Sigma 50 F1.4 EX DG HSM  reviews

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: flyryd   review date: March-12-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

sigma 30 f1.4
sigma 17-50mm f.8 os

price paid:

530usd new

positive:

f1.4 good for low light situations.
price is good.(i got mine over a year ago)
no more crinkle black paint
very sharp lens when stopped down a little
77mm filter thread

negative:

CA when wide open
bigger than other 50 1.4 lenses

comment:

one of my favourite lenses. very sharp from f2 onwards.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: deeejay   review date: February-15-13  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony SAL1650
Sony SAL2470Z
Sony SAL70300G

price paid:

315 EUR (used)

positive:

Sharp (when one learns to use it properly), beautiful bokeh, fast as lightning

negative:

The lens tests you and not the way around! It's not a real con, but any potential buyer must be aware of it!

comment:

My first high-end prime lens, so we had harsh times until got used to each other. Had to learn how to handle this lense (as one always has when getting close to a prime for the first time). But after becoming friends we produce great results! The lens even made me realise that my a5080 had some slight BF issues which had to be coorected manually (as there's no software solution in the a580). Its weight balances right with the camera and this combo is not for weak-handed little girls, I must admit. But as I'm not that kind I enjoy having it in hand for a whole day (or more). I'd suggest everyone to buy it, it's great fun to shoot with it!

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 3 

user: livinginparadise   review date: November-04-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 50/1.7
Minolta 35-105
Tamron 28-75

positive:

Fast, acurate focusing
Very nice bokeh
Sharp

negative:

colour fringing (usually green) in high contrast situation

comment:

A very nice lens.

Very nice bokeh

Very fast, accurate focus - focusses reasonably accurately at a child's face which is close to you and quickly moving toward you

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 3 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Yemble   review date: September-05-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 16-50mm f2.8 SSM
Minolta 50mm f1.7
Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6
Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro

price paid:

£299

positive:

Body build (focus ring excepted)
Sharpness wide open
Superb creamy bokeh

negative:

Focus ring feel
HSM AF inconsistant
450mm MFD

comment:

Out of the box

The Sigma 50mm f1.4 has a similar size and weight to the Sony 16-50mm f2.8, but has the appearance of the Sigma 10-20mm f4-f5.6. My copy was marked SLT-A65/SLT-A77 compatible on the box and has a smooth black finish rather than the rubbery matt finish of 10-20mm. The build is best described as solid with its massive glass elements both front and rear. I don’t really understand why there are complaints about Sigma’s rear caps, as it seems perfectly OK to me, as does the front centre-pinch cap. The hood is a reversible bayonet type, the same 77mm diameter as the hood on the 10-20mm, but NOT the same fitting – for some inexplicable reason, they are not interchangeable. A fairly decent generic case is included with the lens, but it has a square profile which is not a particularly snug fit for the lens. The case has a belt loop, but no Velcro release tab.

Operation

There are a couple of areas of concern here. Firstly, the focus ring is quite stiff and more importantly not particularly smooth, especially when compared to the Sony 16-50mm. The movement has a tight gritty feel, which will hopefully slacken a little with extended use. Secondly, the front element moves by about 8mm between the two focusing extremes. However, it does this in a way unlike any other lens I own, on a cylinder within the filter area, rather than behind it like most zooms. This internal cylinder looks to be rather susceptible to picking up dust and dirt, so I would say that using a protector filter is highly advisable with this lens to help prolong its life. This movement of the huge front element cylinder may go some way to explaining the unpleasant feel of the zoom ring.

Focussing

This is my first lens featuring Sigma’s HSM focussing system and to be honest, I am not exactly blown away by it. AF is both quiet and reasonably fast, however, its accuracy seems a little variable, especially wide open. Unlike the SSM on the Sony 16-50mm, which invariably nails the focus at the first attempt, the HSM seems to miss slightly and then adjust, ie. two movements rather than one. The net effect is that HSM focus takes slightly longer to lock than with SSM. Wide open, the full time DMF helps, as it is easy to tweak the focus manually after it locks. From the Dyxum reviews it seems that front focussing appears to be a recurring feature of this lens (on A-Mount at least) and this is true of my copy which required a +10 micro-AF adjustment on my A77. Without this adjustment, shots at f1.4 were a little soft, a point worth noting for owners of bodies that do not have this feature. Once adjusted, shots are sharp at f1.4, very sharp at f2.0 and exceptionally sharp at f4 through f11. I would say that it rivals (maybe surpasses) my Tamron 90mm macro for sharpness at f2.8. It is easy to forget that this is not a macro lens until you try to get in close... at which point you soon hit the 450mm MFD.

In Practice

The handling of this lens is great on the A77, focus ring excepted; it balances well and fits nicely in the hand, unlike the Minolta 50mm f1.7 which has horrible handling. There is an AF/MF switch on the lens, but this is somewhat superfluous with the A77. In strong light, this lens encourages you to choose very low ISO settings to avoid straying beyond f11. With a minimum aperture of f16, I can see circumstances where a ND or polarising filter would be necessary to get correct exposure… but you’d probably have reached for a slower lens by then! From f4, this is as good as, but not necessarily better than, any other quality prime lens. However, it is below f4 that this lens really performs. Bokeh is absolutely outstanding, with OOF areas both in front of and behind the subject, merging together in a totally seamless way. Someone wrote that the bokeh is as smooth as the head on a pint of Boddingtons… I could not disagree less! Wide open there is some CA which appears as colour shift in high contrast areas rather than fringing – this disappears as the lens is stopped down slightly and is not really an issue. I have not noticed any flare, but then again I naturally tend to avoid shooting towards the sun. It seems unlikely to me that flare would be a major issue with any 50mm prime.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: 3.0   review date: September-03-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta(1985) 50mm f/1.7
Tokina ATX-Pro II 28-70mm f/2.8
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8

price paid:

450 CAD

positive:

Incredible Sharpness
Silent and Fast Focus
Full Time manual override focus
Solid Build
Very good glare resistance
Wonderful portrait lens on APS-C @ 75mm and f/1.4

negative:

Colors appear muted to me compared to the Tokina and Minolta's

comment:

Was very back and forth with this lens because it's almost twice the cost of a Minolta 50mm f/1.4 and 25-30% more than a Sony 50mm f/1.4. Both of which are well made and reviewed very well.

That said I don't regret buying the Sigma one bit, it's my 3rd Sigma my other being 10-20mm EX. Although both are under their EX line I feel the 50mm 1.4 is just levels above the 10-20mm.

I used the lens today during and outdoor shoot and it's sharper than my Tokina 28-70 bit a noticeable amount. The lens is a dream to use the focus is just so fast and silent, I could really concentrate on my shots without worrying about focusing issues.

I got my a77 body only without the 16-50mm SSM Sony which is a regret of mine. However the 2 of 3 reasons for the regret I know have the Sigma to cover. The HSM motor is so silent I can definitely shoot video without worrying about the Mic picking up the focusing sounds. Second, I got a lens sharper than my Tokina 28-70 and the focal lens and wide aperture is perfect for portraiture.

I couldn't be happier with this purchase.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: henrykoe   review date: August-06-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

450 USD

positive:

- Sharp
- Superb bokeh

negative:

- Rear cap lens from plastic

comment:

Worked on my a77

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: Gimp69   review date: August-02-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50mm f1.4

price paid:

250GBP (second-hand)

positive:

HSM
Brokeh
Colour
Size

negative:

AF Accuracy (occasionally)
CA Wide Open

comment:

I bought this lens second-hand, it's practically new and had already been calibrated by Sigma for the previous owner. However, it is still off on my A77 by -6.

AF adjusted, both lenses are the same wide open, I really could not tell them apart.

The Sony is small, light and fast to AF.

The Sigma is quiet and I like the size, it balances better on the A77 and the focus ring is big for DMF. It is also a little wider, more like 48mm, so no bad thing for me.

I feel that the Sony AF hit rate is higher than the Sigma, but not enough to scare me off.

Frankly, I don't see what the fuss is about regarding sharpness wide open. I think my expectations were too high for this lens, however due to the positives I'll keep it over the Sony.

You'll be happy with either lens...once calibrated.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Allan81   review date: July-15-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony sal 50mm 1.8

price paid:

E450,00

positive:

Superb lens
Superb bokeh

negative:

Only negative is that I have to think too much about the negatives that i can not find

comment:

Very good lens. Almost all the time on my camera

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: MediaArchivist   review date: July-13-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

499 USD (new)

positive:

Excellent build quality
Excellent image quality
Great bokeh
Great low light performance
Good price

negative:

At f/1.4 sometimes autofocus has to hunt.

comment:

Awesome lens. I take a lot of shots of musicians in dimly lit bars, and for those situations I bring this lens and my CZ 24/2. I call them my "rock & roll lenses."

I had read about quality control issues, in particular auto focus accuracy. I have found nothing to complain about. Maybe I got lucky, but I suspect those issues were confined to early production runs (I bought mine in April 2012).

At f/1.4 the depth of field is effectively the width of a human hair, so I am not too surprised that the autofocus has to hunt every now and then. The manual override works perfectly, and on an a77 the peaking makes this easy. I have shot entire sets at f/1.4 and manual focus with great results.

The bokeh is wonderful, and it seems even better in low light. It really makes "melting the background away" work. Not surprisingly, it works very well as a portrait lens. I have often been walking around the city (any city, really) as the sun goes down, and from noon to midnight I am still able to capture great sharp shots. The minor flare from sunlight is attractive (I sometimes use flare as an artistic element), but easily manageable with the hood. Unexpected bonus: with macro tubes I can get a magnification level better than 1:2!

The lens is (for the most part) a fairly simple double gauss construction, with a pretty big front element. I don't find this lens to be particularly heavy or large. If you want f/1.4 (I do), a huge front lens element is inevitable. Glass is heavy, and more glass is more heavy. With that in mind, I think this lens is as small and light as possible for the features and performance.

Highly recommended.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: der dickgg   review date: May-12-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 1.4 / 50mm
Minolta 1.7 / 50mm

price paid:

€ 250 mint

positive:

Speed, sharpness, bokeh, looks and overall IQ.

negative:

err... okay, when I'm thinking of it; size and weight.

comment:

This is the lens I sold my Sony 1.4 / 50mm for. Mostly because of the better bokeh (imho). Having it re-chipped I can use it i.c.w. the A77. This lens is for me ideal for portraitphotography. It reminds me of a Beatles song:

I want you... I want you so bad. She's so heavy!

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 3 

user: godsakes   review date: April-21-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50mm 1.4
Minolta 50mm macro RS

positive:

Exceptional bokeh
Great colour
(Near) silent HSM

negative:

Prone to flare
CA at wide apertures
Moderate AF speed
Large

comment:

The 2 things which really stand out on this lens is the wonderful bokeh and colour.

Wide open the sharpness is comparable to the sony 50mm f1.4 for all the talk of this being the sharpest I see no real difference wide open, in fact the sigma seems to suffer marginally worse CA at f1.4-2 (though not a real life issue, only noticeable when pixel peeping), stopped down F5.6+ this lens noticeably overtakes the sony and reaches macro level sharpness at that peak it is exceptional.

Unfortunately it seems to be noticeably more prone to flare than the sony.

I love the perks of the HSM motor (near silent and MF override) but AF speed actually feels slower than the sony (suppose it has more glass to move). AF accuracy also appears to be less consistent (say 2 times out of 10 the sigma will just totally miss focus and be fine the rest of the time) which seems bizarre as the HSM on my sigma 70-200mm is probably the best lens I have for AF accuracy.

With regards to micro-adjusting... annoyingly the lens ID clashes with my sigma 70-200mm 2.8 mk2 so I can't store both those lens adjustments at the same time, big annoyance if you have other sigma lenses.

Needless to say but this is quite a large and heavy lens, it's not so bad on a FF body but on a APS-C body it would feel very unbalanced (for a sub 100mm lens anyway).

My copy is pre SLT but thankfully still worked on my friend's A77

The sigma is a great lens but if you have the Sony already it does not offer huge gains and it comes with noticeable drawbacks making such a upgrade a bit of a double edged sword. That said lenses such as the much loved minolta 85mm suffer from even more severe drawbacks that doesn't stop it having a die hard following of people who love it's image characteristics and I suspect the sigma 50mm will be no different.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: SLT   review date: March-03-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

500

positive:

Bokeh
Speed
Built

negative:

Weight
Cheap plastic material for rear lens cap ( like most sigma)
annoyingly easy to get dusty on the inside

comment:

Overall a good quality lens except for the cheap plastic used for the rear lens cap, there is micro dust on the interior of the rear lens element after 3 days of use, even though no effects on picture but it's annoying.

Real nice bokeh and excellent for low light shots

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: tomiZG   review date: January-13-12  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- Min. 50 1.7
- T 90 2.8

price paid:

490 € (new)

positive:

- can't get sharper than this
- HSM!
- colors
- contrast
- bokeh
- feel both on FF and aps-c

negative:

- flare at wide apertures

comment:

Wow. This is my favorite lens so far. Got it with a mild FF issue and the local Sigma reseller fixed it immediately. Will definitely buy the 85 from Sigma, too, as I can't imagine the CZ are worth the difference.

It's actually an F1.3 lens, I have been told by the Sigma reseller, and this is the whole trick why this lens performs better than any other 50mm 1.4. This is also the reason why it's bigger and heavier and pricier than any other in it's category, but worth every penny.

As this is also my first HSM lens I am totally thrilled by the AF performance. On both FF and aps-c the lens shines, is great for indoor portraiture, allows me to work at iso 640 and lower at events and weddings, which definitely is the biggest bonus for me. It actually gave my a700 new purpose.

At 1.4 sharpness is already wonderful. At 1.7 it gets amazing and above that it's stellar.

In studio it's also a fantastic performer. Would buy tomorrow a new one if I had to.

Edit: The only downside is flare or call it even reflections when shooting wide open in a contrasty situation, i.e. a bright lit open door or window will vertically+horizontally mirrored appear on the photo in a different corner. Not too much of a problem but still annoying sometimes, depending where the flare appears.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: nicols   review date: November-29-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50mm 1.8
Sony 50mm 1.4

price paid:

379 GBP (NEW)

positive:

SHARP!!!
FAST!!!!
High build quality
HSM

negative:

Big and heavy
Needs rechipping for a77

comment:

I love this lens - well made, acceptably sharp in the centre at 1.4, sharp across the frame from 2.2-2.8. Very high resolution on an a77, AF is fast thanks to the hsm and it has DMF override so MF is easy. Feels a little heavy sometimes, but then that's a big chunk of glass and solid build quality. I have the newer, smooth version which was labelled a55 compatible on the box but still had to get it chipped for the a77 (hence I deducted a point from build quality for want of a better place to do it). I have the easy choice Sony 50mm and whilst I like that lens, this really does outperform it in all ways except price and weight. By contrast, I also had the Sony 50mm 1.4, a lens i never warmed to - this lens kicks that one (my copy at least) into the dirt.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Rno.   review date: November-22-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50/1.4
Rokkor 58/1.2

price paid:

499 USD

positive:

Creamy bokeh
center sharp from 1.4
color
silent HSM focus

negative:

size and weight
barrel coating feels chintzy

comment:

50mm (i.e., the equivalent of it) used to be my most often used FL on my a700. 52.5, to be precise, and it was the 35/1.4 that gave me this angle and view.

Fast forward to the a850. I wanted a good 50mm lens and started with the Sony 1.4. Liked (loved!) its build, size and look, hated (hated!) its IQ at open apertures and its bokeh. So I sold it and replaced it with a used sigma 50/1.4. Liked the bokeh but wasn't too happy with the sharpness on my 850. So I sold it again, looking for yet another solution. I used to have a Rokkor 58/1.2 back in the MF film days and I loved it then, so I gave it a new try.

Not it! The copy I had was way too stiff on the focus ring, and I found out that I had become an AF person. So, after re-reading the reviews here on the Sigma, I thought I give it another try, this time with a new one that I can return or exchange if I am not happy. But I WAS happy! This copy is good, sharp from the start—at 1.4 sharpness is limited to the center, but that's fine, I can live with that. Sharpness (and its area) improves with stopping down, so I cannot reproduce what some reviews are reporting ("no sharpness improvement or even deterioration with smaller apertures"). Also, I tested for focus shift and could not detect it. I do have front focus, though, but with micro adjust set to +10, it is nicely compensated and stays there also with smaller apertures.
I posted some initial pictures in the sample thread, and those show the oh-so-creamy bokeh that I wanted (and that I missed from the 58./1.2).

So, in a nutshell for me: more convenient, sharper from the start, similarly good bokeh than the Rokkor but less expensive and with HSM; all-around better (but bigger/heavier/more expensive) than the Sony offering.

Distortion and flare control have not been tested, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt and correct once I have different experience.

Recommendation: buy

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: inax   review date: October-11-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Many lenses

price paid:

45,000 JPY (new)

positive:

Sharpness
Quick and silent AF
Well balanced of weight

negative:

Sometimes difficult to focusing

comment:

Very good lens among any other 50mm's.
I highly recommend this lens even if the prince is more expensive than any rivals.
Smaller than f2.8, it shows us gentle images. Lens aberration works well especially for portraits.
Larger than f2.8, You can see the supreme sharpness from the view of full pixel size on your PC.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: JimmyMelbourne   review date: September-03-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron 17-50 2.8

price paid:

495 CHF

positive:

Sharp as hell
Colours great
Sits nicely on the A300 sized camera, well balanced

negative:

Struggles a little with A300 low contrast focusing

comment:

This lens is incredible. It is my first 1.4 lens and I am amazed at how much flexibility it gives particularly on an older camera with not so much flexibility with ISO. The weight of the lens is also well balanced with the camera (not too heavy). The wife likes it too so another bonus.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: ianb   review date: August-30-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50mm f1.8

price paid:

£379

positive:

Very Sharp right from 1.4
Superb from from f2.8

negative:

out of focus highlights at f1.4 a little unpleasant, from f2 OK

comment:

A superb lens and improved image quality over the Sony 50mm f1.8 that was traded in. (Reduced purchase cost to £300).

The principal reason for change was to get a FF standard lens, with low light capabilities. So far not let down by this lens.

Large and chunky it feels very solidly built and more in keeping with the scale of the a700/a900.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Dave18   review date: March-28-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Takumar SMC 50mm 1.4
tokina 19-35
min 28-135 f4-4.5

price paid:

298GBP new

positive:

very sharp lens wide open

negative:

only goes to f16

comment:

Ultra sharp quality lens, it you need to have the best 50mm prime look no further, Takumar is now up for sale

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: Veneficus   review date: February-19-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

€ 400 (new)

positive:

- Sturdy build quality
- Continuous manual focus - correction
- Silent
- Fast

negative:

- Price (€ 400 in the Netherlands)
- Flare sensitivity with filters at large aperture
- Only goes to f/16

comment:

This lens does exactly what I need it to do. I was looking for a fast lens to shoot horse jumping indoors, which means fast subjects in low-light conditions. This lens is perfect combined with the 7 fps at speed priority of my A550.

One thing that gave me some work was the very narrow DoF. This actually caused me to notice a slight error in mirror alignment. The misalignment caused front focusing which was very clear, and annoying, at large distances shooting wide open, missing the focus. After manual calibration of the camera, all my lenses now focus noticeably better :)

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: BobIndy   review date: February-01-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50/1.4
KM 50/1.7
Sony 35/1.4
Sigma 70-200

price paid:

$450 USD (new)

positive:

Better than Sony wide open
Silent HSM
Solid
Bokeh
Case included

negative:

None

comment:

Shooting natural light portraits is my thing and I've always loved shooting with 50's on crop sensors. This is by far the best of the bunch I've tried. The bokeh is wonderfully smooth, the focusing is quick and silent. I know the main knocks on this lens are the weight and size, but for me I am thrilled with both. Now I can use those pricey 77mm filters on more than just my 70-200. Sigma has won me over lately with their higher end lenses so much so that I'm planning on picking up the new 17-50 to round out my lineup. For me the Sigma 50/1.4 compares very favorably to the Zeiss 85/1.4 optically and feel wise. Now that the price has come down a bit, there's not much reason to consider the Sony version over the Sigma. Maybe when Sony gets around to updating their 50mm I'll change my mind. But for now, I can't imagine being happier.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: ponisch   review date: January-19-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

675 USD (new)

positive:

Very sharp, even wide open.
Built like a tank.

negative:

None

comment:

Focus is really, really fast with my A700, definately my favourite lens!

I gave this lovely prime all 5's and it really deserves it, I would even give it 10 out of 10 if I could!

The only downside is that it is quiet expensive here in Sweden...

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Lupan   review date: January-12-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 20/2.8
Minolta 85/1.4
Minolta 70-210/4

price paid:

470 USD (new)

positive:

Very sharp starting from f/1.7
Very nice bokeh
Very well built

negative:

None

comment:

If you need a pro all-around 50mm with big aperture for your FF, just get it. It's a bit heavy, but damned sharp and solidly built.

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: seevve   review date: January-04-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- Sony/Minolta 50/1.4
- Sony/Minolta 85/1.4
- 35/1.4 G

price paid:

500$ MINT

positive:

+ Very good sharpness (better that Sony/Minolta 50/1.4)
+ HSM (Fast and silent focusing)
+ AF works on NEX cameras

negative:

- big and heavy for 50/1.4 lens
- expensive
- non weather resistant
- Sigma's quality control

comment:

Very good lens. Optically it's better than Sony/Minolta 50/1.4. sharper and smoother bokeh. But for me compactness of Sony 50/1.4 lens is more preferable. Also find good copy of sigma lenses is not very simple.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: ConfuciusTse   review date: January-04-11  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50mm f1.8
Sigma 30mm f1.4

positive:

Amazing bokeh and sharp focus
Fast HSM
Basically no distortion or vignetting on APS-C

negative:

Expensive
Heavy and big
Filters are expensive too
Difficult to AF on dark or very low contrast subjects

comment:

50mm is an excellent portrait lens for APS-C and perfect normal lens for FF so it's important to invest in a good lens as it will likely stay in your kit permanently. This Sigma is the only modern design 50mm and includes a super fast and silent HSM motor, others are all based on designs from the 80's with minor coating updates.

Reviews have consistently praised this lens and my experience confirms it. It focuses quickly and accurately, is very sharp, and has amazing bokeh. Tests and real-world use show little to no visible distortion or vignetting. Flare is well controlled. Chroma is supposedly well controlled too but with my SLT it is harder to determine if it is lens or body based.

The Sony 1.8 is a good lightweight lens but the sharpness and bokeh are markedly improved by the Sigma. This lens adds a welcome HSM motor over the Sony 1.4 as well as moderately better optics. The Sigma 30mm for Sony lacks HSM (why?!?) and is APS-C only so has more distortion and vignetting than this 50mm but has a better focal length for indoor shooting.

However, this lens is expensive, large, and heavy! On my SLT-A33 the lens is taller than the camera so when I set it down the lens filter ring acts as the front foot. It is also as heavy as a moderate size zoom due to all the glass.

Thankfully my copy of this lens does not have any apparent front/back focus issue. However it is advised to check any Sigma lens for this very common (to them) problem. I do note that the lens color does have a slight shift compared to Sony and Minolta lenses but I don't have any problem with that. It also appears a bit darker in the viewfinder possibly due to the additional glass and thus lower light transmission. The biggest negative to me is that the lens appears to have more difficulty with AF on dark or very low contrast subjects than I would have expected.

Overall I am very pleased with this lens and it is the one that spends the most time on my camera. This top of the line 50mm prime combined with Sony's in-body image stabilization is the one for competitor's to beat at this standard focal length.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: halrui   review date: December-14-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50mm 1.4, Minolta 50mm 1.7, Sony DT 50mm 1.8

price paid:

270 USD (Used)

positive:

Super Sharp
Lightning fast and quiet AF
Military Built quality
Weight balances the A700 well

negative:

Price when new more expensive than the OEM lens
Weight not useful for all Alpha range

comment:

I had the DT 50 1.8 and though it was a very good lens in optic quality. i wanted something faster and solid built for my A700. I purchased this lens in mint condition used for a great price. A lot of glass with the lens and it also comes with a nice bag.

Well all i can say is that i cannot part with it now. Its a super fast prime and great for indoors. Very sharp on all stops. The bokeh is the best i have ever seen.The HSM motor is silent. This lens looks very professional on a A700 body n also the Full Frame cameras. This lens along with my SAL18-200 & DT 30 macro is all i need right now.

Edit- Mines a 2009 copy and am using it now with my new A77. Works perfectly without any errors. No software updates or rechip done

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: Eric Todd   review date: November-09-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

minolta 1.7

positive:

sharp wide open at 1.4
solid build
quiet fast AF

negative:

maybe price, but you pay for sharp 1.4-2.8

comment:

This one was everything I wanted. It is sharp right from 1.4 and only gets better stopped down. Focus is quiet and accurate. Nothing bad about this lens, maybe the Sigma colors compared to Minolta/Sony.

I would buy again.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: Pedorstroika   review date: July-11-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

379 euro

positive:

Build
weight
sharpness
f1.4

negative:

only goes to f16

comment:

Bought this lens about one month ago. It isn't dissapointing at all. I had to choose between the sony 1.4 and this sigma. I chose this one, mainly because of the high build quality and the big lens opening.
Never tried the sony, did play around a bit with the minolta 1.7 tho.
In indoor without flash this lens performs great!
Even with relative low iso (200-400) it does very well, it should, because at iso 800 my a300 is quite bad imho.
I haven't regretted buying this lens and I think I never will.

sharpness: 5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Brokenman808   review date: June-24-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta AF 50mm 1.7
Minolta AF 50mm 1.4

price paid:

traded

positive:

Amazing sharpness, Quick and silent AF, great build

negative:

not totally sold on Sigma color but im nitpicking

comment:

Wow, I had a mega trade and this little beauty landed in my lap with a Zeiss 135mm 1.8. Simply an amazing lens with tack sharpness and quiet lightning AF. It's built like a tank and works nicely to offset the weight of my A700 with VG. I loved my Minolta but this little darling has quickly filled the position. As a whole, I don't care for Sigma colors but I can overlook that minor detail due to the outstanding performance of this lens. Really, I'm just nitpicking at this point. If your thinking about it, get it.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: spmcfarland   review date: April-26-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 50mm F/1.7 RS

price paid:

450 USD (new)

positive:

Sharp at F/1.4
Incredibly Sharp at F/2.8

negative:

Huge
Heavy
Only stops to F/16
Minor Flare Problems

comment:

This is a great lens for low-light situations. At F/1.4, images are crisp, clear and very, very usable. At F/2.8 it gets even better.

It only stops down to F/16, which isn't a problem most of the time, but it would be nice to have that flexibility.

The HSM is quick and responsive. The focus ring is well-placed and wide, making it very easy to fine-tune focus.

This lens is built like a tank, and weighs about the same. It's much heavier than other, larger lenses (Sigma 15-30mm, for example).

Even with the lens hood, I've had issues with flare, probably because of the huge front element. It's not terrible, but stray light (street lights, neon signs, etc.) can cause distracting flare.

EDIT (10-21-2010):
I've now had a chance to use this on the A850. At F/1.4, the sharpness in the corners suffers noticeably. But at F/2.8, it's as close to flawless as I've ever seen. Also, after using it for several months, I can say that the weight isn't so much of an issue. It actually balances the camera very well, and is a delight to work with.

sharpness: 4 

color: 4 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: palmerop   review date: April-15-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50mm f/1.4

price paid:

450 USD (new)

positive:

Good resolution, good focusing speed. It's easier to use at full aperture than my Sony 50mm f/1.4

negative:

comment:

Good resolution, good focusing speed (and silent focusing). Build quality is good enough even if it does not compare with my Sony lenses (even the 50mm f/1.4 feels more solid to me). I find it easier to focus accurately at full aperture than the Sony 50 mm f/1.4. Cannot comment on flare control really but I never noticed any in my pics taken with this lens.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: hooni   review date: April-06-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 28-135
Sigma 70 2.8
Sigma 70-200 II HSM
Minolta 28/2
CZ 16-35 2.8

price paid:

$495 USD (new)

positive:

Great wide open
Beautiful bokeh
HSM
Build!

negative:

Nothing IMHO.
Price is fine for what you get!

comment:

This lense is awesome. It has the second best bokeh I have experienced so far behind the CZ 135. The weight, IMO, is a plus as it adds a since of balance I enjoy on my 850. The HSM on my copy is very fast and accurate. I got a very sharp copy right out of the box. This was confirmed by a second Dyxum member after I let him borrow it for a bit. :)
For the price, I truly feel like I have similar quality to CZ or G rated glass when using this lense. I only hope the new Sigma 85 1.4 brings the same to the table.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: vinograddik   review date: April-02-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

minolta 50/2.8 macro
minolta 50/1.7

price paid:

500 USD

positive:

work at open aperture
sharp
bokeh mmmmmm ^)

negative:

big

comment:

super lens! its real Sigma lux!

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: dominik   review date: March-29-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

sony/minolta 50/1.4, minolta 50/1.7

price paid:

about $500

positive:

great BOKEH, good build quality, great sharpness at f/1.4

negative:

HSM much slower than SSM, but quite and precise, not as sharp as sony/minolta 50/1.4 at f/5.6,
much bigger

comment:

It's worth to change sony/minolta 50/1.4 to this lens. Exceptional bokeh, great at f/1.4 and HSM much better (but slower) than sony and minolta equivalent

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: ihlbcn   review date: March-12-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

35G
50 f1.4

positive:

Bokeh.
Sharpness.
Color.

negative:

Size.

comment:

I tested recently this lens on a A900 and it's really amazing, bokeh is just superb, focus speed is ok, not as evil but not slow, in any case it's absolutely quiet. The lens is big, really big, it suits fine on a A900 but it's too big for a A200. The build is good, it's not a G but it's good, sharpness is also good, specially wide open, no disturbing distortion at all and no flare at all.

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: tobyjay   review date: March-09-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 35/1.4G
Sony 50/1.4
Minolta 50/3.5 Macro
CZ 85/1.4

price paid:

L360

positive:

High contrast wide open
Edge and corner sharpness on FF
HSM
Excellent at distance
Focus shift less of a problem than other Planars
Very little vignetting
handles flare well for a bright lens
Bokeh is unbeatable

negative:

Autofocus is not 100% accurate
High contrast - can blow out highlight detail
Bit of CA at wide open - usually a green fringe

comment:

I didn't like my first copy on A700, on crop the combo didn't have the resolution to give nice sharp pics. So I stayed with 35/1.4G which is sharper.
Now that I have switched from A700 to A900, I sold the 35G and bought the Sigma again. The high resolution of the A900 makes the best of the Sigma, which is never going to be crazy sharp at any aperture.
The colours are surprisingly good for a Sigma lens, warmer than Sony 50/1.4, a bit less saturated than classic Minolta (e.g the 50/3.5). Contrast and colour and sharpness are not quite at the CZ85 level but I prefer this focal length. On reflection I think that even the old Sony Minolta 50/1.4 is sharper than this Sigma, especially in the centre, but the focus shift problem of old standard lenses has always vexed me, and I don't like the lack of contrast, flare problems and AF at distance on the old Sony standard.
Build is Good. It is satisfying to use, but you have to keep an eye on highlights, and check AF is working. The lens cap materials are nasty but the zip case and hood are good.
Would I recommend it? Not on A700. The sharper 35 and 85 primes deliver higher resolution. But on the A900 this lens comes into its own, it is the right size for a full frame camera and causes me very few problems. Also the colour cast I saw on A700 has gone away now.

For low light it is totally usable wide open. For portraits at any distance it is Excellent. For total sharpness or for closeups with good control of contrast I switch to the Minolta 50/3.5 Macro when necessary.
This is my favourite lens for low light portraits with amazingly smooth bokeh - possibly the best of any 50mm lens ever - and a flattering balance of sharpness and softness.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 4 

user: Petronix   review date: February-27-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 50mm f1.4
Tamron 28-75 f2.8

price paid:

368 €

positive:

-Sharp
-Good in low light situations
-HSM on Sony ;-P
-Great lens and feel pretty in the hand...

negative:

Ok from f2..
Big filter(s) needed 77mm
Problem in combination with HVL-F58 AM

comment:

From all the 50mm's f1.4 the biggest in outside dimensions
....filter size = 77 mm
But feels good on the body, in combination with the support hand ;-)
Nice from f2....
This lens has a little bit frontfocus but the same as the Tamron 28-75mm 2.8 ...and just in the limited zone..
Lovely DOF by the 9 aperture blades....
Its stay mostly on my A700 body!!
Update 3/2010 Problem in combination with HVL-F58 AM = overexposure of +/- 2 stops.....without flash it's not that much...

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: carlosdivega   review date: February-10-10  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 50mm 1.7
Sigma 28-70 2.8 EX DG
Tamron 17-50 2.8 XR Di II

price paid:

Euro 389 (new)

positive:

very sharp
good bokeh
HSM
fast AF
full frame
small aperature / low light

negative:

size
filter diameter 77
price
weight

comment:

I bought this marvelous lens for available/low light photography. On the A700 she is a light tele lens (ca. 70mm). Very usable as portrait lens. Stopped to f/2 and this lens produces very sharp pics. In the range between f/1.4 and f/1.7 the pics are sharp. I like the AF/MF switch on the lens.

In comparison the Minolta 50mm 1.7 produces much softer pics. Also the AF speed is slower on the Minolta 50mm 1.7. And it makes much more noise (no internal AF motor).

If you in need of a fast (F1.4 & HSM) and quiet lense at this focal length the Sigma 50 F1.4 EX DG HSM should be on top of the short list.

The Sigma is not my first lens with a filter diameter of 77. So this was not a problem for me. I have big hands, so i like the size. But i can imagine that for some people the Sigma 50 F1.4 EX DG HSM is to big. You are getting a lot of glass with this Sigma.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Haz   review date: November-25-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 18-70mm Kit

price paid:

L369 (new)

positive:

-Fairly sharp at f1.4, awesome at f2
-Excellent in low light
-Size/Weight
-Bokeh
-Fast & virtually silent AF

negative:

-Expensive

comment:

Think I'll have to consign my kit lens to the bottom of my camera bag now I've got this baby! I was torn between this lens and the Sony 50/1.4, and I'm glad I picked this.

The bokeh is fantastic! Performs very well in low light too, as you'd expect of course. Occasionally it briefly hunts for a focus lock on difficult subjects, but what 50mm doesn't?! Mostly the focus is very fast, fairly accurate and silent.

Some may not like the size and weight, but I like it, it gives it a feel of quality and longevity.

The only downside really is the price - approaching L400 for a 50mm sounds a bit steep to me.

Overall, an excellent lens, and one I'm gonna get an awful lot of use out of!

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 4 

user: zoidberg   review date: November-13-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50/1.4
Minolta 50/1.7

price paid:

390 EUR (new)

positive:

Bokeh
Sharpness
Silent focusing

negative:

Huge

comment:

A fantastic lens that is an absolute joy to use. It rarely leaves my A850.

Optically, it is a killer. Very sharp even towards the edges of the frame, but more importantly, it produces the best bokeh I've ever seen from a 50. The only bad thing I can say about the optics is that it can flare under very predictable circumstances, as with all other 50s, but the flares are reasonably benign and don't wash out the entire image.

Focusing is nearly (but not completely) silent thanks to the ring-type HSM, and it allows for full-time direct manual focus. It has a wide and well-dampened focussing ring that is very comfortable to use.

The build quality is just as excellent as with all other Sigma EX lenses, with some kind of composite barrel and a large petal-shaped hood that (unfortunately) takes up a bit too much space in the camera bag. The whole lens is huge compared to the alternatives, but very well-balanced on larger bodies such as the A850.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: boyanphotography   review date: October-31-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Canon 50mm F1.8, Sony 11-18, Minolta 28-80

price paid:

€370 (new)

positive:

-Pleasure to hold (size!)
-Silent and fast focus
-Focus override
-Catches LOTS and LOTS of light! (sometimes overexposes outside with ISO100 & 1/8000 sec!)
-ultra-sharp
-Very soft bokeh
-77mm filter (size of my filters)

negative:

comment:

This lens is brilliant!
It's delivers everything you'd expect from a lens.
Don't worry about the fact it's a fixed focal length lens, you'll get used to it, and you'll prefer it above zooms!

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: christophorosp   review date: October-28-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sigma 24-70mm EX DG
Sony 18-70mm DT
Minolta 70-210mm f/4
Minolta 35-70mm f/4

price paid:

367 GBP (new)

positive:

- Sharp (even at f/1.4)
- Build quality is great
- Silent focusing (thank you HSM)

negative:

- More expensive than other similar lenses
- 77mm filters

comment:

This lens is absolutely amazing. I've only had it for a few days and im already loving it.
It is sharp even when its wide open, it focuses silently thanks to the HSM and produces some great creamy bokeh.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: andrewlamwc   review date: October-21-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

price paid:

428 USD (new)

positive:

- Shape at wide open
- Silent and fast focusing (HSM)
- Great bokeh
- Circular aperture

negative:

- Weight

comment:

It's my first fixed focal lens.
Considered whether own a Sony 50 1.4 or this lens.
It astounds me on it's outperforming in great shapeness and creamy boken although lens is relatively weighty.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Combatmedic870   review date: September-29-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

KM 50mm 1.7
Sigma 24-70,70-200 2.8 ex dg HSM's

price paid:

$449USD

positive:

Sharp wide open!
Weight
Silent HSM!

negative:

77mm filters

comment:

This lens just astounds me! I dont really know what else to say about it. Ive had some time to go around and shoot with it. I do not hesitate to shoot at 1.4. But the subject needs to be a good distance away of coarse(very thin DOF). This is my "go to lens" for portraiture(F2-3.5). I used to use my Super multi coated Takumar 50mm 1.4...yea...it has been replace by this lens. Its big...But....I just really dont know what else to say... have no negatives besides the filter size. But I guess if I buy an ND filter for it, I can use it on my 70-200 as well. Its build is great. Its just a great peice of glass. The price Is a little steep. But I think its worth the price! I will find many uses for this lens that i have never had before!
Compared to my 24-70 at 50mm...By F4 the extreme corners become sharper then the 50mm. But I dont think I will ever even use this lens above F4 ever. I bought this for the F1.4-3.5. So it really doesnt bother me at all. The center on the 50mm is sharper then the 24-70 at 50mm at all apertures.
If you read a review about this lens. Then you know exactly what your getting. A GREAT low light/portraiture lens!


I really dont even want to put that I compared it to the KM 50mm 1.7. I compare 2 shots and...after that there was no other need. Not that the KM isnt a good lens. For $100 I guess its good. Its good for beginners that want to experiment with DOF. Beyond that...yea.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 4 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: youpii   review date: August-29-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

28/2
35/2
85/1.4ZA

price paid:

$500 (new)

positive:

Very sharp wide open
AF Fast & accurate
Very good flare resistance

negative:

Large & heavy
MDF could be shorter

comment:

Very sharp wide open, excellent for low light photography.
HSM is fast and silent.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 2 

distortion: 4 

flare control: 5 

user: Shade   review date: August-26-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 50/1.4.
Minolta 50/1.4.
Minolta 50/1.7.

price paid:

500 USD (new)

positive:

Great bokeh, compared to other 50s.
Quite sharp.
A new design (not just an improved one).
Silent focusing.
Focusing is pretty fast and accurate.
Internal focus.

negative:

My AF stops working when I shoot in the hot open sun (maybe a defect on mine?). It's back to normal after a while in room temperature though. And it's not THAT hot.
Heavy.
I hate the finish on the lens, rubbery material that wears off after a while. It peels off actually.

comment:

Its a nice third party lens, great price, great results.

The only thing I hate was when I was in Singapore, at around 13pm, the lens stopped working because it decided it was too hot. The lens when touched was hot, but the heat didn't kill me, because I wasn't wearing caps or anything at all. I think the heat was still normal, albeit it was hot. Maybe it's just my lens?

It went back to normal after a moments rest in the shade though, but then again, I don't expect my lens to stop working just because of heat no? How do people take pictures in the middle of Sahara anyway?

The bokeh is probably the nicest I've seen, very smooth and even.

I love the 77mm thread, but it's heavy.

Would I recommend it? Maybe, but I almost decided not to buy it just because of the body material. I hate it when it peels off. But for quality wise, in it's price class, and it's range, I think it's a very nice lens.

Kudos for Sigma in making a brand new design for a 50mm standard.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: PLLD69   review date: July-18-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 35 F2
Tamron 28-75 F2.8
Tamron 17-50 F2.8
Minolta 24-105

price paid:

L295

positive:

Size/weight/chunky feel
Compatible with 77mm filters
Image quality
Speed - 1.4
Focus
Bokeh

negative:

Price a little steep
Not yet available in UK in 'A' mount

comment:

Lovely to be reintroduced to the joys of a 1.4 lens after a long gap since my Canon A1 days. Superb lens unless you are one of the brigade who seem to think 500g is a heavy lens. Lovely all round, as sharp as the legendary 35mm F2 and a great ever so slightly warm look to the colours. Bokeh is creamier than a pint of Boddingtons.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: eightballrj   review date: July-11-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron 17-50
Sigma 105mm

positive:

The bokeh is fantastic!
Focus is nearly silent.
Sharpness is great at F2
Larger 50mm F1.4

negative:

Focus gets stuck every now and then.
Larger 50mm F1.4

comment:

I can't say how much I enjoy this lens. I have taken it on a street walk or two in New Orleans, used it at a wedding, and have taken it to the aquarium. It impressed me in every since application that I used it in. The bokeh is delicious! I would buy this lens again for sure if I had to do it again!

sharpness: 4 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: 05_GD7   review date: May-15-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

- Minolta 50mm f1.7/1.4
- Sony 50mm f1.4

price paid:

450 USD

positive:

- build quality
- focus speed and accuracy
- size (I'm a fan of bulk)
- IQ wide open

negative:

- slight purple fringing wide open, but only visible on unrealistic zooms or crops (only pixel peepers will notice)
- only goes to f16
- EXIF thinks its a Tamron lens

comment:

The build quality of this lens is amazing. Its solid solid solid. It also has a "felt" type surface to it, instead of metal or plastic. It is very pleasing to handle.

I love the size. I always felt my Minolta 50mm f1.7 was dwarfed by my gripped A350, but the bulky size of the Sigma is perfect. Love it!!!
The HSM is quiet, fast, and accurate. Louder than my CZ2470 or 70200G, but much quieter than the body screw drive.

The only downside I can see is the smallest aperture is f16.

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: JasperD   review date: April-25-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 35-105 / 3.5-4.5
Minolta 28-85 / 4-5.6
Sony 18-70 / 3.5-5.6
Sigma 20-40 / 2.8 EX DG Asp

price paid:

675 CHF

positive:

Beautiful bokeh, sharp, bright, silent
HSM!!!
Caps, pouch and hood all included

negative:

More costly filters (77mm)
Small white alignment spot instead of bright unmissable orange dot. Some weird decision imo...

comment:

I was waiting for this new lens to be available in Switzerland before buying my next camera. It´s finally (also) here. Comparison with my old Minolta 50/1.4 might be too subjective - it broke beyond repair years ago - as relying on memory and old film positives, but I expect this one to be the standard lens on my α900, just as the minolta 50 was on the 7000i and 700Si. On α100, I carried the Sigma 20-40 as standard mount, a lovely zoom on APS-C, but this one clearly outperforms it at almost the same maximum focal distance. Not to mention the difference in weight, can do with some compensation for that of the flagship.

Compare it with the three kitlenses mentioned above? Oh, well, I´ve put them there because their range covers this 50mm prime, but that´s where it stops. I never used either very long.

On the α100 it will behave like a nice short tele (portrait!), and made me discover the SSM feature of that camera. Never knew that - just finished reading the specs again, could not find it, must be hugely overlooking - thought it came with the last top models... A shame as we could have had ultrasonic lenses much earlier then; especially thinking of the ZA 85 / 1.4 and ZA 135/1.8 here, no to mention Sigma´s efforts!

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: hema   review date: April-25-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta AF 50mm 1.4
Minolta AF 50mm 1.7

price paid:

400 USD (new)

positive:

Very sharp
great colors
very fast and silent autofocus
looks really good ;-)

negative:

for me: nothing!

comment:

I have this lens for my A350 purchased and was surprised that they are sharper and faster than the Minolta is.
With the new A900 are also the slight distortion disappeared.
The Sigma is next to the Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T * 24-70 F2.8 ZA SSM my favorite lens.
Sorry for my bad English. Normally, I speak German

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: SerdarA   review date: April-12-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Sony 85mm f/1.4
Tamron 180mm f/3.5 Macro
Sony 70-400mm f/4-5.6

price paid:

400 USD (new)

positive:

- Nice bokeh
- HSM
- 4 year warranty

negative:

comment:

The 50mm f/1.4 used to be my primary lens on APS-C for portraits and I reached out for this lens intead of the 85mm f/1.4. With the FF, it lost this status and became more of a "for everything else" lens (see the "compared to section" to understand what I mean). If I was going on a vacation, this would be the only lens I take with me.

sharpness: 4.5 

color: 4 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: TTaponen   review date: February-27-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Tamron 90/2.8 macro

price paid:

360 eur (new)

positive:

feels great
fast focusing
manual focus override
not totally silent (nice to hear what's happening)

negative:

Sharpness not what I expected

comment:

This is a fastest lens I own. Everything seems to be ok with it. I was bit disappointed when I compared it with my sharpest lens Tamron 90/2.8, contrast and sharpness are not in same level with Sigma (even stopping down to 2.8), different class though. HSM feels great while it isn't totally silent you can get hold on what af is doing, it's still silent enough to be unnoticed. Seems to be quite tolerable to flare. I have to still take it into action to see real capability.

UPDATE: A700 seems to be in trouble focusing this beast. I think that this is something to do with contrast detection. I have to check focus and not trust focus confirmation blink. So no action shots, bummer. Still I must check if af-priority mode can make it better.

Bokeh seems to be very creamy at 1.4, maybe too much but I can live with it ;-)

sharpness: 5 

color: 5 

build: 5 

distortion: 5 

flare control: 5 

user: Ace   review date: February-10-09  

tested on film camera:

tested on APS-C:6MP; 10MP; 12MP; 14MP:; 16MP:; 24MP:

tested on full frame:24MP

compared to:

Minolta 50mm/1.4

price paid:

440 USD New

positive:

Great Build
HSM is very accurate and quiet
Very sharp wide open
Bokeh!

negative:

Not that it bothers me, but its pretty big.
77mm filter fits great with my lineup.

comment:

Very impressed with this lens. Bokeh is very smooth and creamy, and this lens is more than usable wide open.
The HSM is quick and silent. Not as fast as the CZ 24-70, but just as accurate when tracking.
I'm going to get a lot of use out of this lens.