Sigma 50100mm F18 Dc Hsm Art Lens for Nikon F Photos

Sigma fifty-100mm f/i.eight DC HSM Art Lens Review

The Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Fine art Lens will win no awards for its zoom focal length range, simply equally of review fourth dimension, no zoom lens has a wider discontinuity. And, at the 100mm end of the range, at that place is no equal even amid the prime lens offerings. The f/ane.8 max aperture, available over the entire zoom range, makes this lens an extremely attractive choice. It is especially attractive compared to the trio of prime lenses otherwise required to cover this range.

Not and then far in the past, the widest aperture available in a DSLR zoom lens was f/2.eight. The 50-100 f/1.8 is Sigma'south third Art series zoom lens to feature an at-least 1-stop wider aperture with the 18-35mm f/1.eight DC HSM Art Lens and the 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art Lens beingness the beginning two such lenses. Similar the 18-35, the 50-100 is a "DC" lens, compatible only with APS-C format sensor cameras.

Similar the rest of the Art series lenses, the l-100 f/1.8 is very well built with classy looks and bang-up functionality. This is not a small or low-cal lens and the price is mid-range, but many are going to find this option ideally meeting their needs, specially those in depression calorie-free.

Focal Length Range

As touched upon already, this lens features a comparatively short focal length range – the shortest in its course. As also mentioned, this lens projects an paradigm circle that is compatible simply with APS-C sensor format cameras. Factoring in the 1.6x multiplier (FOVCF), nosotros learn that this lens provides an bending of view similar to an 80-160mm lens on a full frame camera. Since focal length is so important to lens selection, let's talk briefly about what this range is skillful for.

The first use that comes to my heed for this lens is photographing people. There is no bad focal length in this lens for portrait use. While full body portraits require a moderate amount of working space at the 50mm (80mm-like AOV) terminate, tight headshots look groovy at 100mm (160mm-like AOV).

People get engaged, take weddings and have babies. The babies abound up and have birthdays, parties and other events. They become seniors, graduate and not long downwardly the road the wheel starts over again every bit somewhen grandparents go seniors of a different definition." This lens is ready for the full lifecycle. Especially when peoples' stages and events are captured nether low light, this lens is ready for the job.

People likewise play sports and sports are another good use for this focal length range. While this range will exist too short for most large field sports photography, closer range and specially indoor sports are skillful candidates for a 50-100mm range.

I always say that whatever focal length can be used for landscape photography and the 50-100mm range works well for this utilize. That this lens is quite heavy and that the wide f/one.8 aperture is non always needed for landscape purposes gives me pause to recommend this lens for this dedicated purpose, just if yous have boosted purposes for the fifty-100 f/i.8, landscapes are something this lens volition cover for you. I especially similar the moderate compressed mural look that the 100mm end provides.

While polishing this review, I looked out the studio windows and some amazing deject formations immediately locked my attending. I grabbed the l-100 and a circular polarizer filter and went outside for some skyscape photography. With this lens, great clouds and the CPL filter, it seemed also easy to get nice photos. A petty too easy to get distracted also.

While these focal lengths are squeamish to have with you when traveling, the weight of this lens again gives me interruption to recommend it for this purpose. Various studio and product photography jobs can make use of this focal length range. Filmmakers can apply this lens for documentaries and many other needs.

Here is an example of what this focal length range looks similar, simultaneously showing a pair of aperture comparisons:

Max Aperture

Yous will not likely hear anyone complaining about the max aperture available in this lens. Every bit mentioned in the intro, this lens breaks new ground. There is currently no zoom lens covering this focal length range with an aperture wider than f/2.8, making this lens 1 one/3 stop wider than its closest zoom competitor. That the f/i.8 aperture is bachelor over the entire zoom range is specially nice and at 100mm, this lens is 1/3 stop wider than any 100mm prime number lens currently bachelor (though significantly wider apertures are institute on modestly-wider 85mm lenses).

This lens is a great choice for stopping movement (including camera shake) in low light and allowing lower, less-noisy ISO settings to be used nether many conditions. The wide aperture is likewise dandy for creating a strong background blur, as illustrated in a higher place. An aperture of f/2.8 or wider is oft required to enable the higher precision AF capabilities of some cameras and the Sigma 50-100 checks that line item.

Notation that this lens does non feature Sigma'southward Optical Stabilization feature.

Image Quality

The Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens, at 50mm f/1.eight delivers slightly soft prototype quality though results across the frame are rather even, lacking the meaning corner degradation that is especially common with broad aperture lenses. The longer focal lengths are slightly softer than 50mm at f/1.8 and show fifty-fifty slightly more mid and periphery softness. At f/2.8, centre of the frame results become very sharp and the outer portion of the epitome circle shows marked improvement, becoming very good, especially in the mid focal length range. Stopping down to f/four results in only a slight improvement in image sharpness except in the periphery at 85mm and 100mm were results testify more noticeable comeback. F/v.half dozen is advantageous primarily for increased depth of field when desired, simply some 100mm farthermost corner comeback can be seen at this setting.

Let'south look at some real world examples. These images were captured in RAW format using a Catechism EOS 7D Mark II and processed in DPP using the Standard Movie Style with sharpness prepare to "1" and cropped to 100% resolution. The following examples are from the center of the frame.

The f/one.8 examples do not look bad, but WOW, the f/2.8 examples really popular. Some of this image is outside of the DOF (Depth of Field), so be certain to find the center of the DOF to compare apertures at.

Here is another prepare of examples, all showing a 100% crop from an accented corner of the frame. The 50mm and 75mm examples are from the top left and the 100mm case is from the bottom left.

Especially if CA is factored out, these corners are looking rather good.

Expect to see virtually 1.4 stops of peripheral shading in the Sigma 50-100 f/1.8 corners at f/1.8. This is a relatively minor amount of shading that will exist simply modestly noticeable. Past f/2.eight, the vignetting is essentially gone for remarkable performance.

As already discussed, the "DC" in the proper noun means Sigma does non mean for this lens to exist used on a full frame sensor format DSLR. Notwithstanding, this lens will mount and role on a full frame body. The big downside is the strong to severe vignetting credible fifty-fifty when stopped down:

The almost easily recognized blazon of CA (Chromatic Aberration) in a lens is lateral (or transverse) CA. Lateral CA shows as diverse wavelengths of light existence magnified differently with the effect beingness increasingly noticeable toward the image circle periphery, causing the nearly-affected area of the prototype to announced less precipitous due to misaligned colors. Wait for the strongest color fringing along edges of strongly contrasting lines running tangential (meridional, right angles to radii) near the corners of the frame, generally irrespective of the aperture used.

This lens usually shows a pocket-size amount of CA in the corners at 50mm through 70mm, only a tiny corporeality at 85mm and very footling at 100mm. LatCA tin can be seen in the results shown in the paradigm quality tool, but I'll share some top-right corner of the frame examples beneath.

Lateral CA is easily software corrected by radially shifting the colors to coincide, should you cull to have that option.

Pointing the lens at shiny jewelry, the next test looks for axial (longitudinal, bokeh) CA and spherical abnormality.

The fringing colors in the foreground and background at 50mm f/1.viii shows that these rather common aberrations are modestly present. Stopping down eliminates the fringing with it mostly disappearing by f/2.viii. This effect is modestly less noticeable at 75mm f/one.8 and I don't run across whatever fringing at 100mm f/i.eight.

The Sigma l-100 f/one.eight controls flare rather well at f/1.8 and ... not as well at f/4. By f/8, the effects of flare are very strong over the entire focal length range. If looking for a lens that shows creative lens flare, this may be a good selection for you. Strong flaring is not unusual for a lens in this grade, merely ... you volition be challenged to correct the flaring that bright lights cause in this lens' narrow aperture images.

This lens has very slight barrel distortion at the wide end that transitions into no distortion at approximately 60mm and then on into balmy pincushion distortion from 85mm through 100mm. The 50mm and 60mm samples below show the entire width of the bottom of the frame. The 100mm sample shows a full width superlative of the frame instance.

Straight lines running along the edge of the frame are unforgiving to linear distortion. While this lens is not distortion gratuitous, it performs reasonably well in this regard.

That this lens can create a strong background blur was established early in this review, just the quality of that blur (oft referred to equally "bokeh") is as well overnice. Here is an example showing specular highlights.

This example was captured at 75mm f/5.6, but results were similar across the focal length range. With an odd-numbered aperture blade count, distant point calorie-free sources captured with a narrow aperture and showing a star-similar issue will have 18 points.

Overall, this lens produces very practiced epitome quality.

Focusing

Bearing the HSM acronym in its proper name, the fifty-100mm f/ane.8 Art Lens utilizes Sigma'due south Hypersonic Motor AF drive system. This lens focuses internally with reasonable speed and with only the sound of the lens elements/groups shuffling inside. FTM (Full Time Manual) focusing is bachelor.

Autofocus accurateness is of course disquisitional (unless relying on manual focus). This is an area where 3rd political party lens manufacturers are challenged, having to reverse engineer the algorithms required for such. Focus accurateness requires both consistency and proper calibration. Addressing the latter is the Sigma Dock (more later) and some DSLRs have provision for AF Mircoadjustment built in, providing another focus calibration choice. My EOS 7D Mark II's AFMA was set to West:-7 and T:-v (not terribly strong adjustment numbers) for the review re-create of this lens.

Autofocus accuracy consistency is not correctable by uncomplicated scale and is therefore a more critical lens characteristic. My first AF target is normally the Datacolor SpyderLensCal. Once calibrated, the Sigma fifty-100 f/one.eight turned in excellent focusing consistency when focusing at both ends of the focal length range using the center AF point.

Moving to existent world subjects showed a macerated AF hitting rate. Often the lens performed well, delivering an in-focus subject area. At other times, especially with peripheral AF points, focus consistency was non equally good. As usual, a narrow discontinuity helps hibernate focusing issues.

This lens brought home some nice racing photos from a nighttime at the track, properly focusing a decent percentage of the results.

When the invitation to photograph a local dirt track race came in, the Sigma l-100mm f/1.8 Art Lens seemed like a natural choice to include in the kit. This image was captured using a Canon EOS 7D Marker II. Settings include: 52mm (cropped slightly), Manual exposure (i/250, f/1.eight, ISO 800), AI Servo, Loftier Speed Outburst Mode, Case 4 AF and Eye AF Indicate-but.

Subjects in the 50-100 f/i.8 frame change size very significantly with focus distance changes, growing larger at shorter focus distances. Grab the focus band instead of the zoom ring and ... you may not realize that yous have the wrong ring at starting time – the modify in magnification is that bully. If using a peripheral AF point and starting with a strongly out of focus subject, the change in angle of view during focusing can be strong enough to accept the focus point completely off of the subject field.

When critically framing a scene using such a lens, focus should be fine-tuned while adjusting distance (or focal length). Photographers intending to use focus stacking techniques should be aware of this characteristic. Videographers pulling focus are sometimes besides concerned about this attribute.

Equally is common for quality AF lenses, a focus altitude scale, showing both ft and m distances, is provided in a window.

While it can exist an individual lens-specific attribute, parfocal-like behavior is not a characteristic the reviewed lens exhibits. You volition want to refocus after changing the focal length.

The 50-100 f/ane.8's manual focus ring has substantial size and, combined with its diameter beingness greater than most of the balance of the lens, information technology very piece of cake to notice. The focus ring is very smooth, is well damped and has no play. The 140° of rotation provides for slightly fast, but precise focusing at all focal lengths and focus distances, completing a very nice overall manual focusing parcel.

Producing a 0.15x MM (Maximum Magnification) at its 37.4" (950mm) MFD (Minimum Focus Distance), the Sigma l-100mm f/1.eight DC HSM Art Lens can be considered no better than average in this regard. Figuring out what lenses are classified in the aforementioned group to determine what is average ... is challenging. Hither are a wide range of lenses compared:

Model	MFD		MM
Catechism EF 24-70mm f/two.8L II USM Lens	xv.0"	(380mm)	0.21x
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens	17.seven"	(450mm)	0.23x
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens	47.two"	(1200mm)	0.21x
Canon EF seventy-200mm f/2.8L USM Lens	59.1"	(1500mm)	0.13x
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens	thirteen.8"	(350mm)	0.21x
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens	33.5"	(850mm)	0.13x
Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM Lens	35.iv"	(900mm)	0.14x
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E AF-Due south VR Lens	15.0"	(380mm)	0.28x
Nikon 24-70mm f/two.8G AF-S Lens	14.4"	(366mm)	0.27x
Nikon seventy-200mm f/2.8G AF-S VR 2 Lens	55.i"	(1400mm)	0.12x
Nikon 70-200mm f/two.8G AF-South VR Lens	60.0"	(1524mm)	0.25x
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-Due south Lens	17.7"	(450mm)	0.15x
Nikon 85mm f/one.8G AF-S Lens	31.8"	(807mm)	0.12x
Nikon 105mm f/2nd AF DC Lens	36.0"	(914mm)	0.13x
Sigma 24-70mm f/two.eight EX DG HSM Lens	15.0"	(380mm)	0.19x
Sigma 24-105mm f/iv.0 DG OS HSM Art Lens	17.vii"	(450mm)	0.22x
Sigma fifty-100mm f/i.8 DC HSM Fine art Lens	37.4"	(950mm)	0.15x
Sigma 70-200mm f/two.8 EX DG OS HSM Lens	55.1"	(1400mm)	0.13x
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Fine art Lens	15.7"	(400mm)	0.18x
Sigma 85mm f/1.iv EX DG HSM Lens	33.five"	(850mm)	0.12x
Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Lens	xv.0"	(380mm)	0.20x
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.eight Di VC USD Lens	51.2"	(1300mm)	0.13x
Tamron 85mm f/ane.8 Di VC USD Lens	31.5"	(800mm)	0.14x
Tokina 24-70mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro FX Lens	15.0"	(380mm)	0.21x

On an APS-C sensor format DSLR, a subject approximately 5.five" (140mm) long is required to fill up the width of the frame at 0.15x. This magnification is enough to completely fill the frame with a person'due south confront. If portraits are your pursuit, this is all the magnification you lot need. If focusing on flowers, a big one will be needed to completely fill the frame at 0.15x. Of class, dandy flower pictures can exist taken with a less-tightly framed field of study.

The dragonfly below was captured at MFD at 100mm. My attempt to mensurate it for you was not well received, but figure just over 3" (80mm) for fly tip to fly tip length.

To reduce the MFD and thereby increase the MM, mount an extension tube behind this lens. Infinity and long distance focusing are sacrificed with an ET in employ, merely the magnification capability can be increased nicely.

Sigma does not list the 50-100 f/1.8 equally beingness uniform with their teleconverters, just Sigma teleconverters volition mount backside this lens. Unfortunately, AF does not work with these combinations. Using a Canon EOS 7D Mark II, the mounted one.4x and 2x combinations continuously hunted for focus.

Build Quality & Features

Sigma's Global Vision Art series lenses all share a loftier grade build quality and the 50-100 f/i.8 does non veer from this standard.

This fixed-size lens feels solidly-congenital (the heavy weight aids in this feeling) and has no play or wobble in whatsoever parts. The lens construction is Thermally Stable Blended (TSC) textile forth with traditional metals, for greater precision and use in wide temperature variations. With a combination of matte and semi-gloss black finish and smartly-tapered contours, this lens looks awesome.

The 50-100'south zoom band is ideally located toward the mount of the lens, near its balance point. Modestly raised, this ring is very easy to tactilely locate. Information technology is smooth with platonic resistance. Note that the zoom band rotates in the Nikon-standard direction (opposite of the Canon standard).

This lens has a single switch assigned to the AF/MF function. Positioned on a depression contour switch panel, the switch is reasonably accessible, clicks very positively into position and indicates the AF position with a white background.

On a lens that invites use in depression light, maybe caused by choppy atmospheric condition, it is somewhat disappointing to find that the Sigma fifty-100 f/ane.8 is not weather condition sealed. Or, at to the lowest degree a significant office of this protection is missing: the lens mount gasket.

The Sigma 50-100 f/i.viii'south tripod ring is a very useful feature. Particularly valuable on a large and/or heavy lens, the tripod ring provides an ideal balance bespeak for the camera and lens when tripod or monopod mounted, permitting easy camera rotation from vertical to horizontal or vice versa. This non-removable ring is very solidly built and likewise very smooth-functioning with click stops marker precise xc° rotations.

Somewhat unusual is the depression profile blueprint of the tripod ring foot. This feature has both positive and negative attributes. Very positive is that the lens maintains a meaty diameter regardless of a tripod band being included. Less pes size means less weight and the lower center of gravity when foot-mounted is usually positive in terms of stability.

Non as positive is that fingers do not fit between the lens barrel (zoom ring mostly) and the foot. When in utilise, the foot is somewhat in the fashion of my instinctual use of the zoom band. I found myself making focal length adjustments from an arm-over-the-top position on the lens, a less-comfortable position than a lower left side arm position. Mount a lens plate on this human foot and it becomes even more in the way.

While the tripod ring lock knob is in a very user-friendly positioned for normal tripod or monopod utilize, rotating the lens plate out of the style for handheld utilize positions the tripod band lock knob uncomfortably on my left pollex.

I also need to note that the screw on my Wimberley lens plate was besides long for the threaded insert provided on the tripod foot. Ideally, I would accept footing the spiral down to a shorter length, simply I instead opted to use a washer as a shim (visible in the image in a higher place).

Figuring out which lenses to compare to the Sigma l-100mm f/1.8 Art Lens is, over again, a challenge. In that location are no equals in terms of focal length range and max aperture with no other lens coming even shut to this lens' combination of specs. From a size and weight perspective, the fifty-100 aligns very closely to the common seventy-200 f/two.8 lens class, meaning that this is a relatively large and heavy lens.

With some focal length range overlap, the smaller and lighter 24-lxx f/2.viii class lenses could be compared to the l-100 Art. There are many prime lenses with competing max apertures that autumn within the Sigma's focal length range.

Here is a huge table that includes some of these options.

Model	Weight		Dimensions due west/o Hood		Filter	Year
Catechism EF 24-70mm f/ii.8L II USM Lens	28.4 oz	(805g)	3.5 x 4.4"	(88.v x 113mm)	82mm	2012
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens	23.7 oz	(670g)	three.iii x 4.2"	(83.5 x 107mm)	77mm	2005
Canon EF 24-105mm f/3.5-v.vi IS STM Lens	18.v oz	(525g)	3.3 10 iv.1"	(83.4 ten 104mm)	77mm	2014
Catechism EF lxx-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens	52.6 oz	(1490g)	3.five x 7.eight"	(88.8 x 199mm)	77mm	2010
Canon EF seventy-200mm f/2.8L USM Lens	46.two oz	(1310g)	3.3 10 vii.six"	(85 ten 194mm)	77mm	1995
Canon EF 50mm f/one.8 STM Lens	v.6 oz	(159g)	2.7 x ane.5"	(69.two x 39.3mm)	49mm	2015
Canon EF 85mm f/1.viii USM Lens	xv.0 oz	(425g)	3 x two.8"	(75 ten 72mm)	58mm	1992
Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM Lens	sixteen.2 oz	(460g)	three x 2.9"	(75 10 74mm)	58mm	1991
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E AF-S VR Lens	37.viii oz	(1070g)	3.five x six.ane"	(88 x 154.5mm)	82mm	2015
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S Lens	31.8 oz	(900g)	3.3 10 5.2"	(83.viii x 132.08mm)	77mm	2007
Nikon 24-120mm f/4G AF-S VR Lens	23.seven oz	(670g)	3.3 x 4.ane"	(84 x 103mm)	77mm	2010
Nikon 70-200mm f/two.8G AF-S VR II Lens	54.4 oz	(1540g)	3.4 x 8.1"	(87 ten 205.5mm)	77mm	2009
Nikon seventy-200mm f/2.8G AF-S VR Lens	51.9 oz	(1470g)	3.4 x eight.five"	(87 x 215mm)	77mm	2003
Nikon 50mm f/ane.8G AF-S Lens	6.5 oz	(185g)	2.viii x 2.1"	(72 x 52.5mm)	58mm	2011
Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S Lens	12.4 oz	(350g)	3.i x 2.8"	(80 x 70mm)	67mm	2012
Nikon 105mm f/2d AF DC Lens	22.vi oz	(640g)	iii.1 x 4.4"	(79 ten 111mm)	72mm	1993
Sigma 24-70mm f/two.8 EX DG HSM Lens	27.9 oz	(790g)	three.four 10 3.seven"	(86.6 10 94.7mm)	82mm	2011
Sigma 24-105mm f/iv.0 DG Bone HSM Art Lens	31.2 oz	(885g)	three.v x 4.3"	(88.6 x 109.4mm)	82mm	2013
Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens	52.6 oz	(1490g)	3.seven ten six.vii"	(93.5 x 170.7mm)	82mm	2016
Sigma 70-200mm f/two.8 EX DG OS HSM Lens	fifty.5 oz	(1430g)	3.iv ten 7.8"	(86.iv 10 197.6mm)	77mm	2011
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens	28.8 oz	(815g)	iii.4 10 3.9"	(85.iv 10 99.9mm)	77mm	2014
Sigma 85mm f/1.four EX DG HSM Lens	25.half-dozen oz	(725g)	3.4 x three.4"	(86.four x 87.6mm)	77mm	2010
Tamron 24-70mm f/ii.eight Di VC USD Lens	29.1 oz	(825g)	iii.5 x 4.3"	(88.2 x 108.5mm)	82mm	2012
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.viii Di VC USD Lens	51.nine oz	(1470g)	iii.four x seven.4"	(85.8 10 188.3mm)	77mm	2012
Tamron 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Lens	24.vii oz	(700g)	3.iii ten 3.six"	(84.8 ten 91.3mm)	67mm	2016
Tokina 24-70mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro FX Lens	35.2 oz	(998g)	3.v x four.2"	(89.six ten 107.5mm)	82mm	2015

For many more comparisons, review the complete Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Fine art Lens Specifications using the site's Lens Spec tool.

As the fifty-100 best compares with the 70-200 f/2.8 lenses from a size and weight perspective, I'll share that visual comparison with you:

Positioned above from left to correct are the following lenses:

Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Lens
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG Os HSM Lens
Canon EF 70-200mm f/ii.8L IS II USM Lens
Nikon 70-200mm f/ii.8G AF-S VR Ii Lens

The same lenses are shown below with their hoods in place.

Use the site's product image comparing tool to visually compare the Sigma l-100mm f/ane.8 DC HSM Art Lens to other lenses. I preloaded that link with another comparison you might find helpful.

A broad aperture at telephoto focal lengths ways big bore drinking glass elements, especially in a zoom lens. That wide glass translates into wide forepart filter threads – 82mm in this example. While the 82mm filter size has grown more than common in recent years, these filters are at the high finish in both toll and size.

The Sigma LH880-02 lens hood is included in the box.

This hood features a sharp-looking petal design with direct walls, permitting it to exist stored compactly in opposite orientation. With substantial size and rigid build quality, this hood provides expert protection from both dissimilarity-robbing, flare-inducing brilliant lights and from touch on. While the hood bayonet-installs and uninstalls normally most of the fourth dimension, somewhat unusual is that grasping it firmly in a specific location makes it appear to exist stuck, beingness significantly more resistant to removal. This issue seems to be working itself out and a lighter grasp (less squeeze) is the answer to the problem.

The Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Lens ships in a nice zippered, substantially-padded nylon case that includes a shoulder strap.

Sigma Global Vision and the Dock

Sigma'south Global Vision lenses go a nomenclature of "A", "C" or "South", representing a primary Sigma-purposed category of "Artistic", "Gimmicky" and "Sports". A full description of these categories can be found in the Sigma 35mm f/ane.4 Art Lens press release.

Sigma's Global Vision lenses are all very nice, specially the Art and Sports lenses, but I am still not a fan of the overly-simplistic categorization structure. This lens gets an "A" stamped in a swish chrome circle on the lens barrel (shown above). Equally with some of the other "A" lenses, I'chiliad certain that the wide "A"perture has some responsibility for the "Art" classification. "A" is a skilful class to give the Art lenses for image and build quality along with appearance. While at that place are plenty of artistic uses for this lens, it appears additionally classifiable equally both "Contemporary" and "Sports".

Don't limit the lens' utilise to its letter designation.

A great feature of the Global Vision lenses is compatibility with the Sigma Dock. The dock, working in conjunction with the Sigma Optimization Pro software, allows the lens' firmware to be updated (bug fixes, compatibility updates, feature enhancements, etc.) and allows precise autofocus scale at 4 focal lengths and 4 distances. Full-time MF settings can also be controlled via the dock as illustrated below.

Price and Value

Consequent with the Fine art lens line is the Sigma's 50-100 f/1.8's price. While not inexpensive, it is not overly high-priced either. The price tag is essentially lower than Sigma's current 70-200mm f/2.8 OS lens' regular price and the fifty-100 appears to be a good value to me.

The Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens is bachelor in Canon (reviewed), Nikon, Sony/Minolta and Sigma mounts and qualifies for Sigma'southward Mount Conversion Service in instance you lot change your mind. My standard disclaimer: At that place are potential issues with 3rd party lenses. Since Sigma reverse engineers (vs. licenses) manufacturer electronics and software algorithms, there is e'er the possibility that a DSLR trunk might non support a (likely older) 3rd political party lens. Usually a lens tin be fabricated compatible by the manufacturer via a firmware update, just this cannot be guaranteed. There is also the chance of a trouble that results in the lens and body manufacturers directing blame at each other. Compatibility with the Sigma USB Dock is risk reducing every bit Sigma tin release firmware updates for dock-uniform lenses. Sigma United states of america's four-year warranty is superior to Canon'south standard 1-year warranty (Sigma's international warranty is also one year).

The evaluated Sigma 50-100mm f/i.eight Art lens was sourced online/retail.

Alternatives to the Sigma 50-100mm f/one.8 DC HSM Art Lens

With no lens beingness even close to comparable to this one, coming up with alternatives is ... challenging.

If the focal length range becomes the primary criteria, the 70-200mm f/2.eight class lenses are going to exist the best alternative. It seems that all manufacturers take (at to the lowest degree) i of these lenses. Though these lenses have a 1 ane/iii stop narrower aperture, well-nigh offering image stabilization that more than offsets the discontinuity deviation in terms of handholdability (though not in action-stopping or background blur at equivalent focal lengths capabilities). The l-100 has more focal length range at the broad terminate, but significantly less at the long terminate. The fifty-100 generally costs less than these alternatives.

Roofing the up-to-70mm focal length range are the 24-70mm f/ii.8 class lenses. Over again, these lenses accept the 1 ane/3 stop narrower discontinuity disadvantage, with some options having the prototype stabilization reward. The 50-100 has more focal length range at the long end, merely significantly less at the wide cease. The 50-100 by and large costs less than these alternatives.

The number of wide aperture prime number lenses falling within the l-100mm focal length range is huge. Covering 3-or-more prime lens focal lengths in i, the zoom has a great versatility reward over the primes. Almost of the primes have an equivalent-or-wider max aperture, though not at 100mm where they currently autumn 1/3 terminate short. The prices of the primes range from very cheap to very expensive.

All that said, I'm going to go out the alternative selection up to you. Employ the site'south comparison tools, especially the image quality tool, to make your decision.

Summary

When a newly introduced lens has no equal on the market, it is probably heady. With the fifty-100mm f/1.eight DC HSM Fine art Lens, Sigma brings usa an selection not seen earlier. The f/one.8 aperture in a zoom lens covering whatsoever of these focal lengths is a welcomed first.

This lens is beautifully well-congenital and visually beautiful, classifiable as a work of "Art". The focal length range is curt, just the aperture is broad. The available focal lengths are very useful and a wide aperture is always attractive. Also bonny is this lens' image quality, if accurately focused. The moderate price combined with its application versatility makes the Sigma 50-100mm f/1.eight DC HSM Art Lens a expert pick.

Bringing you this site is my total-time job (typically sixty-eighty hours per week). Thus, I depend solely on the commissions received from you using the links on this site to make whatsoever purchase. I am grateful for your back up! - Bryan

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Source: https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Sigma-50-100mm-f-1.8-DC-HSM-Art-Lens.aspx

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