Sigma AF 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM (Nikon DX) - Review / Test Report - Sample Images & Verdict
Lens Reviews - Nikon / Nikkor (APS-C)
Article Index
Introduction
Analysis
Sample Images & Verdict

Page 3 of 3

Sample Shots

The following sample shots were taken with a D7000 and RAW-converted via CaptureOne.

Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/2.0
Exposure 1/800s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/6.3
Exposure 1/400s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/1.4
Exposure 1/6400s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/125s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/1.8
Exposure 1/8000s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/400s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure 1/800s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/800s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure 1/4000s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/1.8
Exposure 1/8000s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure 1/500s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/320s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure 1/1000s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/320s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure 1/3200s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/400s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure 1/1000s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 125
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure 1/400s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/1.4
Exposure 1/1250s
Make NIKON CORPORATION
Model NIKON D7000
ISO Speed 100
Focal Length 30.0mm
Aperture: f/1.4
Exposure 1/8000s

Verdict

It seems the primary design priority for the Sigma AF 30mm f/1.4 EX DC was to achieve the highest possible center resolution without caring too much about the rest. The border performance of the lens is just so-so at f/1.4 and only good when stopped down. Vignetting is high at large apertures and neither CAs nor distortion are overly impressive for a prime lens.

Even though the border performance is a little disappointing, there are applications for this kind of lens, of couse. This is a pretty interesting lens if you want to isolate a (near-centered) object from the rest of the scene using an ultra-large aperture setting. The quality of the bokeh depends somewhat on the background/foreground structure - it can look "smeary" close to the image borders if the scene is a bit nervous. This is probably a side effect of the low resolution here. In coarse structured scenes the bokeh can be quite smooth and buttery though.

Can you use this lens for general purpose photography ? Well, naturally you can, but at comparable apertures many good standard zooms can produce a more even resolution distribution across the frame specifically in the extreme corners.

Optical Quality (Technical):    
Mechanical Quality:
Price/Performance:
      
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