Up till not too long ago, Fuji has been missing in third-party lenses for X-mount. Sigma has lastly dipped its toes into the X-mount waters with its APS-C prime lens trio. The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 may very well be a superb different to Fuji’s personal 56mm f/1.2 lens.
At a bit of below half the price of the Fuji 56mm f/1.2, the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN is positioned to be an incredible discount for Fuji photographers. I’ve been capable of put it by some powerful taking pictures conditions within the time I’ve had it. So let’s see how this lens weighs up.
Execs
- Light-weight and small measurement
- Tack sharp efficiency
- Nice bokeh high quality
- Some climate sealing
- Inexpensive
- Extra inexpensive value
Cons
- Some barrel distortion
- Climate sealing is barely on the lens mount
- Would profit from an aperture ring on Fuji our bodies
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN — Technical specs
Tech specs for the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 have been taken from the B&H product web page:
- Aperture Vary: f/1.4 to f/16
- One SLD Factor, Two Aspherical Components
- Tremendous Multilayer Coating
- Stepping Motor AF System
- Climate-Sealed Development
- Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN — Ergonomics and construct high quality
The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN is a fairly easy lens. Ergonomically, there isn’t an entire lot to say. The lens includes a handbook focus ring that feels fairly customary for a Sigma lens. It’s calmly damped and has a really feel that’s pretty regular to fashionable lenses. That’s the solely management level on the lens.
Fortunately, that isn’t totally a foul factor. The lens is sweet and light-weight. Its small measurement balances effectively on the X-T4 I examined it with. It additionally appears proper at residence on the digital camera. Nevertheless, I did discover myself wishing for an aperture ring very often. Utilizing an XT4 with out a lens with an aperture ring feels improper.
Construct high quality
The construct of the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 is customary fare for Sigma’s Up to date line of lenses. The lens feels good to make use of. It’s obtained a strong construct with out being ungainly. The lens mount is product of brass and will final very long time. As well as, the main target ring has a rubberized texture to it.
Sigma does present some splash and dirt resistance within the type of a seal between the mount and the digital camera physique. Nevertheless, it doesn’t appear that this lens is absolutely sealed all through. Additionally, it’s good that Sigma features a lens hood with the lens. It’s a typical composite materials, however properly made and suits snugly on the bayonet mount. The lens accepts 55mm filters as effectively.
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN — Within the Area
As talked about, the Sigma 56mm DC DN is the epitome of simplicity. The one management to fret about on the lens is the main target ring. There’s no lens stabilization, nevertheless, the IBIS within the Fuji X-T4 makes this a non-issue. It’s greater than able to offering nice stabilization with this lens.
Being so easy makes it a simple lens to get together with. You may simply slap it on the digital camera and go. It simply does what a lens must do with none frills. On the subject of handbook focusing, it’s focus-by-wire. That mentioned, it feels fairly regular for an digital focus system on Fuji. Not my favourite methodology, nevertheless it will get the job achieved simply sufficient.
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN — Autofocus Efficiency
I used to be actually curious to see how the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 carried out within the autofocus division. Fuji AF doesn’t fairly match one of the best of Sony, Canon and Nikon, so I wished to push the Sigma and see the way it dealt with powerful conditions. Above is a sequence of pictures from a burst with monitoring steady AF turned on. With the rider sporting pink, the Sigma and Fuji combo did an important job of monitoring him in opposition to a busy background, even at f/1.4.
Nevertheless, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. Whereas I used to be additionally capable of get first rate monitoring efficiency on riders in black garments, it took much more work. Typically the digital camera monitoring field would keep in place on the rider, however the lens would unfocus and never know the place to go. How a lot of that’s on the X-T4 and the way a lot is on the Sigma is hard to say.
Total, I give the Sigma 56mm lens score for autofocus. It’s zippy and responsive in single focus. It appears fast and correct in steady autofocus. Whereas my hit fee with monitoring was in all probability solely round 60%, I’m inclined accountable that extra on the X-T4, as that’s just like what I’ve obtained with Fuji’s personal lenses mounted. It’s additionally value noting that within the temporary occasions I used the 56mm lens for video, it appeared to carry out fairly effectively at maintaining riders in focus.
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN — Picture high quality
It’s no secret that this lens is a performer. The Sigma 56mm DC DN has been round for some time now. It began within the Sony E-mount, Micro 4 Thirds and Canon M-mount, and now it’s right here for Fuji. There actually isn’t rather a lot dangerous to say about this lens, optically. Let’s break it down additional.
Ghosting, flaring and chromatic aberrations
Sadly, it’s been damp and dreary for many of my time with the Sigma 56mm. Nevertheless, I’m pretty assured in saying it has little or no points with any type of chromatic aberration.
In worse-performing lenses, areas across the spokes of the bikes, highlights on the black handlebars, and glossy elements of the silver bike body can be lit up with purple or inexperienced fringing within the conditions above. Even when trying in barely out of focus areas and deep into the background of those photos, I haven’t observed any problems with the kind with the Sigma.
I did discover, nevertheless, that when enhancing the RAW recordsdata, there was some noticeable barrel distortion current. It wasn’t main, nevertheless it was sufficient to be simply observed when making use of lens profiles in enhancing. That mentioned, the lens corrections fastened it proper up simply.
Sharpness
The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN is pin sharp. It’s unlucky that web-optimized photos actually don’t showcase simply how sharp these photos are. Sigma has actually managed to get it proper with this lens.
These photos actually have a pleasant pop to them attributable to how sharp they’re mixed with that uniquely “Sigma” manner of rendering photos. Even wide-open at f/1.4, in focus areas are rendered with loads of element for the X-T4’s 26-megapixel sensor.
Bokeh
The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN delivers on the bokeh. Large-open it will provide you with pleasing, buttery clean out-of-focus areas. Even when stopped all the way down to f/8 (as seen within the first flower photograph above), the backgrounds keep fairly clean and tasteful.
This lens is effectively considered an important portrait lens for APS-C and Micro 4 Thirds cameras, and with good purpose. The mix of the 56mm focal size, the f/1.4 max aperture and good design by Sigma will get you a superb bokeh producing lens on your Fujifilm digital camera.
Shade rendition
Shade rendition with the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN is general nice. It produces sensible, vibrant shade with that signature Sigma distinction. I discovered that this lens paired with Fuji’s shade profiles made for terribly pleasing shade replica. This held true whether or not taking pictures RAW and enhancing or taking JPEGs straight from the digital camera.
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN — Small, light-weight and chock stuffed with goodness
The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN is an actual winner from Sigma. It’s foolish sharp, produces nice bokeh, is gentle and small, and renders wonderful photos. The lens can autofocus rapidly and precisely, at the least in addition to any Fuji lens. The colours are nice, there are not any issues with chromatic aberration and general is effectively corrected.
At $479, it’s a steal in comparison with the Fuji 56mm at $999. Certain you lose a bit of max aperture from f/1.2 to f/1.4, however when you can cope with that, the Sigma is a superb worth for the cash. The opposite potential sticking level for Fuji customers is the dearth of an aperture ring. I’ve to confess that not having one on a lens paired with an X-T4 didn’t really feel the identical. Nevertheless, if you may get previous these points, this lens comes extremely advisable!
