The BEST Astro lens EVER made//Sigma 40 1.4

[@AstroHBF]

Absolutely insane image! New gear is always so exciting

[@johnrutterphotography]

Cheers mate 👍 unfortunately the wife didn't share my excitement with all the new gear, can't understand why 🤣🤣

[@michaelkhalsa]

Ordered the 40 mm f1.4 art this morning and saw your review later this evening. I have the 28mm f1.4 art (sony), and that lens really impresses me, love it. Fantastic for astro wide open. For daytime, the sharpness, rendering, and transitions are on another level from most lenses. The way it maintains detail in mist and dark areas really opens up possibilities and the images just have a feeling. The 28mm inspired me to get the 40mm, and the prices for each have come down a lot when on special. I find the weight of the 28mm (paired with a sony a7r ii) fine - particularly knowing what comes from it. Will see how weight feels with the 40mm, and what type of kit i take out with it for landscape ( i doubt i would carry both at once ). Again, really beautiful shot - thanks for your wisdom and inspirational sharing.

[@themilkywayandlandscapeobs5182]

Love your work of Art. Don't see much more beautiful Milkyway Panorama as yours. Really inspiring John.

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate, I appreciate your kind words 👍 🙏

[@nightscapeimages.richard]

That's a really awesome image John. I also really enjoyed your night footage .. .fantastic mate.

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate 👍 I'm really happy with how it turned out, especially just for a test image.

[@kowalskik.1333]

so when I counted right you needed in total about 56min for you final milky way panorama (foreground time not taken into account). My question is, what is the maximum total time - or better to say, a recomended maximum total time - that makes sence for the milky way. E.g. would 90 min also be "doable" and would it make sence"? And an other question: Is the camera you used astromodyfied?

[@johnrutterphotography]

There is no recommended time, it's just purely how long you want to spend out there, I've done ones that take 4 hrs. The camera is modified yes

[@kowalskik.1333]

@@johnrutterphotography 4 hrs? But does a big part of the milkyway not turn below horizon during this time? So how to manage this?

[@dennisblack4444]

Awesome John, love the clarity and detail mate, will have to think about this lens👍

[@johnrutterphotography]

Cheers mate, definitely something to consider

[@adaminhongkong]

Holly Shiiiit the final image is amazing!

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate 👍

[@grahamconatyastro]

What lens do you typically use? I’ve just replaced my Canon R5 with a Sony A7 IV which I’m looking to get modified. Just weighing up whether to get the Sigma 35mm DG DN or the Sigma 40mm HSM. 🤔

[@johnrutterphotography]

Since getting this lens, it's the one I use for 90% of my images

[@The_Gunslinger]

Such a awesome image, glad the 40mm is out performing it's self. I have the Sigma 20/35/50mm 1.4 and I can't fault any of them they are beasts of lenses .

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate, I think I may need to try some other sigma lenses after using this one

[@martinmuldoon603]

@@johnrutterphotography i hear the 40mm 1.4 is the best for Astro, I've never tried Astro so I don't really know to be honest, I have a few Sigma Art lens but this is the one I want.

[@HelenasAstrophotography]

Brilliant vid John!! This is definitely on my list.

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks Helena 👍

[@timscanlanphotography]

Hi John. New subscriber from the UK here. What a piece of kit this lens looks. I was considering the 35mm 1.4 but need to give this a look now. Love the image. Thanks for sharing.

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks for jumping on board.its definitely worth considering the 40mm if the extra focal length works for you.

[@raphaellencrerot]

Thanks for all your feedback. Very interesting. May i ask if you had a chance to try the Tamron 35 f1.4? Based on différent MTF database, this lense seats between Sigma 35 and sigma 40mm in term of sharpness. I have the Tamron (from when i was doing some portraits) I'll try it this week if weather forecast is good. But i wanted to have your opinion on it, if you tried it, to know if it worth to move to the sigma 40mm for the extra accuracy. Many thanks in advance.

[@johnrutterphotography]

Hey mate, I have not tried that lens, the biggest thing to look for is corner sharpness, most lenses these days are pretty similar in the centre but the true test is moving out from there especially at wide apatures

[@chrisbeere2117]

Ripper of an image mate !! Welcome to the Sigma Art club :] The 28 and 40 are absolute weapons. If you fancy going big guns the 105 will knock your socks off as well !

[@johnrutterphotography]

Haha cheers mate. If they perform like the 40 I think they will end up in the bag

[@davyp93]

Brilliant video! I've been using the Sony 14mm which is brilliant and had been looking at something tighter for panos, this lens really looks the ticket, will definitely pick one up. Look forward to seeing if you pick up and review the Sony 24mm 1.4

[@WanderingMonkHikes]

John, did you leave all the stars in this pano or did you filter some with Star XTerminator? It's an awesome shot!

[@jonathanritter7364]

This looks awesome! I'd like to see images straight from the camera with no editing at all. Inhave my eye on this lense..but curious to see raw photos

[@paulmorrall5719]

Just stunning mate, looks like we’re getting breaks in the weather in Sydney, time to change the batteries in my Star Adventurer 😊

[@johnrutterphotography]

That's it mate, get out amongst it 👍

[@johannbauermeister3916]

Wow, that's a great shot... inspiring stuff.

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks so much 🙏

[@deesis4962]

Bloody amazing

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate 👍

[@royadid123]

wow killer photo man ... pls more videos on how to shoot astro pano and how to blend sky and foreground in post .great channel u have!! i live in bortle 9 area :(

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate I appreciate it 👍

[@ymankindle]

Missed this video when it came out, but started researching this lens when I saw it on sale a couple days ago. I already have a Samyang 35mm f/1.4, so I probably wasn't going to buy the Sigma until I saw your video. Thanks for the great info - although my wallet (and wife) do are not as appreciative. :)

[@johnrutterphotography]

Haha I'm hearing ya. This lens has now replaced my samyang 35 and 50

[@kevinyang5593]

How about the Sigma 28mm/1.4? I know the 40mm/1.4 is an excellent lens, but when shooting the stars right above, it's quite a challenge to stitch the pictures.

[@johnrutterphotography]

I have never used it but I hear it's almost as good as the 40, it would be better suited for high arch imaging

[@billblanshan3021]

John, any way you could post a download link to a raw image so we could see the results of this lens? Also, are you going to do a review video on this lens showing image corner results?

[@johnrutterphotography]

Hey mate, I do intend to do a more in depth video on this lens

[@dmystify1381]

....beautiful foto cobber......sigma has come a long way in 20yrs..so much so..that it doesnt take a lot of convincing to purchase the Art series...just an fyi..i purchased the sigma 150-600 sports & it is Amazing also...funny i have been on the lookout for the Art 40 1.4 & your vid came up.

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate, totally agree about sigma over the years, I haven't tried any of their longer focal lengths tho.

[@mojjjoz240]

How would the image look if you lowered the ISO down 2 stops to 400 and kept the normal 3min shutter speed? Would it make a difference in noise or does the software do a good job cleaning it up? So it's best to do 30sec exposures with higher ISO and get the image done in an hour instead of 3hrs?

[@johnrutterphotography]

You can definitely mix the exposure triangle however you like, for me I prefer having a shorter exposure and slightly higher iso so it takes less time to get done. I haven't done a test on a lower iso but with such a big panorama the noise is shrunk so small that I think the difference in 640 and 400 would be negligible

[@victahh281]

I loved the shots I got with the sigma 14mm 1.8. 40mm for me seems a bit too tight for large areas

[@johnrutterphotography]

Yeah it's definitely tight for single images

[@korzenienaglowie8034]

Hello! I wanted to buy a 35mm sigma, I am convinced by the fact that it is light, weighs 600g. I would like to use it for astrophotography and everyday use. Is there a big difference in quality apart from the weight and is it better to buy a 40mm? 40mm weighs twice as much

[@mikafoxx2717]

The image quality difference is massive, night and day. The sigma 40mm 1.4 is easily one of the sharpest lenses ever. The sigma art 35 1.4 is less sharp than.. every other 35mm 1.4 since, from Canon, Tamron etc. Tamron SP 35 1.4 is the sharpest 35mm so far.

[@Ben_CoombeNz]

Sensational pano man. The details are epic

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks Ben 👍 cheers.

[@bathygao]

That's insane, great shot!

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate

[@runematthijssens2304]

Would you get a massive increase if you would stack images? Get to the original time by stacking 3 images per pane for example. Do you stack now?

[@johnrutterphotography]

It would make a difference if I stacked shorter exposures, essentially getting 3x the overall signal. I don't currently stack at all but it might be worth doing it at some point.

[@astrodysseus]

So you are using that heavy lens on a sony, which means you have some adapter. Which adapter did you take ?

[@johnrutterphotography]

No adapter was used, it's a native sony mount.

[@astrodysseus]

@@johnrutterphotographyIndeed, I saw afterwards that there is a Sony native version

[@DSOImager]

Very very nice!

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate 👍

[@arjundhannyify]

amazing lens!! i was in between this one and the zeiss planar 50 mil f1.4 … also is sharp corner to corner at max aperture.. but i do love my 50mils 😁

[@johnrutterphotography]

50mm is great, my reasoning is this replaces both my 50 and 35, a happy medium between the 2

[@00_Ryan_00]

Having a couple of beers imaging nightscapes at 2AM is far more impressive than that 40mm lens. Nice!

[@johnrutterphotography]

😂😂 😂😂😂😂

[@dmystify1381]

Agreed.

[@dominic-ryan]

Makes such a difference when you up your kit (and empty your wallet) with a really awesome performing lens. I did have my eyes set on the Sony GM 35mm f/1.4, however at literally half the price I'm really tempted by this lens. It is twice the weight though (twice the bulk too?), Which does factor highly as I hike around with gear a bit. Wish Sigma would refactor this lens for mirrorless systems like they did with the 85mm f/1.4 (also excellent for astro) to get a bit of bulk/weight out of it. Looking forward to see what you do with it John.

[@johnrutterphotography]

I had the same dilemma, in the end the performance for nightscapes outweighed the weight and size. I'm super happy with the decision

[@davelaw2321]

do you think this lens is better for tracked multi row panos of the MW than the Sony Planar 50mm 1.4?

[@johnrutterphotography]

I've never used that sony 50 1.4 so I'm sorry I can't say

[@JakobSagatowski]

Hi John! Thanks for a great review, I'm about to buy this lens as well. May I ask you what camera/lens you were using to record this video? I've tried to film myself during evening/night, but never managed to get the video bright enough. Cheers!

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate 👍 it was filmed on a a7siii and sigma 20 1.4 I still find it challenging to film at night.

[@JakobSagatowski]

@@johnrutterphotography Thank you very much for the reply John, appreciate it! Cheers!

[@Nick_K22]

I have the sigma 35mm and it’s insane!

[@johnrutterphotography]

They produce some amazing glass that'd for sure

[@TrevorMcGrathPhotography]

Deadly video John. I just love your passion! I have two questions...How do you find the weight of the 40mm and how come you didn't go for the 35mm f/1.2 ?

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate, the weight is significant but it didn't effect anything on the tracker, its just extra weight in the bag, which I'm ok with. I honestly went with the 40 for 2 reasons, it's reputation for pin point stars wide open and 40mm is that sweet spot that will replace both my 35mm and 50mm.

[@TrevorMcGrathPhotography]

Thanks, John. I had to take another quick look at your setup and noticed you are using the counterweight. That total weight is no problem for your tracker. And I was wondering would your reply include that the 40mm focal length would replace both 35 and 50. Particularly with the quality of the lens. Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge, it's great and I've learned something new today. Also, your video show the indexing base and the two-way head is just deadly.

[@johnrutterphotography]

yeah with the counterweight it's fine, the 40 will replace the 35 and 50mm lenses I have. and il probably get something new around 24mm so I just have to carry 2 lenses for panos.

[@TrevorMcGrathPhotography]

@@johnrutterphotography There's a few options around 24mm but the Sony 24mm f1.4 GM is just deadly and is very light at only 445g

[@raphaelcoelho1557]

Stunning!

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks so much 🙏

[@ChrizzlyUniverse]

Wow, great video and awesome impressions with that lens. That final image is superb, 10/10! Did you use an astro-modded Sony camera or was it stock? The Nebulas in the Milkayway really pop out! Clear skies.

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks mate, yes my a7r2 is Ha modded.

[@ChrizzlyUniverse]

@@johnrutterphotography Nice! And thanks for the fast response! Do you still use it for daylight photography (with white balance filter) and is this IR Led thing at the shutter a problem for dark frames? Thinking about modding my A7iii at one point, too... Cheers!

[@jeffhampton6972]

This is insane! Daaaang, thank you for sharing! :D

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks Jeff 👍 your welcome.

[@johncarter591]

And now all we need is someone to 3D print a lens mount collar so we can better balance the weight of it on our tracker's!

[@johnrutterphotography]

They do sell collars for them, il have to get one

[@johncarter591]

@@johnrutterphotography do you know where to get one eg. the collar?

[@johnrutterphotography]

there are heaps of places, amazon is cheapest I think, just google sigma 40mm lens collar

[@chrisbeere2117]

I use the iShoot SM40 on mine

[@KaiTiura]

Hey John! New sub. Wanna get into more night shots. I have three Sigma lenses at the moment; a 14-24mm Art, a 50mm Art and a 60-600mm. I love them all, Sigma does such a nice job on their lenses! Can't beat them for the price point. I'm wondering; since I don't do night panos, would this lens be too close for standard astro shots? My 14-24 is highly respected for this, and I'm just wondering if this might be something I should grab because the shot you got is insane! The clarity and sharpness are really otherworldly. Maybe someday I'll take the leap into tracking panos, but it's too much for my brain at this point... and my wallet! You do great work!

[@johnrutterphotography]

Hey mate, thanks for joining the community 👍 great range of lenses you have, the 40 is very tight for single astro images and would mostly suit panoramas. Anything in the 14-24mm range is perfect for single images and that zoom you have is perfect for singles with the 2.8 aperture

[@ferdigrafie]

I really love this content. Thanks for sharing! I´ve heard the new mirrorless Version of the Sigma ART 20/24 DG DN have also a great performance for astro. Maybe you want to try them out?

[@johnrutterphotography]

Thanks! I have seen some impressive results from the new sigma lenses, unfortunately I don't have the budget to buy lots of lenses but if I got the opportunity to test some I'd jump at it.

[@timwhite1111]

The new DG DN 20mm and 14mm are extremely impressive, both moreso than the 40mm for star quality across the frame! (I have all of them).

[@calebwhite681]

just ordered one off ebay! looks barely used....hope it's not a faulty copy because it was only $620 USD after tax. couldn't resist. Was thinking of upgrading from 6D-> EOS R but I think this glass will make more of a difference. the MTF chart for this lens is like, out of this world no pun intended. will likely sell my 50mm rokinon now. absolutely insane how sharp this is wide open. Did you find vignette to be an issue or did PTGui just work around that? Did you just apply profile corrections first?

[@johnrutterphotography]

Awesome stuff man, hope it's a good copy for ya. The vignette at 1.4 is pretty bad but profile corrections and ptgui take care of it pretty well

[@calebwhite681]

@@johnrutterphotography thanks, man! That's good to know. Price on that lens has dropped to around 799 USD from the like, 1399 retail, so i think that used price should be legit. Can't wait to shoot again.

[@bear8453]

Sigma art lens are great my 35mm f1.4 also super sharp wide open

[@johnrutterphotography]

I think I may have to get a couple more now 🤔

[@johncarter591]

Oh wow now you have me all Exited I was thinking of getting a Sigma 35mm but now I thinking I need to change my mind

[@johnrutterphotography]

Haha sorry for throwing a spanner in the works.

[@johncarter591]

@@johnrutterphotography I'll have to get one now your video is out before they are all on backorder lol

[@johnrutterphotography]

haha dunno about that.

[@johncarter591]

@@johnrutterphotography News update I've ordered One got a tracking Number and All ! From Sigma Australia as Most other sites were out of stock already........

[@sw_sight3623]

wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Bee0213]

After all I tested for a while, Sony 14mm 1.8, Sony 16-35, Sony 20mm 1.8, Batis etc etc…. By far the best lens is the 24mm 1.4

[@johnrutterphotography]

The sony 24 1.4?

[@Bee0213]

@@johnrutterphotography yes, corner to corner pin point sharp, even at 1.4. and If you shoot without a tracker, 13sec at 1.4 is still really good. 400g also, really small and light weight. Used it this week in Tenerife, get instantly my favorite lens :)

[@johnrutterphotography]

I have heard that, although I have never used it. it's definitely on the list to try and maybe even put it in the bag.

[@haynesiest215]

saw a meteor over your shoulder too mate :)

[@johnrutterphotography]

I haven't seen it yet!

[@haynesiest215]

@@johnrutterphotography think was just after you finished imaging over your left shoulder