Sigma 50mm 1.4 or Canon 50mm 1.4

Anita Mokashi

Hi Guys,

I want to buy a prime lens and I am confused between Sigma 50mm 1.4 and Canon 50mm 1.4. I have heard about auto focus issues with Sigma 50mm but overall it has got good reviews. Need your help in my decision.

Thanks in Advance!

Anita

ziggy53

If this is a new purchase just make sure that you purchase from a company with easy return privileges in case the lens does not work for your needs.

I don't have experience with the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM but I do own the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. AF is reasonably quick and accurate. AF uses a micromotor-USM AF motor so it's not as fast as a ring-USM motor, but it can still keep up with most subjects.

Be aware that the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM exhibits "halation" at maximum aperture. (Halation is a type of "blooming" around very bright subjects and commonly caused by either insufficient/improper internal element coatings and/or improper internal baffles.) While I do see the halation occasionally at maximum aperture, it hasn't caused any serious grief in common subject matter and typical scenes. It rapidly goes away as you stop down the lens.

I regard the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM as a very good value and I have no plans to replace mine anytime soon.

http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=947583&postcount=8

http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=623248&postcount=5

Matthew Saville

The Canon 50 1.4 is kind of a dog, compared to the Sigma. You simply cannot use it at f/1.4 unless you're willing to put up with the significant blooming / halo effect which Ziggy mentioned. Everybody I know who owns the Canon 50 1.4 pretty much always uses it at f/2 or f/2.2, at which point IMO you might as well get the 40mm f/2.8 pancake if you're trying to save weight compared to a 2.8 zoom, or of course just get a 2.8 zoom. The whole point of having a prime, IMO, is being able to shoot it wide open.

All you have to do with the Sigma 50 is test it out right away when you get it and see if it needs any focus calibration. I've personally shot with multiple copies of this lens and they've all been great performers. The complaints about focus issues are usually from people who get a lemon with slight front focus or back focus, but honestly even that isn't a huge deal these days with AF microadjustment. In fact most Canon lenses wind up needing a bit of AF MA anyways.

Ironically, the Canon 50 1.4 has plenty of its own focus issues, due to the crappy type of USM that they employ. Simply put, it is prone to breaking under regular "abuse", whereas the Sigma 50 1.4 is built almost more like the Canon 50 L lol.

jmphotocraft

Buy both from a store with a good return policy. Return the one you like less. This should be easy??

I find my Canon 50/1.4 to be quite usable and sharp at f/1.4, but only with the center AF point. Actually I only shoot this lens with the center AF point because AF happens with the lens wide open. At f/2.0 it is very sharp and it has better color and contrast than my Canon 24-70/2.8L. Even if you shoot it at f/2.0 most of the time that is still twice as fast as the 40/2.8, and the AF is much better than the 50/1.8.

Brett1000

jmphotocraft wrote: »

Buy both from a store with a good return policy. Return the one you like less. This should be easy??

I find my Canon 50/1.4 to be quite usable and sharp at f/1.4, but only with the center AF point. Actually I only shoot this lens with the center AF point because AF happens with the lens wide open. At f/2.0 it is very sharp and it has better color and contrast than my Canon 24-70/2.8L. Even if you shoot it at f/2.0 most of the time that is still twice as fast as the 40/2.8, and the AF is much better than the 50/1.8.

that could be a strategy. I've used the 50mm 1.4 and liked the results, never used the Sigma but it gets good reviews