Best third-party lenses

[D.Sim]

I absolutely love my Sigma 85mm f1.4
f2 is super sharp, noticably sharper than the 70-200 f2.8 IS II is at 85mm and f2.8

I chose it over the canon f1.2L due to considerably faster AF

Thats actually something I've been considering - How much better is it over the 50mm 1.4?

Also, more importantly, how sharp is it at f/1.4 and f/1.8? If its soft there will I be better off with the Canon 1.8?

[jhanken]

Had the privilege of using a Zeiss 35mm f2.0, and was truly impressed by the quality of the color from the lens.  I cant exactly describe why it was so astonishing, but it was quite impressive.  Yes, the manual focus is an issue, but with the wide angle perhaps less so.

I love the Sigma 50mm f/1.4, on record as saying so a few times.

[scottk]

Sigma 85 1.4 is a gem.

Tamron 17-50 2.8 is a GREAT buy for the crop crowd.

[scottk]

Oh yes, the tokina 11-16 2.8. The BEST fast ultrawide for crop sensors on the market. Canon has no equivalent.

[JonasP]

I love Zeiss glass. Better or worse is a lot of times subjective at this high level but I like their look better somehow.
Plus they make you work at focusing which is a good thing.

[woofmeow]

Love zeiss, too. It makes you think when taking photos and enjoy the process, instead of pushing one button for all-auto&flat. But costly.
Tokina has lovely wide angles for nice price.

[D.Sim]

Thing about Zeiss is its a totally different market from the others though... Most third party options are there to be the cheaper, budget alternative, with accordingly lower build quality (generally) and less IQ (generally)

Zeiss, on the other hand, is a pricy option for high quality glass.... Usually on the wide angle end

I'm generalizing a bit, yes, but thats what it is

[wickidwombat]

I absolutely love my Sigma 85mm f1.4
f2 is super sharp, noticably sharper than the 70-200 f2.8 IS II is at 85mm and f2.8

I chose it over the canon f1.2L due to considerably faster AF

Thats actually something I've been considering - How much better is it over the 50mm 1.4?

Also, more importantly, how sharp is it at f/1.4 and f/1.8? If its soft there will I be better off with the Canon 1.8?

at f1.4 it is about as sharp as the 70-200 f2.8 ISII is at f2.8
at f2 it's in another league

[D.Sim]

I absolutely love my Sigma 85mm f1.4
f2 is super sharp, noticably sharper than the 70-200 f2.8 IS II is at 85mm and f2.8

I chose it over the canon f1.2L due to considerably faster AF

Thats actually something I've been considering - How much better is it over the 50mm 1.4?

Also, more importantly, how sharp is it at f/1.4 and f/1.8? If its soft there will I be better off with the Canon 1.8?

at f1.4 it is about as sharp as the 70-200 f2.8 ISII is at f2.8
at f2 it's in another league

Thats interesting... the people I shoot with here have been advising me against it, saying its soft... And I should be going for the Canon 1.8 instead. Pity there aren't copies available for me to test... =(

Thanks, Wombat

[wickidwombat]

ha soft.
I just posted some raws in the thread about 5Dmk3 AF and sensor improvements
both with the sigma and one with each body

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php/topic,4678.30.html

[D.Sim]

ha soft.
I just posted some raws in the thread about 5Dmk3 AF and sensor improvements
both with the sigma and one with each body

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php/topic,4678.30.html

Do you have a good copy or are the new copies all generally like that? =)
Not that I don't trust you, mind, just would like to get as much information as I can before I place an order on something I won't get to even try until I pay for it...

Also: Any AF issues? bad focusing, etc

[wickidwombat]

ha soft.
I just posted some raws in the thread about 5Dmk3 AF and sensor improvements
both with the sigma and one with each body

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php/topic,4678.30.html

Do you have a good copy or are the new copies all generally like that? =)
Not that I don't trust you, mind, just would like to get as much information as I can before I place an order on something I won't get to even try until I pay for it...

Also: Any AF issues? bad focusing, etc

Yes mine was heavily front focusing when i got it, needed +13 microadjust to get it in line
I sent it back and sigma reprogrammed it and now its pretty good still needs a little micro adjust but so do some of my canons but not that much though.

As far as AF speed and accuracy its spot on. the speed is at least 3 times faster than the canon 85 1.2 which is why i chose the sigma over the canon (it also happened to be 2.5 times cheaper ) I would recommend buying it from a bricks and mortar store you can go back to if anything is off in the AF department. Its one of my favourite lenses, (cant decide bewteen this and the 16-35 f2.8 II) i love them both but for different reasons.

It also has 9 circular apertutre blades which gives it really nice blur and bokeh
Build quality is really top notch and the MF ring is super smooth and firm (no slop or play in it so has nice control)

[te4o]

Jayden, you set the topic as "best" 3rd party lenses. What is that? Best price? Best IQ or AF? Very general.
I must add to the comments about Zeiss that I found them best for my photography style: and dangerous for my bank account.

[wickidwombat]

if zeiss made AF lenses my bank account would be screaming in pain 

[D.Sim]

ha soft.
I just posted some raws in the thread about 5Dmk3 AF and sensor improvements
both with the sigma and one with each body

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php/topic,4678.30.html

Do you have a good copy or are the new copies all generally like that? =)
Not that I don't trust you, mind, just would like to get as much information as I can before I place an order on something I won't get to even try until I pay for it...

Also: Any AF issues? bad focusing, etc

Yes mine was heavily front focusing when i got it, needed +13 microadjust to get it in line
I sent it back and sigma reprogrammed it and now its pretty good still needs a little micro adjust but so do some of my canons but not that much though.

As far as AF speed and accuracy its spot on. the speed is at least 3 times faster than the canon 85 1.2 which is why i chose the sigma over the canon (it also happened to be 2.5 times cheaper ) I would recommend buying it from a bricks and mortar store you can go back to if anything is off in the AF department. Its one of my favourite lenses, (cant decide bewteen this and the 16-35 f2.8 II) i love them both but for different reasons.

It also has 9 circular apertutre blades which gives it really nice blur and bokeh
Build quality is really top notch and the MF ring is super smooth and firm (no slop or play in it so has nice control)

Ah, so your initial one was a bit off and needed some microadjustment, but after it was checked by Sigma it was okay? Did you send your body in with it, or was it just the lens?

I'd go to a bricks and mortar store if I could - problem for me is where I live there are no stores that carry these in stock - indeed, very few lenses are ever carried in stock, they have to order them in. Which is a real pity, really. Pretty much the equivalent of being in Horsham/Mildura I guess? Bigger city maybe, but more or less what you can get down in those areas down in VIC...

That said, one of the local websites has it on sale, and the 50 1.4 Sigma is too, so I'm really tempted by both... Wonder if anyone local has it so I can test i out... 

Of course, theres the Canon 1.8 as well, which is even cheaper...

*thinks*