Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Will Be Released April 25th (Canon mount), More Sample Pics

Sigma 50mm f/1.4

Japanese site mynavi (translated) seems to refer to an official Sigma statement when they say that Sigma will release the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM for Canon EF mount on April 25th. The price is said to be 127,000 Yen, which is a bit more than the rumored $1,000 for the Sigma 50mm f/1.4.

Sample pics shot with the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM and an EOS 5D Mark III also showed up at Gear for Image [source: SR].

Could mean Sigma will make an official announcement very soon.

[via DCI]

 

First Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art Review (the Sigma beats Canon and Nikon’s competition)

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art Review

SLR Gear had the chance to review the Sigma 50mm f71.4 DG HSM “Art” lens. A lens Sigma claims will compete with the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 (priced around $4000).

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art seems to hold up to the hype and the expectations. They compared the Sigma with Canon’s 50mm f/1.2L lens (price & specs), among other lenses like the Nikon 58mm f/1.4G AF-S Nikkor, and, when it comes to sharpness, the Sigma 50mm f/1.4

sharpness holds up very well against this competition. At f/1.4 and on a full-frame camera, it pretty well blows all of the others out of the water. The Canon 50/1.2L is pretty sharp in the center, but the corners are extremely soft.

The other lenses all improve at f/2, but so does the Sigma 50, easily bettering all the others, at every point across the frame. At f/2.8, the Sigma’s blur characteristic is almost perfectly flat, and quite sharp everywhere.

Chromatic aberrations are quite well controlled in the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 and vignetting is lower than on the Canon. And what about distortion? The Sigma has an almost immeasurable geometric distortion. The Sigma 50mm is

very well built, making use of their Thermally Stable Composite material, that despite technically being a form of polycarbonate plastic, looks and feels more like metal (and shares similar thermal properties to aluminum, as well)

sig50

They conclude:

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art is the most exciting lens we’re likely to review this year. All competing lenses from Canon and Nikon fell short when compared to the resolving power of the 50mm Art. We haven’t (yet) tested the very best from Zeiss, but we are confident Sigma will trounce it in one key area: price. This difference is likely to be a yawning chasm. Our expectation for pricing on this lens is for something at least a bit less than Canon’s 50mm f/1.2 L, which goes for $1,700; despite a variety of rumors and no official price for the Sigma yet, we’re expecting it’ll be less than that.

I think this is the very first full review of the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM “Art” lens, and it is definitely worth to be studied. Test charts and sample pics are included.

It appears Sigma is about to launch another awesome lens, one that could be more outstanding even than the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM (price & specs) and the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM (price & specs), two of Sigma’s new lenses that are highly regarded by the community. We have just to wait to know the price :-)

Have a great sunday!

[via SLR Gear]

Deal: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II – $99 (Amazon US)

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

 

Thanks Sally!

Amazon US has the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens, also known as the “nifty fifty”, on sale for just $99. Note that the price shows up during the checkout process. Compare to $125. Free shipping in the US.

Though this is an inexpensive lens, and a lens made entirely out of industrial plastics (except for the optics), it is well-regarded for the bright aperture and the surprising (given the price) optical performance. In other words: That’s a lens every Canon shooter should have in his or hers bag, and at that price it is a no brainer.

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art Lens: Price Shows Up At Australian Retailer ($999, says first batch ships in June)

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art

Are $999 the price for the upcoming Sigma 50mm f/1.4  DG HSM “Art” lens?

The price for the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art showed up at Australian retailer DigiDIRECT, where the lens can be pre-ordered. But there is more. On DigiDIRECT’s Facebook page there are some interesting statements:

You’ve waited patiently and now it’s almost here! We’re super stoked to announce that we are taking pre-orders for the incredible new Sigma 50mm f1.4 ART series lens. The very first batch is expected to arrive in small quantities in June this year.

and:

Final RRP in Australia is $1099. We are currently offering our advertised price on all preorders that we receive.

There has been another “price leak” before, but this one could be the real thing. 1099 AUD are roughly $999. If this is the price of the Sigma 50mm f/1.4  DG HSM “Art” then it would be an extremely competitive price for a lens that aims to play in the same league as the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4, which is a $4000 lens.

As much as this appears to be a serious product page and not a mistake or else, there is one small thing that puzzles me a bit. If you look at the pic on top you see that it shows $999 (AUD) as the price, and on the right of it the strikethrough price of $1099. So, a lens that has yet to ship is already discounted? Note also that on the FB page it’s AUD 1099 that are mentioned.

A few days ago also Sigma Bielorussia posted a price suggestion ($790) for the Sigma 50mm f/1.4, but soon replaced it saying that the price will be known after the 11th of April (see pic below).

Sigma Bielorussia says the price will be known after April 11

US$ 999 for the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art lens, what do you think?

All post about the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art here.

[via Sigma Rumors]

Product description after the break.

Click here to open the rest of the article

Is This The Price For The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG “Art” Lens ($790)?

Sigma 50mm f/1.4

This comes directly from Sigma Bielorussia (translated), so we can assume they know what they are talking about. If true this would be a killer price, especially if you consider that Sigma aims no less than at the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 with their lens, and the Zeiss is a $3990 lens!

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG “Art” lens is expected to ship in May 2014.

[via sonyalpharumors]

Sigma 50mm f/1.4

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens To Be Released In May 2014 (?)

Sigma 50mm f/1.4

 

A reader of Photo Rumors visited The Photography Show in Birmingham, UK, and asked the Sigma staff when their new 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art will be available for the public. The answer was: the lens will probably released in two months. That’s May 2014.

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 is Sigma’s latest lens in the “Art” line-up, and I am sure it will be another outstanding lens. Sigma aims at the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 with the with their new 50mm f/1.4 lens. The Sigma was presented at CES 2014.

The Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 Art (see coverage here) and the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM (see coverage here) are good examples of recent, excellent lenses made by Sigma.

For a hands-on at CP+ click here. Some time ago there was a sort of leak regarding the price.