This is an in-depth review of the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art prime lens that was announced on January 6, 2014 for Sigma SA, Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony A mounts. Ever since Sigma announced its new "Art" lens line, it has been releasing superb new lenses and updates.

The Sigma ART 50mm f1.4 is without a doubt the best standard lens with autofocus for Canon or Nikon bodies. You'd expect it to out-perform the cheaper Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM and Nikkor 50mm f1.4G lenses considering it's roughly twice the price, but the big surprise is how it also delivers better...

Very good to excellent performance across a high-resolution full-frame sensor even wide open; Fast and reliable auto-focus; Minimal light fall-off for an f1.4 lens; Solid build quality; Lower price than professional f1.4 lenses; Chance to fine-tune using optional USB dock; Chance to swap mounts (at...

Higher price than basic 50mm f1.4 lenses; Large and heavy; Not weather-sealed; Some field-curvature makes stopping down mandatory for high-quality shots of flat (or distant) subjects; Outlining sometimes makes the background Bokeh a bit nervous; Greater Longitudinal Chromatic Aberrations than top...

Sigma turned more than a few heads when it hinted its 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art ($949) lens was poised to perform in the same league as the Zeiss Otus 55/1,4 . Sigma's older 50mm F1.4 EX DC HSM was a good lens, but it lagged behind the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G in sharpness, especially at the edges...

Incredibly sharp; Minimal distortion; 15.7-inch close focus; Available for several camera systems

Big; Depth of field scale isn't that useful; No optical stabilization; A little pricey; Dim corners at wide apertures

Ooops ... they did it again! ;-) Sigma proved once more that they are no longer a company providing budget lenses but are playing in the top league indeed. The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A (Art series) is a cream-on-the-cappuccino product - at least when used on APS-C DSLRs (well, *hint* it's not bad...

Sigma's 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM lens , which we reviewed in August 2008 has been joined by a serious alternative that complies with the high standards of the Art line within Sigma's Global Vision series of lenses.

Gary Wolstenholme reviews this new premium 50mm lens from Sigma, with a bright f/1.4 aperture.

Outstanding sharpness in the centre at f/1.4; Outstanding sharpness across the frame when stopped down; Good build quality; Virtually no CA or distortion; Fast; silent focusing; Reasonably priced when compared to similar alternatives

Quite large and heavy for a 50mm f/1.4; No weather sealing

We've been very impressed by Sigma's recent 'Art' line lenses, such as the ultra-fast 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM and the 35mm F1.4 DG HSM . The 50mm F1.4 DG HSM continues in a similar vein, but if anything it surpasses its illustrious stablemates.

Stunning image quality - super sharp; minimal CA and practically no distortion; Impressive flare resistance; Generally attractive rendition of out-of-focus backgrounds; Fast; silent; and accurate autofocus; Excellent build quality

Large and heavy for a 50mm F1.4 prime; Relatively expensive for its class; No weather sealing

Until recently, if you wanted a fast quality prime you had to buy from your camera manufacturer. Those days are gone with Sigma now creating quality lenses that are matching, and even surpassing, the quality of the big hitters.

There have not been many Sigma lens announcements that generated the anticipation that the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens announcement generated. The 50 Art Lens was announced not long after the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T* ZE Lens arrived, delivering a not-before-seen high level of...

Im glad that Sigma has started to support sony with there lens lineup. Definitely a lot faster than using an adapter but definitely not as fast as a native Sony lens. Now to some that might not matter as much as it all depends on your style.