Hey Tom! I always enjoy hearing your perspective on lenses - it's been a very fresh take on the videos that are already out there. I own this lens and, although the thing is a mammoth that goes against the form factor of mirrorless, it really is something special! Looking forward to your next video!
Hey Damien, thanks for your kind words - glad you liked the video! Thanks for sharing your experience with this lens. The image quality is superb - Sigma are really on to something special with their DG DN line. I just wish they'd re-worked the 35mm f/1.4 rather than making this beast! Hopefully one day they will...
@@TomCalton It's really exciting seeing what they've put out after this lens. I 100% agree with you, I would have loved to see them rework the 35/1.4 as they did with the 85. Not gonna lie, it is pretty sweet how they broke ground with the first AF 35/1.2 though. Bragging points I suppose haha
Thanks for the great review! I own this lens now for a year or so and love it. Especially the bokeh (not especially the bokeh balls, but the "look" of the bokeh) is imho maybe the best of all 35mm lenses I tried (and I tried a few ones). It's imho especially better than the sometimes rough bokeh of the Sigma 35mm 1.4. Another 35mm lens I own and love is the Voigtlander 35mm 1.2 Nokton. It's a very different kind of "beast" because it's very small and manual focus. The rendering is also very smooth, but it does have some optical flaws. Strangely all those aberrations together create a very nice rendering. I use the Sigma 35mm 1.2 when I want very sharp and clear 35mm images and the Voigtlander 35mm 1.2 Nokton if I don't want to carry such a huge lens or want a more "romantic" look.
Thanks again for your kind words Stefan - hope you're well! I don't think there's a perfect 35mm for mirrorless cameras yet. All of them seem to have their pros and cons. Hopefully someone comes along soon with a super sharp, fast, but lightweight option soon though!
i am a big fan of Sony. 135gm , 70-200, 90macro, zeiss 50 1.8. one day, I tried the 105mm 1.4 and i was so fascinated to buy the 85mm 1.4 too. both wonderful , excellent sharpness, great bokeh, perfect build . I thought , Sigma was a brand for people who can't afford Sony GM, but today I say I better bought all art lenses instead. my 35mm 1.2 will arrive next week and I am really looking forward . will be mounted on a 7/3.
Thanks for sharing. Sigma have really upped their game in recent years and they make some fantastic lenses at a very affordable price. They don't always get it 100% right, but when they do, they REALLY do! 85mm f/1.4 being a case in point.
Good review mate. I did a sigma monster review a few weeks back, in dutch, of 10 sigma lenses, including this one. U can tell it’s newly designed, just like the the 14mm 1.8 which is astounding as well, and the 105mm 1.4 which i will compare in my upcoming review/comparison video, 105mm 1.4 vs the 105mm 2.8 macro..
I'm desperate to get my hands on the 105mm f/1.4, but Sigma don't have any loan copies to hand at the moment. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long! It's mean to be a beast 🤘
@@TomCalton well: i had the same problem sort of, i went to pick up the 105’s, and the 1.4 was not there.. so i did only test the 105mm 2.8 macro. And.. spoiler: i bought it. I sold my 85mm last week, so it’s my new portrait / macro lens for now..
I wish you also measured the lens T-Stop. It could be really useful for some photographers who shoot in the low light scenarios. Even though the modern camera are pretty good at high ISOs it would be better to have a real T1.4 lens. As for the lens, for me there's still no good 35mm lens for a decent price for Sony, so I'm stuck using Tamron's 35mm f1.4 that was built for Canon DSLR.
Hey John, thanks for checking out the video and for your feedback - really appreciate it. I try to keep my reviews as simple and easy to watch as possible so that people of all levels can watch and (hopefully) enjoy them without it being too tech heavy, or too long winded. That's why I try and avoid going in to too much of the proper techy side of things (as much as I do enjoy a tech geek-out myself). I hope that makes sense? Of course though, if I get enough people asking for T-stop measurements then I will certainly look to add this to the reviews. 😊 In regards to 35mm lenses, I feel that you might be right mate. 😅🤦♂️
@@TomCalton Well, it's understandable. I guess people are not really interested in that, it's just all my geeky weirdness. It's okay to keep your videos simple, I still enjoy watching them. Keep doing the great stuff, man.
After saying this video, I ended up buying a used copy of this lens. Not the greatest with autofocus, but it's image quality and what it can do at 1.2 is amazing so I don't regret it at all
Personally, the trade off in weight & size on this 1.2 is not worth it vs the 1.4 version or even the 1.8. I use the 35mm focal length for environmental portraits meaning that I'm not usually shooting it at apertures that wide.
I love the lens.. However, when mounted to the high resolution Sony A7RIV, and under Sigma firmware version .02, (released in July 2020 for Sony E Mount) The Continuous Auto focus mode is rendered almost useless. Strangely , it works fine on the A7III and the A7SIII. Only when mounted on the A7RIV is the AF crippled under the latest firmware.
@@RohannvanRensburg with firmware version .03 and version .04 the lens behaves much better on a A7Riv body. Firmware .04 allows the lens to continuously focus at 120 frames a second on the A9iii
@@RohannvanRensburg the best way to determine if this lens is a good fit and value for your type of shooting would be (in my opinion), to rent a copy. Make sure it is on FW 03 or higher and test it under a variety of conditions, then purchase one if it meets your needs and expectations.. good shooting!
Original plan is to get Sony 20mm G and Sony 35mm f1.8 and end up getting this beast . Really miss my sigma 35mm f1.4( nikon version) that make me to purchaser back on Sony version.
This is definitely the sharpest 35mm I've ever tested, though, for me, the weight is definitely a big downside. My back would be in pieces after lugging this around for 10 hours at a wedding! I'm still hoping that Sigma will bring out a revised version of the 35mm f/1.4 🤞
DO NOT BUY sigma 35 f1.2. I have shot thousands under various surroundings (indoor, outdoor, flash, sunshiny, rainy, kids, flowers...etc)with my Alpha 7R iv. this is NOT such a fancy like what you imagine or what youtubers w affiliates show to you. Real world is different. very regretful. 1. the real images are sucks with bad autofocus 2. SO SERIOUS chromatic aberration like $200-300 lenses 3. motor noises - u will have to prepare external mic for video. 4. poor sharpness like APS-C lenses
Have you got the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art? Let me know in the comments below what you think of this lens! Is it worth the money? 🤑
Usually shoot with G master Glass, however, i was the first person in Sweden to get the new Sigma 85mm 1.4 DGDN if that counts for anything? 😃😃🤔
would you go for this or the new sony 35 1.4??
Can't wait for the next comparison video. I was seriously considering buying this.
Great content! Keep at it chap!
Thanks bud, really appreciate the kind words! Glad you enjoyed the video and I hope you like next week's video just as much! 🤘
Hey Tom! I always enjoy hearing your perspective on lenses - it's been a very fresh take on the videos that are already out there.
I own this lens and, although the thing is a mammoth that goes against the form factor of mirrorless, it really is something special!
Looking forward to your next video!
Hey Damien, thanks for your kind words - glad you liked the video! Thanks for sharing your experience with this lens. The image quality is superb - Sigma are really on to something special with their DG DN line. I just wish they'd re-worked the 35mm f/1.4 rather than making this beast! Hopefully one day they will...
@@TomCalton It's really exciting seeing what they've put out after this lens. I 100% agree with you, I would have loved to see them rework the 35/1.4 as they did with the 85. Not gonna lie, it is pretty sweet how they broke ground with the first AF 35/1.2 though. Bragging points I suppose haha
Great content as always. You deserve more subs for sure.
Thanks man, you're too kind. We're getting there slowly 👍
Thanks for the great review! I own this lens now for a year or so and love it. Especially the bokeh (not especially the bokeh balls, but the "look" of the bokeh) is imho maybe the best of all 35mm lenses I tried (and I tried a few ones). It's imho especially better than the sometimes rough bokeh of the Sigma 35mm 1.4. Another 35mm lens I own and love is the Voigtlander 35mm 1.2 Nokton. It's a very different kind of "beast" because it's very small and manual focus. The rendering is also very smooth, but it does have some optical flaws. Strangely all those aberrations together create a very nice rendering. I use the Sigma 35mm 1.2 when I want very sharp and clear 35mm images and the Voigtlander 35mm 1.2 Nokton if I don't want to carry such a huge lens or want a more "romantic" look.
Thanks again for your kind words Stefan - hope you're well!
I don't think there's a perfect 35mm for mirrorless cameras yet. All of them seem to have their pros and cons. Hopefully someone comes along soon with a super sharp, fast, but lightweight option soon though!
Great video Tom. I would love to have this lens but it seems like a luxury item. Can’t wait for the comparison although I have the Samyang 35mm 1.4
Thanks Alex, glad you enjoyed it!
I totally agree - it kind of is. It's a luxury lens that'll give you a work out, that's for sure!
i am a big fan of Sony. 135gm , 70-200, 90macro, zeiss 50 1.8. one day, I tried the 105mm 1.4 and i was so fascinated to buy the 85mm 1.4 too. both wonderful , excellent sharpness, great bokeh, perfect build . I thought , Sigma was a brand for people who can't afford Sony GM, but today I say I better bought all art lenses instead. my 35mm 1.2 will arrive next week and I am really looking forward . will be mounted on a 7/3.
Thanks for sharing. Sigma have really upped their game in recent years and they make some fantastic lenses at a very affordable price. They don't always get it 100% right, but when they do, they REALLY do! 85mm f/1.4 being a case in point.
What kind of filter do you have on with the sigma 35mm 1.2?
Sorry, what you do mean? What size filter thread? What filter do we use? Or do you mean editing filter?
Good review mate. I did a sigma monster review a few weeks back, in dutch, of 10 sigma lenses, including this one. U can tell it’s newly designed, just like the the 14mm 1.8 which is astounding as well, and the 105mm 1.4 which i will compare in my upcoming review/comparison video, 105mm 1.4 vs the 105mm 2.8 macro..
I'm desperate to get my hands on the 105mm f/1.4, but Sigma don't have any loan copies to hand at the moment. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long! It's mean to be a beast 🤘
@@TomCalton well: i had the same problem sort of, i went to pick up the 105’s, and the 1.4 was not there.. so i did only test the 105mm 2.8 macro. And.. spoiler: i bought it. I sold my 85mm last week, so it’s my new portrait / macro lens for now..
I would consider it if I didn’t already have a perfect copy of the Sony Zeiss 35mm f1.4
Fantastic review boss!
Thanks!
I haven't tried out the Zeiss 35mm yet - maybe for a future video though? 😊
I wish you also measured the lens T-Stop. It could be really useful for some photographers who shoot in the low light scenarios. Even though the modern camera are pretty good at high ISOs it would be better to have a real T1.4 lens.
As for the lens, for me there's still no good 35mm lens for a decent price for Sony, so I'm stuck using Tamron's 35mm f1.4 that was built for Canon DSLR.
Hey John, thanks for checking out the video and for your feedback - really appreciate it. I try to keep my reviews as simple and easy to watch as possible so that people of all levels can watch and (hopefully) enjoy them without it being too tech heavy, or too long winded. That's why I try and avoid going in to too much of the proper techy side of things (as much as I do enjoy a tech geek-out myself). I hope that makes sense? Of course though, if I get enough people asking for T-stop measurements then I will certainly look to add this to the reviews. 😊
In regards to 35mm lenses, I feel that you might be right mate. 😅🤦♂️
@@TomCalton Well, it's understandable. I guess people are not really interested in that, it's just all my geeky weirdness. It's okay to keep your videos simple, I still enjoy watching them. Keep doing the great stuff, man.
@@mrDoctorWho0 I'm sure Gerald undone said that the f1.2 wasn't any brighter than the f1.4 in terms of the t-stop which seems kinda weird
Good video man!
Ps you look like Gerald Undone
Thanks Mark.
P.S. We are the same person. Don't tell anyone 😉
After saying this video, I ended up buying a used copy of this lens. Not the greatest with autofocus, but it's image quality and what it can do at 1.2 is amazing so I don't regret it at all
Personally, the trade off in weight & size on this 1.2 is not worth it vs the 1.4 version or even the 1.8. I use the 35mm focal length for environmental portraits meaning that I'm not usually shooting it at apertures that wide.
Thanks for your comment - very interesting 👍
I love the lens.. However, when mounted to the high resolution Sony A7RIV, and under Sigma firmware version .02, (released in July 2020 for Sony E Mount) The Continuous Auto focus mode is rendered almost useless. Strangely , it works fine on the A7III and the A7SIII.
Only when mounted on the A7RIV is the AF crippled under the latest firmware.
Hey Mark, thanks for the info! Very good to know!
Is this still the case?
@@RohannvanRensburg with firmware version .03 and version .04 the lens behaves much better on a A7Riv body. Firmware .04 allows the lens to continuously focus at 120 frames a second on the A9iii
@@surrogatemarker Excellent! Thank you for the update, that was a concern for me.
@@RohannvanRensburg the best way to determine if this lens is a good fit and value for your type of shooting would be (in my opinion), to rent a copy. Make sure it is on FW 03 or higher and test it under a variety of conditions, then purchase one if it meets your needs and expectations..
good shooting!
It’s strange getting a sigma DN 35 F1.2 before a DN 85mm F1.2
Totally agree. Or even a 50mm f/1.2!
Original plan is to get Sony 20mm G and Sony 35mm f1.8 and end up getting this beast . Really miss my sigma 35mm f1.4( nikon version) that make me to purchaser back on Sony version.
This is definitely the sharpest 35mm I've ever tested, though, for me, the weight is definitely a big downside. My back would be in pieces after lugging this around for 10 hours at a wedding! I'm still hoping that Sigma will bring out a revised version of the 35mm f/1.4 🤞
great but heavy
In a nutshell, yes! 😂
DO NOT BUY sigma 35 f1.2. I have shot thousands under various surroundings (indoor, outdoor, flash, sunshiny, rainy, kids, flowers...etc)with my Alpha 7R iv. this is NOT such a fancy like what you imagine or what youtubers w affiliates show to you. Real world is different. very regretful.
1. the real images are sucks with bad autofocus
2. SO SERIOUS chromatic aberration like $200-300 lenses
3. motor noises - u will have to prepare external mic for video.
4. poor sharpness like APS-C lenses
Second
2nd's the best...
1st
1st the worst...
3rd haha
3rd's the one with the hairy chest...
@@TomCalton Lol, nice video btw keep it up ! Always coming to the channel to see sony related lenses! Thank You!
@@akarekeskua Haha, no worries bud! Thanks for checking out the video and for your support! Always really appreciated 😊