Beautiful shots. I didn't see any focusing issues. I have the 18-35mm Art on the f/1.8 on the 80D & absolutely love it & this is next on my lens list. Q? I didn't notice any 1.8 shots, mostly 2-2.8. Any specific reason not shooting wide open?
Word is that the 50-100mm doesn't seem to have the reported focus issues reported on some others. FWIW; I purchased the Sigma USB dock & used the Optimization Pro software to Micro Adjust my 18-35mm f/1.8 lens. It took me a little bit to get used to it, but once you get some time invested which it WILL take BTW, you'll get better & faster doing the calibrations. It helped immensely & was well worth all of the effort & time involved doing it for the1st time. I highly recommend calibrating your AFMA w/ the Optimization Pro & USB dock.
Honestly its not the lens its the off sensor PDAF points struggling to see the real focus point of the lens as its too shallow for the AF sensor. This lens is great on my a7ii using the MC-11 adapter as well as my sdQ.
Different type of focusing system.. The 50-100mm would focus dead accurately each time if he used live view on the 70D or 80D. But thats just not practical..
@@cooloox Did you use it on a R7? I‘d like to know if sports photography is possible with it and for that I really need a good auto focus. I‘m using the R10. Hope you see this and respond!
Thanks for the great video. This has become one of my most used lenses, but I use it mainly for video. This thing is amazing paired to an a7R2 4K in crop mode with IBIS on a monopod for event work.
Yeah, with the G7 successor to be announce soon and with a DUAL IS MK II already confirmed, people should be able to use the Sigma Dynamic Duo and a focal reducer with the G85 and GH5, what a nice kit it will be, Super 35 video with IBIS in a Micro4/3 camera.
Hi Tony, an update of this review could be very interesting in nowadays with new apsc camera like EOS R7, with eye autofocus tracking, sensir stabilized and higher sensor Mpix. Thanks
Tony, I don't know if you hear this ENOUGH, but THANK YOU for respecting us viewers enough to GET TO THE POINT quickly :) It's making CZcams a better place :)
Hi Tony, I had the same focusing problem with the 18-35 f1.8 art lens on my Pentax K-3. I would focus just fine in live view but not through the view finder. I used the USB dock from Sigma to adjust it and that fixed the problem. I was very disappointed that Sigma didn't make this lens for Pentax, with that in body image stabilization it would've made it a low light beast combo, but hearing how disappointed you are with it, it makes me feel a little better.
7:10 The focusing issue with Sigma lenses is a real problem. I've had to ditch around 40% of shots with my Sigma 18-35. It's so frustrating to take a group of nicely framed shots only to discover half of them are blurry back-focuesd. I recently opted for my Tokina manual cine lens as I knew it'd be a closer focus than the Sigma. Luckily, most of my work is film so it's all manual focusing.
i have that problem and solve it with the sigma usb dock. Its frustrating the necessity to buy it but really solve the problem (after like 5 hours of calibration -_- but the results worth it)
I noticed that too. First, sorry for my english. I have only theorys but i think is because that internal focusing elements moving, mixed with the shallow dept of field make the focus inconsistent in different focal lengths, and different focus distances. I noticed it tends to fail or hit depending that, thats why the usb dock solve my problem, you can microadjust every single focal length trough near to far focus distances. I think sigma knows, thats why make the dock
Mr Yamaki stated that the SIGMA service centres can calibrate the lens to your specific camera body. It is possible to do so with the dock yourself, however, it is one of the procedures that requires a high-level of expertise, so it's better to take your camera and lens to a service centre. According to the LensVid interview, he stated that SIGMA must licence and then reverse-engineer the capacities of CANON/NIKON etc so they keep a stable of cameras to calibrate from, however, each camera is different; a D500 and a D7100 would need different calibration, for instance. If you use the most popular camera for each mount, for each country then you will probably have the fewest problems. Apparently, the new heights of resolution exacerbate this. Contact SIGMA, they will likely have a service centre close by.
I guess i really got lucky i use the 50-100 and 18-35 and never really had issues with missing focus. Didn't need to micro adjust or anything. I'm #Blessed
Me too having zero problems using SIgma 18-35 on Canon 60d since the very first day of purchase. When i hear people talking about focus problems it seems to me that they have problems with their style of shooting mentioning the narrowest depth of field theese lenses give yoy at open aperture. Just imagine that after you succesfully focused, you moved your arm half a centimeter away, and that all - you lost your focus point. Thats all said using my own 18-35 lens on 60d body for around 2+ years for now.
To whom may read this on 2020 and after. I'm using the Sigma 18-35 and 50-100 with 2 Fringer Pro ii on my fuji cameras,XT3 and XH1. No focus isuues,always hit the mark,very fast AF and excellent results.
It's 2024 I placed this lens on my Nikon z6III and the stabilization on this full frame camera is fantastic. No Focus Breathing but do feel the focus working all of the time. It is fast and quiet is quiet. Also used this lens on my Leica Sl2-S and it is fantastic with a Pholsy Nikon to L adapter with an Aperture Control Ring. Placed this lens on the Nikon Z30 which only has Digital Stabilization only and video was only good when still. Photos from all three cameras were excellent and sharp. I did all tests in different modes Auto, Program and Apterture plus Manual. Cheers!
Had a lot of focus issues on 70d, since i moved to 7d2 its nearly unnoticeable. I use 9 focus point in a group and it rarely misses. I use 18-35 and 50-100 and both work rather well.
What a fantastic team you both make Tony and Chelsea. I have just started amateur but serious hobby p'graphy, so dropping by on what ever i can to read and learn, and i have been hooked to your videos for the past 2 days. Detailed, informative, raw, and clear cut. No shenanigans and fanboyism and hipster kinda stuff. The sheer amount of info and knowledge you guys share is commendable. Would have taken you for a beer if i was there :)
I rented this lens to shoot a wedding of a friend. I acted as second shooter with my 70D. The lens performed well in that capacity. However, I did notice finicky focus. As a second shooter on a wedding this lens works out well in my opinion as I did not have the pressure on me to take the primary shots. The pictures that did come out were amazing and the feedback from the customer was very positive.
Bought this lens on June 10 and have used it more than any other lens in this 3 months period. It's a beauty and I would say the same about its construction. Cannot agree with the comments about it easily scratching but maybe I just take better care of ALL my equipment. I have used it to capture action, portraits, social events (weddings) and just about everything and mostly at F2. I have it paired with my Sony a6000 via the Sigma MC-11 adapter and the camera and lens have not been separated since the date of purchase. I often use it in poor light - because of its max fast aperture - and I find the results are outstanding. Regarding the focus - this took me a little time to adjust but now I get a high success rate. However, with the MC-11 adapter the auto-focus is not lightening fast but is no slouch and definitely faster than manual focus. I suspect it might focus faster mated directly to say a Canon body. All in all, this is the best lens I've ever handled. Worth noting that I have the Sony a7 mated to the Sony 70-200 F4 but the Sigma results are better by far.
My 18-35 had the issue so I sent it back for re calibration, haven't had a chance to put it through the paces since returned. The 50-100 was the shop model from The Camera Store (probably the same one from the review they did) and it seems to work fine. My hope is that now the m5 has focus peaking, buying that and switching to manual if needed. These lens take great shots so I can't see myself selling, but the focusing is a real frustration that I hope they can fix with firmware. *if* canon and Nikon ever get around to higher mpxl, stabilized sensors, and the focusing issues are fixed, these lemses would age fantastically
It's a shame Sigma have chosen not to produce this lens in Pentax mount because matched to the Pentax K3 series cameras it would be a stunning combination.
Maybe Pentax new KAF4 mount with electronic aperture control will make them reconsider. They did state in an interview that the mechanical aperture lever does increase the cost and time to adapt lenses to K-mount - now that's gone, let's see.
AGH331 yes that would be great. Just updated the firmware of my K3 to v1.30; now has KAF4 functionality. Getting a Pentax 55-300mm PLM lens delivered this week. Hoping this combo is quick enough for wildlife/bird shots with AF, no manual readjust. And other quick shots.
So far I'm loving this lens on my Nikon D7100. So far I've taken a few hundred shots and I've had no focus issues. Either I've been lucky or a got one of the good lenses.
Interesting - and thank you for the review about it. I purchased the 18-35 a couple of months ago and at first I thought I'd made a big mistake. When I started to try and calibrate it, it seemed to have that random back or front focus problem. I was really beginning to despair that I'd wasted my money. But I then made some changes, and it seems to be fine now. I have a 70D, and I remembered that the 70D has problems focusing using the central focusing point at f1.8. So I changed the calibration to use the focus point just to the right - and I also only bothered to calibrate it to infinity and also to the next stage down (about 0.5m). It seems to be fine now. Plus in actual use I have only used it on a tripod, and using the live focus with the touch screen. In doing that the images have been sharp, and focused exactly where I wanted them to be. Maybe this would also work with the 50-100? Of course you used the Nikon version, so I don't know if that made a difference or not.Either way, thank you again for the review - I was one of the ones who requested you do it in the first place so it is much appreciated. I may well hold off on buying the 50-100 to see if there is any sort of way to get around these issues that you found...
This is the go to lens for my D500. The only thing I can compare it to is when I was shooting with the Nikon 200mm F2 on my D810. I do not experience as much focus issues as Tony is describing, but I have had a few, but have not found them to be detrimental to any shoot. This is an absolute great lens!
I got this Lens for half a year now. Use it on my Canon 80D and don´t have ANY focus issues. The lens is perfectly adjusted with the Sigma dock. For me it works fine.
btw about front focusing/ back focusing issue on Sigma - try it on Sony mirrorless. Seriously. I had a similar issue with BF on my Sigma 35/1.4 art on Canon back in the days, but that lens working on Metabones with Sony A7RII seems doesn't have that problem. So try it out, might help.
I agree. so many people blaming the lens and even sending then back thinking they are flawed when its likely the camera body tollorences not being good enough and the pdaf being f5.6 or in better cameras a few f2.8 spots not being able to see the true focus point of the lens. the 50-100 is awesome on my a7ii.
I will actually chime in that I experienced something similar with my 18-35 f/1.8 and had a horrible time trying to micro adjust correct it and could never seem to get it right, it felt like it was missing on both sides of the focal plane. However as soon as I ran through a Magic Lantern auto micro adjust calibration on my Canon 70D, it's been locked on ever since in studio, street, anywhere I use it. I didn't have this kind of difficulty with seemingly either side of the focal plane on any of my other Canon f/1.8 or faster primes either and could always find what side of the focal plane it was shifted, so I do wonder if the 50-100mm will behave the same. Once I grab the lens (to replace my 50-150mm f/2.8) I'll update here.
Most SIGMA lens have Focus Problem in Canon camera, I got the 17-50 mm F/2.8 and it often go outta focus, while the cheap kit lens on the canon is sharp all the time. I guess it must be some software or electronic problem on the sigma lens when is not the native Sigma camera.
I have both the sigma 18-35 & 50-100 f/1.8 on my canon 90D,a match made in heaven. I haven't had any issues with focusing as both are sharp as.. no calibration needed,I also have the doc but haven't needed it for these lenses. Faster shutter speeds to help with stability coupled with f/1.8 helps to combat blur.
I have both the Sigma 18-35 and the 50-100. Ive used them on a canon 80D, a C200 and on a C300 miii and Ive never had focusing issues. I love these lenses.
Did everyone forget about the Sigma 50-150 OS lens? I know it was last made in 2012, I believe, and it's 2.8 but I think it's a pretty good lens. And I think it still is the only other APS-C lens of it caliber.
I needed the OS because I do a lot of event photography. The OS version definitely not compact, size and weight about the same as a 70-200. But both versions are really good lenses. If you don't need OS the none OS is definitely cheaper.
Not always, I have the 18-35 f1.8 and the 150-600 Sport and had the 50-100 for this video, and the first two don't have focusing issues. Returned the 50-100 though because of that. :(
I had this exact focus problem with two different Sigma 18-35mm on 3 different Canon bodies. I was wondering if this lens had the same issue and apparently it is.
So, I've now shot over 11,000 images on this lens between my D5300 and my new D7100. While focusing was inconsistent on my D5300, it has been rock solid on my D7100. It has missed a few times, like all cameras and lens I've used-but very reliable. I've noticed that shooting portraits in AF-S, it has had no issues. My technique was off at the beginning as well
Tony, another great review and SUPER helpful. I own the 18-35 1.8 and use it on a Panasonic G85 with a Metabones speed booster. The Pani 85 has in-camera 5 axis stabilization and the speed booster takes the 18-to 35 to f 1.1---and the image, low light performance, sharpness, and bokeh are amazing--my best lens. I shoot only video and use manual focus 90+% of the time, and while stabilization is an issue when I'm using the Sigma on the C300 mk II, it's no problem at all with the G85. From your review I get the sense this is my next lens---and I think I'll be able to do almost all of my shooting with the G85 with only these two lenses--plus maybe the Canon 24-105 f.4, which drops to f. 2.5 with the metabones speed booster. Thank you for this review. You and Chelsea are the greatest!
I picked one up today---with my forklift. Damn, that sucker is heavy. But the image is really, really beautiful. I'm thinking the logistics of the lens dictates I'll be using it about 15% to 20% of the time in run 'n gun---hand held. But the 5 axis stabilization of the G85 works super well.
By the way, the speed booster on the G85 gives a super 35 perspective and, on the 50-100, the f-stop opens to 1.2. Talk about background blur. And since I manual focus every thing the AF issues are no issue at all. Highly recommended for MFT, in stabilization cameras. Sadly, the 50-100 mounted by a speed booster adapter on an aps-c like the a6500 has a pretty good amount of vignetting. Fap!!!!
Exactly your opinion. The Sigma 18-35 focuses much easier if you get a proper one. As there is not much to focus they work perfectly then and exceed the dynamic range of full frame as the ISO is 4/3 stops lower. But in the tele range focus problems and missing image stabilization are much worse.
I have this lens and use it on a nikon d7200, gotta say super-sharp, and no focus issues here, did at first but soon figured out it was user error, only had issue when using viewfinder, no problems ever in live view, now got it working just great with viewfinder too
Cool review. Ive had this lens for several months now using a canon t2i and I experience focus problems a lot. The super shallow dof can be great but its also somewhat of a burden. I feel this is because I'm somewhat of an amateur photographer too though. If canon or sony released a higher pixel apsc type camera id be on that like wildfire.
The calibration process of the Sigma lens is more complicated and depends on the focal length plus the distance to you subject. E.g. the lens can be front focusing on 50mm but back focusing on 100mm. Also it can be front focusing on 50mm when the subject is close but back focusing when the subject is far away, hence the random results. With the sigma dock you can make adjustments for 4 different focal lengths and 4 different subject distances in a 4x4 matrix. It is a tedious process but should fix the problem.
I had shocking problems with focus on my 18-35 Sigma and eventually I dropped the money for the USB dock and calibrated it at all 3 focal lengths. I think that is the answer to thinking the focus is "inconsistent". It would front focus at the short end and back focus at the long etc. After calibration it is almost perfect.
To get over focus problems, either calibrate using USB dock or shoot in live view. This is why mirrorless is the future, no micro-focus adjustments necessary. But still gonna get this lens for my 700D, the sharpness is awesome!
Tony, you're awesome. Thanks for all the very informative information that true users are looking for. You really dive into all angles of the equation and put it all together.
Yes I entirely agree my Sigma lens 18-35, I sold it last year I could not put up with the Miss focusing any more even though I had the adapter to micro-adjusted it still would never ever work properly and I got so fed up with keeping my fingers crossed hoping it where would focus correctly to such an extent and I was taking more shots than necessary in order to hope that one of them would turn out, many thanks for all of your reviews Dave Newby
I notice that many people recommend using live view focusing with this lens. I wanted to introduce a theory I have heard about why we get questionable focus from wide apertures on modern cameras sometimes. Some people blame this phenomenon on the modern focusing screens placed between the prism and the mirror in DSLR's. Unlike the older glass ones, these are plastic ones that are used to both save money and provide a brighter viewfinder even at small apertures. Because of this, autofocus wider than 2.8 is usually iffy. People who changed their focusing screens when this was still an option from at least Canon say the problem disappears if you use the more precise screens. Newer models no longer have interchanging screens. Critics suggest that live view focusing works every time due to the fact that you are seeing exactly what the sensor sees without a processor making the decision for you about what is sharp or not. Does anyone else have experience with this?
I too, was really looking forward to this lens! So disappointing, the focus issues... ended up returning mine because of that. :( Still, love the hell out of my 18-35 f1.8 and my 150-600 Sport Sigma lenses! I have the 7D Mark II for anyone who is wondering.
Yeah I have the 7DII as well. I've had problems with my 18-35 1.8 even after a self & factory calibration, and opted to go all OEM prime instead. Never looked back since. My 35mm f/2.0 IS USM, and a 24mm 2.8 IS USM now takes it's place. Not as sharp, but I razor sharpness is not critical decision factor for me. I use those two lenses because they make my 7DII very practical to grab & go. Sigma can be too front heavy, and I end up babying it too much.
I've had my 18-35 for nearly a year now and had similar (inconsistent) focusing issues, that is until the latest firmware came out sometime this past Summer (2016) after which it performs MUCH better. Now there was zero mention of "Fixes some focus issues" in the bullet points for the update but I suspect that Sigma's marketing department may have decided not to mention them because that would mean they were admitting there was an issue in the first place. I also have it attached to a 7D mark II.
***** I sold my 18-35 because it was just too inconsistent. I'm guessing the 50-100 would be just as inconsistent. I got the Canon 35mm IS USM after I sold my 18-35. The form factor and consistency was much more important for me that the added sharpness. I'm glad the focus issues are mitigated on the 18-35mm, but I still won't get it again because of it's heavy weight. even on a 7D MII it's front heavy. For me it hinders my workflow I find. If you are a landscape photog, I highly recommend it still. Just be prepared to use manual focus.
Besides how good the overall sharpness and the bokeh is, if you miss focus a lot it is a deal breaker. If have sold such lenses because you never feel really comfortable during shootings.Thank you Tony for the review.
I got this lens too and I use it with Panasonic GX8 and metabones 0.71x speedbooster. I also experience lack of I.S problems but the focus was never a problem for me.
I like how Sigma actually make pro grade lenses for crop sensors. I got me that 18-35 f1.8 and I love it to death. I am not a hugely experienced photographer though, so the limited range in focal length and the lack of any stabilization means that I have to be a bit more creative and just get good. The potential of these new art lenses is amazing, it's just a bit hard to reach. Also, everyone who considers buying this, you might want to start lifting weights to get ready. The 18-35 itself is heavier than my D5300 with a 70-300 f4-5.6 on it.
that's some thing special. this is what a review all about. u gave the both positives and negatives about this lens now its upto us should we go for it or NOT.. Thanks Tony Northrup for this lovely video. i really appreciate that :)
I use the 18-35 1.8 and had to calibrate in camera but also get the focusing issue but normally I just knock the lens out of focus manually and let it refocus - the lens seems to be lazy when it is close to focus and does not move so a good turn of the focus ring before auto focus normally gets me sharp images. I can only guess the same apply s to the 50-100, I think the colour reproduction of the sigma glass really rocks.
I bought and return 5, 18-35 canon mount, I had in combo with a canon 700D, then bought a sony a6300 and the MC-11 adapter but the focus was shittier than before.. I ended up returning the 18-35 for the last time and bought a zeiss prime..
Using the 18-35 w/metabones non speedbooster mark IV adapter in 'auto' mode on the A6300 gives AMAZING results for video autofocus. Almost better than the native 50 f1.8 it's crazy
both the sigma 18-35 and 50-100 f1.8 art series lens have bad focusing out of the box. It can be fixed using a sigma USB dock (sold seperately) and manually calibrate the focusing through their software on a PC. Tedious but the results are GODLY
I own this lens and use it with my Nikon D500 body. At a recent indoor event I used my Nikon 17-55 2.8 with a speed light and a flash bracket and I used my other D500 with my Sigma 50-100 to use without flash. The sharpness is outstanding but I noticed that the focus seemed to hunt much more than my 17-55. This was my first shoot with this lens and I learned to slow down a bit to let it achieve focus. I don't know if this lens will focus fast and accurately for sports.
I once had a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 with also back and front focusing issues. I remember I read somewhere that this issue is due mainly because of the f/1.4 shallow DoF and any little movement you do between the moment you focus and the moment you take the shot ruins your shot very very easily
Hi Tony, I shoot on a Canon 70D and often rent the Canon 70-200 2.8 IS for indoor event photography. I’d like to stop renting and buy a lens for this purpose. Should I go with the Sigma 50-100, or the Tamron 70-200 G2? On one hand the Sigma may be sharper since its built for crop sensor cameras, on the other hand the Tamron has that incredible image stabilization and longer reach. Since the indoor events I shoot are often dim, I’m leaning toward the Tamron. What do you think?
⭐ Get the Sigma 50-100 f/1.8 on Amazon help.tc/s100 ⭐
Here are sample photos onfotolife.com/Home/lens_sample_photos?lens_name=Sigma%20A%2050-100%20mm%20f/1.8%20DC%20HSM&page=1
Tony & Chelsea Northrup what about the sigma 50-150 2.8 EX OS
Beautiful shots. I didn't see any focusing issues. I have the 18-35mm Art on the f/1.8 on the 80D & absolutely love it & this is next on my lens list. Q? I didn't notice any 1.8 shots, mostly 2-2.8. Any specific reason not shooting wide open?
Is the focus problem now fixed in August 2018?
Word is that the 50-100mm doesn't seem to have the reported focus issues reported on some others. FWIW; I purchased the Sigma USB dock & used the Optimization Pro software to Micro Adjust my 18-35mm f/1.8 lens. It took me a little bit to get used to it, but once you get some time invested which it WILL take BTW, you'll get better & faster doing the calibrations. It helped immensely & was well worth all of the effort & time involved doing it for the1st time. I highly recommend calibrating your AFMA w/ the Optimization Pro & USB dock.
Good that you addressed focus issues. Sharpness don't mean shit if the focus is off.
Too true! That's the reason I returned this lens.
Yeah and it is not even a cheap lens. This sort of things is not acceptable for lenses above $1000
Honestly its not the lens its the off sensor PDAF points struggling to see the real focus point of the lens as its too shallow for the AF sensor.
This lens is great on my a7ii using the MC-11 adapter as well as my sdQ.
Paul Monaghan This is heresy, the Nikon has perfect autofocus accuracy. :p
Different type of focusing system.. The 50-100mm would focus dead accurately each time if he used live view on the 70D or 80D. But thats just not practical..
2020 and this lens still has no alternative on any APSC System.
EXACTLY
good thing there is 32mp on canon mirrorless
... and now in 2022 we have the R7 and this lens focuses flawlessly on it! There is still no competitor to it though, LOL.
@@cooloox Did you use it on a R7? I‘d like to know if sports photography is possible with it and for that I really need a good auto focus. I‘m using the R10. Hope you see this and respond!
This and the 18-35 f1.8 are still completely unchallenged in the APS-C market for fast, high quality, zoom lenses.
Please test the Sigma 50-100 f1.8 art on Canon R7
I swear you all make the best lens reviews on CZcams. I love you two and everything you all do.
Thanks for the great video. This has become one of my most used lenses, but I use it mainly for video. This thing is amazing paired to an a7R2 4K in crop mode with IBIS on a monopod for event work.
do you use the mc-11 adapter?
Yes.
Yeah, with the G7 successor to be announce soon and with a DUAL IS MK II already confirmed, people should be able to use the Sigma Dynamic Duo and a focal reducer with the G85 and GH5, what a nice kit it will be, Super 35 video with IBIS in a Micro4/3 camera.
Do you have any issues with the mc-11 adapter?
So you buy the sigma mount then? Does all the native Sony stuff work with this lens and adapter?
Hi Tony, an update of this review could be very interesting in nowadays with new apsc camera like EOS R7, with eye autofocus tracking, sensir stabilized and higher sensor Mpix.
Thanks
After shooting two weddings and a number of social events I'd like to say that I love this lens.
Hi Delme thanks for the feedback. Do you experience issues with focusing?
Tony, I don't know if you hear this ENOUGH, but THANK YOU for respecting us viewers enough to GET TO THE POINT quickly :) It's making CZcams a better place :)
Hi Tony, I had the same focusing problem with the 18-35 f1.8 art lens on my Pentax K-3. I would focus just fine in live view but not through the view finder. I used the USB dock from Sigma to adjust it and that fixed the problem. I was very disappointed that Sigma didn't make this lens for Pentax, with that in body image stabilization it would've made it a low light beast combo, but hearing how disappointed you are with it, it makes me feel a little better.
7:10 The focusing issue with Sigma lenses is a real problem. I've had to ditch around 40% of shots with my Sigma 18-35. It's so frustrating to take a group of nicely framed shots only to discover half of them are blurry back-focuesd. I recently opted for my Tokina manual cine lens as I knew it'd be a closer focus than the Sigma. Luckily, most of my work is film so it's all manual focusing.
I have the exact same problem.
i have that problem and solve it with the sigma usb dock. Its frustrating the necessity to buy it but really solve the problem (after like 5 hours of calibration -_- but the results worth it)
Cheers guys, I have considered the usb dock but like what Tony said, it's focusing properly too so not sure if it'll sort.
I noticed that too. First, sorry for my english. I have only theorys but i think is because that internal focusing elements moving, mixed with the shallow dept of field make the focus inconsistent in different focal lengths, and different focus distances. I noticed it tends to fail or hit depending that, thats why the usb dock solve my problem, you can microadjust every single focal length trough near to far focus distances. I think sigma knows, thats why make the dock
Mr Yamaki stated that the SIGMA service centres can calibrate the lens to your specific camera body. It is possible to do so with the dock yourself, however, it is one of the procedures that requires a high-level of expertise, so it's better to take your camera and lens to a service centre.
According to the LensVid interview, he stated that SIGMA must licence and then reverse-engineer the capacities of CANON/NIKON etc so they keep a stable of cameras to calibrate from, however, each camera is different; a D500 and a D7100 would need different calibration, for instance. If you use the most popular camera for each mount, for each country then you will probably have the fewest problems.
Apparently, the new heights of resolution exacerbate this.
Contact SIGMA, they will likely have a service centre close by.
I guess i really got lucky i use the 50-100 and 18-35 and never really had issues with missing focus. Didn't need to micro adjust or anything. I'm #Blessed
me too using this one for 3month...never faced it...never micro adjusted it just nail focus....n its quite fast too....I used with d7200 mostly n d500
same here, i did at first have issues, but realised i really didnt the d7200 af system, now i do and have zero problems
SIGMA calibrate to specific camera bodies, so perhaps you are using the camera that they reference from for that mount. Which camera do you use?
Me too having zero problems using SIgma 18-35 on Canon 60d since the very first day of purchase. When i hear people talking about focus problems it seems to me that they have problems with their style of shooting mentioning the narrowest depth of field theese lenses give yoy at open aperture. Just imagine that after you succesfully focused, you moved your arm half a centimeter away, and that all - you lost your focus point. Thats all said using my own 18-35 lens on 60d body for around 2+ years for now.
I've had this lens for four months and have not had any focusing issues either. Nail the focus on the first try. Shooting with a nikon d5500.
To whom may read this on 2020 and after.
I'm using the Sigma 18-35 and 50-100 with 2 Fringer Pro ii on my fuji cameras,XT3 and XH1. No focus isuues,always hit the mark,very fast AF and excellent results.
Do the fuji cameras have in camera sensor for stabilization?
I saw this video because I am considering buying it for my new Canon R7. Have you tried it with the R7? Thanks!
Tony is using THE FORCE at 6:58.
Legitimate telekinesis.
That camera moves.
your eyes got some focus problem
It definitely moved. Tony had superpower !
It's 2024 I placed this lens on my Nikon z6III and the stabilization on this full frame camera is fantastic. No Focus Breathing but do feel the focus working all of the time. It is fast and quiet is quiet. Also used this lens on my Leica Sl2-S and it is fantastic with a Pholsy Nikon to L adapter with an Aperture Control Ring. Placed this lens on the Nikon Z30 which only has Digital Stabilization only and video was only good when still. Photos from all three cameras were excellent and sharp. I did all tests in different modes Auto, Program and Apterture plus Manual. Cheers!
Had a lot of focus issues on 70d, since i moved to 7d2 its nearly unnoticeable. I use 9 focus point in a group and it rarely misses. I use 18-35 and 50-100 and both work rather well.
Tony, now that Canon M6 mk2 and 90D has 32mb sensor, please test this lens again, thanks
What a fantastic team you both make Tony and Chelsea. I have just started amateur but serious hobby p'graphy, so dropping by on what ever i can to read and learn, and i have been hooked to your videos for the past 2 days. Detailed, informative, raw, and clear cut. No shenanigans and fanboyism and hipster kinda stuff. The sheer amount of info and knowledge you guys share is commendable.
Would have taken you for a beer if i was there :)
i have this lens and i can recommend it. My copy nails focus every time on a D500 body. Maybe they got a lemon.
Love you guys. Was really interested in this lens but focusing issues and no IS is not what I want for my new D500. Thanks again!
I appreciate your unbiased views
I've been waiting for this review for SO long!
Tony, You can not say about yourself that you are not biased
other ppl say it about you and that is why they watch and trust you guys.
You have to remake the review with calibrated lens and Canon 90d combo.
I rented this lens to shoot a wedding of a friend. I acted as second shooter with my 70D. The lens performed well in that capacity. However, I did notice finicky focus. As a second shooter on a wedding this lens works out well in my opinion as I did not have the pressure on me to take the primary shots. The pictures that did come out were amazing and the feedback from the customer was very positive.
how its compare with full frame ?
Bought this lens on June 10 and have used it more than any other lens in this 3 months period. It's a beauty and I would say the same about its construction. Cannot agree with the comments about it easily scratching but maybe I just take better care of ALL my equipment. I have used it to capture action, portraits, social events (weddings) and just about everything and mostly at F2. I have it paired with my Sony a6000 via the Sigma MC-11 adapter and the camera and lens have not been separated since the date of purchase. I often use it in poor light - because of its max fast aperture - and I find the results are outstanding. Regarding the focus - this took me a little time to adjust but now I get a high success rate. However, with the MC-11 adapter the auto-focus is not lightening fast but is no slouch and definitely faster than manual focus. I suspect it might focus faster mated directly to say a Canon body. All in all, this is the best lens I've ever handled. Worth noting that I have the Sony a7 mated to the Sony 70-200 F4 but the Sigma results are better by far.
My 18-35 had the issue so I sent it back for re calibration, haven't had a chance to put it through the paces since returned. The 50-100 was the shop model from The Camera Store (probably the same one from the review they did) and it seems to work fine. My hope is that now the m5 has focus peaking, buying that and switching to manual if needed.
These lens take great shots so I can't see myself selling, but the focusing is a real frustration that I hope they can fix with firmware. *if* canon and Nikon ever get around to higher mpxl, stabilized sensors, and the focusing issues are fixed, these lemses would age fantastically
How is it now?
Great review as always. Sigma and Tamron really have upped their games in the past two years. Despite some issues.
It's a shame Sigma have chosen not to produce this lens in Pentax mount because matched to the Pentax K3 series cameras it would be a stunning combination.
Agreed!
Seconded - got a K3. Thanks Tony for the honest appraisal of the lens.
Maybe Pentax new KAF4 mount with electronic aperture control will make them reconsider. They did state in an interview that the mechanical aperture lever does increase the cost and time to adapt lenses to K-mount - now that's gone, let's see.
AGH331 yes that would be great. Just updated the firmware of my K3 to v1.30; now has KAF4 functionality. Getting a Pentax 55-300mm PLM lens delivered this week. Hoping this combo is quick enough for wildlife/bird shots with AF, no manual readjust. And other quick shots.
So far I'm loving this lens on my Nikon D7100. So far I've taken a few hundred shots and I've had no focus issues. Either I've been lucky or a got one of the good lenses.
I have nikon d7100 I lookin the good lens ara you recamand this lens
Interesting - and thank you for the review about it. I purchased the 18-35 a couple of months ago and at first I thought I'd made a big mistake. When I started to try and calibrate it, it seemed to have that random back or front focus problem. I was really beginning to despair that I'd wasted my money. But I then made some changes, and it seems to be fine now. I have a 70D, and I remembered that the 70D has problems focusing using the central focusing point at f1.8. So I changed the calibration to use the focus point just to the right - and I also only bothered to calibrate it to infinity and also to the next stage down (about 0.5m). It seems to be fine now. Plus in actual use I have only used it on a tripod, and using the live focus with the touch screen. In doing that the images have been sharp, and focused exactly where I wanted them to be. Maybe this would also work with the 50-100? Of course you used the Nikon version, so I don't know if that made a difference or not.Either way, thank you again for the review - I was one of the ones who requested you do it in the first place so it is much appreciated. I may well hold off on buying the 50-100 to see if there is any sort of way to get around these issues that you found...
This is the go to lens for my D500. The only thing I can compare it to is when I was shooting with the Nikon 200mm F2 on my D810. I do not experience as much focus issues as Tony is describing, but I have had a few, but have not found them to be detrimental to any shoot. This is an absolute great lens!
Did you get more out of focus shots since then? I get them 80% of the time on my 18-35 1.8 it's maddening
I got this Lens for half a year now. Use it on my Canon 80D and don´t have ANY focus issues. The lens is perfectly adjusted with the Sigma dock. For me it works fine.
btw about front focusing/ back focusing issue on Sigma - try it on Sony mirrorless. Seriously. I had a similar issue with BF on my Sigma 35/1.4 art on Canon back in the days, but that lens working on Metabones with Sony A7RII seems doesn't have that problem. So try it out, might help.
I agree.
so many people blaming the lens and even sending then back thinking they are flawed when its likely the camera body tollorences not being good enough and the pdaf being f5.6 or in better cameras a few f2.8 spots not being able to see the true focus point of the lens.
the 50-100 is awesome on my a7ii.
LoL for the end of the video !
I will actually chime in that I experienced something similar with my 18-35 f/1.8 and had a horrible time trying to micro adjust correct it and could never seem to get it right, it felt like it was missing on both sides of the focal plane. However as soon as I ran through a Magic Lantern auto micro adjust calibration on my Canon 70D, it's been locked on ever since in studio, street, anywhere I use it. I didn't have this kind of difficulty with seemingly either side of the focal plane on any of my other Canon f/1.8 or faster primes either and could always find what side of the focal plane it was shifted, so I do wonder if the 50-100mm will behave the same. Once I grab the lens (to replace my 50-150mm f/2.8) I'll update here.
Most SIGMA lens have Focus Problem in Canon camera, I got the 17-50 mm F/2.8 and it often go outta focus, while the cheap kit lens on the canon is sharp all the time. I guess it must be some software or electronic problem on the sigma lens when is not the native Sigma camera.
I owned TWO COPIES of that 17-50 f2.8 for my canon 70D and both were great.
I have both the sigma 18-35 & 50-100 f/1.8 on my canon 90D,a match made in heaven. I haven't had any issues with focusing as both are sharp as.. no calibration needed,I also have the doc but haven't needed it for these lenses. Faster shutter speeds to help with stability coupled with f/1.8 helps to combat blur.
Good video. I just love your in depth techie videos on lens and cameras.
I have both the Sigma 18-35 and the 50-100. Ive used them on a canon 80D, a C200 and on a C300 miii and Ive never had focusing issues. I love these lenses.
Did everyone forget about the Sigma 50-150 OS lens? I know it was last made in 2012, I believe, and it's 2.8 but I think it's a pretty good lens. And I think it still is the only other APS-C lens of it caliber.
They discontinued that lens, I was looking for it as it also has OS.
eBay is the only place to get one, I have two.
I have the one without OS, also a great lens, main advantage is the compact size.
I needed the OS because I do a lot of event photography. The OS version definitely not compact, size and weight about the same as a 70-200. But both versions are really good lenses. If you don't need OS the none OS is definitely cheaper.
Too bad it was canceled. It's a sharp lens even at 150mm.
I feel like Sigma lenses always have focus issues. My last two did.
Not always, I have the 18-35 f1.8 and the 150-600 Sport and had the 50-100 for this video, and the first two don't have focusing issues. Returned the 50-100 though because of that. :(
phoenix7289 Hmm yeah seems inconsistent
The 35mm Art works really well. I haven't noticed any issues.
Love that lens
***** Good to hear !!!
I have the 18-35 f1.8 and i DO have auto focus issues. I'm in the process of calibrating it, so hopefully it'll get fixed :)
I had this exact focus problem with two different Sigma 18-35mm on 3 different Canon bodies. I was wondering if this lens had the same issue and apparently it is.
Peltwerk- yea, I have the same issue with the 18-35 lens on my Sony body.
I had the exact same focusing problems with a Sigma 50/1.4 Art back when I was shooting Canon. Had to return it, because I couldn't trust it.
So, I've now shot over 11,000 images on this lens between my D5300 and my new D7100. While focusing was inconsistent on my D5300, it has been rock solid on my D7100. It has missed a few times, like all cameras and lens I've used-but very reliable. I've noticed that shooting portraits in AF-S, it has had no issues. My technique was off at the beginning as well
I have this on my XH2 w/a Fringer adapter, works swimmingly
Tony, another great review and SUPER helpful. I own the 18-35 1.8 and use it on a Panasonic G85 with a Metabones speed booster. The Pani 85 has in-camera 5 axis stabilization and the speed booster takes the 18-to 35 to f 1.1---and the image, low light performance, sharpness, and bokeh are amazing--my best lens.
I shoot only video and use manual focus 90+% of the time, and while stabilization is an issue when I'm using the Sigma on the C300 mk II, it's no problem at all with the G85.
From your review I get the sense this is my next lens---and I think I'll be able to do almost all of my shooting with the G85 with only these two lenses--plus maybe the Canon 24-105 f.4, which drops to f. 2.5 with the metabones speed booster.
Thank you for this review. You and Chelsea are the greatest!
Yeah, that should be a great combination. Enjoy!
I picked one up today---with my forklift.
Damn, that sucker is heavy. But the image is really, really beautiful.
I'm thinking the logistics of the lens dictates I'll be using it about 15% to 20% of the time in run 'n gun---hand held. But the 5 axis stabilization of the G85 works super well.
By the way, the speed booster on the G85 gives a super 35 perspective and, on the 50-100, the f-stop opens to 1.2. Talk about background blur. And since I manual focus every thing the AF issues are no issue at all. Highly recommended for MFT, in stabilization cameras.
Sadly, the 50-100 mounted by a speed booster adapter on an aps-c like the a6500 has a pretty good amount of vignetting.
Fap!!!!
I have the Sigma 18-35 bought refurbished in 2017. No focus issues at all. I believe the problem was fixed with a firmware update.
Thank you for being honest
7 years after... did sigma fix the focus problems??
Gotta love that closing statement Tony. LOL
Think this will pair nicely with my 90D with the 32.5 MP.
Tony, can you do a video with that combo?
the image stabilization is not an issue in Sigma 18-35 but it's a big issue in the telephoto lens
Exactly your opinion.
The Sigma 18-35 focuses much easier if you get a proper one. As there is not much to focus they work perfectly then and exceed the dynamic range of full frame as the ISO is 4/3 stops lower.
But in the tele range focus problems and missing image stabilization are much worse.
Interesting added clip at the end. Thanks for the review.
Great review Tony! I plan on getting this and the 18-35mm Sigma.
I have this lens and use it on a nikon d7200, gotta say super-sharp, and no focus issues here, did at first but soon figured out it was user error, only had issue when using viewfinder, no problems ever in live view, now got it working just great with viewfinder too
gonna work towards it nest year but I have the 17-50mm f 2.8 and WOW has ti significantly impacted my wedding and portrait photography.
I heard him say the weakness is no cameras have more than 24MP Sensors, then I realized this video is 4 years old.
Cool review. Ive had this lens for several months now using a canon t2i and I experience focus problems a lot. The super shallow dof can be great but its also somewhat of a burden. I feel this is because I'm somewhat of an amateur photographer too though. If canon or sony released a higher pixel apsc type camera id be on that like wildfire.
Now with the Canon EOS R7, I feel like the time is right for this lens. It's next on my list.
The calibration process of the Sigma lens is more complicated and depends on the focal length plus the distance to you subject. E.g. the lens can be front focusing on 50mm but back focusing on 100mm. Also it can be front focusing on 50mm when the subject is close but back focusing when the subject is far away, hence the random results. With the sigma dock you can make adjustments for 4 different focal lengths and 4 different subject distances in a 4x4 matrix. It is a tedious process but should fix the problem.
I had shocking problems with focus on my 18-35 Sigma and eventually I dropped the money for the USB dock and calibrated it at all 3 focal lengths. I think that is the answer to thinking the focus is "inconsistent". It would front focus at the short end and back focus at the long etc. After calibration it is almost perfect.
Always wait for the out takes.
Yeah, the last 5 seconds really tell it all, don't they? Too bad, I really wanted this lens too.
I cant use a lens with focus problems in stills. I don't do a lot of still work. if it cant hit a still what about a kid the will not stay still.
To get over focus problems, either calibrate using USB dock or shoot in live view. This is why mirrorless is the future, no micro-focus adjustments necessary. But still gonna get this lens for my 700D, the sharpness is awesome!
Ok. Love this lens. Thanks to the a6500 plus mc-11 adapter. I hope Sony releases a higher mega pixel APS-C body 32gb
Hi frend, pliase show me your fhoto
I have been using it for events and wedding and so far it has been amazing..I use D7200 nikon
Tony, you're awesome. Thanks for all the very informative information that true users are looking for. You really dive into all angles of the equation and put it all together.
Yes I entirely agree my Sigma lens 18-35, I sold it last year I could not put up with the Miss focusing any more even though I had the adapter to micro-adjusted it still would never ever work properly and I got so fed up with keeping my fingers crossed hoping it where would focus correctly to such an extent and I was taking more shots than necessary in order to hope that one of them would turn out, many thanks for all of your reviews Dave Newby
I notice that many people recommend using live view focusing with this lens. I wanted to introduce a theory I have heard about why we get questionable focus from wide apertures on modern cameras sometimes. Some people blame this phenomenon on the modern focusing screens placed between the prism and the mirror in DSLR's. Unlike the older glass ones, these are plastic ones that are used to both save money and provide a brighter viewfinder even at small apertures. Because of this, autofocus wider than 2.8 is usually iffy. People who changed their focusing screens when this was still an option from at least Canon say the problem disappears if you use the more precise screens. Newer models no longer have interchanging screens. Critics suggest that live view focusing works every time due to the fact that you are seeing exactly what the sensor sees without a processor making the decision for you about what is sharp or not. Does anyone else have experience with this?
I too, was really looking forward to this lens! So disappointing, the focus issues... ended up returning mine because of that. :( Still, love the hell out of my 18-35 f1.8 and my 150-600 Sport Sigma lenses! I have the 7D Mark II for anyone who is wondering.
As we have the same lenses and camera I for one really appreciate your views on this lens.
thank you! I too was keen for this lens. sad to hear the focus issues
:( I have a 7D ii as well. would probably get the 50-150 2.8
Yeah I have the 7DII as well. I've had problems with my 18-35 1.8 even after a self & factory calibration, and opted to go all OEM prime instead. Never looked back since. My 35mm f/2.0 IS USM, and a 24mm 2.8 IS USM now takes it's place. Not as sharp, but I razor sharpness is not critical decision factor for me. I use those two lenses because they make my 7DII very practical to grab & go. Sigma can be too front heavy, and I end up babying it too much.
I've had my 18-35 for nearly a year now and had similar (inconsistent) focusing issues, that is until the latest firmware came out sometime this past Summer (2016) after which it performs MUCH better. Now there was zero mention of "Fixes some focus issues" in the bullet points for the update but I suspect that Sigma's marketing department may have decided not to mention them because that would mean they were admitting there was an issue in the first place. I also have it attached to a 7D mark II.
***** I sold my 18-35 because it was just too inconsistent. I'm guessing the 50-100 would be just as inconsistent. I got the Canon 35mm IS USM after I sold my 18-35. The form factor and consistency was much more important for me that the added sharpness. I'm glad the focus issues are mitigated on the 18-35mm, but I still won't get it again because of it's heavy weight. even on a 7D MII it's front heavy. For me it hinders my workflow I find. If you are a landscape photog, I highly recommend it still. Just be prepared to use manual focus.
Don't need one. Still want one.
Besides how good the overall sharpness and the bokeh is, if you miss focus a lot it is a deal breaker. If have sold such lenses because you never feel really comfortable during shootings.Thank you Tony for the review.
Great review as always! Thank you for what you do!
I got this lens too and I use it with Panasonic GX8 and metabones 0.71x speedbooster. I also experience lack of I.S problems but the focus was never a problem for me.
Great review as always Tony. I was getting excited about the lens, so thanks for the honest review!
Samsung's NX-1 and Pentax K3 II could possibly get more out of this lens
I am already subscribed because I appreciate your detailed reviews. Keep up the great work.
Hi Tony,
Regarding the focus issue.
Almost 4 years passed since your review. Are you aware if sigma fixed it?
I solved all my back focusing problems withe the Sigma dock and a calibration table, now is pretty damn sharp
I like how Sigma actually make pro grade lenses for crop sensors. I got me that 18-35 f1.8 and I love it to death. I am not a hugely experienced photographer though, so the limited range in focal length and the lack of any stabilization means that I have to be a bit more creative and just get good. The potential of these new art lenses is amazing, it's just a bit hard to reach. Also, everyone who considers buying this, you might want to start lifting weights to get ready. The 18-35 itself is heavier than my D5300 with a 70-300 f4-5.6 on it.
I recently purchased the 18-35mm and I love it. This will be the next lens I will be purchasing.
that's some thing special. this is what a review all about. u gave the both positives and negatives about this lens now its upto us should we go for it or NOT.. Thanks Tony Northrup for this lovely video. i really appreciate that :)
I use the 18-35 1.8 and had to calibrate in camera but also get the focusing issue but normally I just knock the lens out of focus manually and let it refocus - the lens seems to be lazy when it is close to focus and does not move so a good turn of the focus ring before auto focus normally gets me sharp images. I can only guess the same apply s to the 50-100, I think the colour reproduction of the sigma glass really rocks.
Honest Review.
I think you had shot with Nikon Body .
Most of Nikon have the Back & Front focus Issues. It is the Big mistake In Nikon.
Always excellent reviews Tony. Thanks.
finally getting to watch this from the guys who do it best.:)
im noticing the same type of focusing issues with my 18-35 lens.
Yeah me too . I regret buying this lens .
I bought and return 5, 18-35 canon mount, I had in combo with a canon 700D, then bought a sony a6300 and the MC-11 adapter but the focus was shittier than before.. I ended up returning the 18-35 for the last time and bought a zeiss prime..
Using the 18-35 w/metabones non speedbooster mark IV adapter in 'auto' mode on the A6300 gives AMAZING results for video autofocus. Almost better than the native 50 f1.8 it's crazy
Sully Cortez Hard to believe since the sigma art lens all have a really noisy autofocus during video..
Already tried with external mic like the rode one, still getting the noise in the clip.
both the sigma 18-35 and 50-100 f1.8 art series lens have bad focusing out of the box. It can be fixed using a sigma USB dock (sold seperately) and manually calibrate the focusing through their software on a PC. Tedious but the results are GODLY
I just finished a 7day rental of this lens and did not experience these focus problems (thankfully), but my 18-35 definitely does have issues!
That little bit at the end was great :D
I own this lens and use it with my Nikon D500 body. At a recent indoor event I used my Nikon 17-55 2.8 with a speed light and a flash bracket and I used my other D500 with my Sigma 50-100 to use without flash. The sharpness is outstanding but I noticed that the focus seemed to hunt much more than my 17-55. This was my first shoot with this lens and I learned to slow down a bit to let it achieve focus. I don't know if this lens will focus fast and accurately for sports.
I once had a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 with also back and front focusing issues. I remember I read somewhere that this issue is due mainly because of the f/1.4 shallow DoF and any little movement you do between the moment you focus and the moment you take the shot ruins your shot very very easily
Honest as ever Tony. We appreciate it, but I think Sigma will shun you from now on.
Thank you for addressing focus issues! I was ready to purchase this lens, now i think i will wait. Nicely done review!
Hi Tony,
I shoot on a Canon 70D and often rent the Canon 70-200 2.8 IS for indoor event photography. I’d like to stop renting and buy a lens for this purpose. Should I go with the Sigma 50-100, or the Tamron 70-200 G2? On one hand the Sigma may be sharper since its built for crop sensor cameras, on the other hand the Tamron has that incredible image stabilization and longer reach. Since the indoor events I shoot are often dim, I’m leaning toward the Tamron. What do you think?
my 35 ART does the focus thing too. I stopped using 1.4 in professional settings because of it.
I have had some focus problems as well. I still really like the lens because more times than not the picture comes out really good.
I had the same problem on Nikon with 18-35. Great lens optically, but focus issues make it unusable. Sad to see 50-100 having the same problem.