I love it on my 1Ds II.. Can't say I've noticed extreme corner softness...but then again, I'm not usually shooting full flat field subjects at f/1.4 (who really does?). The Sigma 50 is rapidly becoming one of my favorite lenses. One thing that review doesn't touch on: the bokeh is among the best of any lens I've ever used. It's exceptional.
I'm very interested. This lens seems to work very well with crop, how does it behave with a 40D? Is it any better than the 85mm 1.8 on a 5D?
Just considering one lens over the other. Sorry if that changes the threat a bit but it might be good knowing if the 50 gives similar results on crop to the output __I could get with the combo 5D+85 mm 1.8
I find very interesting the comparison about bokeh.
I am not interested in critical sharpness as it really is so minimal difference that I would not be able to see it in printouts.
I would like to see a comparison of this lens in a 40D against the 85 on a 5D, one at 2.0 and the other at 2.8 simulating the same reach. I can't do this as I do not have any of them at the moment.
That I guess would give this sigma the status of "The portrait 50 mm". All said I think I'm asking a lot here.
It is the most beautiful 50mm I have used... (among at least 15 different ones). There are other 50s with interesting characteristics, but this beats the lot for smooth beautiful bokeh and pin sharp focus point.
But I agree - extreme corners are quite soft wide open, but it was designed as a portrait lens. For more flat focus across the image, get the Canon 50/2.5 or a 50mm Zeiss lens.
I agree, Aaron - it is THE portrait 50. The sigmalux, some call it.
Well coming from 5d + canon 50 1.4, the AF on the 5d2/sigmalux combo certainly is a step up. But I am sure the best canons have better accuracy. Anything else would be kind of embarrassing for Canon.
Kurt, I have a 40D + Sigma 50 f1.4 available; I just had a go at your wonderings. I went and exercised the AF and found it to be impressive. I then thought I might as well try a different lens as a current baseline for comparisons. I found the 135 f2L to be a bit faster and a bit smoother and quieter. This aroused my interest, so I next tried it with an EF 100 f2.8 Macro, and that may have been better still. The "thuds" when immediately alternating between focusing distances of four feet and forty feet, are both louder and seemingly less dampened in the Sigma, but I didn't find it bothersome.
Next I tried my 24L II and 200 f2L II, and they were again way quieter, smoother, and possibly quicker.
To end it all, I put the Sigma on again and did it again. This time the difference was unmistakable: The Sigma is noisier and clunkier, although if it's any slower, to quote John Wayne to Dean Martin in "Rio Bravo", "I'd hate ta have ta live on the difference." If the operating characteristics of the AF mechanism are of high relative importance, perhaps the Sigma wouldn't be the best choice; but if that issue is of no particular moment, then the Sigma is a magnificent choice, most especially for portraits on a 1.6x camera.
I have the Sigma 50 f/1.4 and use it on a Canon 40d. It has never disappointed me, the focus is dead on and the sharpness is amazing. Worth every penny and no image issues.
I find it disappointing they didn't make any mention of bokeh. That's the whole point of this lens, IMHO.
As far as AF goes, I find the Sigma a bit faster than the Canon 50/1.4, and mine is a bit more accurate than my Canon, too. I shot a few hundred "real world" frames with each, and got more OOF images with my Canon than my Sigma. This is on a 40D.
Well, I can vouch that there are exceptional copies out there with regards to focus accuracy. Mine is considerably more accurate than my old Canon 50 f/1.4, and nails focus about 95% of the time or better.
The first two copies I tried were bad. The focus was all over the place. The first one was purchased when it was first released and the second one about a month ago. They both went back.
I just couldn't give up on this lens because I did see a glimmer of excellence in my first two copies. I just received my third copy and this one is everything I had hoped it would be. Sharp wide open and the focus is accurate up close and all the way to infinity.
I've used it on a 40D and now a 5DII. It's pretty good in the corners at f1.4 on FF. It took me a while to find a wide open shot where the corners were even in focus.
