The lens on preorder at BHphoto (Click here)
Hot remindeR: The superb brand new Sigma 50mm f/1.4 ART A-mount lens is now available for preorder at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here). It costs a quarter of the Zeiss Otus and is 95% as good as the Zeiss! You can see some image samples on that BHphoto page (Click here), ThePhoBlographer (Click here) and Lcap (Click here). Again, this is a must have lens for A and E-mount camera owners. Preorders are taken from worldwide(!) at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
Extra note: Also the new Tamron 16-300mm can be preordered starting from today at Adorama (Click here).
This is the official Sigma press release:
In recent years, as the DSLR evolves, development of image sensors for higher pixel size has created the photographers’ desire for the lenses with superior performance. In 2012, Sigma has announced the “Art” line that achieves unsurpassed expressive performance to fulfill the higher requirement of photographers. The first lens from the “Art” line “SIGMA 35mm F1.4 DG HSM [A 012]” sought for uncompromising performance, and it resulted in great reviews as well as a lot of awards from all over the world. Based on the accumulated wisdom and know-how to establish the standard for our “Art” line series, we are proud to announce the development of the new high performance standard lens with a large diameter for this new era of superb image quality.
SIGMA 50mm F1.4 DG HSM F/CANON fittings are scheduled to start the shipment towards the end of this month.
Launching date of Sigma, Sony and Nikon mount is not determined yet.
Corresponding AF Mounts: SIGMA, Canon, Sony and Nikon
Accessory: Case, Petal-Type Hood (LH830-02) supplied.
Again: Preorders at BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
0 Responses
Looks OK but A-mount??
The longer I practice photography the more I find 50mm lens useless to my style of shooting. It’s to narrow to be practical for typical street photography & journalism tasks (16-35 or 24mm Zeiss preferred here), and too wide for most portrait works (85 & 135). 50mm is right in the middle, it’s acceptable, but suboptimal for most shoots.
I find myself rarely using the 50mm on the full frame camera, that focal length just never seems quite right for what I’m shooting. My grand father was a very dedicated amateur photographer, he traveled all over the world and photographed many breathtaking landscapes. He used Kodachrome and a Kodak Retina 3C range finder camera and always with the Xenon 50mm F2 lens. Later in life he bought a Kodak Retina Reflex IV SLR so that he could use different focal lengths, a 35mm, 50mm & 80mm. Occasionally he would use the 35&80 but mostly still used the 50mm for his landscapes, he just liked the depth perception on the 50mm and thought the others just didn’t look right.
50 is fine for portraits on APS-C or MFT, but yeah, a little too wide on FF.
It’s nice, that Sigma invested into A-mount. Buit big question is, should I? I have a-mount 300mm f2.8, 70-200 G2 and load of a-mount Zeiss lenses. But latest signals indicate, that Sony is all out for E-mount. I’m in confusion. No word from Sony about A-mount future.
No it’s not. Sony just hasn’t launched this years models. The A-Mount has a bright future, but it’s aimed at a different target audience. Canon is looking to introduce a model that uses a pellicle mirror (same tech as SLT), and patented a design in November. So the future of Professional photography is actually SLT/Pellicle and not mirror-less.
Europe, and North America camera buyers continue to invest in SLR technology, and the mirror-less market is actually shrinking.
http://www.canonrumors.com/2013/10/patent-a-pellicle-mirror-by-canon/
Its true, Canon is developing a camera that uses the same tech as the A99 due to the A99s popularity in North America, and Europe. Just read the professional reviews of the A99, and you’ll see a reoccurring theme Pro’s adore the A99, and its accompanying Zeiss lenses. You’ll also notice the reviewers are big names in the industry, and not amateur schmucks (No professional credentials) pretending to be photographers.
Canon has picked up on this, and you’ll probably see a model with the same tech (Pellicle/EFV) in the near future.
Thanks for cheering up. There are lot of E-mount lens roadmap charts and other E-mount news. I’m eager to hear improved ISO a99 II, but havent heard even some rumors…
As always, there are three options. 1 – they’re not working on it, 2 – they are working on it and keeping it really quiet, 3 – it is in the pipe but probably not till next year. I think (1) is unlikely, given the resulting loss of loyalty they would likely see, and the fact that they have much of the technology from the A99 and more resent E-mount range already available. My suspicion, based on prior timeframes, is that we’re looking at (3) next year, similar to the time we saw last time between A77 and A99. If that is the case, it will have another year of improvements, although I am rather ken to get hold of one! If (2) happens this year, fantastic, although I am beginning to think it’s unlikely given how little there is on the rumour mill…
Sony’s launching two models this year, one is a A77 replacement/revision, and the other is a full frame model. There is info on the A77, but the FF is still a mystery. Sony has been able to keep this camera a secret so far, unless Admin is withholding information from us again.
http://product.pconline.com.cn/dc/sony/515028.html
It called SLT-A88, and it launch in May, not A77
I thought Sony had a patent one this already?!
The pellicle mirror isn’t new canon had a 35mm that did the same thing in the 90’s but the price tag was outrageous for the time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_RT
Congrats on owning the 300mm f2.8! I also own that lens and both TC made to go with it. That lens and other great lenses keep me in the A-mount camp. I don’t think Sony would dare abandon us because of the negative publicity it would engender. Hopefully the A77 will cheer us both up and much later some serious FF A-mount cameras.
I use my 300mm quite often in bigger opera theatres, shooting from the back of parterre
http://www.jackdevant.com/polina-semionova-in-the-nutcracker/
Thank you for those examples of great professional photography.
I wish more SAR readers would post examples of their work. In keeping with at thought here is one I took of a hummingbird in flight using that lens and many flashes.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3676/11089655555_982980dc74_c.jpg
Beautiful shot Dave.
nice
Really nice shot.
Congrats.
Thank you all for your kind remarks. As I mentioned, the 300mm f2.8 lens was key in capturing this shot. I also used my A900 and six flashes. I’m looking forward to the A77II coming out in a few weeks because I think it will give me better depth of field. I also need faster auto-focus than my A900 gives me. I’m too dependent on LUCK. Both the hummingbirds and the A77II are rumored to be arriving about the same time. 🙂
Love it Dave, very nice work!
Beautiful!
Very nice work Jaak
Would Sigma ever release this lens for E-mount? I personally doubt it with the FE-55 1.8 Zeiss Sonnar T selling for pretty much the same price and holding its own very well in reviews, it will be a waste of effort for Sigma to invest in E-mount. I guess I’ll just wait for the A99 successor to see if it’s worse buying the A-mount version
I agree it’d be a waste of money to convert it to E-Mount. The A99 or its successor seems to be the perfect fit for this lens.
I don’t like it because it’s made out of glass and glass breaks easily.
Damn it…THAT’s why my last lens broke when I threw it at the concrete! No one told me it was made of glass!!!
What’s A-mount???
It’s the camera system that gave birth to E-mount for people with weak arms.
We laugh at little e-mount weenies they are all weirdos that suffer from little lens syndrome. They play with their little squeakier toys all by themselves. They have no place here, they should be banished to e-mount weenie rumour site.
“e-wennierumours.com”
A little harsh, but there’s some truth there.
E-mount devices are “gadgets”
A-mount devices are “cameras”
Preorder now, shipping next year.
Did anybody see any actual photos made with this lens. It would be quite moronic to pre order a lense only based on 1 test chart and the opinion of a couple of bloggers.
Even if it is sharp, but then it draws photo with the classic sigma anonymous look, why even bother?
Glad to hear this! Super duper! Yes, I did just say that!
Preordered!
$1000 Sigma vs $4000 Zeiss !