50mm: Sigma vs. Nikon

[Dubious Drewski]

If any of you guys don't listen to TWIP (This Week In Photography), you should be. So much of what I know about photography came form this show.

Anyway, in show number 52, they have a guest come on and discuss the Sigma 50mm 1.4. They start talking about it 34 minutes into it. This guest kind of rambles and you can tell he's not used to speaking to an audience, but these are the points he makes:

The Sigma is huge. Very huge and heavy. But it was required to have the lens work so well wide open. This lens was specifically designed to be used at f1.4, unlike most other 50mm lenses, which work best a few stops down from there. The sigma also has nearly zero chromatic aberration or vignetting problems wide open. It's also sharper.

But again, it's heavy, big and more expensive than any other 50mm lens out there. (Well, except for the upcoming Pentax DA* 55mm 1.4 at $800. I'm drooling already)

 

[JerryPH]

Jerry: there is a new 50mm 1.4 from Nikon? What do you have to look for in the name to distinguish it from the previous one? I've not heard about this new lens yet.

The 50mm F/1.4G

AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G from Nikon

Seems that besides the faster AF, the rest of the improvements are minimal. Both of Nikon's 50mm F/1.4s are more than acceptable performers. The Sigmas are just a notch underneath.

Seems you cannot do too badly with any of these lenses.

 

[EhJsNe]

screw the looks. Thats like buying the most expensive camera in the world just because you have the money. there is better cameras.

I would go with the Nikon lens. My nikon 36-72mm f1.2 lens takes absolutely amazing pictures. (once I get a film scanner or my regular scanner working Ill post some pictures)

 

[ChrisOquist]

I seem to be in the complete minority here (a minority of one?) but I don't think the Sigma would be a bad choice. My brother has the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 Macro and it's a fantastic lens - very sharp, very well-built, and it does great macro. This leads me to believe the 1.4 can't be half bad either.

I have a Sigma 10-20mm and it's great as well - the "bigger and looks way cooler" remark might put some sensitive people off, but it's tied to something - Sigma builds their lenses like tanks, and the EX coating is awesome - very tactile, making the lenses a pleasure to use.

I don't think you can go wrong either way..