Sigma 311101 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art Lens for Canon, Black

Product Information

I compared my Sigma directly to my Nikon 50/1.4G and my Micro-NIKKOR 55mm f/2.8 AF on the test range at infinity.

It’s worth mentioning that it’s unavailable for Canon RF or Nikon Z mirrorless mount systems. But a Nikon adapter and a Canon adapter work perfectly for those systems. So you can mount the 50mm Art on them as well. The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges. Averaging them out gives the red weighted column. According to DxoMark metrics, it resolves 40 P-Mpix on a 50.6 MP (megapixel) Canon 5DS R model. This is an impressive sharpness score. The DN lens is noticeably shorter and lighter than the Sony E and Leica L mount versions of the older DG lens. (Image credit: Sigma Imaging) Flare blob, full solar disc, 02 September 2014. ( Nikon D810, Sigma 50mm f/1.4, f/8 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100, Athentech Perfectly Clear.) bigger.

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A reveiw – Image quality

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM is built similar to current Nikon prime lenses – it has a solid plastic exterior and a metal mount. The lens feels very solid in hands and its large size and heavy weight make it feel like handling the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G. It is almost twice heavier than the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G, which is only 280 grams, and almost three times heavier than the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G (185 grams). The 77mm filter thread is a little too big for a 50mm lens in my opinion, because 77mm filters are expensive. Those who use 77mm filters like polarizing filter will probably be happy about not having to use a step-up ring, but such filters typically get rarely used on 50mm lenses in first place. There is, however, an advantage to having such large front element – as you will see in image samples below, it helps in reducing vignetting at large apertures. Here is how the Sigma compares to other Nikkor lenses (From left to right: Nikon 50mm f/1.8D, Nikon 50mm f/1.8G, Nikon 50mm f/1.4D, Nikon 50mm f/1.4G and Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM): NIKON D3S + 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm, ISO 400, 1/80, f/5.6 The price of this lens puts it in its own category. The Canon and Nikon equivalents are set at the lower end in the 50mm f/1.4 category. Meanwhile, the Sony-Zeiss lens and Canon’s EF 50mm f/1.2L lens are among the most expensive prime alternatives. The front element features Sigma’s water and oil repellent coating, which is designed to repel water drops and provide resistance to fingerprints

In 2008, Sigma released a large diameter standard lens designed for digital SLRs, “SIGMA 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM”. At that time, products for film cameras were prevalent, yet we spent enormous effort to set a new benchmark for the 50mm lens that optimizes the characteristics of digital cameras, such as compensating peripheral brightness, controlling the point images in the corners, and improving the image drawing, not only around the focusing point, but also other areas in the image. It seems about the same as a common unit-focussed lens, even though it is a unique internally focused design. The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art joins the highly regarded Sigma Art series of lenses as a favourite amongst photographers. We have found it is particularly popular for wedding, portraiture and gig photographers due to the focal range and wide maximum aperture. The F1.4 aperture is not only perfect for lower light conditions that you might find at weddings or gigs, but you have the ability to really play with your depth of field to create unique and interesting images. Crop from above 36 MP image at 100%. If this is 6" (15cm) wide on your monitor, the entire image printed at this same high magnification would be 72 x 48" (1.8 x 1.25 meters)!

that 40art is simply sensational. heavy & huge but certainly one of the top 5 sharpest lenses commerically produced, shot wide open. significantly better then the original 35 art. im curious if sigma will be delivering lenses for Z mount. This is superb performance, and important because there are no lens profiles to bail you out on Nikon and Canon. AF works great on my Nikon D810 and every other Nikon on which I tried it, even my Nikon F4 from 1988. The design of the 014 version of this lens is similar to the 18-35mm f/1.8 zoom lens that we tested last year. It has a large ribbed rubber focus ring that is comfortable to use, even with gloves on. Beneath a small window sits the focus distance scale, while the side of the lens includes an AF/MF switch. It should be noted that this lens is not optically stabilised, which should be a consideration if you have difficulty holding heavier lenses steady. However, I used the lens with a Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and had little problem shooting handheld. As an off-brand lens it has unproven (with me) service facilities, and unknown future parts availability. When the HSM motor dies, you're dead unless you can get a replacement part — and you just might not be able to in 10 years when you'd most need it.

The lens already starts strong at f/1.4, with impressive center and mid-frame performance. Corners are a bit weak, but that’s expected from a fast prime lens. Stopping down the lens improves sharpness significantly, with amazing sharpness levels reached in the f/4-f/5.6 range. The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art is one of the few lenses that could reach such high sharpness levels, making it one of the best performing prime lenses we have tested so far. If you want to see how impressive this lens is to other 50mm primes, take a look at the Lens Comparisons section of the review.It has threads to accept 77mm filters. This 77mm thread does not rotate after focusing (similarly to the Canon L variant). This is ideal for those who like ND and CPL filters on their lens. The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens delivers what it promises. It’s great quality for the price. But it is not cheap. Still, if you’re looking for the best-value lens, this is better than similar top-of-the-line lenses. (Ones from original camera manufacturers.) For axial chromatic aberration that is hard to correct even during the image processing, SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements are incorporated, ensuring high image quality throughout the entire focusing range. The lens achieves sharp and high contrast image rendering. As previously mentioned, the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM is a big (for a 50mm) and solid lens. It weighs 1.8 lb (815 g). And it is 3.9 inches (99.9 mm) long. At the risk of telling you the obvious, this is what makes small formats really attrractive--not the bodies, but the smaller lenses. ... My point is that if you're going to deal with bulk and weight it should be for something exotic, not a 50mm/1.4. " -AbrasiveReducer

Utilizing know-how and the latest design technology accumulated through the past developments, it corrects the aberration thoroughly and achieves high resolution and astonishing rendering performance even near the edge of the image. The Sigma 50mm 1.4 DG HSM has been redesigned and re-engineered to set a new standard for the Art line. The lens has a certain plastic feeling. But overall, it’s a durable lens. The handling of this glass is pretty good. The rubber elements, like the focusing ring and the grip, provide a steady hold.When shot in the real world, any 50mm lens is going to be extremely sharp, and sharper than than a 24-70mm f/2.8 pro zoom. Before you go spending a lot of money on a super-duper 50mm lens, try any 50mm lens, especially the f/1.8, first. Please note that the above images were shot without filters. Using UV and other filters can potentially introduce more flares and ghosting to your images. Canon EOS 6D + 50mm @ 50mm, ISO 100, 1/500, f/5.6 Distortion This Sigma has no flare problems, so the only reason to use the hood is that it can help keep crud and flying food out of your lens. What does the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 offer to the already saturated market of excellent 50mm lenses from every DSLR manufacturer? For many years the focal length of 50mm lenses was considered a “standard” or “normal” focal length, because it closely resembles the perspective of the human eye. These lenses were widely popular on film cameras and the focal length was ideal for portraiture and everyday photography. As digital SLRs and zoom lenses started taking over the market, the popularity of 50mm primes also decreased. The smaller size of APS-C sensors made the field of view of 50mm lenses narrower, while the flexibility of zoom lenses and their low price drove the demand towards convenience. Now that full-frame digital cameras are getting more and more affordable, the once-forgotten 50mm lenses are regaining their popularity among many photographers. Seeing this trend, some manufacturers including Nikon have been updating and renewing their 50mm lens lines. Sigma, being a third party lens manufacturer for many brands, introduced their flagship Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM in 2008 and has been marketing it as a higher-quality f/1.4 lens with better characteristics than most branded 50mm f/1.4 lenses. You could also choose the Zeiss Otus 50mm f/1.4 (Nikon F-mount) if you don’t mind spending triple the amount. With prime lenses, it’s all about personal preference, use purpose, and quality requirements. Verdict