[Sammy]

All of a sudden when I put this lovely lens on my NEX-6 it seems the aperture value is not seen by the cam or not transmitted to the cam. Instead of say F4.0 it reads F--, at the same time there are weird clicking noises coming from within the lens and I cannot focus. Any ideas how to fix this? Do I need to send it for repair to Sigma Germany?

[obican]

May be a few reasons. Contacts might be dirty. Gently clean them with an eraser (regular pencil eraser). If that doesn't work, probably some electronics inside the lens are dead. Might be the flex cable, might be something more serious. In that case, you'll have to send it for a repair. Or just buy another one since they are cheap.

[davidmanze]

There are lots of issues with firmware incompatibilities with Sigma lenses and various cameras etc.

The D850 for example has been problematic for many Sigma telephoto lenses.........

So a phone call to Sigma to ask if there is one available for the lens..............

[Brightcolours]

There are lots of issues with firmware incompatibilities with Sigma lenses and various cameras etc.

  The D850 for example has been problematic for many Sigma telephoto lenses.........

  So a phone call to Sigma to ask if there is one available for the lens..............

Hmm, I take the original post in this way: Lens used to work ok on the camera, now it does not anymore. So, doubtful it would be a firmware issue?

[JJ_SO]

There are lots of issues with firmware incompatibilities with Sigma lenses and various cameras etc.

  The D850 for example has been problematic for many Sigma telephoto lenses.........

  So a phone call to Sigma to ask if there is one available for the lens..............

Yeah, and I'm just plain stupid to buy a dozen lenses from Sigma. For Nikon.

David, how about beefing up your accusations with some quotes or links? You're usually not the kind of person to reblurb internet fairytales, but you're the person who doesn't own a single Sigma Art or Sport lens, but constantly coming up with remarks about bad quality in general and unreliable AF in particular.

I disagree to the max.

[Sammy]

Hmm, I take the original post in this way: Lens used to work ok on the camera, now it does not anymore. So, doubtful it would be a firmware issue?

That´s the point. The lens suddenly ceased to work and needs to be fixed. As suggested by "obican" I tried already cleaning the contacts but it didn´t help. I suppose my next step will be to contact Sigma.

[davidmanze]

"The D850 for example has been problematic for many Sigma telephoto lenses"........

Plenty of complaints about lenses such as the 300mm F2.8 etc......on the forums!

It may not be the reason here...........nonetheless people are stating they upgraded the latest FW only to find one their Sigmas no longer focuses with the new FW.......

....... of course they may have been making it up!

[JJ_SO]

There's no 300/2.8 Sports or Art. There's a stone-age (introduced 2005) APO 300mm F2.8 EX DG HSM - but that's incompatible to the dock.

So, how do these complaining people get new firmware to this lens? Do you have a single link referring to at least one solid complaint with sample pictures? To me it just appears that you're hunting for any complaint concerning Sigma lenses. And why only D850? And not also D500, D4 or other Nikons? I don't believe a single word from this.

Back to topic. Firmware can't be the problem of a lens which was working yesterday and stutters around this day. I also suggest to send it in to Sigma. I also cannot find a lens named "AF 30mm f/2.8 EX DN" on the Sigma website. There's a 30mm F2.8 DN Art for Sony - and that costs around 200 francs/€...

Just to put things in perspective: The APO 300/2.8 still sells around 2900.-, the 500/4 Sports (=new generation) is 6000.- and the 120-300/2.8 Sports is 3200.-

A nikon 300/2.8 today costs you 5900.-

All these owners who saved 3000.- by getting a cheaper 3rd party lens are really wondering that the outdated lens is not working too well with a 45 MP camera? What a surprise... but thanks to you all Sigma buyers are warned now, it's just a crappy brand and all testers are bought and brainwashed...

[davidmanze]

It was the camera's FW which was changed that prevented the lenses from working not the lens's FW, not that it was the fault of Sigma!....but how does that cheer you up when you find your lens that was working yesterday no longer functions today.......

...anyway Sigma no longer services those "Stone age" optics...!



"All these owners who saved 3000.- by getting a cheaper 3rd party lens are really wondering that the outdated lens is not working too well with a 45 MP camera?"


Yeah I guess they deserve it!......imagine wanting to save £3,000 on a Nikkor lens and buying a Sigma?..........

......The question is: when will the same situation repeat itself .......when the Art range lenses have achieved the 12 year old Stone age status.... and no longer work on the D980?

Don't things turn to stone so quickly in this modern world?

Anyway it's nice to know you can be drawn out of your niche and play forums JoJu!

[JJ_SO]

Sammy's problem lens is an Art lens. Not a dated glass fossile.   And I doubt that Sigma stopped to service any of these two, neither the 30 mm nor the APO 300 mm. In Sammy's thread opening was no single word of a firmware update, so I wonder why you bring up a different issue, but it appears that any problems are welcome to you as long as it's bad for Sigma.

Also, I can get spare parts of a 20 year old Gitzo, but some accessories don't work together with a current one - it's just normal and the stealth name of these processes is "innovation". Don't blame me... 

In any way, incompatibilities are no specific issue to few manufacturers but to the whole market. I doubt there will be a Nikon D980, there are many patents of lenses for a curved sensor = mirrorless = DSLRs will not increment any longer. But you know what? Sigma's unique decision to offer not only a dock but also a lens conversion service will become rather interesting in the future - getting a native mount is much cooler than working with adapters, I hope. I'm quite happy with my investments in this brand.

Feel free to keep on working on a bad reputation for Sigma, without any experience with Art or Sports lenses (you didn't buy the 150-600 from Sigma, if I recall correctly?). And I keep on teasing you in this attempts, nothing better than foolproof routines and discussion patterns