Would you keep it? Sigma 50mm f1.4

[smooth_carrots]

<p>Just got this lens today. I had to dial in maximum (+20) AF micro-adjust as it was front focusing quite badly. If it was any worse, the AF micro-adjust would not have been able to correct it. Seems to be working fine now. Is this normal with this lens? If not, would you keep it or return it?</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>At what distance(s) were you testing and doing the correction?</p>

[brad_trostad]

<p>Since it's new and can be exchanged, why not? Getting a good copy will then work on other cameras w/o MFA and you won't have this loss to realize if you sell / trade it.</p>

[bobatkins]

<p>There have been reports of some focus issues with this lens, but not everyone has them (or at least reports them). Google something like "Sigma 50/1.4 focus shift" and read what comes up. Remember though that there are people who have issues with just about every lens out there, and only thoise with issues post. Nobody every posts that they just got a new lens and when they tested it it was perfect! You only hear the complaints.</p>

<p>I'd say that if you can get good, repeatable focus with AF microadjustment, and the same microadjustment works far all apertures from f1.4 on down and at all focus distances, then you might want to hold onto it.</p>

<p>Sigma will try to tweak it for you if you send it to them with a report of focus issues.</p>

<p>Alternatively you could return it for another copy and hope the 2nd one is better, not worse!</p>

 

[Marcus Ian]

<p>I've used two copies of this lens, and one needed +20, and the other +~5 or 6 (if I recall correctly). It's definitely a lens that benefits from MFA (as it has a tendency to frontfocus, and focus shift), but once they were dialed in, I got absolutely beautiful imagery from them. Far better than the EF 50/1.4 (adjusted).</p>

<p>Every single lens I own (Ls included) has benefitted from MFA to a lesser or greater degree, so I don't loose any sleep over it. I'm w/ Bob on this one, if it works and works well, I wouldn't go flitting about trying to get another copy. As with any fast prime, WO they can be hit or miss, and MFA has been a godsend for those lenses especially. </p>

[smooth_carrots]

<p>Thanks all. I have used a lot of EF lenses and this is the first one that has really needed any sort of micro-focus adjustment. All the others have been great straight out of the box (even wide aperture lenses).</p>

<p>I have only tested it at relatively close distances so far but I wil give it a good testing later this week. If it maintains its sharpness at all distances and apertures then I'll probably hang on to it. I'm not a fan of Sigma lenses. Sigma glass is great but the way they're put together leaves something to be desired.</p>

[craig_meddaugh]

<p>I'd probably return it as it is quite a bit out of alignment and there is no guarantee that it will work on a future camera. Of course, you run the risk of getting a worse copy, but you can always return that one as well. I usually have to go through a couple of non-OEM lenses until I get one I am absolutely happy with.</p>

[robertbody]

<p>I would return it, in the future you might need +22 which would be not possible, plus another lens might do a better job no matter what the micro adjustement can do.</p>

[JohnMWright]

<p>+20 is pretty extreme. Exchange it. Or return it. And here is why I say that: I have only Canon lenses (4 of them) and haven't needed micro-adjustment with them, except a minor tweak on my macro. When using the macro, I now use liveview at 10x mounted on a tripod, so AF is moot. </p>

[yakim_peled1]

<blockquote>

<p>I have only tested it at relatively close distances so far but I wil give it a good testing later this week. If it maintains its sharpness at all distances and apertures then I'll probably hang on to it.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Good idea. If it's not, return it.</p>

<p>Happy shooting,<br>

Yakim.</p>

[pjmeade]

<p>If the lens is unusable or giving problems I would send it back and ask for another.<br>

I've had my Sigma 50/1.4 for ~9 months and love it, although I seldom use it for close focusing. The lens was almost welded to my 5D and give some very nice, sharp results. Now it it's a fixture on my EOS-1, but I haven't had any films developed from that camera yet, so I don't know how it performs there.</p>

[jack_the_hat]

<p>test post, please ignore</p>

[r_smith2]

<p>If you get a bad Sigma 50 or 85 send them back for replacement or refund, do not send them to Sigma for service unless you really really want that particular lens and have patience and cash to spare for shipping plus a lot of luck. For the past year I have been sending my lenses to Sigma Service trying to get my 50 and 85 focusing properly. I have spent hundreds of dollars in shipping costs returning the lenses for repair. I have been waiting over a week now for Sigma to send me a UPS shipping label as both of my lenses need to go back again and I was tired of paying the shipping. Buying a Sigma 50 or 85 is playing the lottery but then sending it in for service is playing the lottery twice. I will say right up front that I do not think that Sigma Service is bad in fact I think they are very competent, it is just that they have been given new issues to deal with on products that may have design issues as well as poor quality control during manufacturing.</p>

<p>I have had two copies of the Sigma 50. The first one was a total wreck and would not even focus sharply using manual focus and had terrible halation. After sending it in several times Sigma supposedly lost it and replaced it with a new one. Personally I think they threw it against a brick wall which is what I wanted to do with it. The Sigma 50's are famous for front focusing and my current one also requires at times a +20 ma and sometimes that is not enough. Both my Sigma 50 and 85 also suffer from focus shift when changing focus from near to far subjects. My Sigma 85 also had chattering or jackhammering focus which Sigma was able to fix as far as Sigmas HSM is concerned which by nature tends to chatter and can be a bit undecisive when trying to achieve focus. I have owned 6 or 7 Sigmas with HSM and it has never impressed me nor is it even fair to compare it to Canons Ring USM.</p>

<p>This is just my experience and my suggestions but I will say that I have also had focus issues with 3 Canon L lenses this past year as well so I am just not picking on Sigma. In fact I really like the crew at Sigma Service as I have had the opportunity to get to know them this past year on a first name basis and they to are very patient and trying their best to get my lenses working properly. I think they finally found the focus issues with my 85 the last go around but in reassembling the lenses left a fair amount of dust and fiber particals behind the front lens element which they now have to clean. The verdict is still out on my 50 as it has a mind of its own with inconsistent focusing, focus shift and terrible front focusing issues requiring any where from +12 to +20 ma and sometimes beyond depending on what day of the week you use it.</p>

 

[yakim_peled1]

<p>WOW! What a horrible experience.</p>

<p>Happy shooting,<br>

Yakim.</p>