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

– Profoto B1 Air TTL: We recommend this light because of the fact that the TTL will help you to get the best resolution and acutance from the camera and lens combo in the quickest way.

Sigma has been the darling of the lens world recently, producing high-performance products at reasonable prices. Its latest is the 50mm f/1.4 Art series lens, a long awaited addition to their line that we recently had the pleasure of trying out. You're not going to find much more lens for the price.

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

Back when we originally tested the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG AF lens , the first in Sigma's new high-end Art series to be released, we weren't just impressed, we were eager to see what would come next.