively heavy but it is truly a beautiful lens. The downside, inherent to any lens with this angle of view is that many factors need to be considered in order to use it effectively. Lens flare is crazy due to the bulging front element and the attached hood can only do so much. You need to shade the lens with your free hand in many lighting situations. If you shoot off horizontal, you'll get wild converging lines which can be effective artistically, but not when it is a crooked horizon in a landscape or lopsided buildings or geometric lines in an architectural scene. You can't attach filters up front (there is a holder for gelatins at the back end) and while a CPL isn't recommended with the UWA, a protective UV filter may have been a nice option for all the exposed glass of this expensive lens. (but would likely contribute to even more flare in any case...) The front element is "out there"! Curious little fingers or a quick turn with camera in hand, followed by a sickening bump will likely have you thinking murderous or suicidal thoughts in quick order. This is not a walk around lens! Keep it covered with the lens "cowling" and only expose the glass for the photographic moment to minimize the risk to the front element. If you like fast lenses, excellent build and finish, and need a UWA lens that delivers a great image, I would highly recommend the Sigma 14mm f/2.8 EX. |
| simima#252 date: Nov-30-2005 | |
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sharpness: 4 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4.4 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I have experience with this lens |
| compared to: | KonicaMinolta 11-18/4.5-5.6 DT |
| price paid: | missing |
| positive: | f2.8 Build quality Sharpness from f4 |
| negative: | Sunhood Must be used carefully w/ regard to flares |
| comment: | One of the fastest wideangles currently available, it is perfect for low-light situations (such as indoor). From f4, the lens is pretty sharp. AF performs very well - fast and accurate. In the corners, the lens performs considerably better than the KM 11-18 from f4.5, and at f2.8 (not available with the KM 11-18), it is still good and - my oppinion - as good as the KM 11-18 at f4.5. It's a wideangle... and thus prone to flare. The sunhood is rather useless, especially when using on a 1.5x crop camera, the hood could be bigger. However, used correctly (shade the lens with your hand, e.g.), flares can be avoided. More important, the lens produces only flares from light sources off the image circle - at least when using a DSLR (I don't know about FF). Light sources IN the image are reprocuded remarkably well and with no flares. Be careful when using remote flash, as then flares can result which aren't visible before shooting (I recommend to use a strobe burst from the flash to verify if flares produce). I personally have constructed a bigger sunhood. The front element protrudes significantly - thus no front filters can be used (but gelatins in the rear). I don't use filters on that lens... ;) Ratings: Sharpness=4: I think for such an open wideangle it performs very well, but of course can't compete with other, longer lenses. That's the price of a wideopen ultrawide. Color=5: Neutral. Build=5-: Built like a tank (makes it rather heavy, too). Sunhood could be better. Distortion=4: I think one can hardly give a 5 for a wideangle. Distortions are as expected for a rectangular wideanlge - in the corners, this can look rather funny. Flare control=4: Lenses with such protruding elements are of course exposed to that problem. I like that almost all flares can easily be avoided by shading the lens from off the image. It would be a desperate situation if in-image light sources would produce flares - which isn't the case at all. I like this lens a lot - with KM mount, it has no competitors (but in the Canon and Nikon camps). I might even sell my KM 11-18... ;) The German magazine ColorFoto has recently rated the Sigma 14mm lens slightly higher than the pricier Canon 14mm/2.8 L. |
reviews found: 14
rating summary
- total reviews: 14
- sharpness: 4.11
- color: 4.36
- build: 4.79
- distortion: 3.93
- flare control: 2.79
- overall: 3.99
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