Canon vs Sigma 50mm 1.4 on a Rebel XT

[Bingo]

Hello!

I'm curious if anyone can offer any good advice or suggestions. I've been studying and reading around trying to get some information that would apply specifically to my situation.

I have a Rebel XT. I'm hoping to upgrade to an XSI but that won't be for at least several months.

Right now I'm looking to get a 50mm prime lens and I'm torn between the Sigma and the Canon.

Specifically, I'm wanting to get a good lens for taking pictures at clubs and bars of various bands. This means I'm constantly working in low light and often smokey or hazy conditions.

Does anyone have any suggestions that would help choose one or the other (Or something else entirely if you think) for situations like that?

Thank you for such a great forum!

Bingo

 

[Josh66]

I have the Canon, it's a great lens. Never used the Sigma before...

What's the price difference?

 

[cfusionpm]

According to adorama, the sigma is actually about 150$ MORE than the Canon. With that in mind, I would get the Canon over the Sigma in a heartbeat. I own the Canon 1.4 (upgraded from the 1.8) and absolutely love this little lens.

 

[pcacj]

I also have the Canon 50 mm and tried to use it to take some shots of my son's band in a night club. My challenges were not having the ability to zoom in and out and issues with getting the correct focus. It looks in focus through the view finder and then when I get back to my computer, it totally sucks, especially in low-light places like clubs. I wear glasses and this is probably the cause of my woes. A high end zoom with a slightly higher f/ rating will allow a greater focus depth, won't it ? You will pay more for a fast zoom but you may want to consider it for the flexibility.

 

[kcmo al]

As a general rule, I would always go for a Canon lens over third party, if the price is similar. However, Sigma makes very good prices. Check some independent reviews to determine if there are any problems. Third party lenses are reverse-engineered and may not be totally compatible with future body upgrades.

 

[Big]

The difference in price is over $300! I'd go with the Canon model myself
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all_details.asp?id=3354&navigator=17

 

[photograham]

I'd have to agree and say Canon

 

[gsgary]

Canon 50mmF1.4 rocks
this is at iso3200

 

[Big]

Canon 50mmF1.4 rocks
this is at iso3200

What camera was that with? must have been a FF, the ISO is great at 3200!

 

[gsgary]

5Dmk1

 

[Overread]

I was curious to see the responces in this thread, because I recalled that when the sigma f1.4 50mm was new to the market (and reviews were floating around) many were saying that it was at least as good if not better than the canon offering. Good copies of the sigma certainly seemed to be giving very high image quality results - the following reviews might be worth reading:
Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Lens Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review (read all the pages)
British Journal of Photography - Prime design
Sigma AF 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM (Canon) - Review / Test Report

there are loads more out there and google and pull up a load. Certainly I would not be one to say (on the basis of reviews) that the sigma 50mm f1.4 is a lower grade offering 0- though I do not know if its higher price is worth jumping for.

 

[Bingo]

Thanks for all the responses. You've helped a great deal.

And Overread, I agree with you completely. I was also really interested in hearing peoples responses now. I had much the same results you did - a lot of the reviews and things I read were from about 12 - 18 months ago. Moreover, none of them really specifically addressed what I was interested in - indoor low light situations.

And GSGary - what a great shot! Thanks for showing that.