question regarding the sigma 30mm 1.4 len's

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i was just wondering is the sigma 30mm 1.4 len's any good for close up head and shoulder portraits, or is it to wide, ie would it distort facial feature's, or is it better used for just full body shot's and groups like wedding's etc,i think the crop factor on nikon camera's make's it 45mm thanks in advance :thumbs:
 
i've been reading a few reviews on the Canon EF 24mm 1.4, 35mm 1.4 and 35mm 2.0. The SIgma was mentioned alongside both 35mm's. Its a little softer across the corners, but stood up quite well against a lens that £850 and one thats £200.

Obviously these comparisons are with Canon kit on a Canon kit, but i trust the reviewer and can't imagine there is any difference between Canon fit and Nikon fit.

And yes, with Nikon cf you're looking at almost a classic portrait lens.
 
Jonnyreb said:
And yes, with Nikon cf you're looking at almost a classic portrait lens.
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thanks jr, yes this is exactly what i was thinking, but someone else has told me it would'ent be any good for close up portrait's because it would distort feature's ie making nose's look wider etc, i'm not so sure i agree with this though, any other opinions would also be greatly appreciated :thumbs:
 
tel48 said:
thanks jr, yes this is exactly what i was thinking, but someone else has told me it would'ent be any good for close up portrait's because it would distort feature's ie making nose's look wider etc, i'm not so sure i agree with this though, any other opinions would also be greatly appreciated :thumbs:
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Whereas 50mm is standard, anything less may create distortion. However, 30mm shouldn't be an issue - drop below 24mm and you're fully into caricature mode ;)
 
Searyous from the forum uses one for portraits & they turn out excellently so I don't think you'll have a problem with that.
Image quality is spot on & it seemed like an excellent lens when I got to have a play with one :thumbs:
 
I used to use one. Only reason I sold it was to invest in some VR glass. absolutely fantastic lens,... excuse the big © but here are a couple of samples.

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Vignetting is a little pronounced at f/1.4 but soon falls off from f/4 onwards. Sharpness at f/1.4 is already good and stopping down to f/2.8 / f/4 it really starts to shine. I would see myself getting it again in about 18 months time when funds allow/my shakes hopefully go away (long story).

King.
 
tel48 said:
someone else has told me it would'ent be any good for close up portrait's because it would distort feature's ie making nose's look wider etc,
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Someone is telling you porkies. Most probably someone that hates Sigma. I have taken hundreds of photographs with this lens and never noticed any big nose little ear syndrome.

King.
 
Siggy's 30 f/1.4 is a very nice lens to use and gives great results, though as has been stated, a little soft towards the edges.

The only words of caution I have are that you may find yourself getting closer to your sitter than they may feel entirely comfortable with for head shots. To get a good headshot using a 30 you'll need to be around 3-4 ft from them IMO. May be ok if they're family or good friends but you need to think about whether this would help create a relaxed atmosphere for someone less well known to you or even a stranger sitting for you. The 50 would give you ~2 ft more working distance for the same shot which I would find too close still either as a tog or as a sitter.

I've come across several sources that suggest an equivalent focal length of ~85 up to 135 to ensure there's no distortion when shooting head shots that fill the frame but as I only used my 30 for full length shots I don't know if the 30 f/1.4 would distort facial features such as the nose or chin/jaw (It doesn't have to be as bad as the big nose/little ear syndrome to be noticeable to the sitter and their friends/family ;) ). Even if it didn't distort, using a longer focal length will help compress the image which typically gives a more flattering portrait.

Just my 0.02p :shrug:
 
Another option is to use it for "environmental head shots" as I believe one wag once called them. Do the shot landscape style with the sitter off to the left or right so the viewer can see some of their surroundings :thinking:
 
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