It seems the primary design priority for the Sigma AF 30mm f/1.4 EX DC was to achieve the highest possible center resolution without caring too much about the rest. The border performance of the lens is just so-so at f/1.4 and only good when stopped down.

Needed a lens for low lighting conditions. Can't get much faster than f/1.4 ! Sigma makes pretty good third party lenses . I had several with my old Minolta film cameras back in the day and they worked great. This is my first Sigma for a DSLR. Took it out for a test run yesterday.

The Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC HSM ($690 list) is the APS-C version of the classic fast 50mm lens that, before the popularity of zoom lenses, was the standard lens paired with 35mm SLRs.

Fast aperture; Available for many camera systems

Expensive; Soft images; Noticeable distortion

There was enough chromatic aberration on this lens to stop me bothering to use it.

If you change lenses frequently (as I do) and happen to put this one back in your bag without first attaching the rear lens cap, the rear glass is very easy to scratch as the glass protrudes beyond the lens mount when lens is set to infinity.

Captures nice images

Fatal design flaw

I have used this lens for portraits, landscapes and an 8 image panorama and it has produced the goods for me every time. Tack sharp with lovely fall off in the portraits and great detail in the landscapes and panorama. I can't fault it.

Durable; Fast; accurate,quiet auto focus; Great Features; Great Picture Quality

Originally published October 2005. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The first high-speed "normal" lens for digital SLRs with APS-sized sensors, this 30mm f/1.4 is Sigma's first nontele lens to incorporate elements of SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass.

This is a ‘standard' lens for a cropped digital SLR. 25 years ago, all SLR's came with a ‘standard' lens and everybody learned how to use one. Those lenses, at 50mm, are still about but don't have the versatility that they had on a 35mm film camera.

Fast aperture; Picture quality; Consistent performance; Fast autofocus

Price (Discounted in site shop

Sigma 30mmf/1.4 EX DC HSM is currently the only non fish-eye fixed focal lens in Sigma's arsenal that was designed from grounds up for APS-C type cameras. The lens has a reduced imaging circle and while it can in theory be mounted on a full-frame of APS-H type cameras, the lens will vignette...

A fast aperture lens always garners attention and the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM Lens is no exception. Photographers wasted little time in making this lens one of their favorites.