Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM - Canon Fit

Comments about Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM - Canon Fit:

Having tried other 50mm f/1.4 lenses, I decided that the Sigma gave generally sharper images, better contrast and a nicer background blur (bokeh). It is a bit heavier than the Canon but that actually makes it feel more balanced on a larger camera such as the 5DII. It also has a 77mm filter thread which enables me to use the same filters as on my other lenses. Some people have commented about a lack of sharpness when wide open and I found this tended to happen so I did some carefully controlled tests with the camera on a tripod aimed at a focus chart. This showed my lens to be back-focusing quite a bit. Luckily the Canon 5D II has a micro-adjustment feature that stores the required adjustment for each individual lens so after a few adjustments I was able to get this nice and sharp.

Comments about Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM - Canon Fit:

If you're like me, love to take photographs but don't have an unlimited budget the purchase of a new lens is a big decision, if your reading this then I guess all you really want to know is does it do the job and is it worth the money.
Well, yes on both counts. The build quality alone almost justifies the cost it really is well built, in my opinion much better than the equivalent Canon.
The only reservation I had was a few people had said the lens had issues focusing accurately when wide open, now I know that the depth of field at f1.4 is tiny so focusing is critical. What I found was that in auto focus it could be a little soft, but if I switch to manual focus it is sharp, as I hope you can see in the shot I have uploaded, the focus was on the light spot on Daisy's nose.

Comments about Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM - Canon Fit:

I use this on a canon 5D Mk I so get the 50mm focal length.

My single gripe with this lens is that it back focuses wide open at or close to the minimal focus distance (MFD). This problem disappears at f/2+ or further from MFD.

Positives however are:
-looks great, especially with my 5D
-feels great, very solidly built
-is sharp wide open when focused correctly, sharper than canon's 1.4 and nearly as sharp as the uber expensive 1.2 L
-Bokeh/ background blur produced is spectacular
-colours and contrast are as good as canon's L lenses

I use this lens as a general walkaround lens and for portraits/ events. It's my most used lens by far and is brilliant with a full frame camera. Full body portraits look great when taken at f/1.4-2 from about 4-5 feet away as the body is sharp but all background is beautifully blurred away.

Comments about Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM - Canon Fit:

The Sigma 50mm F1.4 is a fantastic lens suitable for Full Frame and Cropped Senor Cameras. I order the lens for use with my Canon 7D and 50D cameras.
I am using this lens mainly for portrait work as well as low light photography. The various camera manufacturers have push the ISO limit but to date unless you have a lens such as the Sigma 50 with its gorgeous wide aperture you will not get the autofocus to work.
In terms of the quality of the images they are really good and this is backed up when using products such as Lightroom in that with this lens if you apply Lens correction – nothing happens! You cannot ask any thing more of it it just works !

Comments about Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM - Canon Fit:

Bought as an upgrade to a Canon 1.4 50mm which I'd enjoyed for some time but just didn't like the bokeh or heavy vignette compared to my other lenses.

I was hugely impressed with the quality of the images from this well made lens.

Used on a 5D it's an appropriate size - bigger than a Canon 50 1.4 but smaller than the Canon 85 1.2. The bokeh is superb at all apertures and there's very little vignette even wide open, contrast and colours are excellent. Focus speed is swift but not as good as the Canon 50, nor is it as good in lower light but I don't really notice this day to day.

I've had the often reported problem of inconsistent focus below about f/2, sometimes front focusing and sometime back focusing - it appears to be affected by how far away the subject is but that's not a scientifically qualify statement ;) When stopped down a little the focus is spot on.

Despite this, I still love the output of this lens - I just have to take extra shots when shooting wide open to get the focus I want.

Comments about Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM - Canon Fit:

This lens is a delight to use with fast accurate focus and obviously pleasing bokeh with larger apertures.
I noticed slight front focus which was easily corrected with my 5Dii's AF microadjustment adjustment, it was only an inch or two out at four feet away, and with experience you could have managed by focusing slightly behind the spot you wanted pin-sharp.
This is not really a fault but something widely noted with lenses that go to very wide apertures - the depth in perfect focus is so very narrow.

Comments about Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM - Canon Fit:

My second go at a Sigma 50mm 1.4.
Nothing usuable under 2.2. Anything over was superb, & very sharp. But I needed this lens for the low light stuff & it didn't deliver.

But in all fairness WE were superb, and I can not fault them at all.

Comments about Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM - Canon Fit:

Was really excited to receive my Siggy 50mm, but to say dissapointed is an understatement.

The lens was was front focussing, and the focus at 1.4-2.0 was off.

After many hours playing with micro adjust & using foucus charts its going back.

Now do I really want to go through all that again??

Comments about Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM - Canon Fit:

As a long time Canon user I have become accustomed to their high quality optics , but when I needed a serious , reliable 50mm , [...]I had toyed with the idea of the Sigma 50mm f1.4 , having seen it at a trade demonstration , so with little options available , I ordered one . The package was delivered [...] ,( as it "said on the tin") and I ate my breakfast , contemplating what was in the the well wrapped , and superbly protected package . The best way to describe the lens was that it was a bit like Marylin Monroe , big , beautifully built , impeccably presented , but a bit brash ... and I loved it . It fits perfectly on the camera , and has the feel of a professional high end lens . The performance fits its promises , easy to use , razor sharp , and consistent . Colour is very attractive , the contrast is superb , and the bokeh is to die for , all in all , making it a very desirable optic .The downsides are weight , but I find this helped to stabilise the camera , and the wide aperture , with the resultant tendency for the focus to "hunt" a bit in low light . I found this was an itial issue , when I was taking photos in my normal environment , very basically lit music venues , where the performer is virtually in the dark , and , moving continuously . The answer is to use manual and zone focus , the results being scarily sharp . Of course , the depth of field is minimal , but this adds to the elation when I got the eyelashes and pupil in clear focus , the resultant blurring of the facial features only adding to the portrait .I love this lens , and yes , I do call it Marylin , and look forward to the near future when I go for another Sigma lens , even bigger and brasher , Mae West ... the 85mm f1.4 . The muted gold ring on the lens says it all , and the visual impact of the lens is borne out by it's spectacular quality , definitely bold and gold !

Comments about Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM - Canon Fit:

My camera was purchased with an 18-55mm kit lens, which has served me well, but I wanted a prime lens for sharper images. I looked at the canon f1.8, that by all accounts gives a sharp image and good bokeh. It was in budget, but has a build quality that is rather delicate. The canon 50mm f1.2 is just right out of my price range. After a lot of research I went for the Sigma 50mm f1.4 (canon fit).

The lens is heavy after using my kit lens but on the camera it feels balanced. The quality of build is there to see, the focus is quick and images are very sharp. Wide open the lens gives a beautiful bokeh. It is a pleasure to use in low light situations. Sigma also supplies the lens hood and pouch, with belt strap (are you listening canon).

I am very pleased with this beautiful lens; it has rarely been off of my camera.