I agree with this graph. I've been doing photography for 12 years. I started at a high f-stop because that's the only thing I had :D then went down to increase that f-stop, and I thought it was the greatest thing ever, but then I started to compare shots I had at 35mm f2.8 vs 35mm f1.8, and I'd say that half of the time, I prefer the shots at f2.8. So now I'm often stopping down. Exactly as you explained.
Arthur, as a comment from Germany noted, and I declare with capitalisation: you are The Calm American. I have learned and been guided by your years of reviews, videos and photos. Your point about f/1.4 suiting some work on APS-C cameras was another lightbulb moment while you displayed your X and Y graph. Hint to others with a tendency towards online sales and exaggeration - being chill reduces delivery of hyperbole, spiel, auto switch-on fake exuberance and just plain shouting at audiences.
I bought my Sony a7c in the summer of 2021, effectively switching to E-mount. At that time I was wondering why they are not more options for 50mm. Since then we got 3 Sony 50mm lenses, new Samyang f1.4 lens and 2 Sigma lenses - f1.4 and f2. What a rollercoaster of emotions for anyone loving that focal lenght!!
Arthur. I really appreciate your content. Even coming from Germany. It is so calm and down to facts. I don't know how to say more detailed but I just love your content for what it is and how your create it. Most other reviewers are focussing in the professional point of view. But your videos are just as I feel. Thank you so much for it.
Ah yes, the "you can have as much toneh as you want, but never abuse the toneh" True for photography, true for videography. High level Kino never abuse the toneh.
Have been waiting for this lens a long time. Had the 65mm earlier, but the focal length is a bit oddity for me. It was replaced by the 85mm Art in my kit. And now this 50mm will fit a lot better between my 35i and 85Art lenses.
Another great video. I loved your chart. I could relate to it because it's exactly the path I followed with shallow DOF. I finally realized that portrait shots are best at ~ f2.5 - f2.8 so that my subject's entire face is in focus and yet the background blur is still excellent.
That's why I'm glad I haven't sold all of my M43 gear after getting an A7 IV... M43 is way more fun while still getting great image quality. 90% of the time, do you really need more bokeh than the Full Frame equivalent of 112mm f2.8? Well you can get the Sigma 56mm f1.4 for M43 and there is no comparable setup that's as compact and light in the full frame world. Truthfully, I find it quite sad that we don't have ultra-compact premium plastic G-Master lenses. Although I will say that the recent compact F2.8 G lenses (24/40/50) are a nice step in that direction. These Sigma Contemporary DG DN lenses though? Not really. I don't want a extra metal weight, sorry Sigma but I appreciate lightweight lenses more. That's why I bought the Sony 55mm f1.8, it's the right set of compromises.
I am a fan of APS-C for this reason. You can open up as much as your fast lens permits and still not overdue with bokeh, but receive a ton of light and reduce noise. APS-C is like a generation behind in a low light performance which is a few years ago when the noise performance on FF was considered "great for professional work". Think about it.
I wish the 65mm was this small. 65mm F2 would be the perfect lens for the series if had the same portability advantage. But its just big enough to not really have an upside that's worth 600+ dollars to replace a lot of typical lenses.
This 50 is actually very close to the 65mm in terms of lens design. The diagrams are almost identical. Will get the 50 as my only L-mount AF-lens. Paired with the SL 601 that should make a beautiful combo.
One large benefit to 1.2 and 1.4 lenses on FF is that you can stop down to F2, F2.8, or F4, and generally your sharpness increases, vignetting decreases, and CA decreases, alongside having 1.2 as an artistic option. For most use cases, those shallow DoF shots aren’t necessary, but in the right hands with the right eye they allow for more creative options with the lens already on your camera.
Yes exactly! I think reviewers (not Arthur, I'm thinking other one) shouldn't be so picky and clinical about 1.2 and 1.4 lenses at max aperture. I mean you can be critical with Canon L or Sony GM at their max apertures for sure, but when talking about relatively cheap, or really cheap fast lenses, as long as they produce some decent pictures at those apertures then great. They are more about having those extra stops for when needed or suitable rather than being perfect...and that's it. For great optics and autofocus etc you will have to pay big prices.
Hi there, I agree with the graph following my own experience. I do back you up on the 1.4 for APS-C as well, those small sensor Sigma primes especially are lovely and you should in my opinion too try to get as fast a lens you can to manage that low light but also background separation much better on crop sensors (a thing a bit more effortless on FF). As some of the other comments have mentioned, you can always stop it down if you need to but it won’t open beyond it’s max spec 😜. For my full frame right now I find aperture is not that critical anymore. I currently own no lens going below f2 (58mm manual focus prime) and all the others are f2.8. It is plenty enough blur in most situations and even in low light with today’s ISO capabilities you can get away with f2.8 if you are on a tighter budget (think maybe that fast of a shutter speed is not necessary and it could win you a stop of ISO). A full frame f1.4 50mm with AF is on my long term shopping list but this time the reason is really the low light aspect and not the thinnest DoF you can squeeze out of your camera. Because in terms of how much bokeh you get the truth of the matter is the person that cares the most is the photographer, you have the eye that is looking for that, the client won’t even notice most of the time if you don’t show a side by side and make them pick. For FF, I wouldn’t worry too much if your lens is „only” f1.8 or f2, just go and get those great expressions out of those in front of it 😋
I do a lot of commercial photography. Mostly shoot with my 35mm and 50mm f1.4 on a full frame sensor. When I first bought the lenses I was shooting mostly at 1.4. Now, I mostly shoot between f2.8-5.6 or even f8. Depending on the source of light.
Since I started out with street and more documentary photography, I always preferred at least f/4 when it came to portraits. If I wanted more of a blurry background, I would just use a more telephoto focal length and maybe reduce the clarity tiny bit with inverted subject masking in post.
From having various 35mm,50mm, 85mm, 105mm,135mm wide aperture primes and loving them, but also not loving some things about them. 85mm never long enough for studio portraits, 105 is better in my recent years for headshots and 65mm is perfect for full length, as 50mm would stretch the head and feet too much, 105mm makes them look too short, 65 feels natural, even better than 85 in studio and also needs less space, so win win. In events 65mm has better reach and feel than 50mm and not as confined as 85mm,so for me, just right. 35,65,105... So happy. I miss 135mm sometimes but 105 is more versatile, 85 vs 65 is similar, 65 feels great. If I want wider, skip 50 and go to 35, thats my vote. Also there is no free meal, if you want f1.4 or f1.2 you have to carry it, so f2 is a great change for me, and the 65mm is tiny and light, perfect, for me. Thanks Sigma for all the great options, all the f1.4 and f2 DN lenses are amazing.
I went with the I-Series 20mm, 35mm, and 65mm for my A7Cii. Probably going to sell my old Sony 85mm 1.8 and put that towards the 70-200mm ii f4 macro to round out the kit.
20,35,65 is such a great combo, I agree. I love my Sony 20 f1.8, sigma 35 f2 and 65 f2, but as I finally got the Tamron 35-150 f2-2.8, everything changed and I use my primes much less. Sad about that but that lens has so much variety in one lens and the image quality shows. No lens changes required, except for wide. Weight is the compromise but doable.
I‘m happy that Sigma have now a a 50mm 1.8/2.0 option. Like you said, the 1.2/1.4 options are nice but they are huge! And because my A7C is limited to 1/4000s with mechanical shutter, I already have to use a ND2/4 in daylight on my 1.8 lenses, what is OK because I don’t need big ones for that kind of lenses.
I really like Sigmas f2 primes. I own the 20, 24 and 35. This new 50 seems to have the exact same size as the 35 (20 and 24 is a bit bigger). Filtersize 62 for 20 and 24, 58 for 35 mm.
You hit the nail on the head with your chart. This is why I'm happy with my 70-200 f4. I shoot a lot of pets and if it's a small dog, even f4 is too wide open, at 200mm with a small dog to get sharp separation from the background it's more like f8 and 5.6 for a medium dog 😮 Recently seing, just how amazing 3d pop can be from such lenses as the Zeiss 50mm Sonnar T, has made me realise you need the sides of you subject sharp for proper separation.
Feels late to the game. Sooo many 50mm lenses to choose from. Your graph also fits my opinion as possible, that's why I went with the Sony 50mm f2.5 G and it's great. So for me, I'm good with what I have.
I plan on getting the Tamron 20-40 F 2.8 for walk around photography during our honeymoon. I was thinking of also picking up a portrait lens, but does this one make sense? Would shooting on a 40mm f 2.8 be vastly different than shooting on a 50m f2? I think a comparison of the Sigma 50mm F2 to the Zeiss 55mm F1.8 would also be really good.
I think one problem with the chart, from experiences in using the 50mm f1.2, is that it really depends on the subject and background distance, f1.2 is great for full body and environmental portraits, or when the subject is quite close to the background, it can still give substantial subject isolation, there are also added characteristics @f1.2 flattering for a portrait like the vignetting, soft falloff on the cheeks and face, and a dreamy feel to the photo in general. Having said that, I think as time progresses, one would get the feeling of when to stop down and when to go wide open (i.e. it wouldn't be a linear line but rather a min and max line as time progresses)
8:15 you could have simply said that the low light (noise) performance of APS-C is exactly half of FF, that is to have the same clean image on an APS-C you need exactly 1 stop faster lens, that is you need an F1.4 lens on APS-C to have the same "noise" results as F2 on FF.
I like the chart at the end of video (aperture vs time). It fits me well. I used to feel bad when I could not use f1.4 at day due to too much of light. Now I use most of the time Tamron 17-70 2.8 and I usually don't even get to f2.8. Blurred bg is just one of the tools in photography, it won't make a bad picture any better.
Currently using the Sony/Zeiss 55mm F1.8 and I am pretty satisfied with that one, but it would be interesting how this new small Sigma stacks up against that one.
As owner of this Sigma, I sold the Zeiss 55mm F1.8 long time ago. This Zeiss lens a very outdated lens with a lot of chromatic aberrations wide open, so this old lens not even comparable to the new Sigma 50mm F2. And it is lacking everything regarding features on the lens itself - aperture change, AF/MF switch etc, and built quality of course.
Great vid! And this is honestly why I love the Sony 24 2.8, 40 2.5 and 50 2.5 so much. With something like the A7iv being so good in low light, that extra depth of field for both personal and client work, can be super ideal. Damn, so many great options these days.
Not gonna lie buddy - I actually still love the OG nifty 50. (Sony 50mm f1.8) Yes I'm aware it's nowhere near as "good" as some (all) of the others but I absolutely love it! Haha
Excellent review. I am tempted to buy it to supplement Sony 35 f1.8 and Sony 85 f1.8 on a7Riii. Still tied up between Loxia 50mm f2 and Sony 50mm f2.5 G. All with similar focal length and aperture ring with great optics.
Still tough for me. I feel like with the weight, the f2 makes the most sense. “ The best lens is the one you pick up.” I found myself still using the old 1.8 more than my heavier ones simply because I’d the weight
Excellent video! I really liked what you said about the most "usuable" aperture for portrait work or even street and travel. I would say, even for APSC cameras, the f2 is plenty if you know how to photograph and the type of photos you get. At f2 you just need to raise your ISO a little higher but the sharpness, especially at night with the f2 from corner to corner is insanely good! I think all the I series lenses have the same sharpness and image quality (I own the 35mm f2 and I couldn't ask for more for street and travel photography).
I bought the Sigma 50mm f/2 for its small size to use on my rebought A7C for travel. Also own the Sony GM and use it on my A1 an A7RV. So I have the benefit of both. Will now probably sell my 50mm f/2.5 G but that was nice and small. Thank you for the video.
How does it compare to Samyang 50mm F.14 mark II ? I believe it's even cheaper than this Sigma, maybe a bit less sharp, but I would say it's pretty "adequate". Opinion?
I prefer the L-series for looks, feel and portability - but I do a lot of low-light shooting (e.g. weddings). How is the performance of f2 in low light? I am completely torn between the 50mm f1.4 and this new 50mm f2...
I have the GM, but this one is coming on the mail :). I was waiting for this lens for long time. It seems it is not optically equal to the great 65, but I couldn't get use to the 65 fov as a daily use lens.
The promise of the mirrorless systems was that the cameras will be smaller, lenses will be smaller and easier to design because their optical formula does not have to take into account restriction that the mirror box of SLR/DSLR creates. Meanwhile it is 2023 and Sigma releases an f/2 lens for mirrorless system that is BIGGER than most of the 50mm f/1.4 lenses for SLR cameras from 70's, not to mention f/2, f/1.8 and f/1.7 designs! It is laughable!
I’ve been shooting only MF vintage primes with my SL2-S, but may pick this up in case I decide I want an AF lens in my bag. There may be times it comes in handy, or maybe it’s just security blanket thinking on my part.
I am getting pretty bummed out. There are so many 50mm lens options out there, but none that I want. I really want something like the Sony 50mm F1.8 with better autofocus. The Sony 50mm F2.5 is nice too.... if it were F2.
Highlight rendering has character, the edges soften a bit and have a nice fall off. Similar to the Olympus Feathered Bokeh, Fuji APD, Sony STF or Canon DS type out of focus rendering. I'm very curious about how this lens handles foreground transitions and busy backgrounds. Looks extremely impressive.
I would get the Samyang 50mm 1.4 V2 for the same price or less, some say as good as a Gmaster. The now sigma 50mm 1.4 is not too far off also and much nicer. This is pricey, I find no reason getting this over the 50mm FE 1.8 that I already own :(
This lens is quite good as long as you use it for still photography. For video the highly visible LoCA and focus breathing makes it a poor choice unless you shoot at f/5.6 or smaller and don't do focus transition within the shot.
seems like an obvious choice to get the samyang 45mm instead. I will say we really need a cheap nifty fifty to replace the old 50mm f1.8. i own it and it is a silly lens that actually feels "vintage" in its af performance, noise and optical characteristics.
Go first for the 50,...and later for the 65,....and later, for the 35,...on that order :) I'm only lacking the 35 at this point. The 65 is not just the sharpest, but also, there is something about how it draws that is special, but the 50 is of course much more useful.
Yes indeed, the DoF with f1.4 can easily become to shallow. I recently shot portrait photos on a wedding (these typical pictures where people look through a picture frame) with my Sigma 85mm f1.4. You have absolutely no chance to shoot this with f1.4 if there's more than 1 person in the picture, because the DoF is already to shallow. I had to stop down to f2.
Lol i have only wide lenses (one tele anamorphic now) so its almost alway wide open but probably i would be ok with 2.8 or 4 with something more telephoto
I got the impression that the 65mm f2 has better bokeh than this 50mm f2. I also think this 50mm f2 is better suited for videography than the 65mm f2. Do you agree?
50mm just doesn't do it for me... 11mm prime, 24mm prime, stabilized 105 F4.0 zoom is all I use... Yes, I can only shoot wide when its dark. That hasn't bothered me yet...
Bro your wife is so photogenic that is difficult to tell if the pictures are good because of her or the lens 🤣
The Sony 50 f2.5 comparison please. Thank you. Thank you.
I agree with this graph. I've been doing photography for 12 years. I started at a high f-stop because that's the only thing I had :D then went down to increase that f-stop, and I thought it was the greatest thing ever, but then I started to compare shots I had at 35mm f2.8 vs 35mm f1.8, and I'd say that half of the time, I prefer the shots at f2.8. So now I'm often stopping down. Exactly as you explained.
Arthur, as a comment from Germany noted, and I declare with capitalisation: you are The Calm American. I have learned and been guided by your years of reviews, videos and photos. Your point about f/1.4 suiting some work on APS-C cameras was another lightbulb moment while you displayed your X and Y graph. Hint to others with a tendency towards online sales and exaggeration - being chill reduces delivery of hyperbole, spiel, auto switch-on fake exuberance and just plain shouting at audiences.
I appreciate the compliment! And I wish I had your rich vocabulary!
I bought my Sony a7c in the summer of 2021, effectively switching to E-mount. At that time I was wondering why they are not more options for 50mm. Since then we got 3 Sony 50mm lenses, new Samyang f1.4 lens and 2 Sigma lenses - f1.4 and f2. What a rollercoaster of emotions for anyone loving that focal lenght!!
Arthur. I really appreciate your content. Even coming from Germany. It is so calm and down to facts. I don't know how to say more detailed but I just love your content for what it is and how your create it. Most other reviewers are focussing in the professional point of view. But your videos are just as I feel. Thank you so much for it.
Wow, thank you!
Ah yes, the "you can have as much toneh as you want, but never abuse the toneh" True for photography, true for videography. High level Kino never abuse the toneh.
Yes, that's the term I was looking for.
I can’t believe how great lenses are as compared to even 3 years ago.
I think mirrorless got rid of many limitations in lens design. It just took a while for everyone to figure that out.
Have been waiting for this lens a long time. Had the 65mm earlier, but the focal length is a bit oddity for me. It was replaced by the 85mm Art in my kit. And now this 50mm will fit a lot better between my 35i and 85Art lenses.
Another great video. I loved your chart. I could relate to it because it's exactly the path I followed with shallow DOF. I finally realized that portrait shots are best at ~ f2.5 - f2.8 so that my subject's entire face is in focus and yet the background blur is still excellent.
That's why I'm glad I haven't sold all of my M43 gear after getting an A7 IV... M43 is way more fun while still getting great image quality. 90% of the time, do you really need more bokeh than the Full Frame equivalent of 112mm f2.8? Well you can get the Sigma 56mm f1.4 for M43 and there is no comparable setup that's as compact and light in the full frame world.
Truthfully, I find it quite sad that we don't have ultra-compact premium plastic G-Master lenses. Although I will say that the recent compact F2.8 G lenses (24/40/50) are a nice step in that direction. These Sigma Contemporary DG DN lenses though? Not really. I don't want a extra metal weight, sorry Sigma but I appreciate lightweight lenses more. That's why I bought the Sony 55mm f1.8, it's the right set of compromises.
I am a fan of APS-C for this reason. You can open up as much as your fast lens permits and still not overdue with bokeh, but receive a ton of light and reduce noise. APS-C is like a generation behind in a low light performance which is a few years ago when the noise performance on FF was considered "great for professional work". Think about it.
I agree with the chart. Once you can frame and light, you’ll rely less and less on shallow depth of field for portrait.
I wish the 65mm was this small. 65mm F2 would be the perfect lens for the series if had the same portability advantage. But its just big enough to not really have an upside that's worth 600+ dollars to replace a lot of typical lenses.
This 50 is actually very close to the 65mm in terms of lens design. The diagrams are almost identical. Will get the 50 as my only L-mount AF-lens. Paired with the SL 601 that should make a beautiful combo.
One large benefit to 1.2 and 1.4 lenses on FF is that you can stop down to F2, F2.8, or F4, and generally your sharpness increases, vignetting decreases, and CA decreases, alongside having 1.2 as an artistic option.
For most use cases, those shallow DoF shots aren’t necessary, but in the right hands with the right eye they allow for more creative options with the lens already on your camera.
Yes exactly! I think reviewers (not Arthur, I'm thinking other one) shouldn't be so picky and clinical about 1.2 and 1.4 lenses at max aperture. I mean you can be critical with Canon L or Sony GM at their max apertures for sure, but when talking about relatively cheap, or really cheap fast lenses, as long as they produce some decent pictures at those apertures then great. They are more about having those extra stops for when needed or suitable rather than being perfect...and that's it. For great optics and autofocus etc you will have to pay big prices.
Heavy though
Want to see this vs the 65mm. Seems extremely redundant and the 65mm is incredible
Same!
As always amazing work and reviews...
Hi there, I agree with the graph following my own experience. I do back you up on the 1.4 for APS-C as well, those small sensor Sigma primes especially are lovely and you should in my opinion too try to get as fast a lens you can to manage that low light but also background separation much better on crop sensors (a thing a bit more effortless on FF).
As some of the other comments have mentioned, you can always stop it down if you need to but it won’t open beyond it’s max spec 😜.
For my full frame right now I find aperture is not that critical anymore. I currently own no lens going below f2 (58mm manual focus prime) and all the others are f2.8. It is plenty enough blur in most situations and even in low light with today’s ISO capabilities you can get away with f2.8 if you are on a tighter budget (think maybe that fast of a shutter speed is not necessary and it could win you a stop of ISO).
A full frame f1.4 50mm with AF is on my long term shopping list but this time the reason is really the low light aspect and not the thinnest DoF you can squeeze out of your camera. Because in terms of how much bokeh you get the truth of the matter is the person that cares the most is the photographer, you have the eye that is looking for that, the client won’t even notice most of the time if you don’t show a side by side and make them pick. For FF, I wouldn’t worry too much if your lens is „only” f1.8 or f2, just go and get those great expressions out of those in front of it 😋
I do a lot of commercial photography. Mostly shoot with my 35mm and 50mm f1.4 on a full frame sensor. When I first bought the lenses I was shooting mostly at 1.4. Now, I mostly shoot between f2.8-5.6 or even f8. Depending on the source of light.
Since I started out with street and more documentary photography, I always preferred at least f/4 when it came to portraits. If I wanted more of a blurry background, I would just use a more telephoto focal length and maybe reduce the clarity tiny bit with inverted subject masking in post.
From having various 35mm,50mm, 85mm, 105mm,135mm wide aperture primes and loving them, but also not loving some things about them. 85mm never long enough for studio portraits, 105 is better in my recent years for headshots and 65mm is perfect for full length, as 50mm would stretch the head and feet too much, 105mm makes them look too short, 65 feels natural, even better than 85 in studio and also needs less space, so win win. In events 65mm has better reach and feel than 50mm and not as confined as 85mm,so for me, just right. 35,65,105... So happy. I miss 135mm sometimes but 105 is more versatile, 85 vs 65 is similar, 65 feels great. If I want wider, skip 50 and go to 35, thats my vote. Also there is no free meal, if you want f1.4 or f1.2 you have to carry it, so f2 is a great change for me, and the 65mm is tiny and light, perfect, for me. Thanks Sigma for all the great options, all the f1.4 and f2 DN lenses are amazing.
I went with the I-Series 20mm, 35mm, and 65mm for my A7Cii. Probably going to sell my old Sony 85mm 1.8 and put that towards the 70-200mm ii f4 macro to round out the kit.
20,35,65 is such a great combo, I agree. I love my Sony 20 f1.8, sigma 35 f2 and 65 f2, but as I finally got the Tamron 35-150 f2-2.8, everything changed and I use my primes much less. Sad about that but that lens has so much variety in one lens and the image quality shows. No lens changes required, except for wide. Weight is the compromise but doable.
I‘m happy that Sigma have now a a 50mm 1.8/2.0 option. Like you said, the 1.2/1.4 options are nice but they are huge! And because my A7C is limited to 1/4000s with mechanical shutter, I already have to use a ND2/4 in daylight on my 1.8 lenses, what is OK because I don’t need big ones for that kind of lenses.
I really like Sigmas f2 primes. I own the 20, 24 and 35. This new 50 seems to have the exact same size as the 35 (20 and 24 is a bit bigger). Filtersize 62 for 20 and 24, 58 for 35 mm.
You hit the nail on the head with your chart. This is why I'm happy with my 70-200 f4. I shoot a lot of pets and if it's a small dog, even f4 is too wide open, at 200mm with a small dog to get sharp separation from the background it's more like f8 and 5.6 for a medium dog 😮 Recently seing, just how amazing 3d pop can be from such lenses as the Zeiss 50mm Sonnar T, has made me realise you need the sides of you subject sharp for proper separation.
Feels late to the game. Sooo many 50mm lenses to choose from. Your graph also fits my opinion as possible, that's why I went with the Sony 50mm f2.5 G and it's great. So for me, I'm good with what I have.
i still amateur for 2 years but i agree with this graph...
great video. hows the video shooting performance using this lens on an A7c?
How close does the Sigma 56mm come to the Sigma 50 in terms of performance ?
I plan on getting the Tamron 20-40 F 2.8 for walk around photography during our honeymoon. I was thinking of also picking up a portrait lens, but does this one make sense? Would shooting on a 40mm f 2.8 be vastly different than shooting on a 50m f2? I think a comparison of the Sigma 50mm F2 to the Zeiss 55mm F1.8 would also be really good.
I think one problem with the chart, from experiences in using the 50mm f1.2, is that it really depends on the subject and background distance, f1.2 is great for full body and environmental portraits, or when the subject is quite close to the background, it can still give substantial subject isolation, there are also added characteristics @f1.2 flattering for a portrait like the vignetting, soft falloff on the cheeks and face, and a dreamy feel to the photo in general. Having said that, I think as time progresses, one would get the feeling of when to stop down and when to go wide open (i.e. it wouldn't be a linear line but rather a min and max line as time progresses)
8:15 you could have simply said that the low light (noise) performance of APS-C is exactly half of FF, that is to have the same clean image on an APS-C you need exactly 1 stop faster lens, that is you need an F1.4 lens on APS-C to have the same "noise" results as F2 on FF.
What about the Sony 50mm 2.5 G ??? No one seems to mention it
Can’t wait. Thanks for the review. Definitely excited about it since I love the 35 mm f2.0
I like the chart at the end of video (aperture vs time). It fits me well. I used to feel bad when I could not use f1.4 at day due to too much of light.
Now I use most of the time Tamron 17-70 2.8 and I usually don't even get to f2.8. Blurred bg is just one of the tools in photography, it won't make a bad picture any better.
Currently using the Sony/Zeiss 55mm F1.8 and I am pretty satisfied with that one, but it would be interesting how this new small Sigma stacks up against that one.
As owner of this Sigma, I sold the Zeiss 55mm F1.8 long time ago. This Zeiss lens a very outdated lens with a lot of chromatic aberrations wide open, so this old lens not even comparable to the new Sigma 50mm F2. And it is lacking everything regarding features on the lens itself - aperture change, AF/MF switch etc, and built quality of course.
Great vid! And this is honestly why I love the Sony 24 2.8, 40 2.5 and 50 2.5 so much. With something like the A7iv being so good in low light, that extra depth of field for both personal and client work, can be super ideal. Damn, so many great options these days.
you own all 3? have you ever thought about purchasing the 65mm instead of the 50mm 2.5 Sony?
Not gonna lie buddy - I actually still love the OG nifty 50. (Sony 50mm f1.8) Yes I'm aware it's nowhere near as "good" as some (all) of the others but I absolutely love it! Haha
I can confirm that this chart is true.
Yeah, I only shoot wide-open in low-light now.
Excellent review. I am tempted to buy it to supplement Sony 35 f1.8 and Sony 85 f1.8 on a7Riii. Still tied up between Loxia 50mm f2 and Sony 50mm f2.5 G. All with similar focal length and aperture ring with great optics.
Thoughts on the 55mm zeiss too?
You can switch to APS-C mode on 35 mm to get 52 mm at 20MP as well?
@@shefys Yes, but that is at loss of resolution. However, that option is very much there & used occasionally.
Still tough for me. I feel like with the weight, the f2 makes the most sense. “ The best lens is the one you pick up.” I found myself still using the old 1.8 more than my heavier ones simply because I’d the weight
I have the Sony Zeiss 55 1.8 that I am very happy with.
After 30 years in photography, I agree with the graph. Mine would look a little different at the beginning since I started with film and old lenses
Excellent video! I really liked what you said about the most "usuable" aperture for portrait work or even street and travel. I would say, even for APSC cameras, the f2 is plenty if you know how to photograph and the type of photos you get. At f2 you just need to raise your ISO a little higher but the sharpness, especially at night with the f2 from corner to corner is insanely good! I think all the I series lenses have the same sharpness and image quality (I own the 35mm f2 and I couldn't ask for more for street and travel photography).
Wow 200k subs, congratulations
When can I get this for Canon RF??
Concur that f1.4 and tighter can cause more "issues" than it solves.
Sometimes you need more than just a single eyelash in focus.
I like the graph. Thanks!
Man, children grow fast and time flies.
I bought the Sigma 50mm f/2 for its small size to use on my rebought A7C for travel. Also own the Sony GM and use it on my A1 an A7RV. So I have the benefit of both. Will now probably sell my 50mm f/2.5 G but that was nice and small. Thank you for the video.
Is it worth comparing it with sony 50mm f2.5 now?
Beautiful lens!
Bro this might be my dream lens.
Haha, that graph is so relatable. Great one!
What about this vs Sony 50mm f2.5G ?
Light, small, sharp lens are the way to go. People you are photographing usually are more reflexed with smaller lens too.
Hi arthur will you please do a review on the Sigma 23mm dc dn for Apsc please… we all want to know in comparison with the 16mm dcdn
How does it compare to Samyang 50mm F.14 mark II ? I believe it's even cheaper than this Sigma, maybe a bit less sharp, but I would say it's pretty "adequate". Opinion?
I prefer the L-series for looks, feel and portability - but I do a lot of low-light shooting (e.g. weddings). How is the performance of f2 in low light? I am completely torn between the 50mm f1.4 and this new 50mm f2...
I have the GM, but this one is coming on the mail :). I was waiting for this lens for long time. It seems it is not optically equal to the great 65, but I couldn't get use to the 65 fov as a daily use lens.
will there be a 85mm f2 from sigma (i series)
Wich lenses Would you go for, for a New photographer and a Sony a6400.
Mostly shooting Landscape, street and family event/members?
The promise of the mirrorless systems was that the cameras will be smaller, lenses will be smaller and easier to design because their optical formula does not have to take into account restriction that the mirror box of SLR/DSLR creates. Meanwhile it is 2023 and Sigma releases an f/2 lens for mirrorless system that is BIGGER than most of the 50mm f/1.4 lenses for SLR cameras from 70's, not to mention f/2, f/1.8 and f/1.7 designs! It is laughable!
AF aside, I think Zeiss Loxia 50mm f2 is better?
Sony has the 55 1.8 and 50 1.8 .. so what did they “never make” again? lol
I’ve been shooting only MF vintage primes with my SL2-S, but may pick this up in case I decide I want an AF lens in my bag. There may be times it comes in handy, or maybe it’s just security blanket thinking on my part.
This or the Sony 2.5? The price is similar
I am getting pretty bummed out. There are so many 50mm lens options out there, but none that I want. I really want something like the Sony 50mm F1.8 with better autofocus. The Sony 50mm F2.5 is nice too.... if it were F2.
Highlight rendering has character, the edges soften a bit and have a nice fall off. Similar to the Olympus Feathered Bokeh, Fuji APD, Sony STF or Canon DS type out of focus rendering. I'm very curious about how this lens handles foreground transitions and busy backgrounds. Looks extremely impressive.
I would get the Samyang 50mm 1.4 V2 for the same price or less, some say as good as a Gmaster. The now sigma 50mm 1.4 is not too far off also and much nicer. This is pricey, I find no reason getting this over the 50mm FE 1.8 that I already own :(
This lens is quite good as long as you use it for still photography. For video the highly visible LoCA and focus breathing makes it a poor choice unless you shoot at f/5.6 or smaller and don't do focus transition within the shot.
can you tell me the better choices please, i looking for a replacement
Have you compared this Sigma 50 F2, Sigma 56 1.4 and the Sony FE 50mm 2.5 on APS-C? If so, which do you prefer?
Super useful, thank you
seems like an obvious choice to get the samyang 45mm instead. I will say we really need a cheap nifty fifty to replace the old 50mm f1.8. i own it and it is a silly lens that actually feels "vintage" in its af performance, noise and optical characteristics.
I agree with you.
I agree with your opinion
If you have to choose one, Sigma 50 f2 or Sigma 65 f2?
Go first for the 50,...and later for the 65,....and later, for the 35,...on that order :)
I'm only lacking the 35 at this point. The 65 is not just the sharpest, but also, there is something about how it draws that is special, but the 50 is of course much more useful.
Just give me a good quality 1.8 50mm!
Yes indeed, the DoF with f1.4 can easily become to shallow. I recently shot portrait photos on a wedding (these typical pictures where people look through a picture frame) with my Sigma 85mm f1.4. You have absolutely no chance to shoot this with f1.4 if there's more than 1 person in the picture, because the DoF is already to shallow. I had to stop down to f2.
Me shooting at F8 to F11 about 98% of the time: holy hell, that's a lot of viable lenses.
Nice 3D pop effect though!
I, for one, went through that exact same curve and for the same reasons.
Lol i have only wide lenses (one tele anamorphic now) so its almost alway wide open but probably i would be ok with 2.8 or 4 with something more telephoto
Looks awesome but I have the Sony 50mm f1.8 and I am happy with it.
Nice bouquet
Make it for the Z mount!!!
Way too many 50mm out there
And not enough 30-35!
Love From Pakistan🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰
Man, imagine the 50mm f1.4 in this form factor 🤣. I'd pay 200$ more over the Art version for it 😭😭😭. Hope it be possible in the future.
yes, in ff, f2 is close enough and okay, for most condition.
I got the impression that the 65mm f2 has better bokeh than this 50mm f2. I also think this 50mm f2 is better suited for videography than the 65mm f2. Do you agree?
This or the 65mm?
Wow
50mm just doesn't do it for me...
11mm prime, 24mm prime, stabilized 105 F4.0 zoom is all I use...
Yes, I can only shoot wide when its dark. That hasn't bothered me yet...
the C and Art lenses are 650€ and 999€ here so for the price C lens has much more value
I will not go down to 1.4 unless it's very low light.
To the person reading this: Even though I don’t know you, I wish you the best of what life has to offer ❤
I actually bought f 1.8 lens to shoot sharp in f 2.8 😂
Cool2
First comment
Nah! I don't like the color that lens put out 😅