SLRLounge Official 50mm f/1.4 Sigma Art Lens Review
We’ve been using the new Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art Lens for some time now, and if you’re looking for a professional 50mm lens, this may be the lens for you. If you already own a professional grade 50mm lens there are some good reasons why you should or shouldn’t sell your lens to buy this one. Watch the video or read the article below to see our complete review!
50mm f/1.4 Sigma Art Review | Gear Talk Episode 2
Performance: Great For Photos, Not So Great For Video
The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 lens is incredibly sharp, has nice bokeh, and overall, has good contrast and saturation. For photos, it’s a solid 5 out of 5 stars, but for video, it’s a different story. This lens has an immense amount of focus breathing, where you see the composition change depending on the area that’s in focus, and you can see an example of that in the video above (at the 6 minute mark).
If you’re planning on shooting videos with this lens, that’s something to keep in mind. Another area that was sub par was the focus throw. The focus throw is very short and that makes it difficult to hit critical focus, especially when shooting at wide apertures. For video performance, we’re giving this lens 3 out of 5 stars.
Features: Look Closer
This is pretty much your standard 50mm lens, but it does have one feature that stands out, the minimum focusing distance (MFD). The MFD on the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art lens is 15.7 inches, the Canon 50mm f/1.2 is 18 inches. Having that extra 2.3 inches opens up new composition opportunities, can give you better bokeh, and makes this lens more versatile when shooting. For features, we give this lens 4 out of 5 stars.
Design: Feels as Good as it Looks
When you first pick up the Sigma 50mm f/1.4, you know you’re holding a quality piece of glass. The lens has a nice matte finish, the construction is mostly metal and feels smooth, and overall it’s a solid lens. The one area that most people complain about is the weight. It weights nearly 2 lbs (1.8 to be exact) and you’ll definitely notice it if this is your first professional prime lens. We love the design and we’re giving the Sigma 50mm 5 out of 5 stars.
Quality and Value
We have nothing bad to say about the quality of this lens. From the image quality to the construction of the lens, everything is top notch. We have no choice but to give this lens a 5 out of 5 stars. It’s surprising how well built this lens is, especially when you consider the price. This lens comes in at just under $1,000.00 (US Dollars). For that price, you’re getting a lens that competes with other lenses that cost $1500 – $2000. You are getting an incredible value and with that being said we’re giving it a 5 out of 5 stars in quality and value.
Overall
This lens gets a 4.8 out of 5 stars for photo and 4.4 out of 5 stars for video. It’s an all around all-star caliber lens that will leave no one disappointed in their purchase.
We hope you enjoyed this Gear Talk and Review. Be sure to subscribe to our youtube channel to get all the updates!
If you want more Sigma 50mm f/1.4 goodness be sure to check out:
Head 2 Head Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art VS Canon 50mm f/1.2 L
Head 2 Head Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art VS Sigma 50mm f/1.4
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