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Which one is better for SD14- Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG or 30mm f/1.4 EX DC lens?

bonku

Member
Hi,
I am new in this forum. I have Sigma SD14 (with 18-200mm lens) for about 9 months and I am happy with it. I am planning to add a prime lens and considering 50mm f/1.4 DG EX and 30mm f/1.4 DC. Can anyone give me some suggestions which is is better OR if I can use other lens (from other brand(s) that fits SD14 without adopter)?
Thank you all in advance. Have a great Christmas and HAPPY NEW YEAR.
 
18-50mm f/2.8 DC MACRO

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC MACRO is also an attractive option that I am tempted for low light and indoor use.
 
Hi bonku,
first of all a warm welcome to this forum.
It is hard to give an advise on lenses if your preferences are not known.
The 30mm 1,4 is a fine lens.I use it myself.
I also have a converted Canon 50mm 1,8 which performs very very well.
The Sigma 50mm 1,4 is relativly new and I heared a lot of positive responses,
I don´t have it jet myself.
Besides the 18-50 2,8, have you ever thouht of the 28-70 2,8 or the 15-30 2,8 ?
Regards
Uwe
 
concertpics of 18-50/2.8

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC MACRO is also an attractive option that I am tempted for low light and indoor use.

Hello bonku,
I 'm also a sd14 starter with a 18-50 ex 2.8 macro lens and I 've put some concert pics on 'peoples photography' on this forum . Maybe interesting for you to see how this lens performes wide open .
Greetings
Patrick
 
Hi bonku,
first of all a warm welcome to this forum.
It is hard to give an advise on lenses if your preferences are not known.
The 30mm 1,4 is a fine lens.I use it myself.
I also have a converted Canon 50mm 1,8 which performs very very well.
The Sigma 50mm 1,4 is relativly new and I heared a lot of positive responses,
I don´t have it jet myself.
Besides the 18-50 2,8, have you ever thouht of the 28-70 2,8 or the 15-30 2,8 ?
Regards
Uwe

Thanks Netzuser.
First I like to mention that I am not a professional photographer or spend a lot of time and (afford to spend) money for photography. I do it to express some of my thoughts (to show others the world I see) and try to explore some of my "creativity" (or lack of it!).
I started using SLR with a Pentax Spotmatic with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. That lens is spoiled by moisture. Since then, I tried many (midrange, film) SLRs like Nikon F80 and Canon Rebel (several models of different nomenclature) with many lens combinations (not that very expensive ones of course). But never got the result I used to get with my Spotmatic. SD14 is my first digital SLR. I am trying to get the razor sharp picture with it (as I used to get with my Spotmatic). I mainly take picture of nature, biological samples (by the way, I am a plant biologist by profession) and some indoor portrait/family pics, as usual. My research (in biology) also demands very sharp, true-color picture of plant samples. (no, our lab is not that rich enough to offer me the best equipment we might need). I hope I made myself a little clearer, so far my photography is concerned.
I will appreciate your suggestions and thoughts to help improve myself.
 
Hi bonku,
if the 50mm lens on the Spotmatic fitted your needs,
I would go for a 30mm lens with the Sigma.
You then get almost the same angle of view.30mm x 1.7 = 51mm
As far as natural colors concerned you should pay attention to the setting
of the White Balance and the kind of light you have.
If the light for your plants is always the same you might think about a manuel setting of WB.
Corrections can be done in SPP.
Regards
Uwe
 
I use the Nikon 35mm f1.4 AI-S and the even faster Canon FL 55mm f1.2 on my SD14...Both converted to SA mount.
 
Hi bonku,
if the 50mm lens on the Spotmatic fitted your needs,
I would go for a 30mm lens with the Sigma.
You then get almost the same angle of view.30mm x 1.7 = 51mm
As far as natural colors concerned you should pay attention to the setting
of the White Balance and the kind of light you have.
If the light for your plants is always the same you might think about a manuel setting of WB.
Corrections can be done in SPP.
Regards
Uwe

Thanks Uwe and DSG.
How Sigma 30mm 1.4 compares to Pentax 50mm 1.4 Lens (or any other such lens) so far sharpness or chromatic aberration is concerned. I was trying to get a comparative picture of Sigma 30mm or 50mm 1.4 lens with Sigma DSLR with Pentax 50mm 1.4 (with K20D) (as in www.dpreview.com/lensreview). But I could not find any such comparative (theoretical) study with Sigma 30mm in Sigma DSLRs.

I also have another concern with Sigma (both camera body and lens). I am originally from India (now settled in US). That part of India is very hot, humid and dusty in general. How good are these Sigma products (SD14 and lens) in such conditions? I had a few problems when I tried to use my SD14 (with Sigma 18-200mm lens) in Ohio winter (about -15C).
 
Hello bonku,
I 'm also a sd14 starter with a 18-50 ex 2.8 macro lens and I 've put some concert pics on 'peoples photography' on this forum . Maybe interesting for you to see how this lens performes wide open .
Greetings
Patrick
Hi Patrick. I saw your pics. Great ones. So far I never tried to use my Sigma lens in high ISO (800 and beyond). Now I will feel a bit more confident under such conditions. Thanks.
 
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