Sigma Art 50mm 1.2 DG DN

Editor's Choice – An outstanding ultra-fast 50mm f/1.2 lens with luscious bokeh

The Sigma 50mm f1.2 DG DN Art stands out in a crowded market of 50mm lenses 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, and 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 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. But 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 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.