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Archive 2009 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad

  
 
trumpet_guy
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p.3 #1 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


Bokeh in front of the plane of focus is not the best with this lens when wide open, so shots having
busy foliage both in front of and behind the subject will show that characteristic readily. Here's an example,
wide open on a 5D:

[Note the foliage at the top left.]
http://www.pbase.com/tswen/image/108765992/original.jpg

But with a less busy foreground, stopped down to f/2.8, no problem:

http://www.pbase.com/tswen/image/111520264/original.jpg



Jul 06, 2009 at 09:25 PM
wayne seltzer
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p.3 #2 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


Thanks Tim for the examples. The blooming problem someone mentioned to me is not sensor blooming or purple fringing but I think is how the bright OOF areas get rendered color wise, especially green foliage which seems to turn fluorescent light yellow-green. I don't see this problem in the shots you justed posted but the Banks book picture has funny looking grass color in the OOF areas and I have seen it sometimes in outdoor portrait pictures where the OOF background tree foliage which is lit by the sun becomes an unatural bright yellow green. Maybe this is not a reall problem, don't know since I don't have the lens.


Jul 07, 2009 at 12:31 AM
trumpet_guy
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p.3 #3 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


Wayne, I have never seen grass that color when I have the proper white balance set.
I normally just use the preset WB settings, such as Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, etc.
Colors are very good, but there is a slight color shift in the out of focus areas.
I think it's mild, though. Nothing I'd worry about.



Jul 07, 2009 at 01:30 AM
Yakim Peled
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p.3 #4 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


Greg Feldman wrote:
I still kick myself for selling mine.


I don't. While IQ was great and bokeh simply stunning, AF was problematic even after calibration. I suspect it had field curvature.

Happy shooting,
Yakim.




Jul 09, 2009 at 08:24 AM
jhapeman
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p.3 #5 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


It's a great lens, but if you're on the EF mount, the Canon 1.2L is better. I briefly held the 50/1.8II, 50/1.4, Sigma 50/1.4 and 1.2L. Based on some very extensive testing, the Canon 1.2L was the sharpest at any given aperture, and had the least CA. The Sigma came in second, followed by the 50/1.4 and then the 1.8. Interestingly, it was a clear case of more money=better quality; however, the price of the Sigma 50/1.4 and Canon 50/1.4 made them the best values.


Jul 09, 2009 at 09:52 AM
ingardj
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p.3 #6 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


Damn you sigma!! I looked at the first shot today and immediately saw that it frontfocuses badly! I has to be dead on if autofocus is ever going to be used. I ordered this lens mainly because its awesome, and then because it autofocuses for stuff like people ..

Heres is one manually focused..




Jul 09, 2009 at 11:15 AM
pingflood
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p.3 #7 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


Mine will be arriving tomorrow. I am crossing my fingers; the Sigma focusing gods have been kind to me in the past. Bought from Amazon ($19 overnight shipping!) since they have an excellent return policy just in case though!

PS: It's all ovredal73's fault for posting that incredible b/w shot showing what this thing can do.



Jul 09, 2009 at 02:13 PM
Mingming Lu
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p.3 #8 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


bpark42 wrote:
I agree. The first dog shot looks like it might be back-focused, but it is hard to tell. The second dog shot is soft. And the shot after the baby ones is (mildly) soft as well. I can't see any in-focus plane, so camera shake/low shutter speed maybe?


I just ordered mine and it will be coming next Monday. Finger crossed 'cause the mixed comments on this lens does scare me a bit.

I agree a few shots from philbinley do look soft. If a resized web version still looks this soft, the original ones much be way worse based on my experience (some of my slightly blurred images look pretty sharp after resizing). If this softness is consistent, philbinley, you may want to check your lens carefully.



Jul 10, 2009 at 03:17 PM
pingflood
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p.3 #9 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


Mine is here, and hoooooooooooly cow this thing is sharp. So, so, so sharp.

I am still gawking at the 100% crops of some shots at f/2 and, well, wow.

I'll need a moment over here.

edit:100% crop at f/1.6. If you use a 72dpi monitor it's like a crop of a six foot print.

http://www.beyondthematrix.com/VH0M6760.jpg



Jul 10, 2009 at 05:07 PM
rtallent
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p.3 #10 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


pingflood wrote:
Mine is here, and hoooooooooooly cow this thing is sharp. So, so, so sharp.

I am still gawking at the 100% crops of some shots at f/2 and, well, wow.

I'll need a moment over here.

edit:100% crop at f/1.6. If you use a 72dpi monitor it's like a crop of a six foot print.

http://www.beyondthematrix.com/VH0M6760.jpg


This is very encouraging. Please! Post more pictures!



Jul 19, 2009 at 06:06 PM
koprivakopriva
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p.3 #11 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


Love mine too. Thin DOF takes a learning curve to get the best image out of; though


Feb 20, 2010 at 11:03 PM
kaigraphy
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p.3 #12 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


can any of you guy that bought this lens recently and have no focusing issue tell me your serial number that way I can use this as a guideline and hopefully get a copy that is good when I go purchase this superb lens when it focus good lol...


Feb 28, 2010 at 06:56 PM
CKrueger
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p.3 #13 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


Here's a little summary I made for myself a while back when I was considering this lens... People were wondering if a certain serial number had a fix, so people started posting their serial numbers and experience with focus problems. I noted APS-C vs FF, because some people thought the problem only existed on FF.

1002xxx johnahill -- no problems on FF(?)
1002xxx syntrix -- no problems on crop
10017xx changes13 -- front focus on crop
1006xxx Ravon's -- no problems on crop
1006xxx jinashi -- back focuses past 10ft on crop
1007xxx Drew_Persson -- no problems on FF
10077xx kendallkoning -- no problems on FF
1008xxx slimyfishy -- slight front focus at 1.5ft to 2.5ft
1008xxx badlydrawnboy -- two copies back focus
1008xxx xameleon -- backfocuses far on FF
1009xxx frcsyk says a retailer told him that Sigma requested all 1008xxx's be returned. The 1009xxx's have the back focus issue addressed and the firmware has been updated.
1014xxx trumpet_guy front focuses up close, back focuses far on FF
1016xxx Andi Dietrich -- no problems on FF

FWIW, mine is perfect on my 40D and 7D. It's actually the only lens I have that I didn't apply microadjust for on the 7D. And it's wicked-sharp, too. Sharper than any fast Canon lens I've used (35/2, 50/1.8, 50/1.4, 85/1.8, 85/1.2) at wide aperture, and perhaps sharper than even my 100/2.8 USM at small apertures (haven't compared directly).

This is one of those lenses that I have a hard time leaving home. It has such a beautiful rendering that I try to use it for everything that I can. The only time I've been disappointed is with extension tubes... the LoCA starts to assert itself more strongly, so you have to be careful to avoid backlight.



Feb 28, 2010 at 07:55 PM
kaigraphy
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p.3 #14 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


CKrueger wrote:
Here's a little summary I made for myself a while back when I was considering this lens... People were wondering if a certain serial number had a fix, so people started posting their serial numbers and experience with focus problems. I noted APS-C vs FF, because some people thought the problem only existed on FF.

1002xxx johnahill -- no problems on FF(?)
1002xxx syntrix -- no problems on crop
10017xx changes13 -- front focus on crop
1006xxx Ravon's -- no problems on crop
1006xxx jinashi -- back focuses past 10ft on crop
1007xxx Drew_Persson -- no problems on FF
10077xx kendallkoning -- no problems on FF
1008xxx slimyfishy
...Show more

thanks for the info!!!! any more guys



Mar 01, 2010 at 01:43 PM
U.C.
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p.3 #15 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


1015xxx U.C. heavy frontfocus on FF, but with micro-adjust AF is spot on at every distance.


Mar 01, 2010 at 02:51 PM
michael49
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p.3 #16 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


Love mine.

f/2 on 5d2....
http://brownphotography.smugmug.com/photos/798513379_Pwot4-XL.jpg



Mar 01, 2010 at 03:29 PM
trumpet_guy
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p.3 #17 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


CKrueger wrote:
Here's a little summary I made for myself a while back when I was considering this lens... People were wondering if a certain serial number had a fix, so people started posting their serial numbers and experience with focus problems. I noted APS-C vs FF, because some people thought the problem only existed on FF.

...
1014xxx trumpet_guy front focuses up close, back focuses far on FF
...


Chris,

Actually mine is serial # 1001425. Yep, still same issue even after
trip to Sigma New York, along with my 5D body. They had the lens and
body for about 6 weeks, and the supervisor worked with the tech,
to no avail. Now that I'm shooting with an EE-s screen, it is a more manageable issue.

Tim



Mar 02, 2010 at 03:26 AM
wiregen
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p.3 #18 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


I know it's off topic, but why do they call the Sigma 50 f1.4 the sigmalux?


Mar 02, 2010 at 02:33 PM
freaklikeme
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p.3 #19 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


wiregen wrote:
I know it's off topic, but why do they call the Sigma 50 f1.4 the sigmalux?


Leica brands it's 1.4 lenses as Summilux. Since the Sigma's bokeh and drawing style are remarkably similar a Leica 50 or 80 'lux, it got the nickname.



Mar 02, 2010 at 02:43 PM
kaigraphy
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p.3 #20 · All Sigma 50mm f/1.4's aren't that bad


I just got my copy...no time to test it for focus problem...I already know about the AF problem b4 I bought the lens and judging from the amount of AF problem on sigma...I wouldn't be surprise my copy have it to and since I'm not from USA sending my lens to sigma is a no no...I do however think I have the latest copy...my serial starts with 105xx

I only hope my lens is good...if not I'll just MA it on my 7d...any of you guys using the lens on MA...just wondering

oh yeah here's a shot...focus is on the letter "am" shot wide open f1.4




Mar 05, 2010 at 03:15 PM
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