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Sigma 50 mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM

Pictures:
Specifications:
Manufacturer Sigma
Model 50 mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM
Lens style Normal
Focal length 50 mm
Maximum aperture f/1.4
Angle of view 46.8 o
Closest focusing distance 0.45 m
Maximum magnification 1:7.4
Minimum aperture 16
Number of diaphragm blades 9
Auto focus type HSM
Lens Construction 8 elements / 6 groups
Filter diameter 77 mm
Macro No
Available mounts Canon EF
Nikon F
Sony A / Minolta
Sigma
Pentax K
Four Thirds
Dimensions 68.2 x 84.5 mm
Weight 505 g
Additional information If the Sony or Pentax camera body does not support HSM, auto focus will not be available.
Average rating (18 owners reviews)
Build quality
Optical quality
Value for money

Overall

4.33 Good
Owners reviews (18)
  1. Charlie
    Charlie 9 May 2017, 08:55
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 24.16.x.x
    Owner since: 4 years
    Price: 350 USD
    User profile: Semipro

    Cons: Large filer size, large lens overall for 1.4 max aperture, ok sharpness at corners not that great at 1.4 but fine by my book by 2.8

    Pros: beautiful bokeh, solid build, decent AF (in my samples), excellent sharpness especially when stopped down, overall superior to Canikon equivalents in the same price range and focal length // Fstop range, tried the new 50 f1.4 Sigma ART for samples and comparison and the new ART version is sharper in the corners wide open but the bokeh is nicer in my opinion in the older model, no significant weaknesses when used intelligently!

    Summary: great value for money in my experience with two samples on Canon and Nikon full frame bodies, have used on Df and D810, and also on Canon 6D (Canon mount), overall love this lens and consider a real sleeper on the used and old new stock market, for the price its a winner, 90pct of the goodness of the new Sigma 50 f1.4 Art for a lot less money- love the look of the images and enjoy the lens greatly!

  2. Elin
    Elin 22 April 2013, 02:09
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 14.200.x.x
    Owner since: 5 years
    Price: 700-800
    User profile: Semipro

    Cons: Back focusing like mad on certain distances. apperture BROKE DOWN after a few weeks - wanted a new copy but was offered reparation.

    Pros: when focusing accurately, creates crisp amazing pictures.

    Summary: it feels like you can easily end up with a bad example, so im skeptical how reliable this lense is. I havent realised until now that mine is not properly calibrated, as these things are hard to detect.

  3. PictureStyles
    PictureStyles 26 July 2012, 09:24
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 109.85.x.x
    Owner since: 2 years
    Price: Don't know
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: -very soft corners when stoped down and high vignetting at f/1.4 and f/1.8

    Pros: -very sharp and crisp in the center at all apertures from f/2 and smaller -nice bokeh when stoped down -good build quality, but when you shake the lens you can hear moving the lensgroups inside. -best performance at f/5.6 or f/8

    Summary: My absolute favourite lens. You can use it for available light as well as portrait

  4. ronal
    ronal 14 January 2012, 14:46
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 91.177.x.x
    Owner since: 6 months
    Price: 450€
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: none discovered

    Pros: very sharp lens - uses the standard 77 mm filters - even at 1.4 rasersharp on a apc camera - focus very good

    Summary: i have tried a canon 50mm 1.4 as well - sigma is worth the pricediffernce

  5. Changazi
    Changazi 25 October 2011, 20:09
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 110.38.x.x
    Owner since: 1 year
    Price: 620$
    User profile: Semipro

    Cons: We check this lens with other 2 lenses, Nikon f / 1.2 Manual Focus and Nikon f /1/4 G , it is some what sharper than the others. Note: we used a Nikon D700 with a tripod.

    Pros: A question about its hunting is still a mystery for me in low light, never used it in that position, I have used it in wedding with my SB 800 flash unit , there it shines with my Nikon 85mm f / 1.4 for portraits.

    Summary: best wishes but I love it.

  6. lobo
    lobo 25 October 2011, 10:08
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 194.25.x.x
    Owner since: 6 months
    Price: 250 €
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: soft corner wide open, a bit too much distortion for a fixed focal, bulky and heavy

    Pros: creamy bokeh!!!!! sharpness and contrast wide open allready very good, closed down even better, fast an snappy AF, good build quality

    Summary: I love this lens, itīs fully usable wide open. itīs better than any other Nikon except the 50/1.2 ;-)

  7. Tom
    Tom 18 August 2011, 17:34
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 124.122.x.x
    Owner since: 6 months
    Price: 500 USD
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: Heavy

    Pros: Sharp wide open, fast focus, good color.

    Summary: Excellent for portrait

  8. Kazaam
    Kazaam 11 August 2011, 16:00
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 110.168.x.x
    Owner since: 1 month
    Price: 500 USD
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: Focus sometime not consistency.

    Pros: Very sharp. Excellent bokeh.

    Summary: Better than Canon 50 1.4

  9. phototaxi
    phototaxi 3 May 2011, 10:09
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 89.204.x.x
    Owner since: 1 year
    Price: 450 €
    User profile: Professional

    Cons: CA wide open, focus ring does not work smooth

    Pros: great bokeh, sharp from f 1.4 onwards, good contrast, no problems wirth autofocus accuracy, speed similar to good macros

    Summary: good value, best 50th i have seen, good useable for studio and on location, you need a little time to focus, thearefore in use, when aperature must be wider than f4

  10. taurui
    taurui 19 April 2011, 14:57
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 87.148.x.x
    Owner since: 1 year
    Price: 420€
    User profile: Semipro

    Cons: Mine had problems with autofocus accuracy, which was fixed by the sigma service within 4 days. Lots of coma @ 1.4.

    Pros: Sharp at the center starting at 1.4, extremely sharp from 2.8 onwards, great bokeh, fast AF

    Summary: This is a great portrait lens for dx and fx that performs better than the nikkor or canon 50/1.4. Autofocus accuracy can be a problem, but the service can fix it.

  11. joe
    joe 29 March 2011, 12:11
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 78.86.x.x
    Owner since: 2 years
    Price: 360pounds
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: its big, fast silent AF, very good build quality, good pic quality

    Pros: af hunts, very very inconsistent, front/back focus

    Summary: i like this lense, i want to like it, but it drives me mad, ive got one with front focus, cannot shoot wide open, af hunts in darker conditions, bought canon 50 1.8 and it just blew me away, yes build quality is not very good, af is very loud, but its way more acurate than sigmas, stopped using sigma untill i get camera with micro adjustment, to sort the front focus, but if its still bad then its going on ebay and no more sigmas ever :)

  12. LeoJan
    LeoJan 1 February 2011, 00:39
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 80.56.x.x
    Owner since: 1 year
    Price: 340 euro
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: Bigger then the Canon F1.4

    Pros: Sharp from F1.4, very very sharp from F2.8.

    Summary: Good lens overall, I love it and use it on a FF 5D mark II. Never was happy with the F1.4 from Canon, this lens you can really use at F1.4 and that's why you buy a fast lens is it not. Best 50 mm around.

  13. thomas
    thomas 24 September 2010, 19:30
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 118.171.x.x
    Owner since: 1 year
    Price: 495
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: Perfect IQ, can compete with the Canon L lens. Nice sharpness when considering the wide open aperture. Great color and boken.

    Pros: It will be better if the AF speed is faster a little bit. Don't like the skin of this lens' old version, however, they modify the skin now. Some may encounter focus issue, need to send it back for calibration.

    Summary: A most have lens if you love 50mm and taking portrait shots.

  14. Varago
    Varago 24 September 2010, 07:31
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 76.105.x.x
    Owner since: 6 months
    Price: 540 usd
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: focus, had to be calibrated

    Pros: build is awesome

    Summary: I really like this lens (after I ahd it calibrated)

  15. Puliukko
    Puliukko 20 August 2010, 08:19
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 94.101.x.x
    Owner since: 1 month
    Price:
    User profile: Semipro

    Cons: Terrible anti-focus system. Onion bokeh. CA.

    Pros: Sharp from f2. Smooth bokeh.

    Summary: Pretty good lens, if you don't need auto-focus.

  16. Lardinio
    Lardinio 31 March 2010, 18:36
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 193.34.x.x
    Owner since: 1 year
    Price: £240
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: It's more expensive that Nikkor alternatives. It's big on a small body. Have had a touch of misfocusing in darker environments, but never in any decent light.

    Pros: Bokeh is quite beautiful, fast & silent AF, decent build. Pretty sharp wide open and lovely stopped down a tad.

    Summary: For an DX sensor this is a fantasic portrait lens (never used it on FX), which can be used wide open at 1.4 without any major softness issues. Feels great on my D300. I've VERY happy with it.

  17. Asd
    Asd 9 December 2009, 00:07
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 212.80.x.x
    Owner since: 1 year
    Price: high
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: Size and weight, EX finish is easy to harm, weaker results when you shoot closer than 1 m and f/1,4-f/2 ; price

    Pros: Fast AF, instant MF - you donīt have to click to MF just grab MF ring, I have no problem with AF accuracy(Nikon D300), lens doesnīt know flare problem, sharp even wide open-focus distance must be longer than 1m, include nice hood and bag. Better bokeh than any 50(yes, Canon 50L too)

    Summary: It takes me long time to find good-bokeh fifty. I am APS-C user so I use it for portraits. Smooth bokeh is higher priority for me than sharpness or contrast but this lens have it all !

  18. Foo
    Foo 28 October 2009, 20:05
    Build quality
    Optical quality
    Value for money

    Overall

    IP 210.19.x.x
    Owner since: 6 months
    Price: USD 600
    User profile: Amateur

    Cons: AF is very inconsistent, with cases of front focus and backfocus depending on the distance. Tried on 2 bodies, D300 and D700, with similiar inconsistent AF results. I have all 3 50s, AF-D, AF-S, and Sigma, and Sigma is the worst in terms of AF accuracy. Ridiculous price for a 3rd party (more expensive than Nikon originals).

    Pros: Smooth bokeh that is better than Nikon AF-D 50 f1.4. Slightly better bokeh than Nikon AF-S 50 f1.4 Slightly sharper at wider apertures (f1.4-f2.8) than Nikon AFS 50 f1.4

    Summary: A great lens, IF you can get a good copy.