Review: Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens

[Dylan777]

+1 for the docking, it is needed, no doubt.

I have winged my calibration so far and it depends very much on the "mood" of the lens, I can sometimes shoot 30 shots in a row on static subjects that are perfectly tack sharp, but then the next day at the same distance it just can't hit. It's a bit of a concern.
I will do FoCal calibration tonight at all the 4 distance and compare to my on the fly settings. And tomorrow I'll be doing more testing with more moving subjects. As of now I feel the tracking sometimes is REALLY good even at 1.4, but then I can go an hour without a sharp picture, again a bit of a worry for me.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Viggo.

 

[Dylan777]

I just wonder.....I do not own the Canon 50mm f/1.4 or Canon f/1.2......are they always spot on with the autofocus? I assume you have to AFMA with those as well. And they may differ in copies.

I am going to pickup my Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art tomorrow. I am very curious about the quality of my copy. Anyhow I ordered the dock based on experiences here. I may go into Focal AFMA on Friday

The AF on my 50L is good with 5D III center AF point. It's +6 through FoCal @ 7ft(my fav distance on 50mm)

 

[Viggo]

Here's a couple of examples from today's trip to kindergarten to pick up the kids.

I have oversharpened a bit to really show the point of sharpness.

This first one I aimed at the center, at the white house between the two small green trees, I tried 10 times, same result.
Focus point is WAY in front.

This one I aimed at the play house with the tilted roof, also tried ten times, same result.
Focus is in front at the small "fence" around the sandbox.

This one I aimed at the window center where the small black and yellow sign is.
Focus is PERFECT.

This one I simply aimed at the house.

Focus is also very good and I have nothing to complain about.

All of these is are just random shots and a fairly nice representation of the variation I see between shots. And this goes for all distances and is not consistent, tomorrow the front focused shots might be sharp and vice versa. And as for tracking of movement, I don't think I have had two sharp shots in a row at all. And the oof ones are WAY out....

 

[candyman]

Just to exclude: are you using single point selection only for all images?

 

[mackguyver]

Viggo, I haven't kept up with the thread, but it looks like you are focusing on objects (the pole in particular) that are too small and that might be an issue. If you're using Spot AF, then ignore my comments, but if it's standard single point, that could be the problem.

 

[Viggo]

Viggo, I haven't kept up with the thread, but it looks like you are focusing on objects (the pole in particular) that are too small and that might be an issue. If you're using Spot AF, then ignore my comments, but if it's standard single point, that could be the problem.

I'm not focusing on the pole. I focused on the white house back there. I use normal single point and just as info, that is NOT the problem, I have shot the same places with all my lenses, and most recent the 85 L II and it never ever misses. And I have shot the FoCal Target as well, or any sign with high contrast text which are flat, same result. FoCal btw says 99,4% AF consistency which is the exact same as my 24-70 II. Anyone else noticed the 50 Art shows up as the 35 L in FoCal?

 

[Viggo]

Just to exclude: are you using single point selection only for all images?

Yup, center point only. But I have tried 4 point expansion and different AF cases and One Shot, it makes no difference.

 

[mackguyver]

Viggo, I haven't kept up with the thread, but it looks like you are focusing on objects (the pole in particular) that are too small and that might be an issue. If you're using Spot AF, then ignore my comments, but if it's standard single point, that could be the problem.

I'm not focusing on the pole. I focused on the white house back there. I use normal single point and just as info, that is NOT the problem, I have shot the same places with all my lenses, and most recent the 85 L II and it never ever misses. And I have shot the FoCal Target as well, or any sign with high contrast text which are flat, same result. FoCal btw says 99,4% AF consistency which is the exact same as my 24-70 II. Anyone else noticed the 50 Art shows up as the 35 L in FoCal?

Interesting and disappointing, especially given that the 85 and other lenses don't have any issue. The FoCal report just makes it all the more confusing, but I don't think anything other than real-world results matter. I hope you're able to get this sorted out as it seems like an excellent lens in all other regards.

 

[Viggo]

Viggo, I haven't kept up with the thread, but it looks like you are focusing on objects (the pole in particular) that are too small and that might be an issue. If you're using Spot AF, then ignore my comments, but if it's standard single point, that could be the problem.

I'm not focusing on the pole. I focused on the white house back there. I use normal single point and just as info, that is NOT the problem, I have shot the same places with all my lenses, and most recent the 85 L II and it never ever misses. And I have shot the FoCal Target as well, or any sign with high contrast text which are flat, same result. FoCal btw says 99,4% AF consistency which is the exact same as my 24-70 II. Anyone else noticed the 50 Art shows up as the 35 L in FoCal?

Interesting and disappointing, especially given that the 85 and other lenses don't have any issue. The FoCal report just makes it all the more confusing, but I don't think anything other than real-world results matter. I hope you're able to get this sorted out as it seems like an excellent lens in all other regards.

Thanks! Me too, because this lens is pretty much as good as it gets, and only the 200 f2 L is showing the same insane IQ all over the frame, crazy.

I'm not giving up just yet, I will do another calibration, and test in better weather, rain could screw with the AF. But so far, the very poor tracking is a big issue for me.

 

[Viggo]

My son got a few Angry Birds Mashem the other day. Let's hope I can avoid feeling quite that badly face planted by the 50 Art as the Pinky is in this shot.

 

[Viggo]

I'll do another one from the same trip today, also at 1.4. MAN, this is a great lens at 1.4 (when it sticks)

 

[aZhu]

I'll do another one from the same trip today, also at 1.4. MAN, this is a great lens at 1.4 (when it sticks)

WOW that is amazing! I can't wait to get my hands on one to test it out.

 

[wickidwombat]

did you check you measured your distances from the target to the mark on the top of the camera that marks the sensir plane like a O with a line through it and not the front of the lens?

FoCal tells me the distance, but also double checked with the distance scale on the lens.

Tried it more outside today, and it's the same story, I can shoot 30 shots, refocused in between, and it is VERY sharp and clearly spot on. Then turn around at another distance, go back to the first and it just won't lock no matter what I do. And it's not always about the distance, but some subjects I just won't focus on, and then it will. Impossible to get consistent hit or miss.

when you do your test shots maybe try NOT use focal
just set up on a tripod and measure with a tape measure from the target to the mark on the camera body for 0.4, 0.7 and 1.5m thats what I did then i took a bunch of shots to check.
removed the lens put into the dock tweeked calibration
put back took more shots etc.

 

[wickidwombat]

I just wonder.....I do not own the Canon 50mm f/1.4 or Canon f/1.2......are they always spot on with the autofocus? I assume you have to AFMA with those as well. And they may differ in copies.


I am going to pickup my Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art tomorrow. I am very curious about the quality of my copy. Anyhow I ordered the dock based on experiences here. I may go into Focal AFMA on Friday

the canon 50 f1.4 is very inaccurate

 

[wickidwombat]

I decided to run mine through focal pro to see how my dock calibration was
it came back recomending a -1 (not much i'll leave it on and see how it goes

see the screen shots of the AFMA and consistancy check

also sharpest aperture is f4 with a rating of 1950!
but f1.4 to f10 are still 1800!

 

[wickidwombat]

What I would really like to see is a string of photos comparing the Canon and Sigma 50 f/1.4's. Anyone have access to both?

ive got the
sigma 50 art
sigma 50 1.4 DG
canon 50 1.4
canon 50 1.8 mkII

I just need to get motivated to compare them
I KNOW the art leaves the others for dead so its more for other peoples interest than my own

 

[sagittariansrock]

What I would really like to see is a string of photos comparing the Canon and Sigma 50 f/1.4's. Anyone have access to both?

ive got the
sigma 50 art
sigma 50 1.4 DG
canon 50 1.4
canon 50 1.8 mkII

I just need to get motivated to compare them
I KNOW the art leaves the others for dead so its more for other peoples interest than my own

Do it, wickid! You'll have all our well wishes!

 

[wickidwombat]

viggo how much sharpening are you adding to those images in LR?

 

[wickidwombat]

here you go

the lenses

 

[wickidwombat]

sigma 50mm f1.4 Art