which 50 1.4 Canon or Sigma?

[Keith B]

Gregg


You two shots look very similar in color. Have you made correction to either to achieve this? One of the reasons I chose the Canon 1.2 is for color consistency in my work flow. I read that the color from the Sigma tends to be slightly more yellow.

[neuroanatomist]

I really don't see that much difference from 1.4 to 1.2. Here are 2 real world examples of the 1.2 vs 1.4. Processed in LR3 with "punch" the only added editing. Let me know what you think??

Well, the DoF differences between f/1.2 and f/1.4 are real, but certainly not huge. Also, your scene would completely eliminate any difference due to the substantial physical distance separating subject from background. To see theDoF differences between f/1.2 and f/1.4, try focusing on one flower in a field of them, for example.


FWIW, the Canon 50mm f/1.2L seems to have slightly better quality of OOF blur, while still maintaining better resolution even in the OOF areas, compared to the Sigma 50mm f/1.4. For example, the picket fence across the street seems more blurred with the Canon lens, and yet you can still resolve the individual pickets better. Just my 2¢ - the differences are there, but minor. Are those differences, plus the improved build and weather sealing, etc., worth $1K? That's a personal decision.

[Jon Ruyle]

Maybe my copy is better than most, or maybe I'm just not that picky, but I'm pretty happy with the performance of my canon 50mm f/1.4.


Here are two pics. Both are shot wide open on a 5DII. In both of these the shutter speed was too slow and I missed the focus a little, but they came out okay.


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I have no experience with the sigma, so I'm definitely not saying "the canon is better." Looking at Bryan's crops, though, the two lenses look pretty similar at f/1.4.

FWIW, the Canon 50mm f/1.2L seems to have slightly better quality of OOF blur, while still maintaining better resolution even in the OOF areas, compared to the Sigma 50mm f/1.4.

I actually expect the oof blur of the 50 f/1.2 is significantly better, though I agree that the difference isn't so apparent in the posted example.


Keep in mind that the 50 f/1.2, unlike most canon lenses (and probably, though I'm not sure, unlike the sigma as well), is corrected to sacrifice sharpness and foreground blur in favor of background blur. In other words, the strange focus issues and lack of sharpness are the result of a design choice. There is no way to get that particular super creamy bokeh (which is a convolution of a disk weighted more heavily in the center than the edges) without doing this. (For a "properly" corrected lens, the bokeh is a convolution of a disk)

[neuroanatomist]

FWIW, the Canon 50mm f/1.2L seems to have slightly better quality of OOF blur, while still maintaining better resolution even in the OOF areas, compared to the Sigma 50mm f/1.4.

I actually expect the oof blur of the 50 f/1.2 is significantly better, though I agree that the difference isn't so apparent in the posted example.

Definitely. I was commenting on those specific examples, not the lenses in general. As I also commented, the examples really aren't suitable for evaluation of OOF blur or bokeh, due to the large physical separation of subject and background.

[greggf]

Hi Keith. both shots were taken on my Mark IV. the only post I did was add "punch" from LR3. I haven't noticed any yellowness in most of my shots, but I do shoot Raw 99.9% time...


I understand the fact that the 1.2 blurs just a touch better...it should!! I just couldn't live the missed focus a lot of the time. I could take 3-4 shots with the focus confirmation light going off, on the same subject, same spot, and it would only hit maybe 1 out of 3 times!! Very frustrating! I told myself, I could live with my Sigma, which does have very nice bokeh!! Here is an example of the Sigma when it came back from calibration.


5D Mark ll ISO 100 f1.4@1/800th, natural light. I was pretty close to the little girl, too. Processed in LR2 with some sharpening and dodging/burning. It is representative of what you can achieve with the Sigma, IMHO.


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[Keith B]

Thanks Gregg.


I'm not sure what "punch" is, I'm an Aperture guy, but I follow.


I definitely have liked the images I've seen from the Sigma but Canon got me on the hook with my overwhelming happiness with the 35L and 85L. I'm hoping lightning will strike 3 times. I'm not married to it yet and plan to be very thorough before I commit to keeping it.


So far I'm a little surprised at it's softness although I shouldn't be. I have shot a handful of shots of a hyper dog @ 1.2 in servo and have had respectable hit rates.


The b&w shot of the little girl is really great. That is going to be my benchmark for critiquing the 50L.

[greggf]

Thanks Keith. Overall, I have been very happy with the Sigma. I had put it away for awhile, my interest in the 70-200 2.8ll, and 16-35ll coupled with my Mark IV leading me elsewhere. Pulled it out recently, and using an on camera flash for a friends little girls birthday(different than the previous pic), really made me want to use it again. Then I decided to send it get calibrated again, and they told me, that after 1 1/2 yrs, that it was still covered under extended warranty, and no charge to me!! Looking forward to get it back.


I understand how you feel about the 35L and 85L...they are fantastic. I used the 85L recently(a friend has a copy he let me borrow for a photo shoot), and got some fantastic portraits.


Anyways, back to the original poster....give the Sigma a try. I don't think you will regret it. I don't.


Gregg

[Jayson]

For what it's worth, I own the 50 1.4 from Canon and have a great copy. The colors are great and mine is actually pretty sharp at 1.4. I got the lens and immediately sent it in for calibration with canon. Got it back in about 7 days and it is perfect. Back focused a little bit. At that time i had a rebel and couldn't MA it at all. On my 7d it is magic.


I will try to post pictures tonight when I get to my work computer.

[Sheiky]

Then I decided to send it get calibrated again, and they told me, that after 1 1/2 yrs, that it was still covered under extended warranty, and no charge to me!!

Do you only send in the lens, or with body? My lens needed focus-adjustment of +9, could that be calibrated? And did you contact Sigma directly or via a shop? Thanks

Anyways, back to the original poster....give the Sigma a try. I don't think you will regret it. I don't.

Yep, I was also aware of the Sigma's flaws, but also aware of it's pros (build-quality, manual focus, in-barrel zoom, optical quality) and I'm very happy that I tried them both and picked the Sigma.


Jan

[greggf]

Hi Jan,


Both times I just sent the lens into this place calledhttps://www.criscam.com/. On Sigma's main site , they say that Criscam is an authorized repair facility for their lenses(maybe others, too!??). When it came back the first time, it was dead sharp wide-open, and only needed, I think, a +1 MA on my 5Dll. Now I don't know what has happened in the year and half since, but I haven't used it all that much recently. Picked it up again, and realized it had fallen from grace(a little). But, when stopped down to 2.8 or f4, it was tack, and I mean TACK sharp!! Granted, you have a 50 1.4 for the 1.4!! But there are times when you want to stop down a little...


So this second calibration is under warranty, too.


I'm happy I jumped from my Canon 50 1.4, and happy that I least tried a couple of the 1.2's, but for what it's worth, I think the Sigma is the way to go.


On the other hand...I just rented, and received today from lensrentals.com, a Zeiss ZE 50 f2 Makro Planar! I haven't downloaded the few pictures I took out on route today(I deliver UPS full time!), but from looking at the screen on my cameras, it looks to be incredibly sharp wide open!! I will post some later, once I download...