As we thoroughly demonstrate in our video, you get what you pay for with the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 art lens. It’s no faster than the Canon 50mm f/1.4, and more than twice the price, but it’s one of the sharpest lenses we’ve ever used, and problems like chromatic aberration are extremely rare. But it’s not a lens we often recommend. Most photographers are happier with a zoom lens. Of the small portion of photographers that prefer to use primes, most won’t be able to justify the big budget for this near-perfect lens. But if sharp primes are your thing and $850 doesn’t phase you, this is the lens to get. Here’s DxOMark’s sharpness chart for the Sigma and the Canon 50mm f1/4–greens are good, reds are bad.
