wide open from the sigma 50mm f/1.4

[adam75south]

this has quickly become one of my favorite lenses.

all of these shot @ f/1.4.....the first has a cpl attached, so it's probably a little less sharp than it should have been....and i think the last two also. i'm pretty sure the street shot was without a filter.

http://www.adammedders.com/People/Blake-and-Anna/IMG3751/709338994_hP96P-L.jpg

c&c welcome. the first one was for an 8x10 portrait book that her family is putting together for her grandparents

the next two were the regular model stuff.

the fourth was a family thing.

anyway, i'm really loving this lens. no problems with autofocus so far...though i've shot nothing moving with it. anyway, thought i'd post a few examples from it.

[faisal]

Damn!!! The last one almost looks like a T&S lens shot....sweet!!!
Love the bokeh on the third one as well....
I just don't like the first one...makes her head look...err... humongous...

[Csae]

I love the first one and the kid at the end.

They really do look like they've been processed heavily though!

I really like the way they just Pop right out of their frame.

[adam75south]

they've been processed pretty heavily. lots of contrast, brightened eyes, etc.

[Nickcanada]

NICE! rockin' that full frame man.

[Csae]

Would it be possible to see that kid shot SOC ? Im curious what the lens can do on its own.

I've been considering upgrading my 1.8 to a 1.4, but i'm not particularly amazed by canon's version, in terms of brokeh, build.

[michaelb]

they've been processed pretty heavily. lots of contrast, brightened eyes, etc.

Honestly, (hope you don't mind Adam), a little too much PP for my taste.

I actully like this lens at about f/1.8- f/2.2 on FF. Wide open when you are close to your subject (like in the first shot) there is just too little DOF for my taste.




I think I've posted these Sigmalux shots here before....

f/1.8....
http://brownphotography.smugmug.com/photos/672721726_6ConU-XL.jpg


f/2....
http://brownphotography.smugmug.com/photos/648740863_HcCRF-XL.jpg

[laydros]

Would it be possible to see that kid shot SOC ? Im curious what the lens can do on its own.

I've been considering upgrading my 1.8 to a 1.4, but i'm not particularly amazed by canon's version, in terms of brokeh, build.

^Ditto^.

I love the shots, nice stuff. I think the processing is tastefully done, but see how some might find it over the top.

[cdifoto]

I like 'em. :)

[adam75south]

Would it be possible to see that kid shot SOC ? Im curious what the lens can do on its own.

I've been considering upgrading my 1.8 to a 1.4, but i'm not particularly amazed by canon's version, in terms of brokeh, build.

here's straight out of the camera...well, lightroom defaults anyway.

i shot this with a hoya pro1 circular polarizer and off camera flash...so i don't know how much credit(blame) i'd give color/contrast to the lens, but sharpness and bokeh are all lens.

[VTEC_EATER]

#3 is a winner, but I'm just not feeling the others. I'm not quite getting whats going on with that first one. Was she leaning way in towards the camera? It looks like it was shot with a 30mm lens or something. It has a strange distortion/elongation feel to it that doesn't seem to be flattering to her. That's not something I would have expected to see out of a 50mm lens. Then again, I don't shoot full frame so this may be one of those situations where the full frame camera is causing you move closer to your subject for the framing of the shot and is giving a different perspective that what I'm used to seeing.

#2 just seems a bit blah. I don't know. His post is straight on with the camera, he is standing in the middle of the street for no apparent reason, and with the 50mm its not giving enough context with the background to understand what is going on. It just seems a bit strange.

#3 is great. Love the pose, the lighting, and the background has just enough focus/out of focus to understand the setting. Some may not like the mirror coming in to the frame, but I don't mind it. Great shot.

#4 is not bad, but the kids skin tones are really blending with the background and I'm getting a bit lost as to where he ends and the trees begin. I really like the off camera flash you have going on. Its very soft and feels very natural, but its almost too balanced with the background. I think this is where my "lostness" is coming from. I know the kid is probably only 3 feet tall, but I don't know if I like seeing his entire body in the frame.

In general, I do not mind the processing. I don't feel it is over done, that is unless you added extra blur to them, especially #1. That's just a crazy looking shot.

[Elisha]

You make me want the Siggy so bad.
But I think I would benefit more from a 30mm or a 35mm!

[adam75south]

#3 is a winner, but I'm just not feeling the others. I'm not quite getting whats going on with that first one. Was she leaning way in towards the camera? It looks like it was shot with a 30mm lens or something. It has a strange distortion/elongation feel to it that doesn't seem to be flattering to her. That's not something I would have expected to see out of a 50mm lens. Then again, I don't shoot full frame so this may be one of those situations where the full frame camera is causing you move closer to your subject for the framing of the shot and is giving a different perspective that what I'm used to seeing.

#2 just seems a bit blah. I don't know. His post is straight on with the camera, he is standing in the middle of the street for no apparent reason, and with the 50mm its not giving enough context with the background to understand what is going on. It just seems a bit strange.

#3 is great. Love the pose, the lighting, and the background has just enough focus/out of focus to understand the setting. Some may not like the mirror coming in to the frame, but I don't mind it. Great shot.

#4 is not bad, but the kids skin tones are really blending with the background and I'm getting a bit lost as to where he ends and the trees begin. I really like the off camera flash you have going on. Its very soft and feels very natural, but its almost too balanced with the background. I think this is where my "lostness" is coming from. I know the kid is probably only 3 feet tall, but I don't know if I like seeing his entire body in the frame.

In general, I do not mind the processing. I don't feel it is over done, that is unless you added extra blur to them, especially #1. That's just a crazy looking shot.
thanks for the comments, no added blur, it's all lens. really i was just trying to post examples of the lens wide open to how how sharp it is and the bokeh quality. i wouldn't have posted them otherwise.

as far as #1, i couldn't tell you. i was pretty close to her and she was leaning forward.
here's an uncropped, unprocessed one where you can see more, she was sitting on a rail across from another rail i was sitting on.
http://www.adammedders.com/People/Blake-and-Anna/downsized-IMG3745/709381092_2gqGa-L.jpg

[michaelb]

...I'm not quite getting whats going on with that first one. Was she leaning way in towards the camera? It looks like it was shot with a 30mm lens or something. It has a strange distortion/elongation feel to it that doesn't seem to be flattering to her. That's not something I would have expected to see out of a 50mm lens. Then again, I don't shoot full frame so this may be one of those situations where the full frame camera..



50mm can definitly feel wide at times on FF. Here's one I took with the Siggy today @ f/2.8....

http://brownphotography.smugmug.com/photos/714171769_k5oJS-XL.jpg

[Spinning]

can I ask a really stupid question about this lens? All of this is so new to me.....
I am thinking about purchasing this lens. It is fast and I want to use it for indoor diving. I can afford it and currently that is about the zoom I have been using.
Plus I thought it would be nice to use for portraits and other things. But I am confused about the blurring in the back ground. I know everyone likes it and with some pictures I really like it too but I don't want it blurred like that all the time. Is that the nature of this lens or is it how you are using it? Like I said this is all new to me and I am being really careful as to what I am buying and spending money on and when....I don't want to get something and I won't know how to use or can't figure it out.

[adam75south]

it's a combination of a couple of things, distance to subject and that f/1.4 aperture. stopping down(ie, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8) will progressively increase the depth of field giving less background blur. also being farther from the subject will do the same.

like i said, this was just a small collection of pictures i found where i'd shot wide open(f/1.4) and just wanted to post samples of the bokeh(background blur) and sharpness of the lens.

[adam75south]

i'm sorry, i'm not following.

[lukeap69]

can I ask a really stupid question about this lens? All of this is so new to me.....
I am thinking about purchasing this lens. It is fast and I want to use it for indoor diving. I can afford it and currently that is about the zoom I have been using.
Plus I thought it would be nice to use for portraits and other things. But I am confused about the blurring in the back ground. I know everyone likes it and with some pictures I really like it too but I don't want it blurred like that all the time. Is that the nature of this lens or is it how you are using it? Like I said this is all new to me and I am being really careful as to what I am buying and spending money on and when....I don't want to get something and I won't know how to use or can't figure it out.

I suggest you read this article.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/depth-of-field.htm

Stopping down this lens can give you more detail on the background (and foreground).

Cheers

[Elisha]

My wife picked one up for me today and I'm super pissed. It's soft all the way up to f/4. Even then it's crappy. Micro Adjusting doesn't help at all.
Sooo pissed cause I have to leave for a 2,100km drive tomorrow morning at 6am.
Now I'm gonna have to stop at another store to exchange. Hopefully they have one.

Good thing I didn't get it from Adorama or B&H like I was originally intending to.

[michaelb]

Mine spent a month being repaired by Sigma (actually at CRIS in AZ) before it came back to me working well. Now its perfect.

[adam75south]

sorry for the luck. i guess i got lucky on mine. i still love mine and it seems to spend the most time on my camera these days.

[photograham]

Yep I love mine as wellhttp://www.adsoluble.com/user/2/N.gif

[jayfixit]

Adam,

Sorry if this has been mentioned earlier or in a previous thread...but were you considering the 50mm f/1.2L when you bought this? Or, was it just between the Canon and Sigma 50mm f/1.4?

I recently went full frame myself (5D mkI), and the 50mm length is soooo much more usable than the crop sensor. But, I really love the 85mm even more now. It's just perfect.

[adam75south]

to be honest, i was between the 85L or getting the 35L and sigma 50mm, i decided to go with the smarter route..i think. i'm really happy with both lenses, but it'd still be nice to have the 85L.

i agree with the 85mm being perfect, i can't imagine a better portrait lens for the price. i use the 50 when i'm doing waste up or head to toe portraits.

[Elisha]

So I went back to my local Henry's to pick another one up after coming back from my vacation last week and they didn't have one in stock although their system said it was.
Didn't want to drive to Toronto for it and couldn't find anyone else locally who has it.

But I found a 30mm f/1.4 on POTN for a reasonable price and decided to go for it.
Should be here by Wednesday.
Will still eventually get the 50mm at some point.

[adam75south]

that's a great lens also, i was very happy with it on my 40d.

i think this shot was wide open, can't remember.

[Elisha]

It's supposedly sharp wide open in the center but soft on the corners....and that's the only thing I'm not looking forward to as I always shoot with off center AF points when it comes to people.

[Elisha]

Bought a 50mm on POTN.
Should have it in a week or so.
30mm at Sigma for calibration at the moment.
Will have to decide which one to sell once I run them side by side.

[michaelb]

This lens is quickly turning into one of my favorites; its silly sharp, the AF is dead on, the bokeh is killer and I just love the "drawing style" of this lens. Its sometimes difficult to put your finger on it, but I love the images from this lens.

How do you think the 35L compares Adam? I so wish Sigma had released a 35 f/1.4 instead of the 85 f/1.4 that they just released.

Taken today...Siggy 50 1.4 @ f/2 on the 5d2, pretty much SOOC with a few minor edits in LR...
http://brownphotography.smugmug.com/photos/798513379_Pwot4-XL.jpg

[adam75south]

i completely agree with you michael. i think it's one of those bargain gems like the 85mm f/1.8. i've never once thought twice about getting the 50L since i got the sigma.