Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM

Sigma "ART" 50mm f1.4 DG HSM Lens – At a first glance, the most impressive thing is the beautiful build quality. Very finely finished and lovely focus ring movements without backlash or creep, the sheer weight of this little lens is testament to its high quality. Certainly not a cheap lens but with a maximum aperture of f1.4 this product read well in lens reviews which I studied before committing to the purchase, I figured there and then the price was worth the expense. And the results did not dissapoint, beautifully sharp images and excellent colour rendition justify the purchase. Ghosting and chromatic abberation appear in the early stages, at least, to be no problem.

As a Canon camera user, I expect a fast auto-focus system and in good light it certainly is fast. However, in low light the Sigma f1.4 is a little slower and tends to 'hunt' a bit more than the Canon lenses. A very well built lens hood ships with the Sigma 50mm f1.4 and has a nice lock to hold it in place. How many years this lock will last we are yet to find out. It also comes with its own padded case. Reviews show the sigma to be a close competitor to the Zeiss 55mm f1.4 'distagon' lens which does not have auto-focus and is more than 5X the price. Never a great fan of Sigma lenses in the past.....I would have no hesitation in recommending this Sigma to serious photographers, available with either Canon or Nikon mounts.

RS.Williams.2015

Excellent indoor portrait lens on APS-C sensor cameras – Robustly built, very large front of lens that allows all that delightful light in giving it an exceptional f1.4! This is Sigma's professional grade EX series for digital (DG) cameras. Matched with our Canon 50D it makes an ideal indoor portrait lens with exceptional depth of field control. 50 mm prime lenses have made a comeback with the popularity of APS-C cropped sensors on digital SLRs - as they convert to 80 - 85 mm which is a lovely focal length for portrait work. The lack of zoom translates into a wider aperture - creating an amazing f1.4 on this model. You will never need to get that wide unless playing around with artistic shots as keeping both eyes of the subject in focus is nearly impossible. What it does mean though is that at f1.8 - 2 you have incredibly sharp features, no vignetting, and no distortion.

This lens in many online reviews compares between the Canon 50mm 1.4 and 50mm 1.2L in terms of image quality and construction. While not quite on par with the L series for weather sealing and focus ring tactile feedback, image quality differences are nearly imperceptible.

The 77mm front filter size means this lens does draw attention to the camera, which can be a trade off in certain situations. In regards to weight, it balances nicely with the 50D but would certainly be a noted heft on a lighter weight body.

The high speed and silent autofocus is a plus, however does have an interesting habit of front focussing - a trait known for this lens in several reviews also. On testing it focuses approximately 1.5mm in front of the target object, which at 1.4 is very noticeable. This can be corrected by a factory adjustment - which should be performed at no cost to the consumer.

Overall this lens is extremely good quality and value for its price. You can almost throw away that flash you have had to cart around due to the excellent low light characteristics. If you correct the front focus issue - you have a professional grade lens at an enthusiasts price tag.

Having trialled the Canon 50 mm 1.4 and Tamron 60mm 2.0 (macro) - I found this Sigma to provide better indoor image quality, better build, and lower price point than the two rivals. With the focussing addressed, I am a very happy consumer. Wide aperture - great image quality throughout range. Build is very good. Front focus - requires manufacturer adjustment for f1.4 images to be crystal clear - not noticeable at f1.8.

Depth of field amazing – What a beautiful lens the Sigma 50mm lens is. I use it on my Canon5ooD camera and the pictures and quality are simply amazing. Up close you can achieve Beautiful bokeh and when pulling back the depth blur gives the pictures such a classic look. I hope they bring back the M4/3 version of this lens. Stunning lens........The team and I at Synapse Creative Brisbane, really enjoy using this fine piece of equipment. Quality, Results driven