Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens for

Amazing value for the money
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’m a primary Canon user. I owned before the canon 50 mm 1.4, a trully excellent lens for the money too. But not to sharp wide open. You have to stop down at least to f2 in order to get good contrast and saturation. Also, the focusing ring was bad in my opinion.

In the other hand, the 50L 1.2 was a big dissapointment to me.I expected the same image quality as the 35L or the 85L for that price.

When I received the Sigma lens I really love it at once. The construction was amazing, solid as a tank, and the ring is very smooth.

What have really impressed me was the performance wide open. Images are clear as crystal with good color and rendition.

Fully recomended.

Exactly What I Wanted!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens, apart from the price, is exactly what I wanted! I could not be happier.

-This lens was paired with my Canon Rebel XTi/400D. As such, this review is based on my experience with the lens on the rebel. If you would like to see some of its capabilities you may visit my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/jfew02

I’ll start off with the pro/con itemization first:

Pros:

- Very, very sharp – even at f/1.4! Much more so than the Canon f/1.4. It’s comparable to Canon’s f/1.2 “L” series, and may be arguably sharper. It’s definitely sharper at anything above f/1.8.

- Color rendition is spot-on. It doesn’t lie to you. If it’s a somewhat gloomy picture, ie, lots of gray, that’s how it’s going to come out. If you shoot in RAW (which you do if you are looking at this lens) you can always boost the color if you don’t like it. Personally, I’d rather have accurate color than exaggerated color.

- It’s HEAVY! Yes! That is a PRO in my book. Honestly, I don’t understand why people list the weight as being a con! For me, it was a relief to feel how heavy and robust it actually was. Words cannot explain the feeling you get, if you’re like me, when you first take it out of the box. Personally, I felt like I was holding a gold brick.

- The “HSM” works very well. AF is fast, accurate, and always spot on. The only time I’ve ever seen it “seeking” is either in very very low light or where I cannot keep the AF point on the subject (shaky hands), ie, one blade of grass, a stick, small leaf, etc.. That’s user error. Maybe I got lucky, or maybe people just like to write bad reviews, I ‘dunno! No focus issues here.

- Bokeh. This lens completely nukes anything that’s more than a few inches out of the DoF at f/1.4. It’s creamy, as others have said, and it’s not distracting like some of Canon’s stuff. Canon’s 50mm f/1.8 creates harsh, blown out pentagons. Not pleasant.

- Accessories. If you’re trying to decide between this Sigma and the equivalent Canon f/1.4, and the price is the deciding factor, forget it. You get a very nice, belt-looped case with ample padding and a place holder. You also get a “flower petal” style lens hood that would easily run you 50 bucks if you bought it from Canon. The accessories you get, along with nicer (in my opinion) pictures, cancel out the price difference.

Cons:

- Filters. Yes, yes, the filters are huge and pricey. It’s not really a con so much as something you should “know about”. A good M/C CPL is going to run you between 80 and 100 bucks. Can’t stomach that? Buy a different lens. Simple as that.

- A tad slow? I’ve been testing it against the 18-55mm EF-S lens, the ‘kit lens’, and as far as I can tell, the kit lens is a little faster at f/5.6 and 50mm. Maybe it’s just because the kit lens is so cheaply made it lets in more light through spaces and whatnot.

- (maybe) AF speed changes? If I put the lens cap on, the lens will sometimes move at a decent speed through the range and then go 2x faster back to infinity. I really don’t know if this is normal or not, it may or may not be. I’ll list this as a “maybe” con. Either way, it’s still very, very fast.

-[...]Yes, it cost me more than the entire camera package. It is very expensive, it’s also very much worth it. If you can’t shell out the big money for this lens, get yourself a Canon f/1.8. It’s worth a lot more than 80 bucks, but it’s not as great as this Sigma.

In conclusion, I’d like to point out that if you do purchase this lens, and you do get a bad copy, you can/SHOULD send it to Sigma and have them recalibrate it. If you send it back to Amazon for another one, you’re likely to have the same problem and it’s also likely to take the same amount of time.

If the name alone is steering you away, don’t let it! It’s a great lens, honestly, truly.

Yes, it’s better than Canon’s 50mm F1.4 lens!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This review is three pages long. The first section which is 1 page in length does not cover this lens in particular but rather goes into lens basics such as primes vs. zooms and benefits of wide aperture. The second section reviews this lens in detail. Experienced photographers can skip straight to the second setion starting from BUILD QUALITY.

YES ITS BETTER THAN CANON’S 50MM F1.4 LENS!

Out the box this lens is impressive. Better yet on camera it’s more impressive. The lens hosts some of the best performance features and specs any normal lens can offer including razor sharp images (at par with Canon’s best lenses), fast and accurate focus, and breath taking Bokeh (blur) quality. All of this comes enclosed in a very solid body bundled with essential accessories all for under half a grand. For me this is value 101. But before getting into details lets answer the question why buy a prime lens like this Sigma?

PHOTOGRAPHY BASICS

There are two main unique benefits to this lens A) it’s a prime B) it offers a wide maximum aperture.

Primes come in fixed focal lengths, making it essential to physically move back and forth to reduce and enlarge the frame coverage respectively. Zoom lenses on the other hand can reduce or enlarge the frame coverage with a twist of a ring. Traditionally, the main advantage of primes is that they are lighter, smaller, sharper, control distortion better, and come in wider maximum aperture. With the advent of better zoom lenses those advantages have eroded. New zoom lenses are as sharp and control distortion as well as primes. Size and weight, however, remain a prime advantage. That being said most photographers are more than willing to overlook this aspect for the convenience of having multiple focal lengths in one zoom lens.

The last advantage in the list, wide maximum aperture, remains prime territory and has so far remained off limits to zooms. The maximum aperture for 35mm compatible zoom lenses is f2.8. That’s 2 stops narrower (slower) than Sigma’s f1.4 aperture. (Side note: some zoom lenses have wider aperture including Olympus ED 35-100mm f2.0. Before you get excited, however, this lens is made for the Olympus much smaller four thirds sensor cameras. The four thirds system has its own short comings and the lenses are not compatible with 35mm cameras.)

The advantage of wide aperture is that it increases exposure speed. Hence, opening the lens wider by one stop increases shutter speed by double (up from 1/100 to 1/200 for example), which better freezes action and reduces the effects of camera shake on the final image. The second main advantage is that wider aperture reduces depth of field or focus range. In portrait photography that creates a beautiful separation in the form of blurred details between the subject and background.

There are additional minor, but still great, advantages to wider aperture. Since lenses stay open at their maximum aperture, a larger opening allows more light to reach the camera focus sensor and the view finder. The result is faster and more accurate focusing and much brighter viewfinder.

Keep in mind you are looking at a normal field of view lens made for 35mm cameras. On a 1.6 crop factor camera such as the Canon 40D, 500D, Rebel XTI, etc the field of view is like 85mm (50×1.6) on FF cameras. Standing 6-7 feet in front of a subject with this lens on a 1.6 crop factor camera held horizontally covers the top quarter of the body (chest up to head). Using this lens on a FF or 35mm sensor size camera at the same distance and orientation covers well over half the body. On a 1.6 form factor camera the field of view this lens offers is perfect for window lit portraits. On a FF camera the field of view this lens offers is perfect for environmental (portraits that include the environment around the subject) and office portraits.

BUILD QUALITY

The build and size of this lens conveys quality. One thing that I didn’t like was the lens surface which is covered with Sigma’s mat finish. I don’t like the finish but it’s certainly better than plastic. I read that the finish gradually peels off and in a year’s time can leave a mess behind. None of that happened to my one month old lens, but time will tell whether this is a common problem or not. I just wish Sigma didn’t use this finish, but I guess the matte finish provides a better grip surface over bare plastic/metal.

WEIGHT AND SIZE

The lens is mostly made of metal withonly the outer shell made in high quality and solid plastic, making it far superior to Canon’s 50mm 1.4 mostly plastic body. That being said, all that metal comes at a price; it’s not cost its weight. The Sigma weights about 1LBS (500g, 16oz), where as the Canon weights (290g, 10oz). For me the weight is just fine but some might find the weight a little objectionable. Size wise the Sigma is about the size of the Canon 85mm f1.8 (about 2.7″). I find this size/weight combination perfect for balancing my camera. Especially so for countering the force required to press the shutter release button. In comparison the Canon 50mm is about 2″ which I find a bit short to hold while mounted to the camera (I have long hands).

INCLUDED ACCESSORIES

The lens comes with a hood and protective pouch. Since those two items not included with the Canon you need factor their cost when comparing both lenses. My guess is that Canon’s equivalent accessories cost minimum $50. Hence, you might want to factor that cost when comparing both lenses. The hood mount design is much easier to use than Canon’s hood mount. Though, the locking click feels a bit too soft, I fear it might wear out over time.

PERFORMANCE

Since I do not own the Canon 50mm f1.4 I will compare this lens to Canon’s 85mm f1.8 lens. I have owned and used that lens for over three years and find its performance amazing. In fact, by most accounts the 85mm lens out performs the 50mm and is also considered one of Canon’s best lenses. Hence this will set the bar high for Sigma. Take note that I also have extensive experience with the 50mm through in store tests and lots of online research.

SHARPNESS AND DISTORTION

Since the Sigma features and specifications read like a dream list, I had high expectations for this lens. I can gladly confirm that the lens delivers to my expectations. Sharpness is at par with the 85mm f1.8, which is a big statement since the 85mm is one canons sharpest lenses. Chromatic and flare distortion are well controlled in the Sigma, outperforming Canon’s 85mm in both areas by a good margin. Vignetting also seems very well controlled and better than Canon 85mm. I would rate the Sigma as excellent in all of the above areas.

FOCUS

From the onset focus accuracy was recognized as the weak spot of this lens. Therefore, I observed the focus performance of this lens very closely. I never encountered any of the reported focus problems. It seems the first few production batches had some issues. Judging from my lens, which is a later production model, the problem was ironed out. Testing the focus using F1.4 aperture I encountered no front or back focus problems. The lens quickly focuses on the selected focus point. The speed is impressive and it seems to be at par with my Canon 85mm. Throughout my in store tests the Canon 50mm f1.4 focused slower than the 85mm and was a little noisy. Therefore, I can confirm that the Sigma focus will be quicker and quieter than Canon 50mm f1.4.

BOKEH(BLUR)QUALITY

The final feature, and perhaps most important in this lens, is the boken (blur quality). I researched this matter extensively online and came to the conclusion that Sigma’s blur pattern is superior to Canon’s 50mm f1.4. My practical experience with this lens confirms this. The lens produces the most beautiful blur among all of my other Canon lenses. The bokeh seems more uniform and stronger in effect, almost a dreamy(r) effect. Perhaps this is due to the lens aperture design which includes 9 blades vs. Canon’s 8 blades.

ONLY QUIBBLE

My only quibble, is that the lens aperture only goes up to f16 which is really not an issue because I didn’t buy this lens for landscape, but this can be limiting when I am doing food photography. Depending on the setting f16 isn’t always enough to bring the content of the dish into full focus. On the plus side the lens wide aperture (1.4) makes the viewfinder much brighter for easier manual focusing.

TAKE NOTE

For the price and performance this lens is truly a dream come true for natural portrait photographers. The lens can be opened to its widest aperture to isolate the subject with shallow depth of field. This also provides faster shutter speeds which reduces camera shake effects on the final image.

For landscape photographers keep in mind that since this lens aperture starts at f1.4, it achieves best sharpness between f2.8-f4.0 (around 2-3 f stops above maximum aperture). Below that range the lens sharpness will start to degrade. Thus, if you intend to use this lens for fine art/large print landscape photography you might want to test it against another lens with a lower maximum aperture such as f2.8. At f2.8 a typical lens will achieve best sharpness around f5.6-f8.0. That’s the range most photographers start with to capture landscape scenes in full detail. This lens sharpness will start to degrade well before that.

Last but least, the minimum focus range with this lens is 45cm or 17″ half the required distance by Canon 85mm lens. The Canon 50mm also offers 45cm minimum focus distance. I find this feature very useful when photographing small things like newborn kittens for example. It allows me to get much closer and fill the frame with the object/subject while still maintaining focus.

Rock Solid Performer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens lives up to its billing as a solid portrait prime lens. Low light performance is exceptional, although images become somewhat soft at f1.4. At smaller apertures, pictures are generally very sharp. The lens’ autofocus is fast and quiet, while manual focus is made easy with the large rubberized grip. This lens is a tank; rather heavy, but feels quite solid posted on a D300 body. I expect this lens to last for years with its sturdy build. If you are looking for something a step above the usual 50 mm primes, this lens will not disappoint.

Excellent, but not perfect
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a really fine lens. There’s only one factor that isn’t absolutely top-notch: At 50 or 60 feet, it back focuses rather severely. I’ve seen reviews that say that it back focuses beyond about 10 feet, but I haven’t tried that yet; probably this weekend. Other than close distances, the 50-60 feet shots were all I tried; the plane of the focus point wasn’t within the depth of field until about f5.6. I intend to send it to Sigma along with the camera and request that they adjust it to match, but I’ll be waiting till I get an acceptable copy of the 30 f1.4 in case it exhibits the same behavior.

If Sigma can correct the back focusing issue, this will be a magnificent lens.

Great portrait lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this lens about 3 weeks to take pictures of my new granddaughter in natural light. I use it on my Canon 40D. On this camera the effective focal length is 80mm.

I’m very pleased with the lens. Very sharp. Bright colors with good contrast. Good bokeh. Fast focus.

I’ve had some out of focus shots at f1.4 in poor light and with low contrast subjects, but this is very difficult for any camera/lens combo.

Overall a great lens and highly recommended.

What a beautiful blurry background
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this lens becasue I need a low light lens for some particular shooting sessions. I read this lens has a better boken and blurry background than the new and similar priced Nikon 50 f1.4 G. And I saw quite some people sold their new Nikon 50 f1.4 G and replaced with this Sigma instead.

The lens I received is very sharp even at f1.4. The boken and background are very shallow and creamy, simply beautiful.

I never try shooting this at small spertures like f2.8 and above though. So I don’t know it’s performance there. But that’s not the purpose I buy it for anyway.

Highly recommended.

Not much better than a canon 50mm 1.8
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I bought this lens to upgrade my 50mm 1.8 mkII, unfortunately, this lens isn’t considerably sharper, nor does it produce a strikingly different bokeh as advertised. Yes, highlights will be circular instead of having a pentagon shape, but it pretty much end there to my eye. The build quality is excellent, but it is heavy and bulky. Also, and more importantly, the focus ring offers a lot of resistance while turning, something to consider if you are planning to use this lens for video on a 5d mkii. Finally, the lens front-focuses a bit, but not much.

For the price difference and all the extra weight, I was hoping for better performance.

Sigma 50 1.4 HSM
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I had purchased this product, Sigma 50 1.4, in November,from Amazon. The lens front focused at near distances and back focused at objects over 30 ft. away. I returned the lens. I ordered another copy and it too misfocused although not as bad. I sent it in to Sigma for adjustment and the lens came back perfect.

Pros: *Very nice build quality. This lens is a quite a bit larger and heavier than the Canon 50 1.4.

*Very fast Auto Focus, HSM almost as good as Canon’s USM.

*The Bokeh is very good, almost on par with the $1,300 Canon 50 1.2L.Better than any other 50MM I’ve seen.

* Image quality is outstanding! Color contrast and sharpness are excellent.

Cons; *From what I’ve read focus issues might me common to this lens. I got my lens corrected and returned in less than a week.

* More expensive than Canon’s 50 1.4.

Overall I would rate the Sigma 50 1.4 EX DG HSM a five except for the minor inconvienience of having to have it adjusted. I would highly reccomend this lens once it is.I own eight Canon L series lenses and I would rate this adusted Sigma right there with them.

Beats Nikon’s 50mm f/1.4 AF-S
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If you’re considering a 50mm f/1.4 prime, you’re probably planning on a lot of low-light people-shooting or structured portraits. I shoot mostly weddings and other events where light is highly variable and flash is sometimes prohibited or inappropriate.

The lens I use most on my Nikon D300 is the fabled Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Zoom, a fantastic general-purpose lens that works well in most situations including low-light environments. But when I shoot portraits or when I can move without restriction (“sneaker-zoom”), I switch to this Sigma 50mm f/1.4, mainly for the unmatched bokeh (i.e., the quality of the appearance of objects in the out-of-focus background).

I compared this Sigma to the new Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S (released soon after the Sigma) before buying. The Nikon is about forty bucks cheaper in most shops. It is unusual for a third-party lens to sell for more than it’s on-brand direct rival, but the higher price of this Sigma is justified.

I can confirm the remarks of other users: the Sigma is slightly softer wide open, but the Sigma and Nikon are tied for sharpness after 1.8. It’s the Sigma’s bokeh that justifies its slightly higher price.

When you shoot portraits, you usually want all the attention on the subject’s eyes. Pinpoint-lights in the bokeh draw attention away from the focal point. The Nikon tends to produce distracting background elements when small, bright lights are present. These can be Christmas lights, distant lights including car headlamps, or small reflections from bright metallic surfaces.

The Sigma smooths out the background, including bright lights, and produces a pleasing blur that does not draw attention (except if you’re a photography nerd who pays as much attention to bokeh as to the subject, in which case the problem is of course yours, not the lens’s).

I noticed at least one other reviewer list the 77mm filter size as a “con.” I respectfully disagree. Yes, 77mm filters are more expensive than smaller ones, but if you’re using other high-quality lenses (such as the pro zooms and many of the best primes), the 77mm filter size means you don’t have to buy new filters. It’s puzzling to me why Nikon chose to make their 50mm f/1.4 with a 52mm filter size — a size most pros and semi-pros don’t much use.

The Sigma is much larger and heavier than the Nikon — large enough to make a difference if you’re carrying it on a walking trip. But its build quality seems higher, as well, and the results speak for themselves.

In short:

Simply outstanding for portraits and low-light indoor people shots;

Bokeh is superior to that of the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF-S;

Slightly softer than the Nikon wide open, but equal or better after f/1.8;

Larger and heavier than the Nikon, with arguably better construction;

77mm filter size means more expensive filters, but compatibility with other pro lenses.

This lens represents a huge leap forward for Sigma — so great a leap that I’m sure they’ve shocked themselves. They’ve certainly shocked everyone else.

Could easily be 5 stars, if you get a good copy…
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Unfortunately, my 50 suffered from the known front focus issue. At first I didn’t test it, I was too anxious to get out and shoot with it, and I noticed that I wasn’t getting many keepers after a few days. I thought it was just my fault, until I got frustrated with some really nice shots that I missed from them being out of focus. I tested it and it was focusing about 2-2.5 inches in front of where I wanted it to. A Pretty substantial amount, especially when shooting wide open. I find it really unfortunate that Sigma produces some really fine lenses that can compete with the Nikon counterpart but they still can’t get their quality issues under wraps.

Now for the good. The shots that I did wind up getting were stunning : extremely sharp with smooth bokeh. The lens has some heft to it and is well built. I didn’t have any issues with the speed of the focus [on my D90] and it was smooth and quiet.

I really hate to take a star off just because I received a faulty copy, but Sigma needs to wake up a bit and get on the ball with their copy variations. Even though I had to return this lens, I will be buying another Siggy 50 in the near future and would recommend this lens to those looking for a really good prime [as long as they know of Sigma's rep on quality].

Best 1.4 50mm lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Sigma 50 1.4 is the best one. Use it only in manual mode from F1.4 till F2.8 with S screen or by LCD.

On 5D mark II or 50D can get best results. Don’t buy it, if you’re using older cameras.

Portrait Perfection
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is one of the best portrait lenses I have ever used.

I had originally bought the new Nikon AF-S version of this lens. While it was nice, I really had a problem with the way small bright lights looked in it’s bokeh. After using the Sigma version once I sold my Nikon and never looked back.

First, the bad:

At F/1.4 this lens is slightly softer than the Nikon version. Unless you’re printing poster sized prints and then standing a foot from them you will not notice. At about F4-F5.6 its razor sharp.

Quality control…Sigma has a poor reputation in this department. Unlike their other lenses I have yet to see reports of this lens having the same issues, but you never know.

Weight…it weighs a fair amount, and a little bit more than the Nikon version. Both are heavy however, and if you’re used to using a lens of this quality you won’t notice.

Now, the good:

The Build Quality is superb. I’d have no regrets with shooting in the rain, snow, or desert.

Bokeh…Wow. The first word that comes to mind whenever I take a picture with this lens is “Creamy”. It truly has some of the finest bokeh I’ve ever seen. When taking portraits you want nothing to distract the viewer from the face of the model; this lens does just that. It turns the background into a beautifully soft collage.

When comparing the bokeh of the Nikon and Sigma lens it is really clear who the winner is. The Nikon is just SO harsh with lights (especially Christmas style) it really distracts the viewer.

Bokeh is the reason most people buy F/1.4 lenses these days, don’t waste your money on the inferior Nikon.

Not perfect… but excellent prime lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’m a photo hobbyist who likes to do my research. I purchased this lens 8 months ago and it produces great creamy bokeh when you’re after shallow DOF. Solid construction, smooth matte finish. The AF is not dead-on and sometimes lingers, but that’s what you can expect from the rebel’s AF system. Manual focus + liveview fixes this. I never shoot wider than f1.8. At f1.4 the blooming is off the charts and you can’t get any remotely sharp images. I got this lens to use with my APS-C camera as well with a prospective FF camera. Overall not perfect, but still one of my favorite lenses.

Amazingly sharp lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
While not having been a prime person, I wanted to give it a try. After reading reviews I decided that the Sigma 50mm 1.4 sounded like what I was after and ordered it.

I received it a couple of weeks ago and have shot a wedding and a studio pinup photo shoot with it. I am very impressed with it. The sharpness is clearly better than my 24-70 2.8L and my 70-200 2.8L IS. It is reasonably sharp at 1.4, very sharp at 2.0 and incredible at 8.0. I have tried the lens at various ranges from MFD to 50 ft or more and this copy does not appear to have the back focusing problem that some people have mentioned.

There is very little CA and the bokeh is indeed creamy smooth. I did have a little trouble with it hunting in low light, low contrast situations, but I am not going to fault it for that (24-70 focuses better in low light).

Primes are taking a little getting used to, but I can see that this lens will clearly become one of my favorites for it’s sharpness, bokeh and low light ability.

Great, fast, sharp lens.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve borrowed the Canon 50L and I find this lens to be equally good in sharpness, color and contrast, which is really awesome for 1/3 the price.

What a Surprise
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After avidly reading all the good and bad about this lens, and seeing in the FM forum that late models performed better, I ordered one at $439, fully prepared to return it if it wasn’t good (not being a huge fan of Sigma), but wanting to like it because 50 is my favorite FL. Rented also Canon 50L, and have the 1.4 and 1.8 Canon 50′s too, I tested some and the Sigma is awesome! I was shocked, the images were more like those from the excellent EF 85 1.8, SHARP wide open and only getting better stopped down, beautiful color and contrast and the bokeh was almost indistinguishable from the 50L. I showed the images around some and to a person the Sigma’s images were picked as the nicest, the 50L included (granted it was a rental copy). Impressive as all get out.

I’ve already sold my EF 50 1.4 and will probably sell the 1.8 and maybe my 35L too. The focus ring isn’t silky like the L’s, but as for IQ this copy of the Sigma 50 I have is a real sleeper, I can see it’s going to be my favorite walk-around. And the fitted padded case is a great touch, these days you don’t get that with an $1800 Canon 85L.

My opinion of Sigma has forever changed, this is a fine lens at a killer price, all things considered.

backfocus problem
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I received the lens and returned it the next day, because it has a very serious backfocus problem. Sigma really needs to solve this problem. We had a high hope on this lens, however, the experience is disappointing.

Lens shipped with a crack!
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I was so excited when the lens arrived. After taking it out of the box I immediately felt the weight and ruggedness of the lens. I snapped a few shots and was somewhat happy with the results, but I did notice some focusing issues. Most of my shots just were just not as sharp as I would have expected for such an expensive lense. Later, to my disappointment, after a close inspection of the glass, I noticed there was a very small crack in one of the inner lense. I don’t think that it affected the quality of the images (since there have been other focusing complaints by many others) but it was unacceptable to pay $450+ for a “new” lense with a crack. I shipped it back and got a zoom lense. If I do get another 50mm prime, will probably be the canon for $100 less. I have to admit that the bokeh was *very* nice.

Sigma 50 mm vs Canon 50 mm F1.4
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I had both Canon and Sigma 50mm F1.4. Both lens perform equally well over F2.0. However, the major usage of this lens is at F1.4. At F1.4, Sigma beats canon easily in terms of sharpness, bokeh, saturation and contrast. The build quality of Sigma is obviously much better than Canon’s.

At F1.4, both lenses have front or back focus problem with different cameras. If used on Canon 5D II, it can be adjusted using AF microadjustment or sent back to the service centres for adjustment pertaining to that camera.

The best 50mm around, but bulky and pricy
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Following the success of Sigma 30mm f/1.4, Sigma launches 50mm f/1.4. It is Sigma premium prime lens ($475 street) The build quality of this lens is very sturdy.

Mounted in Canon Rebel XSi / 450D, the lens body texture is very pleasant to grip. It is heavier than other prime lenses but it is not a big issue. The lens cap from Sigma has a similar built quality like the lens body. Unfortunately the lens front and rear cap are made from cheap plastic and quite flimsy.

The manual focus bar is wide, smooth and anti creep. Overall this lens has an excellent body construction, up to par with pro grade lens.

Due to the big aperture, the lens are wider than other prime lens, this is helpful for people with average to big hand.

Auto focus operation is fast and quiet due to Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM). I use it many times to take indoor basketball games without problem. But in low light/contrast situation such as sunset or dark skin tone, occasionally the lens has problem to lock in the target.

I took several snap shot today to test this lens wide open, the result is impressive. The result is good contrast, and very smooth bokeh or blur due to shallow depth of field. Chromatic Aberration is almost not existent even in aperture wide open.

Mounted in small sensor camera (Canon Rebels, X0D series, Nikon D40 up to D300, Sony and Pentax digital slr cameras), this lens is equivalent to 80mm (medium telephoto). This focal length and big aperture is ideal for portrait. Other purpose will be shooting in low light condition such as indoor sports or art performance.

In Sony or Pentax body, this lens will gain advantage of the image stabilization which gain 1-2 stops than Nikon or Canon cameras.

The lens will come with a lens box to store lens when it is not in use. Extra cushion is provided to absorb shock. Check out sample pictures at my blog, radiantlite.com

Competition: For Canon shooter, the alternative will be Canon 50mm f/1.4. Although the built-quality is not as good as the Sigma, this lens is smaller and lighter. It is cheaper as well. The image quality with aperture wide open f/1.4 is not as good as Sigma.

Personal rating:

Image Quality : Excellent 5/5

Build Quality : Excellent 5/5

Price value: 3/5

Excellent lens..my copy is free of any focus issues
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I must be lucky. I have six Siggies for the Nikon, and every time I read these horror tales of front or rear focus issues I re-test each and every lens (other than my 10-20mm). Everytime each and every lens passes free of any front or back focus issue. Each test is performed on a tripod to avoid the issue of user error, with two similar objects placed two-three inches apart depthwise and each time the focussed on object is in focus and the other is not. My lenses include 50/1.4, 24-70/2.8, 18-50/2.8, 50-150/2.8, and 150/2.8(macro). Five for five (actually, six for six) is as good as it gets. Perhaps I should quit while I am ahead. I might add that I also have five Nikon lenses all of which are likewise free of focus issues.

Fantastic, but pricey.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
As always, I read the reviews and talk to people who know about the items in question. Overall, this lens was pretty much equally praised and denounced. I took all opinions into consideration and went ahead with my purchase.

One thing that I do love about my lens, is that it is fantastic in low-light situations. Most people who are new to photography, will no quite grasp the aspect that, sure, a large lens will give you more ability to shoot in darker surroundings, but they fail to comprehend that in doing so, the aperture must be quickened (opened up). What this in essence does is create a razor sharp depth of field. The lens at f1.4 will focus on ONE eye, but leave the other blurry and most complaints are usually stemming from this. When doing portraiture you want to use an aperture no less than f2.0 (personally I like f2.2), this provides a perfect DoF to blur the background and keep eyes, nose and forehead in focus.

I adore the super quick focus from the HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), but what I do notice, is the body or housing tends to rattle a bit. Still, it’s not overly bad, I can take it out and about and more so the ambient noise will drown out the slight rattling.

Images I captured with this lens are very crisp, as I expect from Sigma and its other line known as Quantaray. Sigma IS more pricey, however, when compared to Canon, but if you can find them, I recommend the Quantaray lenses which are about half the cost. Either lenses brand give me fantastic results, proving that Sigma/Quanataray is worthy to get.

This lens came with a petal-lens-hood and fits my Canon 30D beautifully. No binding or connecting anomalies were noticed, all functions work flawlessly.

The finish is also nice and aesthetically pleasing and protecting the lens is a case which also comes in the package. The case even has a belt-loop for those wanting to carry the lens as a backup or spare. Mind you, I won’t be using it, as my Pelican Case fits it nicely with all my other cameras and their gear.

Still the lens is worth getting, in my opinion. You really get what you pay for. If you can afford the high-price, then go for it, if not, I recommend the Canon equivalent.

Not Better than Canon
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I was really excited about getting this lens after reading so many positive reviews on it throughout the internet. Most found it better than the Canon 50mm 1.4 USM lens. Unfortunately, my tests found that my Canon 50mm 1.4 lens was better all around in sharpness and contrast. The Sigma certainly found its focusing target during my tests (shooting text on a tripod), so I don’t attribute any softness to front or back focusing. I was surprised how easily Canon had better contrast than the Sigma lens because this was supposed to be one of the areas where the Sigma lens shined. All in all I was disappointed with this Sigma lens. It’s not a bad lens – adequate if one were on a budget if it were cheaper in cost to Canon, but for two hundred plus dollars more, it’s far from worth it. This has certainly given me a better appreciation for my Canon 50mm l.4 lens.

Amazing image quality, extremely fast and razor sharp from 1.8
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
First of of all, the lens is substantially bigger than the “classic” 50mm lenses. this is not necessarily bad but it you should be aware that it’s big and heavy.

The lens lens is very fast (1.4 so no surprise here) and has great optical characteristics. you can produce outstanding portraits with this lens.

Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Yes it’s big, yes it’s heavy, yes it’s expensive, and YES it is better than any other 50mm f1.4 auto focus lenses currently on sale in the market place.

If you can’t take a half decent photo with this lens then blame yourself, don’t blame this lens.

By the way, I used this on my Sigma SD14 and it focuses fast, accurate, and silent.

The lens that never leaves my camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this lens as my 6th 50mm lens. Granted 3 are Canon mount and the other three are Sony Alpha mount. I bought it because it was said to be sharp wide open – and it is! The only other 50 that is so is the Canon 50mm f2.5 [quasi] macro.

I love the color, contrast and sharpness of this lens on my A700. It is fast focusing and hits more than any other 50mm that I own. It is way more reliable than the Canon 50mm f1.4 for sure. From f2.8 on the Sony 50mm f1.4 is its equal and the Canon version is close. I choose this lens over my cz24-70mm f2.8 mostly due to the superior DOF and low light capability.

The only thing about this lens that might be a draw back is that it only only goes up to f16. If I need higher than that I have to use my Sony 50mm. Usually, I rarely go beyond f11.

I would recommend this lens to to anyone looking for a fast focusing, sharp and reliable 50mm.

Beautiful, sharp, fast, and fantastic bokeh
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
In a world of zooms, many people would find plopping down $500 for a 50mm prime — from a third party manufacturer, no less — to be a bit absurd.

However, if you are a “prime person” — and you know who you are — you’ll love the performance of this lens: super sharp photos, incredibly creamy background bokeh, nice contrast and flare resistance, and operation in low-light without needing super-high ISO or a blast of flash.

Pros:

+ @1.4 it’s quite usably sharp

+ @1.8 and beyond, it’s very sharp

+ the bokeh (rendition of out-of-focus areas) is really amazingly smooth. More so behind the DOF than in front, though

+ colors, contrast, etc, all excellent

+ great build quality, solid feel, free case and lens hood

Cons:

– weight

– price

– big filters (77mm)

Canon already has three 50mm lenses: the 1.8, 1.4, and 1.2L, so you might wonder why Sigma felt the need to jump into this market. The Canon’s are all pretty good, with the 50/1.8 being an great value at $80, the 50/1.4 being a reliable workhorse (though prone to a dreamy look wide open), and the 1.2L, being, well, $1500. This lens is priced between the 1.4 and 1.2L, and judging from photos I’ve seen, it probably performs in that range as well. So it is filling an niche in the wide gulf between the 1.4 and 1.2L.

On my camera, a 400D, a 50mm is like a short tele, and I use it mostly for relatively close up photos of people. I like that when if upgrade to FF, I’ll be able to continue to use this lens (and I’ll sell my Sigma 30/1.4) whose place it would take.

The lens has not been out very long, and, to my knowledge, no formal reviews have been published (8/2008), but the general “buzz” is that people are seeing AF problems at distances beyond a few meters subject distance.

I personally have not done exhaustive analysis, but I feel my copy performs quite well. Then again, I don’t use this lens for far-off subjects very much, and almost never wide open in that case. So there may indeed be problems with this regime, but I don’t feel it affects my photography much. That said, it could be that I’m just not as exacting as some, or my camera’s AF is sloppy enough to hide lens variation to begin with. However, I do pixel peep a lot and I get about the same hit/miss rate as I do with other lenses I own.

So far, I’m a happy customer.

Not too heavy, no focus problems
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Canon Version, paying full price without any sort of quibbling, on Nov 9, 2009. My philosophy is that since I bought this way I can expect the best support if needed. Turns out, I wish I hadn’t waited so long to buy one!

I also got a Sigma 77mm DG UV filter to protect the front surface of the lens (also paying full price without quibbling). A side-comment about the Sigma filter: I noticed right away that the Sigma coatings on this filter are far better than the coatings on the Sunpak Sun 77 UV filter I had been using: a very deep look to the surface, indicating few if any reflections.

My camera is a Canon EOS 30D, which has the APS-C sensor (not full-frame). Fully expecting to send in the camera and lens for fine-tuning by Sigma, I tried a few simple focus tests at full f1.4 aperture. No problems! In fact, my best manual focusing was only equal to the autofocus results. If anything can be said to confirm focus problems reported by others, I would have to say that automatically and manually I got focus very slightly in front of the focus point, by an inch or two at a distance of 6 feet. This seems to be adequately within the depth-of-field of the lens at f1.4, and is as good as I have ever gotten with my other lenses. Focus at infinity seems just fine to me, at least with the particular Sigma lens I received.

On the downside, I noticed a small but practically insignificant variation in the autofocus results: I defocused manually, then refocused automatically, took a shot, and repeated a few times. I saw very slight variations shot to shot, but this is not a show stopper by any means. My guess is that I will see this variation in most any lens, but of course I haven’t yet tried it on my other lenses. I think it has to do with how quickly focus movement ceases in the lens after correct focus is obtained (a matter of damping in the lens perhaps).

All of my tests were with the lens wide open since this will be the way I use it most of the time. For my tests, however, I also used a tripod for maximum camera stability, and I used the mirror lockup option so camera vibration would be minimal during the exposure. My best focus test was shooting an open matchbook on a piece of chicken wire, at an angle. The chicken wire showed clearly the limits of depth-of-field, and made it easy to see the center of focus.

My previous favorite lens was the Canon EF 24mm f1.4L USM (older model, not the new “II” version currently in the Canon product lineup). This is also a lens with a 77mm filter requirement, but 1/2″ longer, twice the cost, and quite a bit heavier than the Sigma. I was surprised to find this Sigma lens so small and light by comparison! Based on the other reviews stating how surprised others were by the size and weight of the Sigma, I expected at least something as heavy as my Canon lens. Oops!

The nice thing about a heavy lens is that it sort of stabilizes the camera during the shot, when the SLR mirror flips up and down. With a “long” lens (the Sigma is about twice as long as my Canon 24mm) you need this stability even more, so in my opinion the Sigma lens is not heavy enough!

If you enjoy available-light photography, I think you will be delighted with this lens!

Highly recommended
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
First, I’m not a professional photographer, but a mere hobbyist. I have done extensive research on the lens and knew that it was a gamble with the AF focus being a hit or miss with this Sigma product. I was also debating between getting this over the Nikon 50mm 1.4G. Although I don’t know how the latter performs over the former, I can honestly say that I am very pleased with the Sigma.

I didn’t have any back/front focus issues whatsoever. I used a focus test chart:

[...]

…and followed the instructions accordingly. Perhaps the Sigma focus issues are corrected in the later product releases than its initial release…who knows. Granted, the AF had a few minor issues in tracking at night more so than in the day, but I have experienced the same case in other lenses.

Good:

– Fast lens

– HSM is quiet and focuses rather quickly (i.e. much quieter and faster compared to my friend’s Canon EF 1.8 lens on a EOS 20D…as a basis for comparison, if acceptable)

– Bokeh is exceptionally smooth; I haven’t seen any distracting sharp edges in the out of focus regions under reasonable settings.

Bad:

– The edges are slightly soft at maximum aperture, but gets incredibly sharp at f/1.8 and above.

– Lens are larger and heavier than prime lens of equivalent specs; this may intimidate your subjects.

Overall: Quality lens! I am currently using this with a Nikon D90 camera and the images are absolutely stellar. I highly recommend.

Focus Issue
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Having read multiple reviews from every web site I could find on the most bang for your buck 50mm for canon, I made the leap of faith and purchased this lens at the local shop.

This was not one that had been sitting around, because they had just gotten in a new shipment. I had read about the focus problems with this lens when it first shipped, but I was under the impression from most reviewers that this issue had been resolved.

In my case, this was not true. I shoot with a Canon 40D. I am no professional, but understand my camera well, and took photography in college so the shallow depth of field idea is not new to me. Despite my every effort to get this lens on target, it appeared to be focusing about 4 inches in front of my subject (brand new baby boy)at a distance of 3 to 5 feet at 1.4 to 2.8 (stopped down was fine I think because the depth of field was such that I was able to get beyond the 4 inch near focus issue). In the 5 days that I had the lens, I took in excess of 100 shots and few if any were sharp where my spot focus was placed.

I tried very hard to like the lens, debating whether to take it back, or live with the results at wide open (1.4 to 4). In the end I decided it was not worth the frustation.

Two days ago I returned the lens to the local shop (1.5 hours round trip…I guess not so local) and picked up the canon 50mm 1.4. Geez, it wasn’t in my head, the Sigma lens really was off that far. When I got the Canon 50mm 1.4 home, I promptly began to shoot my baby in the same manner as I had before, and bingo, all the pictures where focused where they were supposed to be focused.

Some have commented, and the professional review sites (dpreview etc…) in particular have noted that the Sigma outperforms the Canon 50mm 1.4 wide open “the Canon is a little soft…” etc, but I will take “a little soft” in focus versus tack sharp in the wrong place. I was praying for a “good copy” of the lens, but apparently Sigma is still producing some bad apples. In comparing the two lens’, the color rendition from the Canon to my eyes appeared more vivid, with the Sigma having a colder, blueish tone.

The only positive I could come up with is that it does have a more solid feel, versus the Canon.

Sigma should not send $500 dollar lenses out the door that do not focus properly. I own 7 lenses (3 for my Canon and 4 for my previous Minolta/Sony, Minolta is what I shot in college) and not a single lens has even come close to how off this lens was. The slight advantage this lens has completely wide open (assuming you get one that functions properly) is not worth the time wasted!

Perfect people lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this with fears of getting a bad sample, which seem rampant if one is to believe Internet Blogs. I am glad I took the plunge. I compared it to my made in Japan 50mm 1.8 and recently purchased 50mm 1.4G. After running tests on resolution, flare, bokeh, focus accuracy, and color rendition, I returned the 1.4G and I sold the 1.8.

Pros:

- Tack sharp at f2.0

- Fast AF

- Beautiful color

- Great Bokeh

- Size, I love large well-built lenses

- Actual focal length is between 47-48mm, Nikon and Canon 50′s are closer to 52-53mm.

Cons:

- Because of the large filter design, I expected slightly better vignette control wide open on full frame sensors.

- Corners are a little soft at 1.4 on the full frame sensors

- I wanted a 35mm 1.4, but unlike Canon, Nikon does not have a viable AF option for the Nikon FX bodies (this is where the actual 47mm focal length became a plus)

- Price, it is a standard 50mm

- Nikon elitist will scuff at you for owning a Sigma (maybe a positive?)

Bottom Line:

It is not perfect, nor is the highly demanded Nikon 70-200 AF-S VR. Both are great lenses and there are no other options, so one has to make compromises, and I have made bigger compromises (like the never sharp 35mm 1.4 AIS, which by the way is f1.4!). If Nikon made a better lens, it would cost $1000+.

Canon has the 50L as an option, unfortunately, Nikon users are stuck the disappointing 50mm G or the 50mm 1.4D. The 50mm 1.4D auto focuses faster then the AF-S G (on D700), however, designed for film, it is less sharp then the 1.8 and highly susceptible to flare. I have zero regrets.

Excellent lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After I decided to upgrade from my Canon 1.8 50mm to a 1.4, the choice was either stick with Canon or buy the Sigma. I must have read dozens of reviews, pro and con. I own six other Canon lenses, so choosing another brand was a big step.

In the end, price did it.

The Sigma is a fresh design, carefully thought out and executed. The Canon is a steady performer. When first introduced the Sigma had a street price of $500 and the Canon $325. Today, the Canon is $400 and the Sigma $450, which includes the lens hood. So the price is a wash.

I’m completely happy with the Sigma– it’s fast, sharp and the bokeh is lovely. I’ve heard of quality control issues with some Sigma lenses, but this one is well built and a good performer. It’s heavier than the Canon, but compared to the Canon 24-105mm I normally have attached, this is a feather.

big, bulky, but sweet
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’m comparing this with the old nikon 50mm f1.4.

The first thing that jumps out if the size difference. The sigma is huge compared to the nikon. The sigma boosts a 77mm front filter thread size, which is pretty massive. The build quality seem decent. Nothing compared to new nikon’s f2.8, but seems sturdy enough. The zoom action is smooth, but nothing to write home about. The zoom speed is a little finicky, but fast enough. Finicky in that sometimes in low light, it seems to get confused, more so than the nikon’s. (only slightly).

The sharpness is quite amazing. I believe this is equally sharp to the nikon, and the brokeh is slighly better. (marginally).

The front lens hood is pretty useless and I shoot with that off.

Why choose this over the nikon? The pictures it produces seem to have a little more oomph. There seems to be a slightly high ratio of winners, those shots which are just magical, with the sigma. This comes at a cost of… higher price, and huge bulk.

Excellent sample, despite Sigma’s quality control issues
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
As you’d expect of an f1.4 lens, I bought this for one purpose: shooting wide-open and creaming out the background. And this lens delivers.

First off, I’ll start with the build quality. This lens is much larger than the other 50mm lenses available on the market. As a result, it just feels better on the camera. If you’re using a heavy D3 or a D700 with a battery grip, a one inch long, 52mm filter lens doesn’t feel right, to me at least. But considering this is around 3 times the size with a 77mm filter, it does a much better job of balancing the camera body.

The autofocus on the 51 point-AF Nikon bodies is fantastic. It is lightning fast and tack sharp so long as there is enough available light. However, I have noticed that if the light levels drop, it tends to hunt a little, unless you focus perfectly on your subject’s nose using the single-point AF. I have heard of Sigma’s front-focus quality control issue on this lens, but the sample I got was perfect.

Sigma did a wonderful job constructing this lens. The 9-bladed diaphragm delivers dreamy bokeh, on par with lenses 4 times more expensive. Even harsh elements are less noticeable than they are when shot with the Nikkor 50mm F1.4, 70-200, or 24-70. As I said, this is my go-to lens for anything bokeh.

Stopped down, this lens is still very sharp, though I don’t use it for that purpose because the nikkor 70-200 is sharper corner to corner. But that wasn’t what this lens was necessarily designed for anyway.

ITS HUGE
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After getting over the size,I tried out the Sigma 50mm. Its awesome,great,

fabulous pictures.No problem with focus – just perfect pictures. AT f1.4 it gets a little hairy and I think this is where some of the focus issues are – at f 1.4 the DOF is very limited. Pictures were razor sharp from f 2.0 on.The 77mm filters are a little pricey. ITS HUGE. Build quality is excellent. SOLD my NIKON 50mm. That should say something.

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Should have waited another two weeks to buy this lens – I see that the price went down $50.00 – nevertheless, it is the first non-Nikon lens I have acquired in 30 yrs and anguished over purchasing a 3rd party product reading reviews and articles for 6 weeks – After using it for only a month I am pleased with the Bokeh, its overall performance, but I have challenged the AF considerably and think I will get used to it. The finish is a bit wanky and it is considerably heavier than a Nikon equivalent, but will consider a Sigma again for my next lens (likely a super wide angle zoom)

Excellent
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Coupled with my Canon 50D, this is an awesome lens. f/2.8+ very sharp. Solid build, excellent-smooth bokeh.

Sigma for the Canon crowd
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Let me start by saying that I primarily own Canon L lens – from the 35L to the 300L, with a lot in between. I formerly owned a Sigma which I sold because it just wasn’t up to the Canon standards. It took a lot of thinking to try this Sigma 50 f1.4. And I am glad I did – it is a winner and a keeper.

Compared to the Canon 50 f1.4 (of which I have owned 3 copies): bigger, sharper, gorgeous bokeh (creamy, smooth background). The Sigma also comes with a hood,( which I always use so is an additional cost when I bought the Canon 50), as well as an extremely nice zippered padded pouch which fits on a belt–easily another $20 expense. So the price of the two lens is very close.

The Sigma simply produces better images for me. It focuses very quickly and accurately, is nice to work with and I like the feel and heft of it. Bigger than the canon, but quite well balanced. I have had no problems whatsoever and this will be my keeper. She’s earned a permanent place in my camera bag. Sigma also offers an outstanding warranty so if you should have problems they will stand behind their lens.

Fantastic!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Sigma has a real winner here. This lens is unusual for a 50mm as they are typically rather small. This one is much larger than the Nikon/Canon variants (other than the Canon 1.2 of course!!!). But still, it is not THAT big. Feels real good on my D700. I also LIKE the 77mm filter size as that is somewhat of a standard filter size in Nikonland and I have them already! This compares favorably, for example, to the new Nikon 50 1.4 AFS as that takes an unusual filter size for Nikon shooters (58mm).

Anyway, this lens is solidly constructed, as I would expect from a Sigma EX lens. It also focuses quickly, accurately, and quietly, with the well implemented HSM focusing system that Sigma has developed. It is also sharp, acceptably-so wide open, and razor sharp stopped down a bit. Nice bokeh. Combine this with a D700 or D3 and you have perhaps an incomparable low combo! You cannot believe the shots you can make with this lens and those Nikon bodies in very dim light. I like how the lens handles. Jeez, I just like everything about it!!! No need to go Nikon for this lens type. Very very highly recommended…

Poor choice when compared to Canon
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Let me start by saying I have nothing against buying an “off-brand” lens like a Sigma instead of a Canon. I tried two different Sigma 50MM F/1.4 out, I really wanted to like this lens.

The positives… it feels like it is very well built. It is weighty and adds a nice balance to my Canon 50D. It has a nice grip surface to it, it doesn’t just feel like slippery metal or plastic, Sigma added some thin coating to the outside to give it a little bit of stick for your hands. Also, I like having a 77mm filter size, I only own 77mm filters for my Canon L lenses so I was able to use those filters for this lens, very nice.

It comes with a lens hood and a nice carrying bag, something Canon doesn’t do with non L lenses.

The negatives… it misses focus a lot. I mean a LOT. I shoot in situations where I need to be able to use auto-focus and it simply isn’t viable with the two copies I received of this lens. About half the pictures I took, maybe more, missed focus. It didn’t just miss focus by a little bit either, it missed it so badly there was nothing I could do in Photoshop to even begin to correct for it.

I tried using auto-focus in high light conditions (i.e. outside or in bright interior lighting) thinking that maybe this lens just had a hard time focusing in low light conditions and it didn’t make a difference. I would have returned the lens even if it did focus good in high light conditions, as the entire reason I was buying a prime F/1.4 was to get shots in low light.

The interesting thing is that when using autofocus, my indicator would light up showing that it had locked focus, but the actual picture would be out of focus. I thought initially that perhaps the camera was just never actually locking in a focus point but it was. I also tried this from a tripod so I was sure that there was no camera shake causing the sloppy focus.

I also had an issue with a slight rattling in the lens when it was moved very fast at all. Just a slight twist of the wrist back and forth while holding the lens would produce an audible rattle and a slight feeling of vibration. I finally figured out what it was, as you focus the lens expands or contracts, and when it is at full expansion, the inner barrel that moves doesn’t fit perfectly within the outer barrel. There is a very slight wobble between the two pieces. I think this may have had something to do with the focusing issue, after all, how is the lens supposed to focus when the front of the lens is slight off skew from what it was designed to be?

I ended up sending my first copy back to Amazon (gotta love their service) and tried another copy. The second copy had barely any rattle but the focusing was way way way worse. I got maybe 1 out of 10 images in focus. I talked to Sigma techs about it and they said they could fix it, but would need me to send my camera and the lens in to calibrate them together. I am in the process of building a website and supplying all the pictures, I simply cant be without my camera for the two weeks it would take, so I declined.

In the end, I returned that second Sigma after keeping it for a week and really trying to like it. I ordered the Canon F/1.4 ($100 cheaper) and have never looked back. The Canon is lighter which can be good or bad, personally I preferred the heaviness of the Sigma. However, the Canon makes no extra rattling noises and never misses focus. I’ve gotten some amazing pictures with the 50mm, after dealing with two bad copies of the Sigma I was wanting to go back to using my Canon 24-70L but the Canon 50mm restored my faith in prime lenses.

If you dont need to autofocus the Sigma, then it’s a decent lens. The pictures I did get out of it by manually focusing or getting lucky and having autofocus hit the mark were top notch. However, for fast moving subjects like fish and eagles which I photograph, I really need to be able to autofocus, so the Sigma simply wasnt at all right for my needs.

Great lens!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is huge!! but its also great and the quality is too. looks awesome on my D40.

Nice smooth and fast focus.

Thinking about Canon 50mm options
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If you’re looking at this, then you’ve probably decided on a 50mm or so prime lens, likely because the kit zoom lens is both slow and not very good quality. Here are the options for Canon:

Canon 50mm f/1.8 (version 2): It’s inexpensive, very fast compared to any cheap zoom and exceptionally good for the price. On the down side, it’s cheap feeling, noisy in focusing, and difficult to focus manually. You should buy at least this.

Canon 50mm f/1.4: A little bit faster, but that’s a less important trait these days with good digital high effective ISOs. More importantly, it’s robust, easy to use, with full-time manual focusing (you can just grab the ring even when it’s autofocusing), and good image quality

Sigma 50mm f/1.4: More expensive than the Canon lens, but slightly better image quality wide open. It’s a tough sell since the quality change isn’t huge. But if the extra money and Sigma logo don’t bother you, then go for it.

Canon 50mm f/1.2: Big money for that extra light-gathering ability. If you need this for photographing in a club, then you’ll buy it. If you don’t need it, it’s too expensive and heavy to compete with the lenses above.

Another, used, option, the original Canon 50mm f/1.8 EF lens was sturdier and better built, but they’re only available used and possibly abused. I own one and am happy with it. I have shot with the Canon f/1.4 as well and that’s the lens that I’d buy today.

Blows the canon 50mm 1.8 out of the water
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have spent the last year shooting with the Canon 50mm 1.8 Mk II, and for the price, its a great… in fact I’d call it a “gateway” lens- you’ll start wanting more and more lenses after you try it. It made me want a better 50mm in this case. Indeed, I’d recommend the Canon 1.8 to anyone who just bought a new Rebel and wondering what all the fuss is about with DSLR’s. But to the point- this Sigma blows it out of the water in terms of sharpness. No comparison. The 1.8 did fine for what it was, but with the SIgma set at 2.2, the subject in focus is so unbelievably sharp that it can take your breath away. I have never used the Canon 1.4 so I can’t compare the two, but man oh man, this Sigma lens is the business. I have it mounted on an XSI, btw.

I know there are some reviews below that mention issues with focus, but you can chalk one vote here in the “worth every penny” group.

Truly worth every penny
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is huge and fast. It is my new love right now because it delivers amazing sharp images at very low light. The focus is extremely fast, a lot faster than my canon 50mm, 1.4. Selling my canon 50mm now and keeping this in my camera bag, it’s going to be with me a very long time. Thanks SIGMA!.

Solid lens….no focus issues
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’m not going to give a full detailed review on this lens for two reasons: One, if you’re looking at this lens, odds are you pretty much know all of the features it has to offer and two, I really don’t feel confident enough to give as detailed as a review I would like…I’m a beginner. What I do want to say is that I have had no focus issues with this lens. I’ve read numerous reviews by users saying they have had problems with lack of sharp auto-focus at 1.4. I’ve been using this lens for a solid month testing out 1.4 to about 5.6 and I have been very pleased with the results. Extremely smooth bokeh at 1.4 and super sharp at 5.6. Pictures do tend to be a bit soft at 1.4 but it’s nothing that should deter you from purchasing this lens. The pictures are by no means blurry as some have been saying, just a bit soft. Build quality is superb and feels very comfortable mounted on a D90 and auto focus is quick and quiet. I hope I have been able to help people who have been on the fence about purchasing this lens. I have had no focus issues whatsoever. When it comes to a well built, low-light, portrait lens you can’t go wrong with the Sigma 50mm.

Simply marvelous!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
No complaints at all. It’s not even as big as I was led to believe by other reviews despite the 77mm thread. Only downside from the 77mm is that it doesn’t share the same 72mm polarizer I own for other lenses. That’s no big deal though since I primarily use this lens as a portrait lens. On my DX camera (Nikon D90), it’s ~75 mm-equivalent which is just how you want a portrait lens to be. Sharp focus, rich colors, and very nice bokeh. Being able to use this same lens on a full-format camera is just a bonus.

Great quality – liked better than the Canon
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased both of the lenses and took pictures to compare the two side by side — I liked the looks of the Sigma lens better.

Now THIS is a fun lens!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A large aperture lens like this is all about finding light. Wide open, it can gather a lot more light than the human eye. Prior to purchasing this lens, I read many reviews and imagined how I might use it. Since its arrival, I have been delighted to find that it has shown me new ways to see. The build quality is excellent and compares favorably to the Nikon lenses I own. The focus is accurate and the fastest I’ve seen. I shoot primarily with a D300 with a D60 backup and I’m getting ambient light images that I did not think possible. The bokeh is extraordinary. The narrow depth of field at the widest apertures is striking but I find that it is a better representation of the way my eye sees than to have a figure entirely in focus.

Having access to this much light is spoiling me. No doubt, there will be other fast primes in my future. Well done Sigma!

Worst lens and service ever.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Good optical quality when it focuses correctly. Too bad it never focuses. The AF on this lens is the most atrocious thing I’ve ever seen, less then 20% of images are in focus at most. I’ve tried micro focus adjustment and it doesn’t help. Sent it in to Sigma TWICE and they won’t fix it (and their customer support is horrible). Amazon won’t let me return it now. A complete waste of $500.