Review - Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG Art

LeeBabySimms said:
A few lines that jumped out at me ...

"I didn't have it long enough"
"I really didn't push the lens against its competitors"
"I have personally struggled regularly using this focal length over the years"
"Why did I take so long to write this review?"

Ugh — spare us next time
What a nice, friendly, positive first post! You're the best!

-pw
 
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All Sigma Art Lenses are optical superb, but they all are lacking weathersealing. It seems to be a problem to implement a few rubberrings for 2-3 Cents, so if you go out to a shooting you may spoil your glass.

If it would be an easy solution to get them sealed they would do it , I guess. They don't. Maybe it's the difference to the "L"-50mm f1.2 ;) Also Fuji needed a lot of time for their recent glasses to get sealed, this seems to be difficult somehow.

I don't like the focallength so I would stick to the smaller 50mm f1.4 from canon, if I needed it... so my choice was the 40mm Pancake. It's quite small and it's ok for the range.
 
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another with this lens:

<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jesseherzog/15872201220/player/" width="800" height="534" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>

(why can't i embed photos properly?)
 
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Jesse said:
what this post failed to mention is there is no other auto-focusing 50mm lens that even comes close to the overall quality of this lens. and the canon 1.4 and 1.2 both have their own focusing issues fyi.
People who got a got copy immediately fell in love with this lens. Particularly myself I used all Canon 50mm lenses and I was never satified because of IQ, CA, AF or focus shift.
Also, never confortable with the 50mm focal lenght but, still waiting for Canon's response to Sigma.
 
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I have to say that I love my Sigma 50mm Art. Well my second copy, with Sigma Doc and some patience. Most everyone interested in this lens is aware of the controversy surrounding it. Right? I found my experience to be a buying "process" (most unusual experience purchasing a lens at this cost...but for me it was worth it).
Some observations of the comments here:
1.This is a relatively expensive lens ($950), This is a large 50mm. It's not waterproof. It is not light (1.8 lbs). It has 13 elements for God sake...most people check specs and read reviews, for a purchase like this. Within the 1st 60sec. of looking into the lens I would think that if you want a small light lens..then..OBVIOUSLY this is not the lens for you. If you want a lens with weather sealing this is not the lens for you. If you want a cheap lens then this is not the lens for you. These things are more than obvious right away.
2. The iPhone comment should be deleted. It's just stupid.
3. Before I went on my Sigma Sojourn I was aware that this was not going to be a regular lens buying experience...but at my level of involvement in photography the lens had enough promises for image-making to jump in and give it a shot. (I owned a sigma 50mm EX and I own the Sigma 35mm Art...so I knew what I was in for with this purchase)
4. The lens copies are inconsistent with AF. I sent my first one back. It was ALL OVER THE PLACE with focus. I had a Sigma Doc. ...there was no correcting it. My second copy was much better out of the box and I was able to calibrate it and it works extremely well for me...right now...although...I have read reports that is could change over time...I will see. I knew going in that the lens experience was not going to be a normal one. I was on a quest for excellence in 50mm. Why bitch and moan...I know what I was getting into! LOL! (Its like dating!)
5. I owned a good copy of the Sigma 50mm EX f/1.4. I sold it to buy this. This is about twice the size...I knew that going in..I was looking for sharpness across the plane to the corners. There is no comparison in the two lenses. (although the size, and rendering of the EX makes it a very great lens for portraiture..its forgiving and I would say tons better than the Canon 50mm f1.8 and f1.4...and built way better as well...but again that is just my opinion and I had a very good copy...that I sold to a friend (gulp!) and he is VERY happy with it.)

So...this lens is interesting...and "for me" it has such a WOW factor...that it was kind of worth all the BS I went through to get a decently calibrated copy on the front of my 5D3. (time and money). The experience is not for everyone...but for the people that it is for ...their mouths can occasionally drop open when opening files in post...and goosebumps can run down your neck sometimes. That made it worthwhile for me. If you are looking for something exciting ...and you have some PATIENCE and some photography experience and ability...jump in ....I If not...I would advise you to stay away from this beast. :o
t's definitely not for everyone. its an interesting experience, though.
 

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I am very pleased with my 50art. I got it in the beginning of April last year. It was one of the few copies available. It is my first copy and it is spot on. I did not use AFMA or the dock. I don't have AF issues. I need to knock on wood.
I also had the old sigma 50 f/1.4 EX and it also was a very good copy without problems (though many reported to have problems)
 
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I have this lens for the last 6 months and I love it. Although it needs AFMA ca -4 on my camera, it's not a hassle at all. Once calibrated, its sharper compared to my 50mm 1.4 from Canon. Optically, this lens is fantastic, sharp, has good contrast and build is great. Down part with this lens, its quite big! But then again, one needs to sacrifice comfort to gain something.

And I could always use my 40mm if I want something light.
 
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Hjalmarg1 said:
Jesse said:
what this post failed to mention is there is no other auto-focusing 50mm lens that even comes close to the overall quality of this lens. and the canon 1.4 and 1.2 both have their own focusing issues fyi.
People who got a got copy immediately fell in love with this lens. Particularly myself I used all Canon 50mm lenses and I was never satified because of IQ, CA, AF or focus shift.
Also, never confortable with the 50mm focal lenght but, still waiting for Canon's response to Sigma.
+1
After Sigma's 35mm F/1.4 Art, Canon released its 35mm F/2.0 IS.
About 50mm focal length, we just read rumors about a new 50mm F/1.8 or F/2.0 IS. Will it be the new unicorn?
 
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My most expensive purchase to date, I have had no issues regarding focussing on my 6D(maybe I'm not pixel peeping or looking hard enough or my other lenses are so so re sharpness). I was put off initially with all the buzz about how bad the AF is but then thought I would buy from a place with a no quibbles return policy. I don't use it all the time but when I do, I love the the images so well worth it.
 
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infared said:
4. I think Dustin Abbott does great reviews. I have complemented him on every review he has done...but ...on this one...it was extremely short and based on all of his other reviews he has done I think this one was half-hearted. No harm... no foul...I just think that to avoid all the controversy regarding this lens's AF etc. and to touch on the attributes...he decided to stick his foot in the water and then just get out. That's OK..this lens is complicated on many levels.

This review is made by Justin VanLeeuwen and not by Dustin Abbott (whose reviews are on his own blog)

Best
 
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plam_1980 said:
infared said:
4. I think Dustin Abbott does great reviews. I have complemented him on every review he has done...but ...on this one...it was extremely short and based on all of his other reviews he has done I think this one was half-hearted. No harm... no foul...I just think that to avoid all the controversy regarding this lens's AF etc. and to touch on the attributes...he decided to stick his foot in the water and then just get out. That's OK..this lens is complicated on many levels.

This review is made by Justin VanLeeuwen and not by Dustin Abbott (whose reviews are on his own blog)

Best

Whoa...thanks for correcting me!...I will fix that...no wonder I thought I was different! DUH
 
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infared said:
plam_1980 said:
infared said:
4. I think Dustin Abbott does great reviews. I have complemented him on every review he has done...but ...on this one...it was extremely short and based on all of his other reviews he has done I think this one was half-hearted. No harm... no foul...I just think that to avoid all the controversy regarding this lens's AF etc. and to touch on the attributes...he decided to stick his foot in the water and then just get out. That's OK..this lens is complicated on many levels.

This review is made by Justin VanLeeuwen and not by Dustin Abbott (whose reviews are on his own blog)

Best

Whoa...thanks for correcting me!...I will fix that...no wonder I thought I was different! DUH

Dustin...Justin... what's confusing about that ;D
 
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TWI by Dustin Abbott said:
infared said:
plam_1980 said:
infared said:
4. I think Dustin Abbott does great reviews. I have complemented him on every review he has done...but ...on this one...it was extremely short and based on all of his other reviews he has done I think this one was half-hearted. No harm... no foul...I just think that to avoid all the controversy regarding this lens's AF etc. and to touch on the attributes...he decided to stick his foot in the water and then just get out. That's OK..this lens is complicated on many levels.

This review is made by Justin VanLeeuwen and not by Dustin Abbott (whose reviews are on his own blog)

Best

Whoa...thanks for correcting me!...I will fix that...no wonder I thought I was different! DUH

Dustin...Justin... what's confusing about that ;D

Sorry about that buddy. Actually, I thought it was your review, but something seemed off! LOL! Sorry about that.
I am old and confused! I will have to pay more attention in the future. I now recall that you have already reviewed the lens, THOROUGHLY. :-[ (egg on face for me!)
 
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I bought this lens and the USB dock about a week ago along with up the Spyder LensCal mainly because the reviews I had seen indicated the lens might not perform well unless calibrated.

I was set to calibrate the lens using my camera but then looked at the calibration using the USB dock and saw there were 4 separate range adjustments available through the dock. So, I checked each of the ranges before making any adjustments. I found the two longer ranges to be dead-on but the shortest range was back focusing and the next range up was front focusing. So I didn't make any changes to the lens calibration in my camera. Instead I made the adjustments directly to the lens firmware through the dock. It took some fiddling but I now have dead-on focus at all four ranges.

Just my experience. Thought I'd pass it on.
 
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TWI by Dustin Abbott said:
Nice review, Justin. It's not a perfect lens, and it is too big, but it would still be my choice at the moment for a reasonably affordable 50mm prime.

I am still waiting for Canon to bring us an equivalent of the 35IS in a 50mm. If it was similarly sized and performed similarly, it would be be my choice.

Thanks! I'm not so concerned with weight since so much of my work is commercial and I pack pretty heavy all-around (lenses are the least of my worries). Though I can't stack it like I can my Canon 50 1.4 & 15 2.8 Fisheye :P

It will be interested to see what Canon delivers in the prime territory. Their wider-angle options have been more consumer based and haven't interested me in the slightest these past few years.
 
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mackguyver said:
Nice review - just one little correction at the end. The Canon EF 50L f/1.2 is weather-sealed according to Canon:

"Designed to meet the diverse needs of professional and advanced amateur photographers, the bright lens features full-time manual focusing, which enables users to focus by hand in the AF mode, and a dust- and moisture-proof construction, ensuring unfailing performance even under harsh conditions."
http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/lens/ef/data/standard/ef_50_f1.2l_usm.html

Oh my! That's an assumption I made, making as ass out of me. Thanks for pointing that out. Surprised CanonRumorsGuy didn't notice that, but maybe he's too busy looking at his new-to-him Canon 50mm f/1.0 :)
 
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JVLphoto said:
TWI by Dustin Abbott said:
Nice review, Justin. It's not a perfect lens, and it is too big, but it would still be my choice at the moment for a reasonably affordable 50mm prime.

I am still waiting for Canon to bring us an equivalent of the 35IS in a 50mm. If it was similarly sized and performed similarly, it would be be my choice.

Thanks! I'm not so concerned with weight since so much of my work is commercial and I pack pretty heavy all-around (lenses are the least of my worries). Though I can't stack it like I can my Canon 50 1.4 & 15 2.8 Fisheye :P

It will be interested to see what Canon delivers in the prime territory. Their wider-angle options have been more consumer based and haven't interested me in the slightest these past few years.

So I'm not the only one waiting for the 35 L II? 8) according to the time I have been waiting, it seems Canon think I'm the only one :P
 
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