I got this lens for my Sony camera last December. It was at an incredible price brand new and I didn't even think twice. I am very happy with this lens so far and it balances very very well with my A7R3.
The more you touch the Sigma I series lenses the more you get hooked, I have the 45mm, 24mm 3.5, 35m and 65mm, if you like the 45mm all the rest are far better, enjoy.
Nice review as always Matt. I recently picked up an SL2-S (OMG) mainly for my vintage and manual lenses and immediately picked up one of these for the size and auto focus, it’s great. Glad to see you like too! It’s not wide enough for me as a walk around lens so I also got the 28/70 f2.8 (and thinking of your comment in the video about the leica 24/70 zoom), I can highly recommend it as a light, small and sharp alternative and a great travel zoom (eBay £580). It now lives on the SL2-S, and can shoot it one handed…😁 You should do a review of it sometime. Cheers. Ken.
A very good small 45mm lens I own but my to go lens with the SL2 S is the 35mm f2 Sigma wider and about 1 stop faster, still a small lens and a great performer Love the Wotancraft product I have the shoulder Tropper Medium size bag... Deep easy to carry very well made and it does not scream "Photo bag" 🙂
One of the reasons that make the classic Leica a superlative instrument is the there is no auto focus, no exposure imposition, no mindless electronics to undercut the decisions of the photographer. The photographer controls the camera, not the other way round.
Guess it's not really meant as a portrait lens but obviously you made it work. The CL pics look slightly more interesting to me but guessing the aperture might not be all that much for APS-C. When will you do a review on the 24-70 Sigma/Leica (I understand they are the same)? :)
Tried to buy your presets. Your check out says my email is no good. However, there is no place on the page to insert an email address. User Interface doesn't work.
Hi Robert thanks, sorry to hear it was not working for you. People have bought them in the last 24hrs so not sure why it's causing issues. You might have a pop-up blocker active on your browser. Please email me and I can help you manually - mosbornephotography@gmail.com
I owned the sigma 45 twice. it’s a nice lens if you want a slightly dreamy portrait because it’s not bitingly sharp wide open. The Lumix 50mm 1.8 and the new compact Leica non-apo 50mm summicron are what I prefer more for a similar prime. But if I want small, versatile and great value-to-performance, the sigma 28-70mm f2.8 dgdn is hard to beat.
@@FrancisJacquerye ‘better’ is very subjective because it depends on what you shoot. But what I prefer is a sharp lens wide open and a “transparent” render, hence the Lumix 50 1.8 is what I like between the two.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Hi Matt. Yes, but the Sony A7(s) mark 1 is pretty small too. Often I used these with Olympus OM Zuiko lenses. Vintage, so all manual. Some lenses are older than you are, I guess 😉
Good video Matt. One may wonder why they chose for 45 mm instead of 50 mm (they also have a 65 mm another odd focal length) And that made me think of the 55mm lenses in the old days, although there was some ground to go from 50 to 55mm it never continued. Maybe a subject for a video ;-) Thanks for sharing
Your vid on the Nikon Z makes you a candidate for a TechArt, Megadap or Fotodiox adapter that will autofocus M lenses on a Z body. Not as good as native but the 2nd gen TechArt is supposed to be pretty good for photo. They are all a bit weak for video.
Because it's been the kit lens for the FP, there are a lot around on the used market. Often barely used and very cheap. That's how I got mine. I must be honest and say it's my least favourite 'contemporary' lens as I find the 45mm aspect a bit flat, boring (it's obviously more of a portrait lens on the ASPC CL). I wish I had bought the 35mm and 65mm instead.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom The Sigma Contemporary are all pretty small. The 90 is tiny for what it is, but yeah my old Leica lenses are all smaller (no AF of course).
Probably good lens if I look at your test and your pictures with it. I don t really care the poor aperture of 2.8 even if on a standard lens you can expect f 1.8 because as I am not a big fan of hyper opened and hyper shallow dof… but the price of 550$ seems a bit high… again for its modest aperture. I thing Sigma miss something there. Putting it at a more reasonable price of 300-350 would have been a best seller.
Lens hoods should have a bayonet mount. With a mount made of metal. To be mounted other way around as well. A hood not be made of plastic; if possible. Not having a round shape. Otherwise the lens is not a 100 % professional item.
Although this lens is small light and cheap, in my opinion it doesn’t produce images with the wow factor which defeats the purpose of having a Leica in the first place
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This one and the tiny 24mm 3.5 are my most used lenses these days.
Thanks Thomas, yes the 24mm f3.5 is also a great size.
I got this lens for my Sony camera last December. It was at an incredible price brand new and I didn't even think twice. I am very happy with this lens so far and it balances very very well with my A7R3.
Thanks, yes for the money I think they are great!
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Yeap, specially at $230 😊
yep a nice lens. Came in the set with my FPL a while ago and sits now on the Leica T and does a great job, even if AF ist not always great working
Thanks Armin, yes a nice FL on CL/T bodies.
Looks like a great lens! Love the photos! You're very talented Matt!
Thanks Lucy! Ha no nothing special.. more photos to come in the next video (from Lisbon)
The more you touch the Sigma I series lenses the more you get hooked, I have the 45mm, 24mm 3.5, 35m and 65mm, if you like the 45mm all the rest are far better, enjoy.
Hi Eric, I have to agree actually. I like the 90mm and 65mm the most.
Nice timing! I've been looking at it for a while ☺️
Thanks Alif, buy used, excellent value!
If I want to pack small, I just use the 23 summicron on the CL. Sharp, and renders beautifully. And then there‘s the 18 mm 2.8, off course …
Thanks Claus, 18mm all the way! That was my small setup for a while :)
Nice review as always Matt. I recently picked up an SL2-S (OMG) mainly for my vintage and manual lenses and immediately picked up one of these for the size and auto focus, it’s great. Glad to see you like too! It’s not wide enough for me as a walk around lens so I also got the 28/70 f2.8 (and thinking of your comment in the video about the leica 24/70 zoom), I can highly recommend it as a light, small and sharp alternative and a great travel zoom (eBay £580). It now lives on the SL2-S, and can shoot it one handed…😁 You should do a review of it sometime. Cheers. Ken.
Hi Ken, thanks and congrats on your SL2-S! Yes I’ll try to do 28-79 vid 👍🏻
A very good small 45mm lens I own but my to go lens with the SL2 S is the 35mm f2 Sigma wider and about 1 stop faster, still a small lens and a great performer
Love the Wotancraft product I have the shoulder Tropper Medium size bag... Deep easy to carry very well made and it does not scream "Photo bag" 🙂
Thanks Jerome! I think the 65 and 90 are my favs! Bags.. stay tuned ;)
One of the reasons that make the classic Leica a superlative instrument is the there is no auto focus, no exposure imposition, no mindless electronics to undercut the decisions of the photographer. The photographer controls the camera, not the other way round.
Yes! I love that simplicity (even if I do try AF lenses sometimes).
Guess it's not really meant as a portrait lens but obviously you made it work. The CL pics look slightly more interesting to me but guessing the aperture might not be all that much for APS-C. When will you do a review on the 24-70 Sigma/Leica (I understand they are the same)? :)
Thanks Thomas! Sigma-Leica.. yes I can, perhaps in the few months I can ask.
Tried to buy your presets. Your check out says my email is no good. However, there is no place on the page to insert an email address. User Interface doesn't work.
Hi Robert thanks, sorry to hear it was not working for you. People have bought them in the last 24hrs so not sure why it's causing issues. You might have a pop-up blocker active on your browser. Please email me and I can help you manually - mosbornephotography@gmail.com
I owned the sigma 45 twice. it’s a nice lens if you want a slightly dreamy portrait because it’s not bitingly sharp wide open. The Lumix 50mm 1.8 and the new compact Leica non-apo 50mm summicron are what I prefer more for a similar prime. But if I want small, versatile and great value-to-performance, the sigma 28-70mm f2.8 dgdn is hard to beat.
Thanks! I still need to review my 50 1.8 Lumix. I must try to get the 28-70 too for review.
Between the LUMIX 50mm f/1.8 and this sigma 45mm f2.8 do you think one performs better?
@@FrancisJacquerye ‘better’ is very subjective because it depends on what you shoot. But what I prefer is a sharp lens wide open and a “transparent” render, hence the Lumix 50 1.8 is what I like between the two.
Nice lens but subject to really bad CA which can be difficult to remove if there are high contrast edges.
Thanks Mike, I didn't notice too much with me shooting mostly B&W
Your PD anchors seems to me being plastic copies
of the Hasselblad neck straps with the metal anchors.
Thanks Jaco, that's probably where the idea came from.
I really wish they would make a 28mm lens with a similar size.
Yes! Their 24mm f3.5 is the next smallest I think
I use the 45mm f2.8 on the Sony A7(s) mark 1. A small package!
Thanks Nico, yes I loved the size (for L mount)
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom Hi Matt. Yes, but the Sony A7(s) mark 1 is pretty small too. Often I used these with Olympus OM Zuiko lenses. Vintage, so all manual. Some lenses are older than you are, I guess 😉
Good video Matt.
One may wonder why they chose for 45 mm instead of 50 mm (they also have a 65 mm another odd focal length)
And that made me think of the 55mm lenses in the old days, although there was some ground to go from 50 to 55mm it never continued.
Maybe a subject for a video ;-)
Thanks for sharing
Thanks RS and yes perhaps they were trying to find a middle between their 35 and 65mm :)
wished we'd have a 28/2.8 already
We have, it’s tiny but it’s not Sigma. I’m testing the new Voigtlander lens, video to follow!
Your vid on the Nikon Z makes you a candidate for a TechArt, Megadap or Fotodiox adapter that will autofocus M lenses on a Z body. Not as good as native but the 2nd gen TechArt is supposed to be pretty good for photo. They are all a bit weak for video.
Thanks Kevin, I will mentioned this in part 2 thanks!
Because it's been the kit lens for the FP, there are a lot around on the used market. Often barely used and very cheap. That's how I got mine. I must be honest and say it's my least favourite 'contemporary' lens as I find the 45mm aspect a bit flat, boring (it's obviously more of a portrait lens on the ASPC CL). I wish I had bought the 35mm and 65mm instead.
Ah thanks Chris, that helps explain the used ones. Yes if size is no object then 35/65/90 for me.
@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom The Sigma Contemporary are all pretty small. The 90 is tiny for what it is, but yeah my old Leica lenses are all smaller (no AF of course).
Yes, the SL lenses are heavy to carry all day.
Thanks Wilfred, yes i've never been tempted by them
Probably good lens if I look at your test and your pictures with it. I don t really care the poor aperture of 2.8 even if on a standard lens you can expect f 1.8 because as I am not a big fan of hyper opened and hyper shallow dof… but the price of 550$ seems a bit high… again for its modest aperture. I thing Sigma miss something there. Putting it at a more reasonable price of 300-350 would have been a best seller.
Thanks Phil, yes buy it used if want one as far better value. Full price i'd prefer the 65mm or 90mm
Mine was £269 from park cameras.
@@kenmonahan9924 at this price it is ok :) the price new is high but on second hand it becomes good.
Egregious at this point that Sigma hasn't made an actual pancake lens in 4 years for the fp line.
Thanks Dylan, ah yes.. for Sigma users that wanted a small setup I bet that's annoying. You can mount small M/LTM lenses via M-L adapter like I do..
Lens hoods should have a bayonet mount.
With a mount made of metal.
To be mounted other way around as well.
A hood not be made of plastic; if possible.
Not having a round shape.
Otherwise the lens is not a 100 % professional item.
Yes it was bayonet and metal (but round)
Although this lens is small light and cheap, in my opinion it doesn’t produce images with the wow factor which defeats the purpose of having a Leica in the first place
Thanks Ronald, I think it's hard to make wow photos with a 45mm f2.8 standard lens on any camera.
At least a lens with a professional look.
No engraved text arond the front element of the lens.
Yes!