Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM Lens for Nikon - Black

First off, a warning: Sigma still have terrible QC issues! The first copy of this lens I received was back focusing horrifically. I did all the usual tests, after initially noticing it wasn't sharp where I was pointing focus. And no, it wasn't user error just because it's a 1.4, like Sigma will try to make you believe! It was off, by a significant margin, so I sent it back to the supplier. They contacted Sigma, who told them, to tell me, the customer, to wait for them to check it out. Well, I wasn't having that and requested a new copy or a refund. fair play to the store for seeing it my way and sending on a new copy, they will deal with Sigma on the other. Anyway, now that I have a decent, proper focusing version, I can say that all the reviews around the net are bang on! It really is a gem of a lens. It's nice and weighty, being a 1.4, without being over-sized. It balances really well on the D800E, and looks the part too. Sigma have got their new look right, with lovely sleek lines, smooth polished steel, discreet markings, and the hood snaps into place definitively - the hood also has a rubber seal, which is a nice touch. Though the lens itself does not have sealing near the mount, shame ... but considering the price difference between this and the Nikon 35 1.4, we'll let that slide. So how does it perform? Admirably. It's sharp on focus point at 1.4, and stopped down to f/2 and beyond is as sharp as you'd like. there is strong vignetting wide open, but where the vignetting is, is going to be OOF/bokeh anyhow, and it's easily corrected in LR. There is no profile for this model in LR4 currently, but I found that sigma 24-70 is close enough, with minor manual adjusting. Vignetting has mostly gone by f/2.8 and the lens continues to sharpen right through to f/8. The perfect portrait/street/general purpose lens IMO, and even good for landscape. If you could only have one lens in your bag at all times, you could do a hell of a lot worse than choosing this. Just test when you get yours, and make sure it's a good copy.

After using a Nikon 50mm 1.4 for around a year, I wanted to get a lens that was more usable indoors, as the 50mm tends to be too long for small places, like dinner parties, meetings, etc. After a lot of research, this 35mm was the best option I could find and I'm very glad I got to this conclusion and I found an great deal here in Amazon that couldn't resist. This lens is superb. With the 50mm I got used to shoot at 2.8 because of the softness when fully open, but I don't have that problem with this one, it is very sharp at its maximum aperture. Image quality is excellent in any condition I've used it so far. This includes sharpness, colour, contrast and even the blurred backgrounds (or bokeh, hate that word), which I read people finding it to be a bit nervous. Also, the build quality is very good, It is a rather large unit, but feels really sturdy and well put together, focus ring is firm but smooth and it has a shiny black ring near the mount that gives it a nice touch and feel.

The Sigma 35mm 1.4 marks a significant step up in build and optical quality from previous Sigma efforts, they are really onto something with their Art range and this lens is certainly worth a look even if you've had issues with Sigma quality control in the past. I use this lens on a Nikon D750 and that combination really is a low light monster, if you can just about make something out in the dark this combo will lock onto it near instantly. Image quality is excellent, as you would expect you do get vignetting wide open but this is easily correctable in post (Lightroom has a preset for it), AF is silent and basically instant. Build quality is fantastic and although this lens isn't weather sealed, it is beautifully constructed. There really is very little reason to own the far more expensive Nikon or Canon L equivalent over this. Sharpness tests etc may suggest the 35mm 1.8 FX is up there with this lens, but what charts don't show you is how well this lens renders scenes, there is a lovely 3D pop to images that you simply will not see with the cheaper 1.8 options.

I read several reviews online before purchasing this lens, the majority of which sung its praises. I can definitely say that they are correct. This lens is SHARP! Even at f1.4 its sharp, you don't need to stop it down at all to get a sharp picture! Its sharper at 1.4 than my 50mm 1.8 @ f2.8! AF is fast and accurate, bokeh is beautiful, its built to last a lifetime, and did I mention its sharp?! Only downside is the size and weight, but you are getting a pro lens, not a consumer grade lens. If you are used to using a Nikon 50mm 1.8, this will seem enormous compared. But this wasn't worth marking it down over, as it is such an impressive bit of kit. The perfect street photography lens IMO.

Excellent lens, if focus issues are fixed with the usb dock. Even then, after spending a few hours to adjust the focus settings, you'll always wonder if there's room for improvement. Sold after 2 weeks for a more reliable lens from another brand.

I've heard so many positive things about this lens that I was sure I would love it. It's a lot of money though, especially in light of the fact I already owned the Nikon 28mm 1.8g. So the first one I tried front focussed badly. No matter how much I microadjusted, I just couldn't get it tack sharp and so I sent it back. The second one I received still front focussed. Not quite as badly as the first but it was still not great. In the end I decided that I didn't trust it enough so I returned it. The third one I ended up getting off a friend who was selling his. His was accurate with a tiny tweak in AF adjust. I have to say I've really grown to love this lens now. Now I have a decent copy it's tack sharp and the contrast is fantastic. Judging by the amount of lenses being sold by Amazon warehouse I'd say I've not been the only one to find issues with the lens. So I'd say if you're on the market for this lens then I'd get it from a supplier like Amazon who are great with returns. But if/when you do get a good copy then it's totally worth it. This lens has practically made my Nikon 24-70 redundant.

Optical performance is excellent, sharp all over, even wide open, bokeh is very good and it focuses fast and quietly. It's currently the best value 35mm prime lens for full-frame users. The weight is listed, so I haven't marked it down for this reason, but beware this is a very heavy lens thanks to its build quality and because it's f/1.4. One of the attractions of prime lenses is often their exceptional performance in a small and lightweight package, so be aware that this lens, coupled with a full-frame camera, is not a light combination. If weight is a concern for you, I would ask yourself if you really need f/1.4. For your consideration, the Nikon 28mm f/1.8, although not quite the same field of view as 35mm (although close enough, in my opinion) performs equally well optically, is half the weight (330g vs 665g) and approximately 30% cheaper at the time of writing.

Took a lot of time reading reviews before I bought this lens. Don't know why I waited, quality is great, and images are very sharp. Makes handholding in low light a possibility. Does vignette heavily when shooting with a fully open aperture but I like the effect, and this is easily corrected in post processing if required.

I'm a prime lens guy. While I have a number of zoom lenses primarily for travel, my passion is for the high IQ provided by primes. 35mm and 85mm are my favorite focal lengths. Accordingly, I have owned and previewed multiple offerings of lenses at these two focal lengths. Currently, Nikon leads at the 85mm FL, with its 1.4G lens which matches the Canon 1.2L (I own both lenses) in IQ and bokeh, in a more compact package with faster AF. The story is very different at 35mm. I have owned the Nikon 35mm 1.8G, Samyang/Rokinon 35mm 1.4, and the Canon 35mm 1.4L. The Canon dominates the 1.8G, and from what I hear, is better than Nikon's 1.4G. The Samyang/Rokinon is close to the Canon--perhaps even sharper wide open--, but it's manual focus, and I strongly prefer AF for focal lengths greater than 24mm. I truly loved the Canon L lens. It is very sharp from f/2.0 (peaks in sharpness at f/4.0-f/5.6), has great color and contrast, and little vignetting above 1.8. I have used the lens as a walk-around lens, for street photography, and for taking photos in museums. It was great for this last purpose, because I could get sharp, vibrant, shots without using a flash. However, the lens is not perfect. It produces horrible chromatic aberration, and is rather soft wide open. Of course, all fast lenses are soft wide open, right? NO! The Sigma 35mm is sharp at all apertures. I purchased the Sigma to use with my D800E because I always use a 35mm prime (see above) in my photography. However, I wasn't willing to pay the tariff for the Nikon 35mm 1.4 especially since its reviews were so-so at best (it's softer than the Canon wide open but sharper than Canon by f/5.6). Given the Sigma's bargain price and its good reviews, I purchased a copy. I have not been disappointed. The lens is better than all 35mm lenses I have used. It is sharp wide open and just gets sharper as the lens is stopped down. The color and contrast is on par with the Nikon 85mm ( basically, amazing). Vignetting is well-controlled, only noticeable wide open. More importantly, CA, unlike the Canon L, is well controlled. It simply isn't a problem. The only knock on the Sigma is the quality of its bokeh. Some have complained that it is particularly harsh. Well, it is no match for the 85mm lenses (few lenses are), but it is no worst than the bokeh that any of the other 35mm lenses produce (I haven't tested the Zeiss version, and I hear that the Nikon 1.4 is very good, but not as good as an 85). My Nikon 1.8G produced the worst bokeh. The Sigma and Canon L are close in bokeh quality. For me, this isn't a problem. Bokeh is not that important to me at this FL (it is at 85mm and above!), and I have yet to find the background blur for this lens distracting. Therefore, the Sigma is absolutely a keeper. It is a well-built lens that balances nicely at the end of my D800E. It focuses quickly and accurately, and I love its slick, black machined look. It just looks very professional. At its price, it is an absolute bargain. It will spend a lot of time at the end of my camera.

I am happy with the lens although it does have some focusing issues as other people have stated. I have purchased the Sigma USB dock and hopefully that will sort that out. Would have been better if it worked straight out of the box but I purchased knowing that it might not be. It was a great price!

Muy buena nitidez y de rápido enfoque El material y acabado es de alta calidad, del ha vuelto en mi objetivo favorito ✌🏻

I love the Bokeh and sturdy build of this lens believe it has great potential. super sharp I loved it and I am not moving it from my body it's main lens A little bit heavy the motor noise illite bit high in recording but it's not a big deal as long as I am adding music in the meeting

Este realmemte es un objetivo pata negra de precio asequible comparandolo con Nikon. Buena construccion que se nota simplemente al cogerlo. Excelente calidad y nitidez óptica incluso a máxima apertura. Sin duda es el mejor objetivo que he tenido y vale su precio sobradamente. Por ahora no se me ocurre ponerle ningun pero.