Sigma Art Lens and Dock

[Pistnbroke]

Just purchased at a good price a Sigma 24-105 f4 Art intending to sell it on for a profit.
Testing it out on the D810 the pictures were rubbish even at F8. I set the Fine Focus adjust at 105mm but was not impressed. then I investigated the dock and watching u tube it looks like the required fine focus setting (16 of them) are all over the place from -17 to 0 through the focus range.
So anybody got an ART lens and was it rubbish until you used the dock?
Not sure weather to send it back ..the seller knows nothing  about cameras.
You would think it would come out the factory so you could put it on zero and it would work but it seems not ..am I right?
MORE THOUGHTS.
When you have set a series of Fine focus settings using a dock is the lens computer causing the camera to swing its FFA settings or is it done in the lens and the camera sits at 0. This would be important if you wanted to use a D5300

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Apparently getting acceptable focus performance with these lenses is an ART unto itself ??

[bjornthun]

The camera does not know the settings you make, by using the Sigma USB dock. It only knows the settings stored in the camera. My advice is to send the lens back, and use only Nikon lenses on a Nikon camera, as long as we're talking about AF lenses.

Sigma lenses are not entirely without glitches when used on Sony mirrorless either, so this is a Sigma thing, IMHO.

[Hugh_3170]

Why not ask Sigma's Helpdesk or Service Centre?

I cannot speak about other countries, but their agent here in Australia has an excellent reputation for their quality of customer support.

[Pistnbroke]

I am going to phone Sigma Monday .re   Must I have the dock ? Can I change lens between cameras?  Have read what Andy has written on the forum ...very impressive Andy . Not impressive Sigma.

[Erik Lund]

Return it and find another way to make money.

[richardHaw]

got a SIGMA 50/1.4 ART lens and the dock,too. I got the dock because I was expecting that the focus might be off but mine seemed to be perfect

going back to your lens, there is probably a reason why it was sold to you. If I were you, I would just send this thing back. SIGMA isn't really known for good quality control (outside of Japan)

[Bjørn Rørslett]

... SIGMA isn't really known for good quality control (outside of Japan)

My impression as well. The Sigmas I have encountered have shown a wide range in QC and optical quality. In all fairness, some lenses were very good. However, reliability is an important factor to have in the overall equation as well and this aspect is often overlooked in favour of lower price etc.

[richardHaw]

of the 3 major 3rd party lens manufacturers, SIGMA has the worst QC as far as i'm concerned.  I was hoping that the Global Vision series would change that

PS: off-topic. Thanks, by the way!

[bjornthun]

I should add that I have had no focus issues with Sigma lenses on Sony mirrorless, they seem to be particular to DSLRs only. The issues I've seen are a couple of software/firmware issues, that don't affect focus precision, but usability.

[MFloyd]

I'm probably on the other wrong side of the equation: I never bought a NON-Nikkor lens for my Nikons. I never had front or back focus issues.  I heard and read that Sigma lenses are optically very good.  But I prefer to stay with Nikkor. Yes, I am and old fart.

[David H. Hartman]

I'm probably on the other wrong side of the equation: I never bought a NON-Nikkor lens for my Nikons. I never had front or back focus issues.  I heard and read that Sigma lenses are optically very good.  But I prefer to stay with Nikkor. Yes, I am and old fart.

Most non-Nikkor lenses focus reverse to Nikkors. That drives me up the wall. I won't say never but I haven't bought a non- Nikkor sence about 1974. The are a couple of Voitlander lenses I'd buy but the prices have gone too high.

Dave Hartman

[Akira]

Most non-Nikkor lenses focus reverse to Nikkors. That drives me up the wall.

That problem has been solved for quite a long time.  The problem is that the Nikon lenses focuses in the direction that is opposite to most of the lenses of other makes, which drives experienced video/cinema camera operators nuts.  Some follow focus unit can add a small gear to reverse the rotational direction of the focus ring, though.

[Akira]

The AF error could be a common problem among the lenses using ultrasonic motors.

When I had my AF-S 50/1.8G calibrated at a Nikon service, the tech there told me that the USM would be mis-aligned over time, and then the focusing unit wouldn't stop at the position the camera want.  That leads to the AF error which cannot be fully corrected by the in-camera focus micro-tune function.  You need periodical re-calibration at the service.

Both my current 50/1.8G bought new and AF-S 24/1.8G that I bought used in pristine condition needed the re-calibration.  After the re-calibration, I haven't needed even to switch on the in-camera fine tune function, and the lenses can focus correctly at any distances.

The actuator in an ultrasonic motor is carried on the base using the friction, so its neutral position can be sloppy.  I would hope to see the pulse/step motors replacing the supersonic ones.

[rosko]

I've used this very good zoom (24-105mm f/4 Art) nearly 2 years. I bought it for the purpose of my girlfriend'daughter wedding as I didn't want to change prime lenses all the time during this event. 

I planned to sell it straightaway after the wedding, but I decided to use it for general purposes for a while as I enjoyed it. However it is too big for my Df, hence a not so well balance.

It's now sold.



I never needed the dock to correct any front or back focus.

The only disagreement I would report is the lack of AF efficiency in low light, due to the f/4 maximum aperture.

My conclusion : perfect for exterior use, but would need artificial light inside mostly with moving subjects, even if you increase ISO settings. The vibration reduction doesn't compensate as much the lack of brightness.

Pros :
# sharpness;
# nice colour rendition and saturation;
# quiet (equivalent AFS)
# large focal range

cons :
# Huge in size;
# Autofocus needs light;

Below : #1 @ 24mm
             #2 @95mm