Looking good!

After I complained mightily to Sigma about the bad AF on the 35/1.4 I had borrowed from a local business, Sigma USA was kind enough to send me a brand new one in Nikon mount from the shipment received at the end of January and it arrived yesterday. I have it to try out on a free three week loan.

What better way to start giving the Sigma a work out than locally? I had just caught a glimpse of the local cobbler’s workshop when dropping a pair of shoes off the other day and it looked fascinating, everything a cobbler’s workshop should be. Almost like a Hollywood set, in fact. So when picking the shoes up yesterday, I just had to get back there to photograph it.

“Pindelski, is that Czech?”

“No, Polish. My folks were refugees, finally escaping to the west before the Russians closed the borders in 1947. You?”

“I am a Czech Armenian, part of the Jewish diaspora which spread across the world because of persecution. I came to America in 1986.

This store has been here, on B Street in San Mateo, since 1876. I prefer it messy. It’s comfortable that way”

Fellow refugees, bonding.

So when it came time to pick up my shoes, whose heels remain spread over a vast area of San Francisco’s sidewalks, I couldn’t wait to ask Victor if he would let me take a look at his workroom. He was only too happy to oblige, and it did not disappoint. The Sigma and Nikon D3x came along and absent a bit of toning down of the nasty highlights from the fluorescent tubes in the first two images, these are pretty much straight out of the camera. I did use the lens correction profile I had created earlier for this lens, as it corrects significant vignetting at f/1.4 and f/2. You can download it here and absent whatever claim I have to pride of authorship, I really recommend you use it. My wealth will change by exactly $0.00 if you download it.

Victor Sargas.

At work.

There’s always work to be done.

“I prefer it messy.”

Ancient cobbler’s lathe.

After the poor first experience with the Sigma’s AF (s/n 50004444) things are beginning to look up with this loaner (s/n 50004693). The three dimensional rendering and vibrant colors are significant optical accomplishments in a lens this fast. I wish it was lighter, but at the quality level offered I’ll grudgingly settle for a sore neck and shoulder. It is not cheap at $900 + tax, but it’s a lot cheaper than the Nikon version which, based on the sample I borrowed, is inferior and costs a good deal more.

Snapped on the Nikon D3x with the lens at f/2, ISO 400. Victor gets his large wall print tomorrow.