Testing new lenses - Sigma vs. Sony
The test line up by Sony and Sigma
Sigma 24-70mm, Sony 90mm Macro, and Sony 50mm
As I recently started all over again with a new Sony Camera (Alpha 7 IV) and one new lens (Sony FE 24-105 mm F4 G OSS) I was now thinking about how to go forward. So, I rented (or bought) a few new lenses and tested out what I want next in my collection:
The 24-70mm F2,8 DG DN | Art as an alternative to my current 24-105 by Sony
The Sony FE 50mm F1.8 prime lens
Following I tell you my impressions of the different lenses and show some test pictures. Unfortunately, I didn’t have access to a studio setup and the lighting, even though it had a controlled color temperature, was not completely even. So, I have some glare on the images and they are not the best to judge vignetting of the lenses.
Sigma 24-70 vs. Sony 24-105
The last weeks I used the Sony 24-105G and was already quite impressed with the results. Nevertheless, I was asking myself, if I was missing out compared to a standard 24-60 F2.8 lens. While the new (and the old) Sony 24-70 F2.8 G Master lenses are very impressive, the price tag was a bit to steep for my. So I tried the Sigma 24-70 F.28, which is also comparable to my Sony 24-105G in price.
On paper the differences are quite clear: The 24-105G is lighter, has a bit more zoom and optical stabilization (OSS - Optical SteadyShot). The Sigma on the other side has the F2.8 aperture and thus one stop more light and more depth of field. After trying out both lenses I can say, that for me the zoom advantage of the Sony is no game changer, but the OSS is something I missed quite fast. Comparing the images of both lenses the results of the Sigma lens are a bit warmer but has more vignetting. When shooting my test chart both are very sharp in the middle (the Sigma a bit more than the Sony), but the Sigma lens loses more sharpness towards the edges. This was also true for me at 24mm, 50mm, and 70mm. At least my test lens.
After testing both lenses out I decided for myself, that the results of the Sigma lens are not that much better than what I get from the Sony lens that I would like to sacrifice the lower weight and the OSS.
Sony 90mm Macro
I always liked Macro lenses. In my opinion they are not only useful for the obvious macro shots, but also for portrait photography. I was also a big fan of the Canon 100mm Macro. So I decided to try out the Sony equivalent with the 90mm F2.8 Macro.
The results I get from the Sony 90mm are really impressive and it is one of the sharpest lenses I ever saw. I really have no complaints about this lens.
Sony 90mm F2.8 Macro at F2.8
Sony 50mm F1.8
Lastly, a cheap option. I always loved the Canon 50mm F1.8. It may not be the best lens in the world but while looking at it from a price angle it is hard to beat the results for this low price. So, I wanted to test the Sony 50mm F1.8 and wanted to see, if I’m equally impressed by it.
The resulting images are also really good and very sharp. The lens certainly performs quite good for its price. The only problem I have with this lens is the unusually slow auto focus. While taking portrait shots the pairing of the shallow depth of field at F1.8 and the slow auto focus makes it sometimes quite hard to hit the shot. Other than that, it is a solid lens, especially for the price.
Sony 50mm F1.8 at F1.8