Showcase Sigma 50mm f/1.4

[Sandro Bravo]

I cant seem to get sharp sharp shots at 1.4. Is that normal? Never had a 1.4 lens, although i tried my friend's sigma 30mm 1.4 and it was pretty sharp at 1.4.
Most of my 1.4 shots are just blurry.

At f2 and above everything is pin sharp. I tried different distances when shooting but i cant get results like the ones above. I'll post some shots when i get back home again .

Any hints when using 1.4 lenses?

It was easier with the 30mm due to the shorter focal-length...50mm F1.4 is paper thing dof, specially at close distances....just a slight movement from the target and it's off...at F2 you get more forgiving dof so it seems sharper....it takes a while to get used to shoot with this sort of lenses...practice, practice, practice....and then more practice...

 

[kaks]

Shot some more shots. Bokeh is unbelievable, but the lens front focuses a lot at close distances, i.e. 1-4m. With +20 adjustment its great. But then the infinity is completely and utterly off.

What can i do? Brand new D700 and lens, i dont really want to send my camera in with the lens.
And then again i dont know if i want the nikon 50mm 1.4g (not really sure if the bokeh is as amazing).

I either have to return it and get the nikon or find some way of fixing the adjustment.

Thanks for the help btw

 

[Sandro Bravo]

Shot some more shots. Bokeh is unbelievable, but the lens front focuses a lot at close distances, i.e. 1-4m. With +20 adjustment its great. But then the infinity is completely and utterly off.

What can i do? Brand new D700 and lens, i dont really want to send my camera in with the lens.
And then again i dont know if i want the nikon 50mm 1.4g (not really sure if the bokeh is as amazing).

I either have to return it and get the nikon or find some way of fixing the adjustment.

Thanks for the help btw

The closer you get, the harder it is to have misfocused shots due to the shallow-dof...any slight movement will ruin a F1.4 shot. Try taking a couple of photos on a tripod of a static subject, just to rule out user error and then you'll know if there really is any front-focus.

 

[kaks]

Yeah i have done that . Thats what i meant by taking shots. I've taken about 500 shots, on a tripod.

I'll see what i'll do today maybe ill take it to the store..

 

[Sandro Bravo]

Yeah i have done that . Thats what i meant by taking shots. I've taken about 500 shots, on a tripod.

I'll see what i'll do today maybe ill take it to the store..

Bummer, not margin for user error there...i thought you were talking about everyday shots...i hope you got that sorted out soon...

 

[Varmint]

With my 18-200 I have to go to Yosemite or something to have fun shooting, but the Sigma is fun just around the house, annoying my wife by taking so many photos. can't wait to take the lens somewhere cool.

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[robthelucky]

With my 18-200 I have to go to Yosemite or something to have fun shooting, but the Sigma is fun just around the house, annoying my wife by taking so many photos. can't wait to take the lens somewhere cool.

Thanks for sharing Varmint. Gives a little confidence to some of guys that are not rocking the higher end camera bodies. Great pic by the way! I think that might be the nudge I needed to give it a try on my D60.

 

[Varmint]

Thanks for sharing Varmint. Gives a little confidence to some of guys that are not rocking the higher end camera bodies. Great pic by the way! I think that might be the nudge I needed to give it a try on my D60.

I love it on the D50, don't even mind the weight, though I've never tried a lightweight prime like the 35 f/1.8. One reason I got the Sigma was in case I get an FX body some day.

Some tests I did of sharpness using a tripod.
f/1.4

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f/5.6

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[schwrtz27]

I have got to get one of these lenses.

 

[Randy]

With my 18-200 I have to go to Yosemite or something to have fun shooting, but the Sigma is fun just around the house, annoying my wife by taking so many photos. can't wait to take the lens somewhere cool.

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what a great shot
and amazing dof for 1.4

 

[screwdriver]

im doing better with my 1.4 shots but i have to use afs mode and focus priority . i also tried not to use the AF ON button and just use the shutter button for both af and shutter release.

 

[pixelharmony]

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It SCREAMS eye popping 3D I love this lens, as well as the 50mm 1.4D but this one definately has that contrast and bokeh that makes it all the more worthwhile.

 

[Nikhe]

I´ve got nothing more to say other then that I love this lens at least as much as I love the 30/1,4 on the D300, and Sandro´s photos shows just why!

 

[Sandro Bravo]

A few recent ones....

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[robthelucky]

So so beautiful... I guess the question is do I need to upgrade my body or my lens... or... both :|

 

[Padron]

Wow, Amazing photos! Thanks for sharing

 

[Varmint]

Keep 'em comin', Sandro!

 

[Jeff Fillmore]

Excellent all- I'll add a few more.

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[Sandro Bravo]

Those of you who followed the Noct thread might remember this bench...:biggrin:

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A couple from my niece....
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...and from my son, held by his grandpa, my dad...
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[NateS]

I do believe that this lens just moved to the top of my list of lenses to buy. It appears to do equally incredible on both DX and FX.

As to the person who has a copy that's not sharp up close.....I thought that Sigma would calibrate the lens for free....that was my understanding that if you get a "bad" copy then you can send it to them to calibrate and it almost always comes back spot on. If I get a bad copy, that's probably the route I'll take.