Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

I purchased this lens to replace my Nikon 50mm f/1.8 prime. While the Nikon lens was fine, the lack of autofocus made it too challenging to take photos of dancers or musicians in low light (my primary use for the lens). With this Sigma 30 mm on my Nikon D40 (effectively a 45 mm lens on this camera due to the sensor size) not only do I get a faster lens (wider aperture) but I get autofocus due to Sigma's HSM. My early results (links below) have been good, with no problems.

PROS: fast, great depth of field range, very sharp images, autofocus on D40
CONS: heavy on D40 body, 62mm filters means none of my existing 52mm filters fit

Links to samples:
http://eyedance.blogspot.com/2008/07/new-toy.html
http://eyedance.blogspot.com/2008/07/la-fete-de-marquette.html

I am very happy with this lens, not RAVING MAD happy, but satisfyingly pleased. I'm going to try to make this review as balanced and objective as possible.

I've been using the lens for about a month now, at home and on vacation (so it's been quite a lot of pictures woohoo). I've used it in many situations, some of which you might say the lens is not made for, but I'm just trying to give an all-around review in as many scenarios as possible. Here's how the lens, in my opinion, plays out.

THE GOOD:
- Excellent general purpose lens.
- 30mm focal length creates a wide enough angle for most situations.
- Images are pretty contrasty and pleasing.
- Reasonably sharp in good and even mediocre light. And for the casual photographer (like myself), it's more than sharp enough, especially considering the breadth of its applications.
- The 1.4 maximum aperture is GREAT for low light situations and can also be used to blur out the backgrounds of photos to accentuate the subject (however, see portraits in "The Bad")
- The HSM focusing mechanism works well with my camera and is reasonably fast. (Faster than my 18-55mm, but noticeably slower than my other Nikon primes)
- The focus ring is just stiff enough. You'll be holding it often, so the stiffness helps keep you from manually focusing when you don't need to.
- In my opinion the lens looks pretty stylin' on the camera haha.

THE BAD:
- I would not advise using this lens for portraits if you are serious about it. The angle of view requires you to move close to your subject and sadly stretches out his/her face. For portraits, please use the 50mm or longer. (however, if you're shooting 3 people at a dinner table, it's totally fine)
- Can't focus very close, making macro work difficult.
- No Auto/Manual focus switch on the lens (must be switched in the camera.
- Sometimes (and this is in practice) the lens fails to focus well in low light situations, make sure the lens cap is off.
- The rear lens cap is terrible, throw it away and buy a Nikon one.

OVERALL:
This lens can be summed up in two words: GENERAL PURPOSE, don't forget that, GENERAL PURPOSE. Don't expect super stellar pictures, but I'd say this lens is indispensable for traveling and general photography. It's awesome performance in low light is especially great for people who hate the destructive effects of the on-camera flash. Hope this helps :)

This is one of the most controversial lenses ever, it seems. why all the fuss over this little guy? Simple, it cleverly exploits a hole in nikon's product lineup as a wide aperture (f/1.4) prime lens with HSM (hypersonic motor) at a price point just above nikon's older, slower 35/2 prime.

Therefore nikon purists hate it with a passion, while 3rd party aficionados tend to have a more open mind.

First off, if you're looking for something razor sharp at f/1.4 try zeiss or get over it. it's no fillet chef wide open, but that's not the point. the point is that you CAN use it at 1.4, which means it can shoot in light a 2.8 would be challenged by. also you can stop it down a few clicks and still be at 2.8, or shoot at f/2 or 2.2 and not be completely wide open.

Second, while i'm sure there are sample variations out there, don't be put off by doomsayers on internet forums. opinions of actual users are one thing, but i dont know how people who have never used the lens can qualify it whatsoever.

(but if you do order this lens, make sure its from a vendor with a good return policy. check for front focus issues when you get it; if you have a problem, sigma will recalibrate the lens. saves them money in the QC department, but at least they have good customer service.)

for the record, i own three sigma lenses, all EX series, all bought online, and they all worked perfectly fine from day one.

There are two categories of folks who will be looking at this lens: d40/d40x/d60 users and everybody else.

for a d40/60 kinda person who wants to take no-flash, low light pics, there are no other options in this focal length and aperture class with an internal motor. period. you'd have to go to the micro-nikkor 60mm or 105VR to get an AF-S prime. sigma is coming out with a 50/1.4 HSM, but the 30's "normal" perspective is better suited for DX camera sensors with their 1.5 crop.

nikon d80/200/300/700 owners can use any of nikon's (or sigma's) primes with full AF capability. unless you absolutely need f/1.4, the nikon 35/2 is cheaper and probably sharper. it doesn't have an internal motor, though, so for low-light action shots, the sigma is better suited for that application. but if you just need something inobtrusive for street shooting, candids, or a lower-profile lens, and arent worried about max aperture or AF speed, go for the 35/2.

okay, how about some pros and cons:

Pros:
--not a small lens but lightweight.
--low profile and normal perspective perfect for street/doc and candids.
-- 1.4 maximum aperture makes this perfect for extreme low-light shooting.
-- shallow dof at wide apertures results in creamy bokeh (out of focus elements)
--HSM ensures fast AF; will work on D-series cameras without internal motors.
-- takes 67mm filters.
--sharp in the center at all apertures.
--contrasty IQ
--using fixed focal length lens forces you to focus on composition.
-- EX build is better than sigma's bottom-barrel lenses, plus EX lenses have add'l 3-year warranty.
--makes a good low-light solution for folks with slow variable-aperture kit lenses (i.e., 18-55, 18-70, 18-135, 18-200)

Cons:
--1.4 aperture gives extremely narrow depth of field. this makes this lens extremely tricky when shooting wide open, as shallow depth of field can be mistaken for focus issues.
-- focal range is not as versatile as a zoom
-- how much are you really gonna shoot at 1.4?
--IQ not as impressive as cheaper nikkor 50/1.8
--soft corners at almost all apertures (this matters less than you might think in low-light situations)
--some known QC issues (which may be somewhat exaggerated)
--more expensive than nikon 50/1.8, 50/1.4, and 35/2 primes.

overall: recommended for d40/d60 users, low-light/available-light fanatics, street/doc shooters, people who will stay with DX for a while. not recommended for nikon nazis, or folks who may eventually migrate to FX.

in practical use, this lens is probably more essential on an entry-level or mid level DSLR than a d300, d700, or D3. those cameras' improved high ISO performance means you can often stop down a 2.8 lens to f/4 in low light, lessening the need for a 1.4 aperture. on a d/40/50/60/80/200, however, you can keep the noise down in low light situations by shooting at wide apertures and not going above ISO 800.

also, this is a DC lens, meaning that it is designed for DX sensors. FX-curious folks should probably get the nikkor 35/2 instead.

while the 30/1.4 lens sees a lot of low-light use, its normal perspective and wide max aperture make it versatile in many conditions. i've stopped it down to f/8-f/11 and found it takes good landscape shots too. you never know when you might run into a situation where 1.4 is needed. it's a good one to have in the bag, just in case.

This is a great lens for low-light photography and it is very sharp. Quick focusing and relatively quiet. I LOVE this lens!

This lens is just what I was looking for. I purchased a D80 with a pretty typical kit lens with the clear understanding that low light conditions were going to be a problem. I had every intention of getting a nice wide aperture prime to compliment the kit lens as soon as possible.

The Sigma 30mm is a great lens. The focal length is good for the distances you'll often encounter inside. You may have to frame things using your feet but for normal indoor shots I haven't found this to be a problem. I've taken many great evening shots outside as well. A good external flash can help out a lot on many shots but being able to capture a subject using the ambient light is definitely still my preference. Sunsets and moon rises look great too.

Autofocus is as good as can be expected. With the lens wide open the camera can have trouble getting just the right focus because the depth of field gets so small. So be prepared to adjust for this as needed. The lens is sharp but wide open you have to be aware that someone's eyes might appear soft focus because the lens is focused on their nose. If you don't like it then get a nice flash and use a smaller aperture.

The lens feels good on the camera and has met my expectations. I took several hundred shots with it on a recent trip in a variety of lighting conditions and settings and was very happy with the results. Generally I put it on the camera in the evening and the kit zoom lens on during the day.