50mm f1.4

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deputy dawg

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Martyn
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I thought i would add a 50mm f1.4 lens to my collection, mainly for low light gig photography, so i thought i would do a search before i decided what to buy. Oh man :bang: Have read the canon version not good build quality, focus mechanism jams, focusing can be eratic not very good wide open.
And the sigma not very sharp between f1.4 and f2 focusing problems etc etc.
Now surely if they were that bad people wouldn't buy them :shrug: regards focusing is the sigma that bad, or is it more of a case of "a bad plumber always blames his tools"
I would love to hear from anyone who uses the sigma, or has used both am swaying slightly towards the sigma. Many thanks
 
I would also like to hear from people who have experience with this lens.

Having nearly just bought the canon derivative I am glad I haven't yet!
 
There's been a few threads on this subject lately but for what it's worth, I'm quite happy with the Canon 50mm f1.4 :)
 
Phil Young said:
I had a nikon version and for the price i was very dissapointed. There was such a litttle difference is light from 1.4 - 1.8...I ended up selling it for my current 50mm 1.8
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half a stop difference, better IQ, better build quality, filter size (if you have similar sized other lenses better chance with the 1.4 then the tiny 1.8), better optics and AF.

Other then that the 1.4 is pretty pants tbh
 
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I owned the Canon EF 50mm 1.4 for many years when shooting film.

Results wise I couldn't fault it but it's not the most robust lens and mine went back to Canon on two occasions after I knocked the front element hard enough to damage the auto-focus mechanism. This protrudes from the main body of the lens so is easily damaged.

If I had one again I would buy the lens hood to go with it on the same day.
 
Perfectly happy with my Canon 50mm f/1.4 :)

Have read that the focus mechanism is delicate but just treat it with care. As for performance wide open - no it's not as sharp as it is when stopped down a touch but that's true for the vast majority of lenses and I think the performance at f/1.4 is perfectly acceptable, although I've also read that some examples are better than others.
 
I have the canon 50mm f1.4 and have experienced no such problem, Wonderfull lens, sharp, AF fast and beautifull broketh.

I had the canon 50mm f1.8, Although great value for money. Very cheaply made and realy didnt like the focus ring falling off the end of the lens. And the lens hood was atrocious.
 
deputy dawg said:
And the sigma not very sharp between f1.4 and f2 focusing problems etc etc.
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I have the Siggy and it isn't my sharpest lens at f1.4 but it's ok and more importantly... sharper than the Canon at that aperture from what I've read on line. Once you start to stop down a bit my Siggy is a match or better than my Canon 50mm f2.5 at every aperture and as the f2.5 is thought by some to be Canons sharpest 50mm I think that's a good result. I have had no focus issues with the Siggy.

Having said all that :) I personally think that sharpness is a little overrated and that with a lens like this bokeh and the overall look are probably more important.

So, if you like the look that either the Siggy or Canon give then that's the lens to go for, forget minor differences in pixel peeping sharpness :) I prefer the Siggy so that's what I went for.
 
Thank you for all the replies, just popped into jessops to have a look and to be honest the canon lens does feel a bit fragile, have yet to have a look at the sigma hopefully next weekend. If all fails will have to think of another option
 
Just compared these 2 lenses on DxO Mark, And to be honost there isnt anything in it performance wise at f2.8 the both score the same.

The sigma is a much bigger lens at 505gms compared to the canon at 290gms with a larger filter size of 77mm to the canons 58mm and comparing prices on Amazon UK is £140 more than the canon.
 
I went for the canon 1.4 not that long ago. Couldn't justify the extra £140 in the end. If the Siggy didn't have the bad press it gets then I may well have gone for it, but I don't have the time to be sending it back. I want to buy a lens and use it. Granted, the Canon is 'fragile', but with some care it will last. I don't like getting into the habit of smashing my lenses into stuff! It's smaller and lighter too. From 1.8 it is pretty sharp and has great bokeh. I had the Canon 1.8 Mk1 before and it wasn't as good IMHO. AF was slow and it was quite soft up until f2.8. For the money it wasn't bad, but you get what you pay for.

I'd still love to get a good copy of the Siggy and do a 'side by side' one day though!

I'm sure whichever you get you'll enjoy. Love my 50mm at the moment!
 
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the sigmas 77mm filter size is a plus as thats the size of my other lenses, i will try one next weekend if i get the opportunity and if its a duffer will get my money back and knock the 50mm idea on the head
 
Hotshots said:
Just compared these 2 lenses on DxO Mark, And to be honost there isnt anything in it performance wise at f2.8 the both score the same.
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That's hardly a surprise though is it? You don't buy a lens like this for its performance at f2.8 IMVHO. You buy it to use at f2.8 and smaller apertures but to go to f1.4 when you want and need it to and for the bokeh and look.
 
Primes like this are chosen for there performance in low light as well as the low f number for broketh, Not many people are gonna shoot at 1.4f most of the time. And given that DxO mark only gave a score for these lenses on stop higher at 2.8f which was the same i dont know if they drop off significantly at lower or higher apetures.

But for me i have had no problems with the canon lens and it has performed brilliantly and seems a very good buy at £140 cheaper and is lighter to carry, but as anyone would say on these forums try them out first in the shop for yourself because whats right for one may not be for another :)
 
Will mainly be using it for photographing my sons band, and the lighting is pretty dire at most venues so will want too use larger apertures,
 
As stated by Spiritflier there has been a fair few posts. I went with the Siggy and found focusing up close a bit erratic. But the bokeh and sharpness are superb. So I'll definately be keeping it, but will need to get used to its quirks. Have a feeling it'll become and old freind that I won't want to give up likely.
Sorry no experience of the Canons.:shrug:
Anyhow couple of threads here:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=385035


http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=378705
 
I do alot of gig photography and I too looked at this lens, infact I was all set to buy it and looked on Amazon, 49 people reviewed it and all but two people absolutely loved it.

But what they were using it for was NOT low light shooting, but portraits, where the large aperture gave very pleasing bokeh.

the two people who slated it were guys who wanted to use it in low light and found it lacking.

I'm just saving for the 35mm F1.4 L lens at the minute but at around a grand it may be a while,

So just using the 50mm F1.8 work horse at the moment with a 35mm F2 canon lens for the smaller venues
 
They probably don't know what they're doing :) Maybe they're missing because of thin DoF or just poor technique?

I've not noticed any problems with mine. I have tried it against my Canon 50mm f2.5 in low light and the Siggy was faster and had a better hit rate. I have other fast lenses and the Siggy doesn't stick out as a poor performer, far from it. It's not magic though, you have to point it at something with enough detail to achieve focus on.
 
I'm wondering how all these people who say the lens is fragile are treating their kit. There's a reminder to look at your profiles if I ever buy second hand kit.

I have the canon 50mm f1.4, specifically bought to shoot bands in low light and it works great. It's also brilliant shooting at f1.4 for that real shallow depth of field. Mine lives in my camera bag all the time and I've never found it fragile. It is small and looks strange on the camera.
 
I don't know what other lenses you have byker but compared to my other lenses it does feel quite cheap and not very robust, performance aside. And i don't treat my kit roughly either,as i have to scrimp and save for it thank you
 
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