# Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art 2016



## danielohana (Jul 9, 2016)

Have anyone bought Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art lately? Does the Focusing got any better?
Someone here uses sigma 50mm 1.4 art + Canon 6D?
I need 50mm lens ASAP but I really don't feel Canon's worth the money and I got tone of AF probs with the 1.4...
Please share your exprience.


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## YuengLinger (Jul 9, 2016)

danielohana said:


> Have anyone bought Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art lately? Does the Focusing got any better?
> Someone here uses sigma 50mm 1.4 art + Canon 6D?
> I need 50mm lens ASAP but I really don't feel Canon's worth the money and I got tone of AF probs with the 1.4...
> Please share your exprience.



Did the 50mm 1.4 Art EVER get a firmware update? Wasn't that the promise of the magic widget that could be bought extra and complicate our lives a little more?

I tried a second copy last fall (2015) on my 5DIII and had terrible AF problems, even worse than my first copy in 2014. 

I'm just using the 35mm 1.4 Art which is good, and the 24-70mm 2.8 II when I need that range.

Really hoped Canon might be releasing a new 50mm L this year, or signaling one for next.

I do keep a 50mm 1.4 glued to my old 60D, the fun camera that goes to the beach and for walks with baby. Happy with it for that, not terrible, not great, just makes do, but a little tight on the cropped sensor.


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## Alex_M (Jul 9, 2016)

I have an extensive experience with the Sigma 50 1.4 Art on Canon 6D body. 

To make the long story short:

Autofocus is consistent if the central AF point used. Other AF points are not quiet usable with the lens. Lens performed brilliantly otherwise. AFMA via Sigma USB dock is highly recommended as the lens will not be accurate out of the box throughout the focusing range wide open.


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## j-nord (Jul 13, 2016)

Alex_M said:


> I have an extensive experience with the Sigma 50 1.4 Art on Canon 6D body.
> 
> To make the long story short:
> 
> Autofocus is consistent if the central AF point used. Other AF points are not quiet usable with the lens. Lens performed brilliantly otherwise. AFMA via Sigma USB dock is highly recommended as the lens will not be accurate out of the box throughout the focusing range wide open.



LOL the other 6D AF points aren't useable period.


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## Alex_M (Jul 13, 2016)

Exactly!  I suspect that this is being the reason why Canon 6D users achieve better AF consistency with Sigma Art lenses:

We (Canon 6D users) are forced to use central AF point. This somehow helps achieving better AF consistency. Canon 5D or 1DX users have much broader AF point selection options that seems to complicate the situation...



j-nord said:


> LOL the other 6D AF points aren't useable period.


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## Ripley (Jul 13, 2016)

YuengLinger said:


> Did the 50mm 1.4 Art EVER get a firmware update? Wasn't that the promise of the magic widget that could be bought extra and complicate our lives a little more?



I know of at least one firmware update that was released earlier this year. I don't own the dock so I have not tried it.


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## JohnDizzo15 (Jul 13, 2016)

I haven't had a chance to test the most recent firmwares with a 6D since I dumped mine a while back. But there have been two firmware updates to the lens since I purchased it. From what it looks like though, most of the updates were meant to improve performance with the EF to FE Sony adapter. I can only attest to the fact that it works beautifully on the A7R2. lol.


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## Luds34 (Jul 14, 2016)

j-nord said:


> Alex_M said:
> 
> 
> > I have an extensive experience with the Sigma 50 1.4 Art on Canon 6D body.
> ...



Haha, sadly I have to agree!


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## Shane1.4 (Jul 14, 2016)

I shoot weddings and have the 50 Art on my 6D as a 2nd set up. I use the center AF point. The 6D and 50 Art are the best focusing combination I have. Better that my Canon 85 1.2 and 135 f2. It is extremely accurate and razor sharp. Highly recommend.


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## koolman (Jul 14, 2016)

I just bought the 50mm art - for my t5i. For me the auto-focus is "mostly" accurate with a few quirks being:

1) At closer distances - seems a tad off

2) Can randomly "miss" especially by being distracted by a brighter object closer by.

The overall IQ is very nice - a step up from the Canon 50mm 1.4. Worth all the extra $$ ?? That's a toss up.


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## Patlezinc (Jul 14, 2016)

I bought The ART for my 70d. At 1.4, focus was horribly wrong. So I took a second copy of the ART. Same story...
Hmm, In Liveview, focus was accurate so I was thinking about a 70d issue. 
I bet on The 6d And It solved everything.
It Is The best combo I Have ever had... This Lens Is Just magic...

You can see some shots here : http://212.129.31.252/patrick-giranthon.fr/


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## Patlezinc (Jul 14, 2016)

I Forgot to say that I also Have The 50mm 1.4 Canon. The ART Is 2 times heavier, cost twice the price and is... 10 times better ;D


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## YuengLinger (Jul 14, 2016)

Patlezinc said:


> I bought The ART for my 70d. At 1.4, focus was horribly wrong. So I took a second copy of the ART. Same story...
> Hmm, In Liveview, focus was accurate so I was thinking about a 70d issue.
> I bet on The 6d And It solved everything.
> It Is The best combo I Have ever had... This Lens Is Just magic...
> ...



Ok, so the lens dictates I can ONLY use the center AF point for razor thin DoF composing, and it also dictates that I can only use it on one camera in the know universe. Go Sigma! ;D


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## Alex_M (Jul 14, 2016)

YuengLinger said:


> Ok, so the lens dictates I can ONLY use the center AF point for razor thin DoF composing, and it also dictates that I can only use it on one camera in the know universe. Go Sigma! ;D



When shooting wide open and expecting razor thin DoF composition , would you say you will be most likely shooting stationary subjects? Would you still consider manual focusing in order to achieve critical focus then?
[sarc] I never owned a Zeiss glass in Canon mount but also heard that Sigma AF implementation is superior to the Zeiss one  [/sarc]


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## ajfotofilmagem (Jul 14, 2016)

For those daunted by the dreaded inconsistent focus Sigma Art, I say:

If all else goes wrong, Sigma Art works beautifully with Dual Pixel AF.


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## Patlezinc (Jul 14, 2016)

YuengLinger said:


> Patlezinc said:
> 
> 
> > I bought The ART for my 70d. At 1.4, focus was horribly wrong. So I took a second copy of the ART. Same story...
> ...



The fact Is canon Did a crappy focus on The 70d. Reported so many times In forums.


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## YuengLinger (Jul 14, 2016)

Alex_M said:


> YuengLinger said:
> 
> 
> > Ok, so the lens dictates I can ONLY use the center AF point for razor thin DoF composing, and it also dictates that I can only use it on one camera in the know universe. Go Sigma! ;D
> ...



Once you center focus and recompose at f/1.4, you've lost focus.

Manual focus? Expressions are fleeting, and though my subjects may be "stationary," I don't want them to remain rigid! 

We can have a whole other thread about the right focusing screen for manual, and then compromising brightness...We can talk about how many of us can reliably MF now, and how many will still be able to do so in 5 years, 10 years...

But the important fact is that at very shallow DoF, slight movements of a subject, a sway, a tilt or turn, and you have to refocus. * With MF, I'd never achieve anything like the keeper rate possible with world-class AF, which is what I get with my 5D3 and Canon lenses. * I'd rather my subject be relaxed than concentrating on remaining still.

And by the way, to those who hyperventilate when their brands are challenged, I LOVE my Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art on my 5D3. Fast, reliable AF. The Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art, however, is a lost cause for me, sadly.


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## Refurb7 (Jul 14, 2016)

The Sigma 35mm and 50mm Art lenses both work well on my 6D and 5D3 and 70D. All lenses have been calibrated to all bodies using in-camera AF adjustment at the proper distance (with FoCal software).

I agree about using the center point on the 6D. I'll sometimes use the outer points, but they're not as reliable. The center point is good enough for me.

I would normally not use these lenses wide open on a Rebel class camera. The AF can't be micro-adjusted and is a bit less reliable to begin with. But stopped down a bit is OK.


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## Alex_M (Jul 14, 2016)

Not to sound argumentive, but... at 50mm and f/1.4, say 3m distance to subject, the DoF for a Canon FF camera is 14cm in front and 16cm behind the focus point. Plenty deep enough (in my opinion) for the focus and recompose technique still be usable? Coming closer towards the subject makes the DoF shallow and not as easy to play with, of course, but I usualy shoot tight portrets with a longer lens anyway to avoid perspective distortion... 
I guess, with the center being the only usable AF point, 6D users are forced to master their focus and recompose technique.. There is no other option 




YuengLinger said:


> Once you center focus and recompose at f/1.4, you've lost focus.
> 
> Manual focus? Expressions are fleeting, and though my subjects may be "startionary," I don't want them to remain rigid!
> 
> ...


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## YuengLinger (Jul 15, 2016)

Alex_M said:


> Not to sound argumentive, but... at 50mm and f/1.4, say 3m distance to subject, the DoF for a Canon FF camera is 14cm in front and 16cm behind the focus point. Plenty deep enough (in my opinion) for the focus and recompose technique still be usable? Coming closer towards the subject makes the DoF shallow and not as easy to play with, of course, but I usualy shoot tight portrets with a longer lens anyway to avoid perspective distortion...
> I guess, with the center being the only usable AF point, 6D users are forced to master their focus and recompose technique.. There is no other option
> 
> 
> ...



Not arguing, but explaining personal use...3 m is about 3/4 body length, and, you are right, at that distance we technically have some wiggle room for "acceptable sharpness" but I would not agree that it is truly 30 cm! I lean more towards peak sharpness when I can get it, though the right expression trumps it when all other factors are equal.

But I like a 50mm in closer for expressive portraits and, especially, for children. Even 35mm has a place for head and shoulder or tighter, but not for yearbook shots or corporate headshots. At 2 m, roughly head and upper body, we are now down to a 13 cm _range_ of acceptable sharpness. Get in there at 1.5m, down to a 7cm range of acceptable sharpness.

I had to check all this before replying to you, and I'm glad you prompted me put actual measurements to practical application and experience.

But all this, with the Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art, is theoretical irrelevance if it cannot achieve consistent, reliable AF in a variety of lighting situations. And for me, on the 5DIII, two copies of the lens, bought about 16 months apart brand new were all over the AF'ing place, the second worse than the first.

Because of the way I like to use 50mm, I haven't bothered trying an ef 50mm 1.2 L, as I've seen many sample images (not just the 1 out of 500 shot session keepers) and talked with friends who have owned and sold them for slow AF and frustrating focus-shift.

I wanted the Sigma to work. If I read about a new firmware release that specifically addressed the 50mm Art focusing woes on the 5DIII, I'd try it again.

But I still hope for a new version of the 50mm 1.2 L that will focus more quickly than the 85mm 1.2 L II, at least as reliably, and have bokeh as pleasant as the 85mm 1.2 L II or the 135mm 2.0. That's asking for a lot.


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## ashmadux (Jul 27, 2016)

j-nord said:


> Alex_M said:
> 
> 
> > I have an extensive experience with the Sigma 50 1.4 Art on Canon 6D body.
> ...




LOL i was going to write this almost verbatim.

The outer points CAN work...but good luck with accuracy.

3 weeks in japan, it did pretty well. However the 5d3 for the next trip simply slaughtered it, except for nighttime photography.

For example:

Same 24-105, same location (sensoji), and the 5d3 sharpness was no better. Im still not sure what happened there. All i know is that the images from the 5d session there was arguably worse, sharpness wise, @ iso 100 and live view on a tripod.


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## Luds34 (Jul 27, 2016)

Patlezinc said:


> I bought The ART for my 70d. At 1.4, focus was horribly wrong. So I took a second copy of the ART. Same story...
> Hmm, In Liveview, focus was accurate so I was thinking about a 70d issue.
> I bet on The 6d And It solved everything.
> It Is The best combo I Have ever had... This Lens Is Just magic...
> ...



That sort of mirrored my experience. I had the old Sigma 50mm EX and it didn't seem to behave as consistent on the 70D. Even with AFMA (it front focused) I'd end up with shots that missed. However, once I got a 6D the lens would (again after AFMA) hit very consistently. I have a Sigma Art 35mm and it is very consistent on the 6D as well. I only tried it a bit on the 70D but it seems to suffer a similar issue, but don't want to say for sure as it was limited use.

As the 70Ds focus system performed awesome for me with a host of other Canon lenses, I just chalked it up to Sigma not having the secret sauce for the 70D, but had done most their testing on full frame Canon cameras? Just an odd theory.


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## Refurb7 (Jul 27, 2016)

Alex_M said:


> Not to sound argumentive, but... at 50mm and f/1.4, say 3m distance to subject, the DoF for a Canon FF camera is 14cm in front and 16cm behind the focus point. Plenty deep enough (in my opinion) for the focus and recompose technique still be usable? Coming closer towards the subject makes the DoF shallow and not as easy to play with, of course, but I usualy shoot tight portrets with a longer lens anyway to avoid perspective distortion...
> I guess, with the center being the only usable AF point, 6D users are forced to master their focus and recompose technique.. There is no other option
> 
> 
> ...



Focus and recompose does work with the 50mm Art at 1.4 — if one knows when to do it and when not to do it, and also how much to do it. It's not always true to say "you've lost focus". It depends on the distance to the subject and the degree of recomposing. And there's always the option to stop down when needed. So I find the 50mm Art to be very, very useful.


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