I don't own this lens but I have 30mm and 60mm lenses of that Sigma's trio. Silver versions. I haven't used the 30mm lens much because I have Olympus 30mm macro lens. But the 60 mm f2.8 is one of my best and sharpest lenses, having nice bokeh too. I like it a lot.
I have the 60mm and think it's great. I have been shooting at iso 200 because of your advice. I was surprised you are using 400 and 500 iso in good light.
That's for the video Robin, this brings me back to 2014 when I got my Panasonic GX7 and I couldn't afford any lenses so I went with the cheapest primes: Sigma 19mm f 2.8 and 60mm f 2.8 and I loved the 60mm the most because it was the sharpest lens I ever owned for a very long time. I did like the 19mm but not as much and I did sell it off after a few years. I am tempted to get them back for a couple of hundred £ some day (mostly for nostalgia).by the way, the outer shell is not made of plastic (the first generation of these lenses were made of plastic) as they were made of aluminium, they scratch very easily but still feels nice in the hand (but they will look ugly in a few years ... Probably the best case scenario for the vinyl wrap I mentioned on the last stream)
if the lens barrel material was made of aluminum, it was so thin it was basically useless and felt like plastic anyway. Hence the easy scratches, it could have been a minor coating that serves aesthetical purposes only! Of course, if you can find a cheap one, why not?
I think one of the best lens I have, I don't know why Sigma doesn't make a new one! I bought it for A6000, I still use it on A6400 and when I feel bad I use it on my A7II, cropping later in post. A special 28mm equivalent, just slow in focus compared to '20 lenses so I don't use it for street. I love it! Thank you Robin , ciao from Italy!
Honestly, i kinda like "flawed" lenses... I call it character because it sounds better. Great point Robin about f2.8 primes. I'd love to see some more weather sealed 1.8 and 2.8 compact prime lenses. Great video, I love how you prove that gear is not the most important part of getting great images.
I just realised i own the same 19mm f/2.8 i bought second hand for so cheap. THIS is the area where MFT is GREAT VALUE - buying on the used market!!!! Sadly, there is no sense in investing in new MFT bodies or lenses anymore.
Hi Robin, I really like the variety on your channel and looking at old lenses and how they perform compared with today's lenses. I like a bit of Nostalgia combined with modern lenses. Many thanks for sharing this video Robin. 😊
Hi Robin, I picked this lens up a few weeks ago. I have the M.Zuiko 20mm already so didn't need it but it was at an exceptionally good price! I doubt I will keep it, but it was still fun to try out.
Hi Robin - love your videos, but I have to slightly disagree with you on this one when you say that the Panasonic and Oly alternatives are faster focusing.. the Panasonic 20/1.7 is noticeably the slowest AF in m43. Then there's the Oly 17/2.8, which I'd say focuses as fast as this Sigma. And if you think about the Oly 17/1.8 or Pany 15/1.7, those are waaay more expensive than this Sigma, so although they have similar focal lengths, I wouldn't say they're comparable, let alone the OM 20/1.4 PRO! Also, my copy of the Sigma 19 is sharp at the edges, maybe it's your copy? And it's weird that yours isn't, since you're anyway cropping the true edges from the APS-C circle. If you'd like I can send sample shots! Best regards and happy shooting to you as well =]
The video poses a question - is the Sigma 19mm still worth considering now in 2024? It was good at its time (not great) of course I am going to compare to newer lenses, we have so many new choices now, which obviously have better AF and image quality. The Olympus 17mm and Panasonic 15mm are NOT wayyyyyyy more expensive than SIgma, considering they are significantly BRIGHTER and SMALLER than the Sigma at the same time, offering so much faster AF (important if you don't want to miss the shot) and superior corner to corner sharpness. You may have not inspected your images close enough. There are MANY other reviews out there supporting my claims. This is a universal problem with Sigma 19mm, the corners are just terribly soft.
I got the Sigma 19mm ver 1 and 60mm ver 2. I gave the 19mm to my friend when I got the Panasonic 15mm and kept the 60mm since the Olympus 75mm is too expensive for me. the 60mm is good and focus fast. Those three lenses (19/30/60) are definitely under estimate lenses.
The trio of lenses in this generation were on sale with a reasonable discount not long after they were introduced, and I was tempted to get the 30mm to complement my kit lenses. However, I actually found the 60mm to be more impressive, with nice optics and what I considered to be fast autofocusing (compared to the kit lenses). I couldn't really get excited by the 19mm or 30mm, and found the ergonomics of all three to be less than ideal. The use of most of the barrel for manual focus is distracting if one is using auto-magnification, deterring any holding of the lens for comfort, and the surface texture is quite odd (people describing it as waxy, if I remember correctly). I also thought that the mounting was too tight on my camera, requiring considerable effort to twist the lenses I tried on. In the shop, I couldn't help comparing the size of the lenses with the Olympus primes, too. In the end, I held out for one of the Olympus primes instead. It's a shame because I think Sigma could do a smaller, more competitive version.
As far as I can tell, in the UK and the wealthier parts of Europe more generally, products like these tend to get withdrawn and pushed into lower-cost markets instead of being heavily discounted. That gives the producers the opportunity to maintain their margins in places where the customers are expected to pay more, by bringing in the next model, for example. I did see the first version of some of these lenses discounted where I live, but that was stock that one camera chain had purchased from another chain that had closed down. I guess they didn't know what to do with the products and had no bulk purchaser looking to move the stock elsewhere.
Nice review on a high value vs cost lens, Robin. When I was shooting with Sony NEX cameras in 2014,, my biggest problem was glass.. the Sony lenses from that era were pretty mediocre,,,to terrible. The 19mm and the 60mm 2.8 Sigmas were much better and kept me going awhile as well as adapting other older lenses. My problem was I borrowed a Panasonic MFT with the 12-35 2.8 on it and it destroyed the NEX images.. I've been stuck to Lumix and Olympus ever since.
Yeah people looked down on smaller formats like Micro Four Thirds, but they have superior lenses. Only recently the newer mirrorless lenses from other camps have started to catch up
Even though the 12-40mm is what I use most times, it is not perfect. The bokeh can be busy and it is a little too big or threatening for street photography.
Před 2 měsíci+1
Mft need new versions of affordable small lenses😊 I agree
@@paul_boddie Yes, I `d love to. But I also really like how my gh5 feels with a small lens. Is a pocket camera :) And of course, I love my gm1, imagine gm1 plus autofocus!!!
MFT is too exensive today. If you compare equivalent lenses to L-Mount, for the equivalent physical apeture size / entrance pupil, ie for the same light gathering ability, the MFT is MORE EXPENSIVE. The latest flagship bodies are MORE EXPENSIVE.
thanks for the review, i have the 30mm and personally consider that lens sharp corner to corner which to me justify its place in my camera bag over a zoom or a cheap 25mm, so I might give this one a miss!
I wonder where MFT will go now that Olympus has sold the division to OM System. I don't think much of OM System and don't see a future in MFT cameras. That leaves Panasonic.
I would probably not use any F2.8 prime lenses other than the 60mm macro that I already have. The 12-40/2.8 works well for most of the day to day photos that I take. However, if I found a good used and not too expensive Panasonic LUMIX G 20mm F/1.7, I would be tempted to buy it. I see those listed on eBay for $150-200.
Thanks for the review Robin. 😀👍👍 Recently I considered this Sigma because it was on a market place and not that expensive. But for a bit more I saw an Olympus 25/1.8 so I bought that one which I’m discovering now 😀 I bought it because better low light performance (f1.8 vs f2.8) and a little bit because it’s the same brand as the body. But I have a lot of experience with Sigma lenses (on my Nikon) and I know they are very good. But I have a question… I have an Oly E-M10 and is the autofocus as quick as your OM-D1? So if I see reviews as this, are they good and comparable for me? Or does the E-M10 have an other (slower) AF system? If there are noticeable differences, did you review that already? Is there a CZcams film from you? If not, can it be an idea so you can help others too? I can’t imagine I’m the only one who would like to know 😉 Kind regards, Han. The Netherlands 🇳🇱
Wow, that is a lot of question. 1. OM-1 has faster AF than E-M10. 2. I cannot answer this because - for you - I don't know who you are or how you shoot. 3. I don't understand what other AF System 4. Difference in what? OM-1 is a new camera and is a PRO grade camera and should not be compared to an E-M10, an entry level camera from 7 years ago. It is wrong to compare both. 5. I see no reason to do this. 6. OM-1 is just faster than E-M10. It is a newer camera with newer tech. I don't see a necessity for comparison. Hope that helps.
@@robinwong thank you very much for this clear and complete answer Robin! I didn’t know there was such a gap in age between the OM-1 and E-M10 because Olympus is a new experience for me! I understand in those years there ware a lot of developments, so not comparable… Thanks again and keep up your good work 😀👍👍
Have the 30mm 2.8 and love it. Picking up the 19mm next week. This line of lenses are super compact and sharp. Great option!
This and the 60mm is just amazing
Just wish the corners are not that soft
I've never seen any videos of yours but checked it out when this popped up. Your attitude is so funny, I love it.
Thanks, appreciate that
Good video. Keep up the good work
Great job, Robin! Keep searching, experimenting, learning and teaching us about mft photography! Cheers!
Thanks so much for the generous super thanks! Appreciate it a lot. More content coming for sure.
I don't own this lens but I have 30mm and 60mm lenses of that Sigma's trio. Silver versions. I haven't used the 30mm lens much because I have Olympus 30mm macro lens. But the 60 mm f2.8 is one of my best and sharpest lenses, having nice bokeh too. I like it a lot.
Just too bad the SIgma 19mm has terribly soft corners.
@@robinwong try The 60mm lens If you find one.
I have the 30mm 2.8 for APS-C and it's quite good and fun to use.
I've never tried the 30mm
@@robinwong I bought it as defective for very little money and repaired it, which is how I got this lens. ☺
I have the 60mm and think it's great. I have been shooting at iso 200 because of your advice. I was surprised you are using 400 and 500 iso in good light.
That's for the video Robin, this brings me back to 2014 when I got my Panasonic GX7 and I couldn't afford any lenses so I went with the cheapest primes: Sigma 19mm f 2.8 and 60mm f 2.8 and I loved the 60mm the most because it was the sharpest lens I ever owned for a very long time. I did like the 19mm but not as much and I did sell it off after a few years. I am tempted to get them back for a couple of hundred £ some day (mostly for nostalgia).by the way, the outer shell is not made of plastic (the first generation of these lenses were made of plastic) as they were made of aluminium, they scratch very easily but still feels nice in the hand (but they will look ugly in a few years ... Probably the best case scenario for the vinyl wrap I mentioned on the last stream)
if the lens barrel material was made of aluminum, it was so thin it was basically useless and felt like plastic anyway. Hence the easy scratches, it could have been a minor coating that serves aesthetical purposes only! Of course, if you can find a cheap one, why not?
I agree 100% - the APSC Sigma Lenses converted to MFT mount, is an absolute waste. There is no point buying the Sigma MFT lenses.
I think one of the best lens I have, I don't know why Sigma doesn't make a new one! I bought it for A6000, I still use it on A6400 and when I feel bad I use it on my A7II, cropping later in post. A special 28mm equivalent, just slow in focus compared to '20 lenses so I don't use it for street. I love it! Thank you Robin , ciao from Italy!
Yeah the AF needs some work, but these are also much older lenses
Honestly, i kinda like "flawed" lenses... I call it character because it sounds better. Great point Robin about f2.8 primes. I'd love to see some more weather sealed 1.8 and 2.8 compact prime lenses. Great video, I love how you prove that gear is not the most important part of getting great images.
Yeah I wish we have smaller prime lenses for Micro Four Thirds, F2.8 is perfectly fine.
I bought my 19mm back in 2017 . A very good lens and still use it a lot .
Это мой 90% используемый объектив!
Очень нравится!
Привет из Хабаровска, Россия!
I just realised i own the same 19mm f/2.8 i bought second hand for so cheap. THIS is the area where MFT is GREAT VALUE - buying on the used market!!!! Sadly, there is no sense in investing in new MFT bodies or lenses anymore.
Hi Robin, I really like the variety on your channel and looking at old lenses and how they perform compared with today's lenses. I like a bit of Nostalgia combined with modern lenses. Many thanks for sharing this video Robin. 😊
Thanks, I do my best to have a bit more variety on my channel, glad you noticed
Your welcome Robin, always like the content on your channel. 😊
Hi Robin, I picked this lens up a few weeks ago. I have the M.Zuiko 20mm already so didn't need it but it was at an exceptionally good price! I doubt I will keep it, but it was still fun to try out.
Yeah if the lens does not break the bank, why not try it and see if you like it?
Thank you :)
Glad I can share
Robin, if it's not a secret, where do you look for used lenses?
Hi Robin - love your videos, but I have to slightly disagree with you on this one when you say that the Panasonic and Oly alternatives are faster focusing.. the Panasonic 20/1.7 is noticeably the slowest AF in m43. Then there's the Oly 17/2.8, which I'd say focuses as fast as this Sigma. And if you think about the Oly 17/1.8 or Pany 15/1.7, those are waaay more expensive than this Sigma, so although they have similar focal lengths, I wouldn't say they're comparable, let alone the OM 20/1.4 PRO!
Also, my copy of the Sigma 19 is sharp at the edges, maybe it's your copy? And it's weird that yours isn't, since you're anyway cropping the true edges from the APS-C circle. If you'd like I can send sample shots!
Best regards and happy shooting to you as well =]
The video poses a question - is the Sigma 19mm still worth considering now in 2024? It was good at its time (not great) of course I am going to compare to newer lenses, we have so many new choices now, which obviously have better AF and image quality. The Olympus 17mm and Panasonic 15mm are NOT wayyyyyyy more expensive than SIgma, considering they are significantly BRIGHTER and SMALLER than the Sigma at the same time, offering so much faster AF (important if you don't want to miss the shot) and superior corner to corner sharpness.
You may have not inspected your images close enough. There are MANY other reviews out there supporting my claims. This is a universal problem with Sigma 19mm, the corners are just terribly soft.
Robin awesome video. Excellent review very honest. 👍
I got the Sigma 19mm ver 1 and 60mm ver 2. I gave the 19mm to my friend when I got the Panasonic 15mm and kept the 60mm since the Olympus 75mm is too expensive for me. the 60mm is good and focus fast. Those three lenses (19/30/60) are definitely under estimate lenses.
The trio of lenses in this generation were on sale with a reasonable discount not long after they were introduced, and I was tempted to get the 30mm to complement my kit lenses. However, I actually found the 60mm to be more impressive, with nice optics and what I considered to be fast autofocusing (compared to the kit lenses).
I couldn't really get excited by the 19mm or 30mm, and found the ergonomics of all three to be less than ideal. The use of most of the barrel for manual focus is distracting if one is using auto-magnification, deterring any holding of the lens for comfort, and the surface texture is quite odd (people describing it as waxy, if I remember correctly). I also thought that the mounting was too tight on my camera, requiring considerable effort to twist the lenses I tried on.
In the shop, I couldn't help comparing the size of the lenses with the Olympus primes, too. In the end, I held out for one of the Olympus primes instead. It's a shame because I think Sigma could do a smaller, more competitive version.
Add weather resistant to the new design!
Good review. Thanks. toronto canada.
I have the Sigma 60mm f2.8 for my Panasonic gear. Pretty good lens.
Thanks, glad you liked the review.
Great photos with the budget Sigma Still quite expensive for its age in the UK
I bought new at a fraction of the original price.
As far as I can tell, in the UK and the wealthier parts of Europe more generally, products like these tend to get withdrawn and pushed into lower-cost markets instead of being heavily discounted. That gives the producers the opportunity to maintain their margins in places where the customers are expected to pay more, by bringing in the next model, for example.
I did see the first version of some of these lenses discounted where I live, but that was stock that one camera chain had purchased from another chain that had closed down. I guess they didn't know what to do with the products and had no bulk purchaser looking to move the stock elsewhere.
Nice review on a high value vs cost lens, Robin. When I was shooting with Sony NEX cameras in 2014,, my biggest problem was glass.. the Sony lenses from that era were pretty mediocre,,,to terrible. The 19mm and the 60mm 2.8 Sigmas were much better and kept me going awhile as well as adapting other older lenses. My problem was I borrowed a Panasonic MFT with the 12-35 2.8 on it and it destroyed the NEX images.. I've been stuck to Lumix and Olympus ever since.
Yeah people looked down on smaller formats like Micro Four Thirds, but they have superior lenses. Only recently the newer mirrorless lenses from other camps have started to catch up
Love your videos Robin!
Robin, soon a review between sigma 60 2.8 and oly 75 1.8...? Thank you
Sure. Send me the lenses. Thank you.
This is a good lens but if you already have the 12-40 2.8 pro anything that is 2.8 between 12 and 40mm becomes irrelevant.
It isn't fair to compare a budget lens to a PRO lens. Of course the 12-40mm is superior.
Even though the 12-40mm is what I use most times, it is not perfect. The bokeh can be busy and it is a little too big or threatening for street photography.
Mft need new versions of affordable small lenses😊 I agree
Yes please!
And the small cameras to go with!
@@paul_boddie Yes, I `d love to. But I also really like how my gh5 feels with a small lens. Is a pocket camera :) And of course, I love my gm1, imagine gm1 plus autofocus!!!
MFT is too exensive today. If you compare equivalent lenses to L-Mount, for the equivalent physical apeture size / entrance pupil, ie for the same light gathering ability, the MFT is MORE EXPENSIVE. The latest flagship bodies are MORE EXPENSIVE.
The corners must be really awful on apsc if they’re bad on the mft version!
thanks for the review, i have the 30mm and personally consider that lens sharp corner to corner which to me justify its place in my camera bag over a zoom or a cheap 25mm, so I might give this one a miss!
For Micro Four Thirds, 30mm is a little odd, I prefer to work with true 50mm equivalent with the 25mm lenses give.
Sorry robin, which camera did you use? The colors are awesome
I wonder where MFT will go now that Olympus has sold the division to OM System.
I don't think much of OM System and don't see a future in MFT cameras. That leaves Panasonic.
great video as always, can suggest me a beginner friendly lens with autofcous also with a budget friendly?
I would like to see some M4/3 Sigma 12-35/1.8 ;)
They have not made any lenses specifically for Micro Four Thirds.
@@robinwong true, and they stopped modifications of APS-C ones last year :(
I would probably not use any F2.8 prime lenses other than the 60mm macro that I already have. The 12-40/2.8 works well for most of the day to day photos that I take. However, if I found a good used and not too expensive Panasonic LUMIX G 20mm F/1.7, I would be tempted to buy it. I see those listed on eBay for $150-200.
That Panasonic 20mm is too slow in AF though
Thanks for the review Robin. 😀👍👍
Recently I considered this Sigma because it was on a market place and not that expensive.
But for a bit more I saw an Olympus 25/1.8 so I bought that one which I’m discovering now 😀
I bought it because better low light performance (f1.8 vs f2.8) and a little bit because it’s the same brand as the body. But I have a lot of experience with Sigma lenses (on my Nikon) and I know they are very good.
But I have a question…
I have an Oly E-M10 and is the autofocus as quick as your OM-D1?
So if I see reviews as this, are they good and comparable for me?
Or does the E-M10 have an other (slower) AF system?
If there are noticeable differences, did you review that already?
Is there a CZcams film from you?
If not, can it be an idea so you can help others too? I can’t imagine I’m the only one who would like to know 😉
Kind regards,
Han.
The Netherlands 🇳🇱
Wow, that is a lot of question.
1. OM-1 has faster AF than E-M10.
2. I cannot answer this because - for you - I don't know who you are or how you shoot.
3. I don't understand what other AF System
4. Difference in what? OM-1 is a new camera and is a PRO grade camera and should not be compared to an E-M10, an entry level camera from 7 years ago. It is wrong to compare both.
5. I see no reason to do this.
6. OM-1 is just faster than E-M10. It is a newer camera with newer tech. I don't see a necessity for comparison.
Hope that helps.
@@robinwong thank you very much for this clear and complete answer Robin!
I didn’t know there was such a gap in age between the OM-1 and E-M10 because Olympus is a new experience for me!
I understand in those years there ware a lot of developments, so not comparable…
Thanks again and keep up your good work 😀👍👍
💯❤❤❤❤❤💯