New Sigma 50 f/1.4 release

[cindy_stephenson]

Anyone heard when the Sigma's new 50mm f/1.4 lens is due out? Last heard it

was in testing.

[canfred]

Hi Cindy, I did read somewhere it would be June just one comment on this its not likely to be better than the Canon 50 f1.4 USM in fact I would be surprised if it even came close both in performance and price.

I have used Leica all my life my new Canon 50 just blew me away.

This is not to say Leica is not right up there but Sigma will need to work very hard.

Cheers Manfred

[carbon_dragon]

Let's not go overboard. Leica lenses aren't magic, but they're designed by excellent engineers in a "price is no object" manner so they are superb. I admit I haven't tried to do a shootout between my Leica 50/2 and my Canon 50/1.4. I think there WAS a shootout though in a magazine that seemed to say that the Contax (Yashica/Kyocera) 50/1.4 Zeiss was the best they had seen among the 50's.

 

But Sigma's 30/1.4 is really the only affordable normal lens if you have a APS-C sized sensor. It's interesting that they should put out a 50/1.4 because those are available relatively cheap for any system.

[kari v]

50/1.4 HSM for Nikon D40/D40X/D60...

 

And Canon shooters may find they like something more up to date than the almost-USM 50/1.4.

 

Depends on the build and optical quality of course but it's hard to imagine Sigma leaving this lens totally mediocre.

[mike_earussi1]

This was recently discussed on the dpreview Sigma forum.

 

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1027&message=27760953\

 

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1027&message=27831364

 

 

With the weight at 520 gms and a 77mm front filter size I'm hoping that it is highly corrected wide open, hopefully flat field.

[kari v]

77mm front filter? Ugh...

[anson_ko]

Let's not go overboard. Leica lenses aren't magic, but they're designed by excellent engineers in a "price is no object" manner so they are superb

 

That is soooo true. Also, Leica is no AF. you need to focus everytime.

[derek_stanton2]

"I haven't tried to do a shootout between my Leica 50/2 and my Canon 50/1.4. I think

there WAS a shootout though in a magazine that seemed to say that the Contax

(Yashica/Kyocera) 50/1.4 Zeiss was the best they had seen among the 50's."

 

I have done "shootouts," and the Canon 50/1.4 was better than the Leica 50/2

Summicron-R. At f1.4, it's (the Canon) not spectacular, but, the Summicron only starts

at f2. At f2, the Canon was equal to, if not a hair better than the Summicron.

Understandable, in that the Canon is closed down a bit, and the Leica is wide open.

Bokeh-wise, my preference is for the Canon.

 

I later compared the Canon to the Contax 50/1.4 Planar.... The Contax is better at 1.4

and 2. I didn't compare them at smaller apertures. As for bokeh, i tend to like Zeiss, but

the Canon is similar.

 

I'm hoping the Sigma can match the Zeiss' wide open performance, with non-offensive

bokeh. I don't see why they would even consider this product launch if it didn't do

something better than the manufacturers' lenses.

[correct_exposure]

Thx Sigma for making this lens. The ring motor is what Canon should update to as well. Nikon users really benefit from this lens considering they do not sell any ultrasonic (silentwave) primes (50mm ones anyway).

[carbon_dragon]

I've never had the Leica R's. I use the Leica M's when I use Leicas. The latest 50/2, while not using aspherics or anything, and while being actually reasonably priced (for leica) is superb. And Leica's QC is good enough so that there are seldom any "dogs" due to manufacturing tolerences. I'm not saying it's worth it, just saying. I've never used the Leica 50/1.4's.

[derek_stanton2]

I dunno about Leica's QC either. I certainly got a "dog" from them: the M-50mm

Summilux-ASPH. I bought a new copy, and it sucked out loud. My Zeiss ZM Planar

was better. My Canon 50/1.4 was better. My $30 Jupiter-3 was better.

 

It was sent back to Leica, Solms. After three months, they sent it back to me. It was

only slightly better than before. And, still worse than the other three lenses. I sent it

back again, along with copies of the test/comparison photos. They eventually replaced

it, perhaps out of embarrassment.

 

There are dogs from every manufacturer. As far as statistics go, i've had ONE Leica

dog and NONE from Canon, Nikon, Contax, Voigtlander, Mamiya, Hasselblad, Rollei,

or Pentax....