Sigma 50mm f1.2 DG DN Art review
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Written by Gordon Laing
Verdict
The Sigma 50mm f1.2 DG DN Art stands out amongst an enormous range of 50s by delivering excellent performance across the board, coupled with a bright aperture packed into a surprisingly narrow, light and competitively priced body.
In my tests it was sharp for subjects near and far, and very respectable into the corners, with only mild softness and vignetting in the extremes when wide-open. Close it even just a stop or two and you’ll enjoy a flat field with crisp results throughout. Of course you’ll want to mostly shoot it at f1.2 where it’ll deliver attractive rendering, with smooth roll-off and large bokeh balls bereft of undesirable textures or outlining.

Two things really stood out for me during my tests: first, I didn’t notice any undesirable artefacts, be it softened details, busy bokeh, chromatic aberrations or pesky flare. It just calmly delivered excellent results without fuss. Secondly I was struck by how similar my results looked to the Sony 50 1.2 G Master, a doubly impressive feat since that’s not only one of the best standard lenses out there but Sigma’s essentially matched it at two thirds the price while shaving a few grams from the weight.
As always, Sony owners not only have a lot of choice at this focal length, but also have to weigh-up third-party restrictions. The focus breathing compensation and fastest burst speeds on the latest bodies are only supported with Sony’s own lenses, and anecdotally I find Sony’s stabilisation more effective with Sony’s own lenses too. But none of this may not matter to you, and it’s hard to ignore the price of Sigma’s 50 1.2 Art or indeed the 1.4 Art which both comfortably undercut Sony’s versions.
For L-mount owners, it’s an easier decision with the lens slotting between Panasonic’s 1.8 and 1.4 lenses on price, but more compelling than either for me personally.
Bottom line, the 50 1.2 Art is a great lens at a great price with Sigma being one of the strongest allies to both the e and L-mount systems. I only wish Canon and Nikon full-framers could also enjoy these lenses.
Check prices on the Sigma 50mm f1.2 DG DN Art at B&H, Adorama, WEX UK or Calumet.de. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book, an official Cameralabs T-shirt or mug, or treat me to a coffee! Thanks!