Sigma 50 f/1.4 Art Lens Should be Amazing

[Ricku]

If the 35 1.4 Art, 50 1.4 Art, and 18-35 1.8 Art wont put some pressure on Canon's lens developers, then I don't know what will.

Well I guess it's like how Sony's Exmor sensor doesn't put pressure on them.

Canon likes to think they exist in isolation.

 

[Etienne]

I loved my 50mm f1.8 but I was ambivalent to the f1.4. I wanted to love it.. but I just couldn't.

If the sigma is amazing, I'm in. 35 is too wide for me and 85otoo long. Goldie locks.... don't care... but I will wait a year or two for the 50 to come down in price the was the 35 has. 699 New... on sale... thank you very much.

I hated the 50 1.8, and find the 50 1.4 much better. But I am hoping for a new sharp-wide-open 50 1.4 with IS. I'd settle for a well-made sharp 50 1.8 IS.

 

[RohamR]

my gut feelings predict that 2014 is going to be a revolutionary year within photographic equipment. I am ABSOLUTELY sure that Canon will surprise us soon, but will the surprise be as "reasonable" as Sigma? It remains to be seen.

 

[BLFPhoto]

Based on the reports so far, and my experience with the 35mm 1.4 Art, I'm looking forward to giving this lens a good working over when it comes out.

I have had my Canon 50 1.4 since the mid 90's, and loved it in the film and early digital days. But over the years, as my L lens inventory grew, I used it less and less. It's sharp enough in the mid apertures, but wide open never has really satisfied me, especially in the last few years when the 5D II and 5D III showed its weaknesses. When I got my 35 1.4L around the turn of the century, the 50 1.4 has pretty much sat in my bag, with a 28-70 and then 24-70 L zoom handling the focal range at mid apertures.

I like the 35 1.4 Art so well that I'm seriously considering giving up my 35 1.4 L. I'm keeping the Canon for another year or so while I see what Canon does for an encore, and while I see what the long-term reliability is for the Sigma. Right now, I'm really pleased with every other aspect of the lens, including all AF-related areas of performance.

Again, if this 50mm 1.4 from Sigma is anything like the 35, I'll be a happy camper. For sure the Canon 50 1.4 will be gone in an instant. It is a necessary evil at this point, even though I love a large aperture 50mm from an artistic standpoint.

 

[jdramirez]

I loved my 50mm f1.8 but I was ambivalent to the f1.4. I wanted to love it.. but I just couldn't.

If the sigma is amazing, I'm in. 35 is too wide for me and 85otoo long. Goldie locks.... don't care... but I will wait a year or two for the 50 to come down in price the was the 35 has. 699 New... on sale... thank you very much.

I hated the 50 1.8, and find the 50 1.4 much better. But I am hoping for a new sharp-wide-open 50 1.4 with IS. I'd settle for a well-made sharp 50 1.8 IS.

How about this... I love my f1.8 compared to the kit 18-55 is, the 75-300, and the 55-250. When I got around to getting the f1.4, i had a 24-105, a 100m L and I'm drawing a blank on what else. But it wasn't add impressive by comparison.

 

[Badger]

Any one know what the MSRP on this lens is going to be? Don't want to get excited over a lens I can't afford. :-\

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Certainly sounds excitingly promising. Although setting the bar THAT high may be a dangerous game. It can easily lead to expectations not met, that otherwise may have been well met. But it certainly sounds like the 50 1.4 and 50 1.2L and all the rest, other than the Otus, will have nothing on it.

 

[alexturton]

Sharpness has never really concerned me with a 50mm prime. I'm more interested in af speed and accuracy

 

[mackguyver]

Certainly sounds excitingly promising. Although setting the bar THAT high may be a dangerous game. It can easily lead to expectations not met, that otherwise may have been well met.

Did someone say Leica X Vario? It was over-hyped to hell and while it turned out to be a decent camera (based on the reviews I've read) by the time the announcement was over no one was interested.

Then again, Zeiss wasn't exactly humble about the Otus, but it certainly lived up to the hype and then some. I think much of the hype will disappear if it streets north of $1,000 and/or has poor bokeh or other shortcomings.

 

[Ricku]

Certainly sounds excitingly promising. Although setting the bar THAT high may be a dangerous game. It can easily lead to expectations not met, that otherwise may have been well met. But it certainly sounds like the 50 1.4 and 50 1.2L and all the rest, other than the Otus, will have nothing on it.

That will be good enough for me. My first 50mm lens!

Been wanting one for ages, but didn't want to deal with the shortcomings of the current offerings.

 

[unfocused]

It may just be me, but I can't get at all excited about any 50mm lens. I just find the focal length uninteresting. I suppose it has to do with how we "see" images, but I find myself composing most shots at either the wide or long end.

 

[alexturton]

I loved my 50mm f1.8 but I was ambivalent to the f1.4. I wanted to love it.. but I just couldn't.

If the sigma is amazing, I'm in. 35 is too wide for me and 85otoo long. Goldie locks.... don't care... but I will wait a year or two for the 50 to come down in price the was the 35 has. 699 New... on sale... thank you very much.

+1 on your view of the 1.4.

 

[westr70]

I loved my 50mm f1.8 but I was ambivalent to the f1.4. I wanted to love it.. but I just couldn't.

If the sigma is amazing, I'm in. 35 is too wide for me and 85otoo long. Goldie locks.... don't care... but I will wait a year or two for the 50 to come down in price the was the 35 has. 699 New... on sale... thank you very much.

+1 on your view of the 1.4.

+1 me too. Gonna get rid of it.

 

[ewg963]

Let's see the images first.

+1
If the praise is already so high before any raw-pictures have been released, it might become a disappointment because expectations are too high :

I am expecting this lens to best all of the Canon offerings but not reach as high as the Zeiss (in price either!!! LOL!)..
plus...we have AF with this bad boy. If you just look at the construction of the lens, 13 elements (I believe)...Sigma is obviously serious about this offering. I am sure it will be a great lens at a decent price. Can't wait!!!

+1

 

[CarlMillerPhoto]

Very much looking forward to this lens. Thought I was gonna get the 50L, but probably not now.

 

[greger]

I don't shoot at 50mm. I bought my 50mm 1.8 for lowlight situations. I would like IS but will stick to what I have for now.

 

[jdramirez]

50 is such a strange balancing act. Too shall and the bokeh suffers. Pleasing bokeh and your subject is blurry. I don't always shot in a studio setting, but when I do I want my subject tack sharp. Then I'll soften in post because no one is that pretty.

Damn you 50! I was just mulling over the 85 L....

You think your out, but they keep pulling you back in!

 

[RohamR]

Cocky or not, but remember that photographers may be the world's most discerning people. By hype up the new 50mm expectations will be developed vigorously. And God bless Sigma if they dont deliver. But if it is near the quality of Zeiss I will buy 2 of it, easy

 

[Efka76]

I will wait for test results and I really expect that these lenses are going to be superb. Will definitely sell my Canon 50 mm 1.4 and buy these lenses (maybe after 1 year when their retail price will go down).

Canikon will be ashamed Sigma and Tamron are reaching new levels. Customer wins in such case as these companies offer even better products than Canikon for significantly less price. I really hope that Sigma and Tamron will start releasing very quality big primes which will match or be better than Canon's 300 mm, 500 mm and 600 mm

 

[mackguyver]

It may just be me, but I can't get at all excited about any 50mm lens. I just find the focal length uninteresting. I suppose it has to do with how we "see" images, but I find myself composing most shots at either the wide or long end.

I'm drawn to the 24mm focal length myself, but for me, there's a distinct challenge in using the 50mm. It's so "normal" that it takes a lot of work to make distinctive photos with it. I think I remember reading something about Cartier-Bresson having felt that way and it stuck with me.