PetaPixel published their review about the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM lens, a lens that easily competes with the 4 times more expensive Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus ($3,990). On the other hand, the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 sells for [shoplink 20221]$949[/shoplink].

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 was tested on a Nikon. Never the less I think the results speak for themselves. It’s more a real-life review than a lab-graph-engineerical one. From the conclusion:

[The Sigma 50mm f/1.4] focuses very quickly and is deadly accurate, the bokeh is creamy, comatic aberration or even ghosting are a non-factor and the contrast is near perfect.

The only crappy thing about this lens is deciding whether or not to buy it. If you shoot 50mm at all and you’re in the market, buy. Simple. But if you’re like me and tend to shoot wider or tighter, I think I’m going to wait for the Sigma 85mm.

The fear for me was that Sigma’s 35mm was an aberration — a one hit wonder. But this amazing 50mm is proof that Sigma’s new lens line is anything but a one-off stroke of genius.

There is more in PetaPixel’s review, as many sample pics and detailed review reports about various aspects of the Sigma 50mm f/1.4.

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art [shopcountry 20221]

• Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16
• One Molded Glass Aspherical Element
• Three Special Low Dispersion Elements
• Super Multi-Layer Coating
• Floating System & Large Diameter Design
• Hyper Sonic AF Motor
• Rounded Nine-Blade Diaphragm
• Thermally Stable Composite Material
• Brass Bayonet Mount
• Compatible with Sigma USB Dock

The video above (by Samyang Europe on Vimeo) shows footage shot with Samyang’s new 50mm T1.5 AS UMC Cine lens mounted on a Canon [shoplink 2431]EOS 5D Mark III[/shoplink]. The Samyang can be pre-ordered at Adorama and B&H Photo, the lens sells for $549.

Samyang 50mm T1.5 VDSLR ensures exceptionally smooth and aesthetic mapping for out of focus areas beyond the focal plain, producing the so called bokeh effect. Thanks to the eight-bladed aperture, the subjects located outside the depth of field are shown with extremely smooth features. This feature will be appreciated by professional filmmakers and photographers taking portrait photos.

• EF Mount Lens/Full Frame Format
• Aperture Range: T1.5 – T22
• One Aspherical, One Hybrid Asph. Element
• Manual Focus and Aperture
• Geared Focus and Aperture Control Rings
• De-Clicked Aperture Control Ring
• UMC Lens Multi-Coating
• Minimum Focus Distance of 1.5′
• Lateral Aperture and Distance Markings

This lens is possibly the largest and rarest auto focus lens in the world, it’s the Canon 1200mm f/5.6L USM – the “mother of all telephoto lenses”.

MPB Photographic brought the 1200mm f/5.6L to London and shows us what this lens can do:

[…] how does it perform and just how far can it be pushed? We took the lens to The Mall in London to put it through it paces and to see what Buckingham Palace looks like at 1200mm and beyond.