Unlike the 35mm & 24-105mm, Sigma had previously released a 50mm f/1.4 lens (which I have not used and thus can’t compare it to). At a suggested retail price of close to $1000, the new and improved Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG Art sets itself firmly between the cost of Canon’s 50mm f/1.4 (~$400) and Canon’s 50mm f/1.2L. Two questions arise from this positioning; how does the Sigma compare to the Canon 1.4, and is it good enough to make someone decide against the Canon 1.2 if the cost is not an issue?
Build
By now we’ve come to expect a precision build from Sigma’s ART series (more on that below). Indeed, there is very little physical difference between the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 ART and the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 ART other than the 50mm is marginally larger. It’s twice the size of Canon’s 50mm f/1.4 and almost three times as heavy, with a large 77mm filter. The weight can be attributed to both the lovely smooth, and expertly designed metal to rubber construction. The large focus ring has just the right amount of tension when turning, and the inset AF/MF switch changes with a firm “click.” Similar to L-series lenses, the larger front lens element promises better image rendition.
