Sigma 50 1.4

[greggf]

Just got the Sigma 50 1.4, after much debating back and forth...Then
went so far as to even sell my Canon 50 1.4 on Ebay. I have to
admit...I like it a lot!! Granted I MA on my 5dll to +6, but it is
very sharp, even at 1.4!!! A little soft along the edges(as reported),
but everything else is fantastic. And very useable at 1.4. F2 and on
is exceptional. My Canon I couldn't use, really, until 2.0 or 2.2.
Glad I purchased!! Here are a few samples. the first is one of my
fences along the house-ISO 100, 1.4@1/400...the second is our dog
Rajah, and our son Mason(well sorta kinda), ISO 100, 1.4@1/640. Rajah
was processed in SilverEfex Pro(trial vesion), then lightroom, with no
sharpening whatsoever....Both in camera jpgs, not RAW. Let me know
what you think..../cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/Rajahbw-_5B00_800x600_5D00_.jpg/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/_2D00_3860-_5B00_800x600_5D00_.jpg

[samoksner]

More so than the sharpness of this lens, which some how found to be better, others not as good, and assuming one gets a good copy that does not have AF issues, I find that the way this lens draws is simply beautiful. To me, it looks like somethign in between a Canon 85mm f1.2 and a Zeiss 50mm f1.4 in terms of glow, punch, background blur, OOF transitions... And to be honest, all these things add up to make for nicer images then minor sharpness differences. The build quality and the 4 YEAR warranty (makes me feel very confident in my purchase) makes this lens a very serious contender as an in between the 50mm f1.4 USM and the 50mm f1.2 L. As soon as I get my hands on one, this will be my go to lens.


Now if only Sigma could make a 24mm f1.8 built this well to update their old primes, that would be a double wammy, hell, i'd even fall for an 85mm f1.8 if it rendered images this smoothly (i've always found the Canon 85mm f1.8 and f1.2 L to be very flat in the way they draw, although some tend to confuse saturated colors and fancy bokeh circles as a nice signature... to each his own)