Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG Art Gets Tested for the First Time

[privatebydesign]

The thing I take from those tables is how damn good the Canon 50 f1.4 is, especially in the center, maybe that is why I am happy with mine and can think of far better things to spend >$1-4,000 on.

But hey, i am a live and let live guy, you buy what you feel will work for you.

 

[Lawliet]

but the sharpness "issue" is too overemphasized IMO.

Some people seem to forget that close to wide open the areas affected by lens defects tend to be out of focus anyway. And once you stop down to apertures that result in sufficient DoF the lens is at its sweet spot again.
Now reliable focusing , as well as more subtle rendering characteristics, are more relevant topics, at least away from shooting charts or similar.

 

[mackguyver]

The thing I take from those tables is how damn good the Canon 50 f1.4 is, especially in the center, maybe that is why I am happy with mine and can think of far better things to spend >$1-4,000 on.

But hey, i am a live and let live guy, you buy what you feel will work for you.

The 50 1.4 is an excellent lens, no doubt about it. It was my first prime on a DSLR and what made me fall in love with photography all over again.

 

[drjlo]

The 50 1.4 is an excellent lens, no doubt about it. It was my first prime on a DSLR and what made me fall in love with photography all over again.

You guys started with luxury. My first DSLR prime was the Canon 50 f/1.8 II for around $100, and it was a mini revelation ;D Then I went through the 50 f1.4 (great lens), even FL 50 f/1.2, then 50L, with stops along the way with Sigma 50 f/1.4. What amazes me is how Canon still has not updated the non-L 50 f/1.4. One would think a little tweak in the optics, with more/rounded blades for better bokeh, with updated USM AF system would produce an excellent 50 f1.4 II.

 

[mackguyver]

The 50 1.4 is an excellent lens, no doubt about it. It was my first prime on a DSLR and what made me fall in love with photography all over again.

You guys started with luxury. My first DSLR prime was the Canon 50 f/1.8 II for around $100, and it was a mini revelation ;D Then I went through the 50 f1.4 (great lens), even FL 50 f/1.2, then 50L, with stops along the way with Sigma 50 f/1.4. What amazes me is how Canon still has not updated the non-L 50 f/1.4. One would think a little tweak in the optics, with more/rounded blades for better bokeh, with updated USM AF system would produce an excellent 50 f1.4 II.

That's quite a 50mm journey! Rumor has it that the 50 f/1.4 is one of Canon's best selling lenses and if you're selling something that successfully and at that volume using a long ago paid for assembly line, you're probably making a TON of profit. R&D plus the cost for new tooling and assembly line would put quite a dent in their profits for a while so I doubt there's a lot of motivation for them to release a new lens.

If the new Sigma is fantastic and priced well, it might put a dent in Canon's 50 f/1.4 sales and finally put pressure on them to update the lens. If it comes in around $1,000 (and again, is fantastic), it will probably eat the 50L sales and then we'll likely see a new 50L while they keep churning out yet more 50 f/1.4s.

 

[moreorless]

If the new Sigma is fantastic and priced well, it might put a dent in Canon's 50 f/1.4 sales and finally put pressure on them to update the lens. If it comes in around $1,000 (and again, is fantastic), it will probably eat the 50L sales and then we'll likely see a new 50L while they keep churning out yet more 50 f/1.4s.

The size of the Sigma for me makes it seem likely it'll be aiming for a very different market to the 50mm 1.4/1.8's from Canon and Nikon which get alot of sale based on their size and extreme cheapness.

The 50mm 1.2 and the new Nikon 58mm 1.4 might suffer a bit more but only if the Sigma offers similar rendering rather than just more sharpness.

 

[vscd]

I myself think that the old 50mm formula isn't as much beloved as back in the 90's. Back then, the 50mm lense was the "normal" view of nearly every SLR-Cam. While the digital cameras went up, the full frame was very expensive and until the 5D or the D700 (Nikon) came out... so most of the people went to APS-C.

Today APS-C seems so be the largest market for camera-makers. So, if you do a brilliant 35mm 1.4 you can sell it to both cameraowners. Giving the usual 50mm look for the APS-C and a (small) wide angle for the FF-Users.

So, in the last years there came up a lot of fantastic 35mm lenses but not tooo much new 50mm lenses, at least not from Canon. Nikon updated just recently, but more pushed because of Sigma or Samyang I think.

In my very humble opinion the 50mm range isn't too desired anymore. For cropping, the 35mm has more reserve (and more DOF) and for potraits you normally choose the more flatten look of a 85mm. So I think the 50mm from Sigma is a result of a good sold 35mm ART. And if the Sigma beats the Canon 50mm f1.4, canon will release a new 50mm f1.8 IS... which is already designed, I think. They will just release it under pressure to save the old one (for the moment) until it hurts 8)