In the never-ending backlog of new products that we have yet to cover, there's one product that many of us have been waiting on for quite some time. I'm talking, of course, about a new addition to Sigma's steller Art lineup of lenses, the 50mm f/1.4. Anybody who has used the 35mm f/1.4 or the 18-35mm f/1.8 knows that Sigma means serious business with their Art lenses, both in terms of performance and price. Needless to say, this is an exciting announcement for people who love the traditional 50mm focal length. Read on to get all of the details!
First, here are the basic specs on the new lens, as well a video review from the folks over at Fstoppers.
- Lens Construction: 13 Elements in 8 Groups
- Angle of View: 46.8º
- Number of Diaphragm Blades: 9
- Minimum Aperture: f/16
- Minimum Focusing Distance: 40cm/15.7in
- Filter Size (mm): 77mm
- Maximum Magnifications: 1:5.6
- Dimensions (Diameter x Length): 85.4 x 99.9mm/3.4 x 3.9in
- Weight: 815g/28.7oz
With their Art lenses, Sigma is aiming to provide serious competition to the likes of Canon, Nikon, and Zeiss in the high-performance photography lens market. The folks at DxOMark recently compared a few of the highest performing standard focal length primes including the new Sigma Art 50mm, the Canon L Series 50mm f/1.2, and the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4. We've written about the Zeiss Otus prime before, as it's literally the highest performing stills lens of its type.
Here are the results of that test, which are somewhat surprising and rather flattering for the Sigma 50mm:
Nobody in their right mind would expect the Sigma 50mm to optically outperform the Zeiss Otus, which is widely considered to be the world's best stills lens. However, when thrown on a 5D MarkIII, the Sigma actually comes within striking distance of the DxO score of the Otus 55mm, which is pretty incredible considering that the Otus is a $4000 lens, whereas the Sigma comes in at a reasonable price of $950.
Of course, this lens will be most attractive to photographers because of its high performance and speedy autofocus -- not to mention its price. However, like its Art Series brothers, the 35mm f/1.4 and the 18-35mm f/1.8, the 50mm will likely find a place among videographers and filmmakers alike. For folks looking for the most "bang for their buck" with a high-performance 50mm prime, the Sigma will almost certainly be the best choice.
The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 is currently available for pre-order over at B&H.
What do you think about this new lens from Sigma? Will it be as big of a hit in the filmmaking community as the 35mm and 18-35mm? Let's hear your thoughts down in the comments!
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