Super Battle Of The Nifty Fifties*: Canon, Sigma, Samyang, Yongnuo & Zeiss!
Sep 14, 2015
Udi Tirosh
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
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So, you are out on the market for a Nifty Fifty, (or as some may still call it: a 50mm f/1.8 lens). This is not surprising. The Nifty Fifty is often the second lens anyone will buy. It is usually cheap, at 1.8 it is relatively fast, and it gives a great Bokeh (or as some may still call it, blurred background).
Here is the thing though, while you’d think this is simple, the choice you have is actually kinda big, and if you budget around $1,400 (its a round 1,000 pounds) and can go up to 1.4 it really starts to get a matter of which of the lenses will provide the most value for you, and at what price. Christopher Frost did a great comparison of 10 of these options, starting with the cheap Yongnuo 50/1.8 (at $50) all the way up to the most expensive Canon USM L 1.2 ($1400).
Christopher compares price, sharpness, vignetting and distortion, contrast and flaring, Bokeh, features, and value for money
Here is the breakdown by price (followed by the number of stars)
Yongnuo f/1.8 – $50 (12*)
Canon f/1.8 mkII – $90 (14*)
Canon f/1.8 mkI – $100 (15*)
Canon f/1.8 STM – $120 (19*)
* it is not technically nifty fifty lenses from here on, but if you are out for a 50mm lens, you should definitely consider those as an option
Canon f/1.4 USM – $300 (*15)
Sigma f/1.4 HSM – $400 (21*)
Samyang f/1.4 UMC – $400 (20*) (or Rokinon)
Zeiss f/1.4 Planar ZE – %550 (12*)
Sigma f/1.4 Art – $900 (23*)
Canon f/1.2 USM L – $1,400 (19*)
[50mm Lens Super Battle via iso1200]
Udi Tirosh
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
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10 responses to “Super Battle Of The Nifty Fifties*: Canon, Sigma, Samyang, Yongnuo & Zeiss!”
Own all three Canon 50’s and if all my lenses had to be stolen today the 50L would be the first lens to be replaced. It’s got magic that the others simply do not have!
I completely agree about the Canon 50mm L Ruan.
There is just something about that lens – it’s not the sharpest, suffers from mild chromatic aberration and vignetting, BUT, shooting wide open is just magic.
been drooling over the sigma 50mm f1.4 forever, but at least the canon 50mm f1.8 stm is doing the trick for now! although, i hear the sigma art doesn’t have the best af system in terms of accuracy and speed.
No Nikon? One of the sharpest 50’s. And I paid $60.
But AF thingy is important tooo , canon only is the reliable one , its a shame that sigma art series has focusing issue a big % .
I shoot concerts which are oftentimes dimly lit and unpredictable – the Sigma 50mm 1.4 ART is my go to lens. I have no focusing issues. I previously owned the Canon 1.8 and 1.4 50mm and I hated both of them.
Nixon beats canon in the 50 dept
Some people take photos..others…wel………
The Zeiss Makro Planar 2/50 is by far better than the 1.4
I am honestly surprised that Nikon even fails to get a mention. It’s probably in the top five for quality over the range of 50s available. No, this isn’t a biased review at all. /sarcasm.