Story of 50mm Primes

[ifi]

Return Sigma and get a Canon 50mm 1.4. The 50/1.4 is an excellent lens. On a camera with a 1.6x crop factor (10D, D60), this makes a wonderful portrait lens. One just needs to keep these quirks in mind. It's my personal opinion, Otherwise as you wish.

Thanks for the vote

The 50 1.4 from Canon is a great lens. It gets soft wide open, like most large aperture lenses, but that's less important with portraiture. I used to shoot wide open with it on full frame and it was mostly sharp. If the scene was low-contrast, the lack of sharpness became much more pronounced.

And if you can afford it, a 70-200 is a good addition to any camera bag if you have a need for it. I had the non-IS for a while, and it was remarkably sharp. It makes a phenomenal portrait lens, but might have a bit too much reach for a crop sensor. Especially if you work in confined spaces at all.

Thank you for your input. What happened to your 70-200 ?

 

[subscuck]

I would suggest trying two things before you write off your lens. I own this lens as well as the 30mm 1.4. Aparently I should play the lottery, cause I got "good copies" the first time around on both.
1. Are you using center AF point only or are you using them all? If you're using all, change to center AF and try some shots. In low light the AF system is even pickier about contrast when selecting the AF point to use. Make it your choice.

2.Take a few shots manualy focusing. This will show you what a great lens this is. People have focus issues with brand new Canon and Nikon lenses and they don't hesitate to use their warranty to get it calibrated. When it's a third party lens, they wanna sell/return it and get a Canon or Nikon, even if it's a lesser lens.

All the real reviews, not the user written ones, you've read on line praise this lens as competing directly with the Canon L. For less money, the Canon 1.4 doesn't perform as well as this lens. I'd urge you to try nos. 1 and 2 above, and if there is a problem with the lens, send it out and get it calibrated.

 

[ifi]

1. Are you using center AF point only or are you using them all? If you're using all, change to center AF and try some shots. In low light the AF system is even pickier about contrast when selecting the AF point to use. Make it your choice.

I almost always use the center AF point.

2.Take a few shots manualy focusing. This will show you what a great lens this is. People have focus issues with brand new Canon and Nikon lenses and they don't hesitate to use their warranty to get it calibrated. When it's a third party lens, they wanna sell/return it and get a Canon or Nikon, even if it's a lesser lens.

I have already tried manual focus and it does look great and I love the bokeh of this lens. Can you post a good focused picture using AF at f1.4?

 

[subscuck]

I almost always use the center AF point.

Good. Obviously I don't know you, so I don't know what you know and what you don't. Even a lot of people who've been shooting for a while don't realize their cam sometimes focuses where it wants to when all AF points are selected, and they think they have a front/back focus issue. When it gets really funny is when a friend or family member uses it on their cam, with center AF, and get great pics. Then they think it's the body having issues with the lens.

I have already tried manual focus and it does look great and I love the bokeh of this lens. Can you post a good focused picture using AF at f1.4?

Yeah, but you'll have to give me a while. I won't be home for a couple hours, and I'll have to set up a shot for you. I never shoot wide open. Because of that, I'm curious, why a shot at 1.4? While the Sigma is sharper @ 1.4 than the Canon L, it's not at it's sharpest, like any fast prime, til 3.5 at least. 3 stops is even better.

 

[subscuck]

Here's two, one at 1.4 and one at 3.5. At 3.5 it's razor sharp. At 1.4 it's about as sharp as you would expect and would need some sharpening in PPing.

1.4

3.5

 

[ifi]

Yeah, but you'll have to give me a while. I won't be home for a couple hours, and I'll have to set up a shot for you. I never shoot wide open. Because of that, I'm curious, why a shot at 1.4? While the Sigma is sharper @ 1.4 than the Canon L, it's not at it's sharpest, like any fast prime, til 3.5 at least. 3 stops is even better.

Seems like you got home before I did
That's what I heard as well that Sigma 1.4 is suppose to be sharper than Canon 1.2 L. I wanted to compare the sharpness at 1.4 with my copy.

Here's two, one at 1.4 and one at 3.5. At 3.5 it's razor sharp. At 1.4 it's about as sharp as you would expect and would need some sharpening in PPing.
1.4
3.5

Thank you for the images :thumbsup:

 

[subscuck]

Thank you for the images :thumbsup:

NP. Hope it helps with your decision.

 

[ifi]

I am expecting my tripod today or tomorrow and will run more tests. Will post some images here for review.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

or.....
A) forcefully smash Sigma into cement sidewalk to adjust focus problem
B) locate $3.00 used UV filter, preferably a Rokenon or Sears single-coated vintage 1972 UV filter owned by a professional welder, so that it has slag spots on it, to improve Sigma's AF performance by giving it "something to work against".
C) crush left index finger in shop vise, to cause you to forget about Sigma 50mm troubles for at least 12 hours, until the emergency room morphine shot wears off
D)Buy a Canon lens and forget about the Sigma
E) Get drunk, and order TWO Canon lenses and forget about everything...

(I personally would go with Choice E on my list, which is like your list's choice #4, except in my scenario, you get to get hammered!)

LOL

That's the funniest thing i've read all morning