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Archive 2015 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?

  
 
nikonos6
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


I am in the situation to add one of these lenses to my small selection.
Right now my most used lens on my D800 is the Zeiss ZF 35 f/2 -
it is a dream when there is a little time to focus properly - but is many situations this is just not
possible ( street shooting is at least difficult).
I will be in Japan and get either of the upper two lenses and i know about the main differences.
The advantages of the Sigma are obviously it`s better all around performance and sharpness across the
frame and the lower price ! I am not sure about focusing speed - the Nikon is supposed to be not very quick, so that might be in favor of the Sigma as well.
On the other hand the Nikon is much lighter and would be handy in situations , where i possibly had to leave some
parts of the equipment at home ( would have a wide-angle zoom or the 20 1.8 , and a longer lens - perhaps the
coming 135 by Sigma or Nikon with me in some situations anyway).
So pros Sigma : cheaper ( would get it new - would get the Nikon used i guess for around 400 $ more)
better all around sharpness
maybe a little faster to focus and could be more accurate with the dock

pros Nikon: lighter and smaller!
a little more reach ( 58 mm are just this tad more that sometimes help to make the portrait work? )
better bokeh ?

U see - it is not easy for me to decide -
so does anybody have both or had both of these lenses and how did they compare?
What would you recommend ?

Would be great if somebody could help



Jul 04, 2015 at 06:51 AM
lexdiamonnyc
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


the way i see it...


Sigma - super sharp, nice bokeh, clean, clinical, boring, cheaper

Nikon - not anywhere near as sharp as the Sigma, interesting bokeh, a bit of a one trick pony, has "character", more expensive.



I'd go with the Nikon.



Jul 04, 2015 at 12:53 PM
playerofwar
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


Shoot with both, if you don't fall in love with the 58, go with the Sigma.


Jul 04, 2015 at 02:15 PM
stevez32
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


For me the standard Sigma EX is great, never had any need to seek out the ART version, but out of curiousity I have picked up a 58mm and it is nice too, but I think the Sigma EX is still 95% the quality of the Nikon for what I shoot. I doubt 99% of the population could consistently differentiate from the EX and the Nikon 58, much less the ART. So just depends whether you think you are in the 1% camp. Just my 2 cents.


Jul 04, 2015 at 03:43 PM
jberry
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


I had the Sigma 50 1.4 EX before, I just can't remember which Nikon body, most likely the D800, but the turn off for me at least, of 3rd party lenses, is the different color cast, the Nikon lenses would be much warmer and the sigma would be much cooler, but if you post process it doesn't really matter.

The Sigma 50 1.4 would give you a better bargain and nicer bokeh over the regular Nikon 50 1.4G lens, sharper too! (Not sure about better bokeh over the 58 1.4G)

The Nikon 58 1.4G, is a special lens, for its bokeh characteristic and 3D look it renders, yes its a tad soft wide open, slight haze at 100% but that is the 'character' of the lens, I have used this on some photo shoots and the pictures below are all wide open at 1.4 with of course post processing, little sharpening goes a long way

I would personally go with the 58 1.4G for night shooting wide open and the color cast it creates, hope this makes sense.









Senior Portraits
















Showing off Bokeh




Jul 05, 2015 at 03:01 AM
Depth of Feel
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


Sigma: Cheaper, Sharper, bokeh indistinguishable. Someone show me a photo the sigma can't take.


Jul 05, 2015 at 07:18 PM
M635_Guy
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


This will be a touchy thread.

I think the 58 tends to be soft and can be very challenging to shoot. There are folks who get great stuff out of it, but for street photography I think it would be a difficult lens. There will be some vigorous advocates for it, but I think I'd probably get the Sigma and the Nikon 85 f/1.4 (used) for only a few hundred bucks more than the 58.



Jul 05, 2015 at 09:52 PM
JPuckettPhoto
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


My vote is for the Sigma because personally I cannot tell a $700 difference between the two.


Jul 05, 2015 at 10:02 PM
milkod2001
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


nikonos6 wrote:
I am in the situation to add one of these lenses to my small selection.
Right now my most used lens on my D800 is the Zeiss ZF 35 f/2 -
it is a dream when there is a little time to focus properly - but is many situations this is just not
possible ( street shooting is at least difficult).
I will be in Japan and get either of the upper two lenses and i know about the main differences.
The advantages of the Sigma are obviously it`s better all around performance and sharpness across the
frame and the lower price ! I
...Show more

This might help you to decide:

http://shotkit.com/nikon-58mm-f1-4g/



Jul 06, 2015 at 05:00 AM
Elijah
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


I am a wedding photographer and I own a 58G. I went through lots of Nikon glass and a 58mm is something I will probably never get rid of. It's my workhorse. I can't speak for the 50A, I've never owned one. From the samples I've seen, I wasn't too impressed with bokeh. I don't care for sharpness. That's why there's a sharpening tool in LR

Why I own the 58G instead of the 50A: It's lighter, shorter, I like the plastic build better than metal, produces the same colors as my other Nikon primes, does not have any AF issues and most importantly, the look it produces. It has the best bokeh out of all lenses that I own. It's a mini 200mm f/2, really.

I would talk to Shawn Robertson, he owns both 58G and 50A.



Jul 06, 2015 at 06:55 AM
popinvasion
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


I own both the 50 art is a much bigger and heavier lens. The 50A needs the dock for fine tuning the AF. The 50Art is much sharper. The 58mm is smaller, lighter, has more compression which equals less distortion. The 58 has a warmth and pop to it, the 50 is a more bland rendering, The bokeh on the 58 is significantly more less dof, and the 58 is smooth and just obliterates the background the 50a has less bokeh and its a biting bokeh it's not smooth it's busy looking. I prefer the 58 greatly. That said s great pair is the 35 Art and 58 1.4.


Jul 06, 2015 at 08:05 AM
Ryder
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


I have the Sigma and it's a nice lens. But if you shoot primarily portraits in the field and have a good eye the Nikon is hard to beat from what I have seen here. It definitely has its own look and who needs the last bit of sharpness for a portrait?


Jul 06, 2015 at 08:37 AM
T_Gordon
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


This will definitely be one of those you need to try them to see what works best for you situations. I've had every AF flavor of the 50mm as well as the 58mm (two different times to give it a definite try)... for me in the end, I have the 50mm f1.4G. It's cheaper and lighter than all the f1.4's and my copy is just as sharp as the 50 ART I had (bokeh in the majority of the situations I tested them in were nearly identical as well). I don't use this focal length a whole lot and is why I went with the 1.4G. My go to lenses are the 85 f1.4G and 70-200 VRII for what I do.


Jul 06, 2015 at 03:35 PM
nikonos6
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


I am really overwhelmed by the many great and useful replies from everyone here!
Thank you all so much !
What seems absolutely necessary is that i have to try them out as thoroughly as possible.
The financial aspect will remain of some importance naturally, but sometimes when playing around
with some gear it happens to be a more emotional than rational decision - i guess you all know what i mean.
Anyway - thanks again !
I will let you know how this will turn out and hopefully will be able to post some good shots with whatever
this brainstorm will end up with.



Jul 06, 2015 at 04:31 PM
nikonos6
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


Hello T_Gordon.
Perhaps this is also still something i should take into consideration -
going with the cheaper solution for this focal length, which will probably not be the
most used one anyway!
And i really could use the free recourses elsewhere i think!
I will definitely give this lens a try as well.



Jul 06, 2015 at 04:34 PM
Mark_L
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


popinvasion wrote:
The 50A needs the dock for fine tuning the AF.


This seems to be a misconception, you can use the in-body fine tune value just like you can with any other lens should you wish.



Jul 06, 2015 at 04:58 PM
popinvasion
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


Mark_L wrote:
This seems to be a misconception, you can use the in-body fine tune value just like you can with any other lens should you wish.


Sure you can but good luck if you end up with a crap copy requiring more than a +20 or -20.



Jul 06, 2015 at 06:00 PM
johnctharp
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


popinvasion wrote:
Sure you can but good luck if you end up with a crap copy requiring more than a +20 or -20.


Or, as more commonly found with the Art line, you need different MA values at different focus distances.



Jul 06, 2015 at 06:02 PM
popinvasion
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


johnctharp wrote:
Or, as more commonly found with the Art line, you need different MA values at different focus distances.


Exactly!



Jul 06, 2015 at 06:26 PM
Lee Saxon
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Help me decide ! Nikon AF-S 58 1.4 or rather Sigma 50 Art ?


blurredvision wrote:
My vote is for the Sigma because personally I cannot tell a $700 difference between the two.


I tend to agree. But everybody has a different value system; how do you define what exactly "a $700 difference" is? Obviously you can't expect quality to increase linearly with price due to various complications of manufacturing and market demand. If you did, certainly the Otus wouldn't exist, and probably everyone would be using Sigma lenses on APS-C DSLRs.




Jul 06, 2015 at 07:17 PM
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