Three lenses from SIGMA Art series. Sigma Lenses for Canon Sigma Art Lenses

Judging by the views of reviews about photographic equipment and the development of photography in modern world, more and more people acquire good cameras and interchangeable optics for them.

And it is not surprising that the technique has become more accessible, now the process of producing photographs is much simpler.

The Internet has made people more sociable, it has become easier to self-study skills, and social networks require beautiful pictures... The number of photographers is growing, which, although not always, is still good!

And Hayrek, like other social networks, also requires beautiful juicy pictures from users. And a good picture will not work on an old shabby phone, everyone understands that. So people buy first SLR cameras, and then (when they are disappointed in the picture of a whale lens) and fast interchangeable optics.

I'll start with the basics and tell you how lenses differ. How to read by letters and numbers what kind of lens is in front of you. Why "kegs" similar in appearance can differ in price by ten times.

For the advanced, you can skip this section and go straight to my photo-brags and feedback on Sigma 35mm / 1.4art.

Interchangeable optics in order to be able to adapt to different conditions work and the desired result. By type, lenses are divided into 2 groups: fixes and zooms ... With the help of zooms, you can change the distance to the subject (zoom in / out images). Fixes - the distance to the subject can only be changed with your feet Fixes are simpler in design than zooms, therefore, as a rule, they have a higher aperture ratio and, with relatively equal characteristics, are cheaper.

Consider separation of lenses by focal length (ie how much the lens "brings" the subject): telephoto (from 200 mm)- the very thing is to shoot birds high in the sky and bears in the forest, portrait photographers (85-200mm), wide-angle (20-50mm), ultra-wide-angle (up to 17mm)* - with the help of them a lot of space gets into the frame at close range.

* The values ​​I wrote are approximate, so I beg you not to poke your nose in articles where other numbers are indicated

Further, lenses differ in aperture. Lenses have apertures that are covered / opened by the petals. The wider the lens is able to open the petals, the more light it can let into the matrix and, thus, the greater aperture it has. But! You need to know that the luminosity is indicated in inverse proportion. The higher the aperture, the lower this parameter.

For example, a common kit lens for a Canon crop-sensor DSLR is a zoom EF-S 18-55 mm f / 3.5-5.6 II

where EF (autofocus) -S (for crop sensors). This lens is not suitable for full frame cameras. But if the marking is just EF, the lens is suitable for both full frame and crop.

f / 3.5-5.6 is the aperture ratio. denoted by the letter "f" and / or "/". Because the lens is a zoom, then its aperture value is determined at the near (18mm = f3.5) and far (55mm = f5.6) ends (focal length). There are zooms that have the same aperture at any of the focal lengths possible for it. as a rule, they are faster and more expensive.

Aperture ratio is a very important and interesting parameter. First, he determines the depth of field... For ordinary people, this is the blurring of the background and objects in front of or behind the focus area. The higher the aperture, the wider the aperture is open, the narrower this focus area and the larger blurs the surrounding background (boke effect)... Besides, blur also depends on the focal length. The longer the focal length, the more the background is blurred. (for example, a zoom of 18-135mm f3.5-5.6, at an aperture of 5.6, will blur the background more when focusing at a distance of 135mm than if you approach a subject and photograph it at a distance of 18mm at the same aperture value)

It also depends on the aperture in how dark conditions you can get decent pictures. The better the aperture (the lower the number after the letter f), the better for rooms with insufficient light.

Let's move from boring theory to practice and the object of the review:

So, I have a Sigma 35mm / f1.4 Art lens with a connector for Canon cameras.

This is a fast (f1.4) wide-angle prime (fixed focal length) 35mm.

With a beautiful pattern, good focusing, fast autofocus. In some respects, this lens even surpasses the native Canon EF 35mm / 1.4L premium Canon lens, and in terms of cost it is a third more pleasant.

I got it in a store in 2013. Moreover, this is the only lens that I took from the store, the rest were bought by me. I use it on a Canon 6D body. This is a full frame camera (I'm an advanced hobbyist ^ - ^)

Pros of the lens:

+ beautiful blur background(Boke effect). I always shoot with an open aperture, I press the maximum to 3.5.

He is irreplaceable when shooting indoors because of its wide angle.

Besides, minimum focusing distance - from 30 cm(but as for me, it focuses well on the subject from a distance of 40cm).

+ aperture f1.4! With a full-frame sensor and a practically open aperture, I have long forgotten about the need for additional lighting and flashes. This is very convenient because I dislike pulsed freeze lights and prefer permanent light sources.

Same way I can praise the lens for:

+ speed

+ focusing accuracy in backlighting and poor lighting. He copes with this more accurately and faster than the native Kenon fixes.

+ relatively minor chromatic aberrations(HA) at open aperture values. And, as you know, CA is an inevitable scourge of high-aperture optics.

If I take pictures for reviews on the camera, not on the phone, then I am using this particular lens. It is convenient for them to remove the item. Honestly, I don't know much about subject photography, I'm a portrait painter and not a subject, so a successful shot is more a merit of technique, and not my well-thought-out schemes. I often look at the reviews of experienced critics with their photos on whale crop cameras and I envy (kindly!). But there is neither time nor desire to seriously get carried away with the subject and train. For this reason I appreciate and respect Sigma 35 / 1.4 Art as my staff for writing reviews.

And what can be shot at close range- this is a huge plus! I can safely take pictures of Swatch on my left hand, take a selfie not through the mirror. Of course, this is also due to the full-frame matrix of the camera itself, because if the matrix is ​​cropped, then the picture comes closer, the face will no longer fit into the frame.

More on him good to shoot reportage, parties, etc.... Wide angle lens gives the picture an atmosphere of dynamics, in contrast to portrait and telephoto lenses.

But I don't like single portraits with this lens also because of the geometry at 35mm and personal preferences in the picture. On the crop, I think it will be better for portraits.

In general, I noticed that photographers still prefer to work each at their priority focal length. I now have only high-aperture fixes: Kenon 50 / 1.4 and 85 1.2L and Sigma 35 / 1.4. The priority and favorite I have, and probably will remain the Canon EF 85 1.2L II USM. I always put on Sigma when necessary, when it is too close or slow with the 85.

If my favorite Canon EF 85 1.2L can be called a dream, then the Sigma 35mm / f1.4 Art is a legend!

Now let's talk about the cons and why did I put four stars on such a beautiful lens.

Basically, the disadvantages are relative and for the advantages that the lens has, they are very forgivable.

1.Before the purchase copy definitely need to test... it doesn't matter if you buy the lens from your hands or in a store. Instances differ from each other: some autofocus will have a complete disappointment with autofocus, others are accurate and have a ringing sharpness even at a fully open aperture. it all depends on the specific carcass-lens connection. Several times I came across reviews that the lens disappointed right after the purchase. This is apparently the same case. And this point applies to any lens.

2. quite heavy and large: dimensions 77x94 mm and its weight 660g. add this to the weight of the camera itself and the battery - more than a kilogram will turn out. you can't wear it on a neck strap, not every case will fit

3. So I came close to my problem. AFTER 2.5 YEARS OPERATING AUTOFOCUS CRAZY! Once I put it on and after the shooting came to be at a loss. Front focus appeared out of the blue... Adjusting the camera to the lens did not solve the problem. The focus is confirmed, but the result is 70% of the front. Moreover, strangely enough, at an open aperture of 1.4-1.8, it sometimes hits the target, and if you squeeze it a little more - and generally a complete marriage. But this did not apply to focusing objects at a distance of up to 1.5m, which is also strange. A special docking station for self-aligning the lens, purchased in order to remedy the situation, did not fully solve the problem. The lens was reflashed, it seems to focus, but not so tenacious and accurate AF.

only later, after such a nuisance, I learned that Sigma often suffer from such a problem and it is not completely cured.

4. The main disadvantage. Service maintenance. Generally sadness. It is definitely not beyond the Urals. And there are only a few cities across the territory of our vast country, where you can hand over a lens (along with a carcass!) Under warranty to a reception point for transporting equipment to the Moscow SC and its diagnostics.

I live in Krasnoyarsk. Large region, regional center. But service center We don't have a sigma or even a reception point. The closest one seems to be in Tomsk. Yes, even if I did, I’m not ready to give my equipment for an indefinite time (with a receipt!) To wander around Russia. And if you consider that on the page of the official. In the VKontakte group SC Sigma there are reviews that diagnostics and adjustment did not help to solve the problem at all, and even more so I will not give it up.

5. Colors. In general, the chromaticity provided by the lens is not bad. But in comparison with the line, the Kenon is different. It turns yellow or something ... It's not stressful, but if you shoot with several fixes, and then process the whole series in Lightroom, then plugins and filters that fit for optics Kenon, do not go for Sigma... People who spend many hours in post-production will understand. Not very convenient, but not critical.

It seems that these are all disadvantages. Geometry and vignetting are not minuses. These are, rather, the natural features of the lens. I like the bokeshka on it.

Canon 50mm 1.8 STM - I did not use it myself, but according to numerous reviews it is a very decent lens, better than Canon 50f1.8USM

Canon 85f1.8 USM - I loved it on crop!

Canon 50mmf1.4 USM - I like it on crop and love it now, especially when shooting children's portraits. I'm not going to sell!

Canon 24mmf2.8 USM is quite suitable as a crop support, but after buying the Sigma 35mmf1.4 Art I sold it and do not regret it.

If you already really understand that you need a lens of a high enough level for non-space money, then of course it is worth it. Buy, but with the proviso that there is SC Sigma in your city.

Today I sometimes catch myself thinking: I regret that when choosing between Sigma and the native luxury Canon 35 / 1,4L, I chose Sigma. Having received 85 / 1.2L in my collection, I understood why people pay such money "for a red stripe and the letter L". Maybe I'm not right. But I was upset that if the lens breaks, there is no way to repair it. Therefore, I regret it. And until the service situation at Sigma changes, I will not buy anything from their brand. In the end, as always, there are more examples of photos I took with this lens.

When a few years ago Sigma released its first high-aperture "fifty-kopeck piece", many photographers gave a very unambiguous assessment of what happened: a third-party manufacturer encroached on the sacred - creative optics with an individual pattern, for which "branded" high-aperture fixtures were traditionally famous. However, it turned out that brand design is not as important to modern photographers as sharpness. Here's a new lens for her!

And optically identical fifty kopecks, issued with different mounts, began to sell like hotcakes. And if so, Sigma thought, why not set your own tone in this market segment? Why is Sigma worse than Carl Zeiss? And in 2014, the company creates its second fifty kopeck piece, now as part of the branded ART series. This series combines creative optics with outstanding performance. Today this lens - the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art - is in our edition. Let's check what he is capable of? Its cost, size and weight clearly indicate that very interesting results should be expected from this fifty kopeck piece!

I didn't just start talking about weight: 815 grams is a lot for a full-frame fix. Even the super-fast Canon EF 50mm f / 1.2L USM weighs one and a half times less. And the diameter of the filter thread for the less high-aperture Sigma is larger: 77 versus 72 mm. Apparently, Japanese engineers decided not to economize on glass and metal. The lens is assembled soundly, it looks solid, it is pleasant to hold in the hands. Only the autofocus switch and a rubber pad on the focusing ring are made of polymer materials. Everything else is blackened metal. In one word - a thing! But the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lacks moisture protection. In any case, it is not stated in the characteristics of the lens.

We put the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art on the camera. The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art is currently available with Sigma, Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony A mounts. In this test I will use a Canon EOS 6D camera. The camera has a relatively simple phase detection autofocus module, however, with a very tenacious center point. However, there are no problems when focusing on any points. The lens with the camera has not undergone additional adjustment or adjustment, and nevertheless, at all AF points, it clearly gets into sharpness even at an open aperture. There are no complaints about focusing speed either. The built-in HSM motor moves the objective lenses quite nimbly. I would say that the focusing speed is on par with the branded fifty rubles with the same aperture ratio. Some kind of yaw or idle runs back and forth does not occur even when shooting with very difficult lighting. In Live View mode, working with the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art is also no different from shooting with proprietary lenses.

If you want to focus manually, please note that the focusing ring travel is small. For a photo, this means almost nothing, but smooth refocusing during video shooting will not be as easy as, for example, with non-autofocus Carl Zeiss. The minimum focusing distance is 40 cm, which are usual for fifty dollars. This is not enough for macro photography, but you will definitely succeed in shooting flowers with a beautifully blurred background.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F1.4, 1/4000 sec

The first thing you notice when looking at the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art is the sharpness. It is high compared to branded counterparts. No, not even that: this is one of the sharpest fifty dollars on the market! Starting to shoot with it, I tried to cover the aperture a little out of habit, trying to avoid the soft effect inherent in high-aperture optics. It turned out in vain: you can safely shoot at an open aperture and get sharp pictures. Of course, aperture gives some increase in detail, but it is achieved to a greater extent by increasing the depth of field. All over the frame, the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art is relatively sharp even at open aperture. We can say that at f / 2, the sharpness across the entire field of the frame is sufficient to resolve the Canon EOS 6D sensor.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F1.4, 1/320 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F1.8, 1/200 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F2, 1/160 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F2.8, 1/80 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F4, 1/40 sec

Sharpness is perhaps the main advantage of this model. You get a reliable and predictable working tool that will provide you with high-quality images in almost any conditions. For example, I was invited to shoot several pre-holiday and festive Easter services in one of the temples near Moscow. The lens made it possible not to think about lighting at all: neither during the day, nor in the evening, nor even at night. Take a hand-held portrait at night by candlelight? Not a problem!

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L INSTALLATION: ISO 10000, F1.4, 1/160 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L INSTALLATION: ISO 200, F1.8, 1/40 sec

Backlighting also does not spoil the quality of pictures: glare and flares are not formed. You will certainly find chromatic aberration in the pictures. But their level will be extremely low for a fast fix. Moreover, it should be taken into account that this lens is not "native" for the camera, and chromatic aberrations are not suppressed by software during in-camera JPG conversion. In post-processing, you can easily reduce this already low level to almost zero.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F1.4, 1/160 sec

Vignetting is great. It is noticeable only at f / 1.4 and f / 2, and even then the level of darkening of the corners is relatively low. That, it turns out, is why such a giant diameter of the front lens was needed for a fifty-kopeck piece.

Vignetting test

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F1.4, 1/640 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F2, 1/320 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F2.8, 1/160 sec.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F4, 1/80 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F5.6, 1/40 sec.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L SETTINGS: ISO 100, F8, 1/20 sec

The only one, perhaps controversial point is the nature of the drawing of this lens. The bokeh is so regular and soft that it even gets a little boring. Yes, the highlights have an even filling, are devoid of contrasting edges, with the rarest exception. The "scale effect" or double vision in bokeh is also not visible. But there is not even that magic effect that expensive proprietary fixes-legends such as Canon EF 85mm F1.2L USM can sometimes give pictures. The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art is devoid of its own recognizable design. This is just a softly and correctly blurring background fix, which once again proves simple truth: Perfect sharpness and unique bokeh are very, very difficult to combine in one lens.

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L INSTALLATION: ISO 160, F1.4, 1/160 sec

Canon EOS 6D / Canon EF 35mm f / 1.4L INSTALLATION: ISO 160, F1.4, 1/125 sec.

conclusions

The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art is the sharpest full-frame aperture prime ever in our tests. Already at open aperture, it provides such sharpness that many of its competitors have never dreamed of. This is a true masterpiece of optics, the epitome of victory modern technologies over all possible distortions. From a technical point of view, it delivers flawless shots. Vignetting and chromatic aberration are kept to an absolute minimum. The only subjective disadvantage of this model can be called not too expressive, although correct bokeh. But that is the price to pay for perfect performance.

We recommend this lens primarily to all wedding and reportage photographers due to its superb sharpness at open aperture. Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art will help you forget about the problem of lack of light once and for all, allowing you to receive great shots already at an open aperture. However, the lens will do just fine with any other genre, but only if you are willing to put up with its considerable weight.

Pros:

• the highest sharpness from open aperture;
• extremely low level of chromatic aberration;
• high contrast;
• very weak vignetting;
• fast autofocus;
• hood and belt pouch included.

Minuses:

• correct, but expressionless bokeh;
• large size and weight.

Art lenses have always been characterized in the first place high quality Images. At the same time, a number of these lenses are usually noticeably inferior to other series of the company in terms of autofocus speed, price or moisture protection. However, they are what the right photographers value. In a recent announcement, as many as 3 lenses from this popular series were presented, some of which were exceptional and even unique in some way.

Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art

First of all, this is a 135 / 1.8 lens, aimed at portrait photography from a fairly long distance. Given its aperture ratio, this lens will be of interest to all demanding photographers who seek to blur the background "into a mess." The lens features excellent bokeh and the ability to create a very sharp main shot. A new high-speed focusing motor is installed here, also equipped with an acceleration sensor, which optimizes the operation of the motor when driving. Also, this lens can be used when shooting in poor lighting conditions, when you need to get highly detailed photos at a distance. At the moment, only one of the faster direct competitors of this lens is the Nikon 105 / 1.4, which has a shorter focal length and is designed for only one system, while the Sigma is available in several mounts.

Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art

The second announced lens is 14mm, which is the first lens in the world with such a focal length and such aperture. It uses the same aspherical elements that have already been developed in the highly acclaimed Sigma 12-24 / 4. These optical technologies result in perfect center-to-edge sharpness and the lens has the largest die-cast lens in the optical industry with a diameter of 80mm. As a result, the lens is an ultra-wide-angle prime lens with virtually no distortion or flare. The optical scheme also includes 3 ultra-low-dispersion elements and 4 low-dispersion elements, which ultimately significantly reduce chromatic aberrations. New lens also equipped with a fast supersonic autofocus motor. At the same time, the minimum focusing distance of the lens is 26 centimeters, which provides photographers with the ability to shoot almost point-blank to the subject to obtain the effect of perspective distortion.

Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG HSM OS Art

The third lens is the 24-70 with built-in image stabilization. The new lens is largely based on the first version of the 24-70 / 2.8 Art, however it adds an image stabilization system designed specifically for it. In this regard, its performance is significantly improved, and with the new autofocus motor, it is an extremely functional tool. The lens also meets Sigma's standards for sharpness and background blur. This lens is a versatile kit, which the photographer will use to shoot most of the subjects. The optical scheme includes three low-dispersion elements and four aspherical elements, which significantly reduce chromatic aberration. The aspherical elements of the new lens have been made thicker than competing solutions. Optical manufacturing ensures high-quality polish and the highest image quality. The lens barrel is made of metal and high-strength composite materials, designed to prevent differences in terms of compression and expansion of elements due to temperature differences.

100-400mm F5-6.3 DG HSM OS Contemporary

The fourth lens is a lens that does not belong to the Art line, it is 100-400 / 5-6.3 Contemporary. This lens is a cost-effective superzoom lens that is easy to use while being quite compact and lightweight for its optical performance. At the same time, the lens is dustproof and waterproof. The lens also features a new stabilization system and fast autofocus. Combined with these characteristics, this lens provides correct operation at slower shutter speeds for sharp, detailed shots. There is also a macro switch in the lens that allows shooting in 1: 3.8 ratio. As a result, this lens produces excellent macro shots as well as shots with the option to compress perspective.

Review and test of the lens Sigma AF 50 / 1.4 DG HSM Art

Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM

The Sigma AF 50 / 1.4 DG HSM Art was announced on January 6th, and in less than six months the lens has received many accolades (and a lot of enthusiastic) reviews. The model is most often compared not with direct competitors, but with the Carl Zeiss 55 / 1.4 Otus APO Distagon worth $ 4,000. I was waiting for the opportunity to get acquainted with the new product: does Sigma really continue to break stereotypes, releasing lenses that not only compete with analogues from well-known manufacturers, but surpass them?

The list of 50 mm lenses produced at the time of this writing is presented on a separate page:

Specifications

Focal length: 50mm

Angle of view (diagonal): 46.8 degrees

Optical design: 13 elements in 8 groups including 3 SLDs and 1 aspherical element

Aperture Range: f / 1.4 - f / 16

Aperture blades: 9, rounded

• Autofocus drive: ring ultrasonic motor
• Minimum focusing distance: 40 cm
• Maximum magnification: 0.18x
• Filter diameter: 77 mm
• Dimensions: 100 * 85mm
• Weight: 815 grams

Variants available: Canon EF, Nikon F, Sigma SA, Sony Alpha

Contents of delivery

Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM is sold in a complete set, traditionally for the company, which includes:

Set

Lens

Sigma LCF III 77mm Front Cover

Sigma LCR II back cover

• Hood Sigma LH830-02
• Semi-rigid case
• Manual
• Warranty card

Complete hood

I have already mentioned the absence of a shoulder strap in a high-quality semi-rigid case, and I also talked about the thoughtfulness of the front cover and the complete hood. I will repeat myself. Sigma front covers are some of the most comfortable of the known: with a central grip, deep and comfortable, with a ribbed surface that prevents fingers slipping. The cover can be easily and quickly put on and off even with the hood on the lens.

Front cover

The hood fits snugly on the lens, there are markings on it and the lens barrel indicating the correct position, the strip adjacent to the rear edge of the hood is covered with rubber, the following 8 mm rubber part are ribbed: nice little things that ensure comfortable work with the lens. You can only find fault with the inner surface of the hood: the flock coating would be more consistent with the class of the lens.

Instructions

I want to reproach the company for the careless translation of the instruction manual into Russian: the owners of Nikon and Sony cameras warn that “in order to avoid damage to the automatic focusing mechanism, do not rotate the focusing ring in the automatic focusing mode”. The Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM allows the manual focus ring to be used regardless of the selected autofocus mode. There is no blunder in manuals in other languages ​​- probably, they used the text of the Russian instruction for another lens.

Design and manufacture

View from above

Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM bears the characteristic family features of Sigma Global Vision lenses and looks very much like the Sigma 35 / 1.4 DG HSM A1. The model definitely stands out from the competition for the quality of workmanship, materials used and thoughtfulness.

Brass bayonet mount, metal body base, plastic parts made from Thermally Stable Composite Composite Material (TSC), a polycarbonate that looks and feels like metal and has thermal characteristics similar to aluminum.

The controls are few: a distance window, a manual focus ring and an autofocus mode switch.

Front element

The distance window is marked only for f / 16 aperture, just like on the Sigma 35 / 1.4 Art.

The focus ring occupies the front of the lens. The ring width is 37 mm, 25 of them are covered with ribbed rubber. It is conveniently located, you can operate without changing the usual grip, find without taking your eyes off the viewfinder by touch - the ring protrudes a couple of millimeters above the lens barrel. The effort of rotation is comfortable, the stroke is uniform, without jerks. There is no hint of looseness. On the test copy, the ring travel was 100 degrees, but according to the instructions, “You can independently turn on / off the Full Time MF mode, as well as adjust the focus ring travel value using the USB docking station (purchased separately) and the Sigma software Optimization Pro ". Unfortunately, there was no docking station, we could not verify the information in practice.

Rear element

Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM does not resize when focusing. The front element does not rotate or move. The use of light filters is encouraged. Moreover, I would recommend using a protective filter: the large 60mm front element is almost flush with the edge of the lens.

The AF mode switch is conveniently located. The size is comfortable, the switches are clear.

The lower part of the body of the Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM is ribbed closer to the mount, which makes it easier to install and remove the lens.

Next to EF 85 / 1.8 and EF 24-105 / 4L

Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM lens is not at all miniature and with a noticeable weight. It is convenient in operation, the grip is comfortable, the weight distribution of the kit with Canon EOS 5D is correct. However, this is not the usual compact and lightweight 50 / 1.4 that can be tucked into a bag in reserve.

The construction, design and workmanship of the Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM evoke extremely positive emotions. The disadvantages include only the lack of dust / moisture protection and weight and size characteristics.

The results of testing distortion, resolution, vignetting and chromatic aberrations are on a separate page:

Small front focus

Autofocus

The Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM is equipped with a ring-shaped ultrasonic autofocus drive. The process is practically silent, and the run along the entire distance in favorable lighting takes about 1 second. Phase focusing time increases dramatically in low light conditions. The hero of the review does not belong to the champions in autofocus speed.

Grip flawlessly under normal conditions, with a lack of light, the lens more often than expected cannot catch on the object even when using the center point.

The number of misses due to autofocus does not go beyond the acceptable range and is comparable to the results of competitors when using the center point, but slightly higher when focusing on the side points.

The test specimen required a correction due to the small front focus. After making the correction, there were no complaints about focusing accuracy. There is no pronounced focus shift.

The repeatability of the results did not disappoint. Reikan Focal estimates phase focus stability at 96.2% and contrast focus at 99.6%. Let me remind you that an indicator of 98% and above corresponds to the “excellent” rating.

Phase detection autofocus stability

Contrast AF stability

The autofocus operation of the Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM did not spoil the impression of the lens.

Image and backlight

Example of bokeh at f / 1.4 and f / 2.8

Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM performs well in difficult lighting and backlit conditions; more confident at open apertures, definitely worse in the f / 8 - f / 16 range, when a bright light source at the edge of the frame often leads to reflections and artifacts. It is commendable that this does not have a critical effect on the contrast of the image. The complete hood is recommended for use.

The Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM produces an attractive, high-contrast image with correct color reproduction from fully open aperture. Out-of-focus blurring ("Bokeh") is convincing, the character is correct and calm.

Conclusion

The Sigma Art 50 / 1.4 DG HSM confidently took 1st place in my rating of 50 mm lenses and one of the top in the list of all lenses that I have tested and are familiar with. The hero of the review not only “honestly” worked in all disciplines, but also showed excellent results: excellent sharpness and no pronounced difference between the center and edges of the frame, almost complete absence of distortion, low chromatic aberration and low vignetting. Add to that the high quality workmanship, smart design, confident autofocus performance and the ability to form an attractive image, and the price of 950 dollars, while remaining high, ceases to be unreasonably high (as is the case with the previously tested Sigma Art 24-105 / 4 DG OS HSM) ...

I would like to thank Onlinetrade for the lens provided for the test.

June 2014

The spherical aberrations are, as it were, slightly corrected. So unobtrusive, compromise. But still the "restless" character of the "bokeh" is present. It is present for a certain length immediately behind the focusing plane and towards infinity it dissolves into a practically "correct" one. There is some focus shift, or rather, the nonlinearity with the phase sensor is minimal. That is, (on my copy) at f / 1.4 at a distance of 1 meter, the correction "0" is exactly in focus, but already at five meters, some correction suggests itself, compensating for a small "back". Easily surmountable and did not bother with the docking station. And why? The nonlinearity is stable ... And at f / 2.8 the depth of field is absorbed.
Very sharp. Just some ideal among 50mm. There is no desire to remove from the carcass.
Very sharp and works great autofocus. A commercial option when it is always desirable to get 10/10.
But if there is a desire to shoot a beautiful portrait of fifty dollars, then the Sigma AF 50 / 1.4 EX DG HSM. (But or, at worst, Canon EF 50 f / 1.2L. )
A purely personal opinion: the “bokeh” picture (namely “bokeh”, not the general one) at f / 2.0 with the “non-Art” fifty dollars is more interesting than with the f / 1.4 “Art” version. This is a note for those who believe that everything is beautifully "messy" in the background decides.
Not ... Not heavy. For me. I also always have a battery grip.

It was announced relatively recently, promising the user a level of image quality never seen before for a 50mm f / 1.4. Many waiting for a novelty Sigma, asked two questions: firstly, what will be the price, and secondly, what level of image quality this lens will be able to offer.

In anticipation of the launch of the release, some fairly reliable sources suggested that the cost of the new item will exceed $ 2000, which is very expensive for a 50mm fix. Rumors of such a cost only heightened interest in the issue of the quality of the image that will be given.

However, the real cost of the lens at the time of the start of sales was less than $ 1,000, which is good news. Thus, the question of cost was removed. So now we can move on to the second and more important issue: the image quality offered by the new Sigma fifty dollars. Let's hope that our expectations will be met.

: Focal length

50mm is the natural focal length closest to how our eyes perceive a scene (at least this is true in terms of field of view and perspective). This focal length is also commonly known as "normal" because a photograph taken at this focal length looks as natural to the viewer as possible.

For a long time, 50mm lenses were at the peak of popularity: in the era of non-digital SLR cameras these lenses came with cameras like. Interest in them is not waning at the present time, and the wide range of 50 mm lenses offered by the market to the user only confirms the demand of photographers for this focal length.

50mm fixtures are often used for architectural, fashion photography.

At full frame, the 50mm lens is too wide for facial portraits, but ideal for shoulder and full-size portraits.

When combined with cameras equipped with APS-C sensors with a 1.6x crop factor, the 50mm lens provides an angle of view equivalent to an 80mm lens on a full frame. That is, in such conditions, while maintaining a better perspective, it will be suitable for the same purposes as indicated above.

The slideshow below demonstrates the change in depth of field depending on the selected aperture (click on the image to change the frame).

Diaphragm

In the line of the manufacturer it received the marking "A", indicating that it belongs to the family of Art-lenses (as opposed to the ultra-modern series "C" and sports "S").

Sigma's new lens division criteria can be viewed differently. However, to be honest, they seem to us somewhat vague. Most of the obscurity comes from the "C" series, which stands for cutting edge lenses. Does this mean that the “A” and “S” series lenses are not that modern? Or the fact that the lens of the "sports" series is unsuitable for wildlife photography? For example, the hero of our review: great for sports photography, although it belongs to the A-, not the S-series. In short, there are more questions than answers.

Perhaps, as with other A-series lenses, the wide aperture has some responsibility for classifying the lens as an Art lens. The f / 1.4 aperture is able to remove all background details, blurring them into a solid background. Shallow depth of field allows you to effectively highlight your subject against a blurred background.

It should be noted that only Canon DSLR owners can find an autofocus lens with a wider aperture than f / 1.4: the Canon EF 50mm f / 1.2 USM and the discontinued but still common Canon 50mm f / 1.0 AF.

Nikon's current mount is too small to support autofocus lenses with apertures wider than f / 1.4. All Nikon owners have is a fully manual Nikkor 50mm f / 1.2 AIS and the discontinued 55mm f / 1.2 AI.

Thus, it offers Canon and Nikon users virtually the widest aperture available on a 50mm prime.

It is worth noting that the new Sigma retains a fairly large depth of field even at f / 1.4. In the photo below, you can see that even though the camera is focused on the number “50”, the rest of the stadium remains quite sharp, especially at this resolution.

In addition to the ability to blur the foreground and background, the fast lens avoids “shake” in photographs when shooting in low light conditions. If a shallow depth of field is acceptable for your shot, then with this lens you can be indoors even at night.

: Image quality

So, it's time to check if the developers' promises of excellent image quality are true.

Sharp enough in the center of the frame, towards the edges of the image, the sharpness drops slightly. However, the corners of the frame remain remarkably sharp even when the aperture is open. At f / 2 there is a slight increase in sharpness in the center of the frame, and at f / 2.8 there is a significant increase even in the corners of the image, at this aperture the lens sharpness is simply incredible.

There are quite a few 50mm fixes, but none of them, except, perhaps, the Zeiss 55mm f / 1.4 Otus Distagon T * and the Zeiss 50mm f / 2.0 Makro-Planar T * ZE give a really sharp picture until at least f /2.8. Moreover, the former at f / 1.4 is only slightly sharper in the center of the frame than the Sigma, and the latter is inferior to the Sigma at f / 2.

If your subject's face is in the center of the frame (as is most often the case with a facial portrait), any vignetting will only emphasize it, making it brighter than the rest of the frame, and this effect is often more desirable than the other way around.

As we noted earlier, the 50mm lens is ideal for portraits in which the person's face is far from the center of the frame, such as shoulder portraits or portraits ¾. In such cases, vignetting is detrimental as the subject's face falls into the shaded area.

The reduction in vignetting offered and superior to other 50mm prime lenses is an undeniable advantage of this lens.

Of course, vignetting can be removed in post-processing, but this will add noise to the image.

The distortion of this lens is also very low. produces less distortion than any other 50mm non-macro lens.

CA (chromatic aberration) is very well controlled, although CA is present in bokeh in some images. You can see an example below.

The violet halos that are common with wide apertures are negligible.

The 50mm Sigma A-series lens does an excellent job of handling flare at wide to medium apertures. Flare is possible in the f / 11 to f / 16 range if there is very bright light in the frame.

Equipped with a 9-blade diaphragm for beautiful bokeh, while at a narrow aperture it gives 18-point stars to prevent glare.

In general, Sigma, to a large extent, confirms the promised high quality.

: Focusing

As indicated by the abbreviation "HSM" in the name of the lens, the new Sigma is equipped with the top-end ultrasonic drive of the SigmaAF autofocus system.

Thanks to him, the lens shows a fairly adequate focusing speed, because of which it deservedly occupies the top positions in the middle of the focusing speed rating. Since slow autofocus seems to be common with all 50mm lenses, at least for Canon and Sigma, the 50mm A-series prime is at the top of its class in focusing speed.

As you would expect, focusing speed slows down in low light.

The focusing is completely internal so that the filter thread does not rotate when focusing, making it easier to use the circular.

Supports FTM (Manual Pre-Focus) function.

The new Sigma is compatible with the Sigma USB Dock, provided that the proprietary Sigma Optimization Pro software version v1.2.0 or higher is used. The docking station allows you to flash the lens by installing a new one software, including bug fixes, compatibility updates, feature enhancements, and accurate focus calibration at 4 distances.

The shallow depth of field at f / 1.4 places very high demands on focusing accuracy, which affects its ability to take full advantage of this lens' impressive image quality at wide open apertures.

But the harsh reality is that the longer we tested autofocus performance, the less confident we felt about its accuracy. Testing conducted using Canon's best AF systems: EOS 5D Mark III and 1DX, in addition, for comparison, we ran tests on a more affordable camera: the EOS 60D.

What we've been convinced of over the long hours of testing is that you shouldn't rely unconditionally on the autofocus of the Sigma A-series 50mm lens. Of course, in most cases it worked as expected. But there were shots in which the subject was out of focus, which was quite disappointing.

Below you can see 10 sequential test shots. Each frame was automatically focused in OneShot mode using the center AF point. A Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera with mirror lock and 2-second self-timer was used for shooting. The result, as they say, is obvious and does not require comment.

Faced with autofocus inconsistency in One Shot mode, we no longer expected Sigma 50mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art great performance in AI Servo AF mode. However, according to the test results, we were pleasantly surprised: the percentage of accurate autofocus hits was significantly higher than in the OneShot mode.

Shooting at f / 1.4 in bright sunlight allows shutter speeds much faster than those available in digital SLR cameras- 1/8000 is the maximum the Canon 1DX I had to offer. Alternatively, you can use a narrower aperture, but in this case you will negate all the benefits of blurring the background at f / 1.4.

We decided to use a circular polarizing filter in order to have some margin of exposure and improve image quality by reducing glare and increasing color saturation. And even after installing it, the photos were taken at a very fast shutter speed: 1/4000 sec.

The next step was the shooting of the portrait. Although autofocus misses were present, on the whole, according to the test results, the "fifty kopeck" Sigma left only a pleasant impression.

To summarize, we can say that most of all the autofocus work Sigma 50mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art resembles his work in Sigma 85mm f / 1.4 EX DG HSM... So verifying AF accuracy should be part of your shooting workflow with this lens.

The manual focus ring is optimally sized and protrudes slightly above the lens barrel for easy blind search. The disadvantages include the relatively small travel of the ring: only 92 °, so focusing is faster than many are used to. According to the lens documentation, the focus ring travel can be adjusted using the docking station.

Closest focusing distance Sigma 50mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art is 40cm and its maximum magnification is 0.18x, which is better than most other 50mm non-macro lenses that seem to be stuck at 0.15x.

Below is a table showing the minimum focusing distance ( MYFF) and maximum increase ( MU) some lenses.

If you wish to reduce the minimum focusing distance or achieve higher magnification, you will need to use the Canon ExtensionTube as this lens is not compatible with Sigma teleconverters.

: Build quality and specs

Sigma did not reinvent the wheel in terms of design and 50mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art is a slightly enlarged copy of its 35-mm counterpart. All new Sigma lenses are stylishly designed and the A-series fifty is no exception.

As we already mentioned, the lens is made of heat-resistant composite materials (TSC) and metal, which allows it to be used over a fairly wide temperature range.

The lens barrel has a variety of ribbed elements to provide a secure grip and prevent the lens from slipping out. Ribs are also applied to the hood for easy assembly and disassembly.

Focus mode switch within reach thumb left hand. The original solution of the Sigma designers: a well-visible white background of the switch indicates the choice of the automatic focusing mode, black - manual.

Another nice little thing: for Sigma A, C and S-series lenses, there is no need to decode the date code to find out the year of their manufacture. Sigma indicates the year of manufacture of the lens directly on the lens barrel.

Although Sigma 50mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art- The lens is medium in size and looks and feels very solid. This is the case with lenses with a large number of glass optical elements.

Below is a small table to compare the dimensions and weights of several lenses.

Despite its heavy weight, it is convenient to use and even wearing it for a long time does not cause any significant inconvenience.

Filters with a diameter of 77mm are used with the lens, and since they are so common, finding the filter you want is easy.

The Sigma 50mm f / 1.4 DG HSM Art comes with a quality zippered pouch with strap attachments.

The absence of the “OS” abbreviation in the name of this lens indicates that it is not equipped with an optical stabilization system. Of course, many lenses with apertures no wider than f / 2.8, which include a focal length of 50 mm, are equipped with stabilization, but this does not mean that the new Sigma 50 is not worthy of your attention. After all, it is primarily focused on portrait photography, where shutter speeds are rarely longer than 1/50 sec, which, in combination with an f / 1.4 aperture, reduces the likelihood of a “shake” to a minimum.