Nikon 50mm 1.4 v Sigma

ryanyboy

ryanyboy

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Ryan
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Morning all,

After having my Nikon 50mm 1.4G pinched last week I'm just thinking of sorting out a replacement. However I seem to recall reading that the Sigma 50mm 1.4 is optically better. I'm just wondering if this is the case and if so why is it better?

My own thoughts on the Nikon is there is some fringing wide open which disappears at 1.8 or smaller.

Any opinions greatly appreciated.

Lots of love,

Ryan
 
Puddleduck (andy) is the man to ask regarding the Sigma. I recall him doing some side by side stuff on his D700.

:)
 
Hi Ryan Iv not used the sigma but heard sterling reviews of it... I would add though that having used the nikon F1.4, previously owning the F1.8 and recently having a discipline day with the nikon f1.2 I'd have to say the F1.8 is the sharpest of the lot the cheapest of the lot and unless your a bokeh Junkie the stop difference just doesn't seem warrant double the price.
pick up a 1.8 and spend the rest on a 10 stop filter or another toy thats going to add more dimension and variety to your work.

cheers Andy
 
Dimension and Variety?? Do behave!! :D

Seriously - it's interesting to hear you say the 1.8 is sharper than the 1.4. I wonder if you had a bad copy of the Nikon 1.4 as mine was pretty good. Or maybe the 1.8 simply is the better optically. Either way I admit I am a bokeh junkie and shoot low light a lot so 1.4 really does appeal more.

I'm beginning to wonder if the Sigma might have the sharpness edge....
 
I tried both and bought the Sigma.

It was better wide open then the Nikon and whats the point of 1.4 if you cant use it.

Once stopped doen past 5.6/8 then not a lot in it but Nikon is a lot cheaper.

The siggy is a big 50mm with lovely bokeh

Siggy is sharper in centre wide open which is good for portraits.
 
Thanks fella ^^^^

Out of interest did you get a good sigma first time??
 
ryanyboy said:
Dimension and Variety?? Do behave!! :D

Seriously - it's interesting to hear you say the 1.8 is sharper than the 1.4. I wonder if you had a bad copy of the Nikon 1.4 as mine was pretty good. Or maybe the 1.8 simply is the better optically. Either way I admit I am a bokeh junkie and shoot low light a lot so 1.4 really does appeal more.

I'm beginning to wonder if the Sigma might have the sharpness edge....
Click to expand...


OK OK... iv done some more reading on this on some other forums now too... here is my findings.. the sigma is better wide open and gives sublime bucket (bokeh) ;).. stopped down the nikon is better... but if you found yourself stopping down to 1.8 to avoid fringing... well you know the rest..
Nikons 50mm f1.8 is historically rated as the best there is.. it was the kit lens for generations so had great development, refinement, etc and often wedding togs would shoot the whole day with this one piece of wonder glass... iv even heard canon guys using an adaptor on it because it was soooo good.
il be honest iv just spent 4k on a 300mm 2.8 instead of replacing my 300mm f4 afs.. why... because a) Im a snob and want the best and b) because that oof bokeh was important to me... on the other end of the spectrum i replaced my nikon 17-35 f2.8 with the nikon 18-35 f3.5 because i just dont need that light difference when shooting landscapes in the centre its sharper than the 17-35..
If you've got the cash get the best... hell get the f1.2 if you can!
phiggys may sell you one if you show him enough John Houblons!

good luck with it anyhow....cheers Andy
 
ryanyboy said:
Thanks fella ^^^^

Out of interest did you get a good sigma first time??
Click to expand...

Yep sublime. Also have the 24-70 and nver had a problem with the quality of that either.
 
I have not tried the Nikon, but have the Sigma and an very, very happy with it. Gorgeous bokeh, reasonable sharpness at 1.4, quick & silent AF. Picked it up used and it seems pretty decent condition wise. The Nikon is mean to be better at the edges and stopped down. I wanted mine for portraits on my D300, so the Sigma was a no-brainer.
 
Just went in to the local Jessops this afternoon and they had a Nikon 50 1.4G at a good price. Was soft as you-know-what though so Jessops still have it :)

The more I think about it the more I think I might try to get hold of a Sigma. I better wait until the insurance is sorted though as they might expect me to replace like with like. But if they are sending me a cash settlement then I can buy what I like I guess.

Cheers all for the advice and suggestions so far :thumbs:
 
Just thought I'd update this for anyone interested.

I bought the Sigma 50mm 1.4 last week. Worst front focusing ever!! The lens was awful and it's going back.

In the meantime I've replaced the stolen Nikon 50mm 1.4G with another one.

Grrrr
 
Sorry to hear that:(
 
When I bought the Sigma I didn't even consider the Nikon.

Sorry...I'll go...now...:lol:
 
ryanyboy said:
Just thought I'd update this for anyone interested.

I bought the Sigma 50mm 1.4 last week. Worst front focusing ever!! The lens was awful and it's going back.

In the meantime I've replaced the stolen Nikon 50mm 1.4G with another one.

Grrrr
Click to expand...

how can you tell if a lens front focuses?
 
Although i've not had the sigma, i found the 1.4g sharper than the d wide open. Sharp enough for me anyway.

This is a test shot of our cat taken when i got it


Non shopped.
Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture: f/1.4
Focal Length: 50 mm
 
Exactly what I had with the Sigma I tried.

My 50G AF-S motor went pop last week and is now sorted. I really do love this lens.

Joseph

4237029465_b163407fd2_o.jpg
 
I love my Nikon 50 1.4, hardly been off the camera since I bought it.
 
i read a feature in the january issue of digital SLR user which focused on primes versus zooms and there was a comparison against third party lenses one of which was the sigma 50mm f1.4 versus the nikon 50mm f1.4 and surprisingly the sigma won in all round sharpness and when wide open but the person who did the review said that the nikon still had the better colours and so the nikon won overall.
 
I think I read a similar review mastertrinity - but in the review I read the Sigma pipped the Nikon. Now from personal experience I can only assume Sigma managed to get a good copy of the 50 into the reviewers hands. If he/she had been given my copy to review they would still be laughing!!

Cheers all for the replies.

Ryan
 
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