Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Review

The Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM for Canon Mount is the best 50mm for a photographer on a budget. 

The 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM came out in 2008 by Sigma. Huge step for a company other then Canon  and Nikon to put some serious competition on the market. In my opinion this lens blows the Nikon 50mm and Canon 50mm F1.4 out of the water. This is a prime lens, equivalent to 50mm on a full frame sensor camera and 80mm on a crop sensor 1.6. If your looking for a sharp walk around or portrait lens this is the go to lens. The build quality for a 400 dollar lens is very solid. The autofocus is quite fast but a little loud. The noise does not bother me. Compared to the Canon 50mm F1.4 this lens makes it look that look cheap. The fast wide aperture of this lens makes it very appealing to any bokeh enthusiasts. It has a very clean look to the bokeh balls, show in this photo below. 

The focus ring on the lens is very smooth for doing manual focus shooting photos or video. The HSM, Hyper Sonic Motor, which compares to Canons Ultra Sonic Motor, makes the autofocus in the lens very fast and reliable. The outer body of the lens is some type of hard plastic that has a metal feel to it. 

In the video below there is a quick video I made in Mt. Pleasant Michigan using a Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM, and a Manfrotto 500AH Fluid Video Head. 

Manfrotto MVH500AH Tripod Head with 190XPROB Legs

Manfrotto MVH500AH Tripod Head with 190XPROB Aluminum Legs

First off, this head is amazing for the price. It is the entry level and cheapest fluid video head they make and it holds its own against the MVH502 in my opinion. This head has Manfrottos Bridging Technology and is definitely the most affordable in that line of heads. The head uses actual ball bearings and fluid cartridges to give you a very smooth pan and tilt. The new quick plate release system clips in from the side and is tightened down to make it easier to take out your DSLR or when working with video rigs. I was worried about the plate slipping out the front or back if not tightened all the way but there are guards that prevent this from happening. The head also features a counterbalance mechanism which is a spring inside the head that helps balance your DSLR or rig when it awkward positions.  This is a super nice feature when working with larger lens or un-proportional rigs. The positioning of the drag knob is in the back so you do not have to reach around to the front like the MVH502. But the MVH500 does not have drag settings like the MVH502. But the knob to tighten the amount of drag you would like works very well. 

This head comes in a standard flat base head which can be put on basically any Manfrotto tripod legs, I went the cheaper route and put it on the 190XPROB legs and it works great. You could also get any legs with a 3/8th thread. 

The legs are a sleek 3 section design. This is an aluminum tripod and feels very sturdy with the MVH500AH head on it. I even put my battery pack on my DSLR with my Sigma 70-200mm lens and it carried the load wonderfully. The top column that hold the head is able to be put in a horizontal position allowing the tripod to reach extremely low positions. The leg angle design is a huge bonus for versatility with ranges of angles at 25,46,66, 88 degrees. This gives you such a wide range positions to set your tripod in. The top column extends and the highest working postion is 57 inches and can carry a load of 11lbs. This will handle most large DSLR rigs. 

Do you need a Battery Pack for your DSLR? ProMaster Vertical Power Grip

Review for the ProMaster Vertical Battery Grip for Canon Rebel T2i, T3i, and T4i.

Looking for the next accessory to buy for your DSLR? Well lets look at a pretty essential piece of equipment for your photography and especially video. A battery grip on your camera provides extra battery life to your camera. It holds 2 batteries in the pack and provides double the length of battery life for DSLR. This comes in handy if your shooting a lot of continues video or out on a long photography shoot. This is also nice if you have your camera on some type of mount, you won't have to take your camera off the mount or rig to change batteries. These battery packs also give the impression of professionalism and make your camera larger. 

Another great feature about this battery pack is it has an alternate shutter release on the side of the battery pack. So when you move your camera to a vertical position for vertical images you will not have to tilt your hand and put your arm in an awkward position. This gives you more stability in a shoot. 

Great feature to this specific battery pack is it gives you a battery tray for AA batteries. It takes 6 of them and is a huge lifesaver if you are out on a shoot and can't charge your LP-E8 batteries. 

Some cons to think about if you actually need a battery pack are that they do make your DSLR larger and this can cause problems in your camera bag or heavier when walking around (even though you could take it off). Also if you do not have an extra battery for your canon, your might want to this about getting that first. 

Do I need the Canon or will the ProMaster work just as well you ask? Personally I have tried both. The Canon Battery Grip retails for about $220 and the ProMaster for $100. You can even get it on Amazon for $79.99. Personally I notice little to no difference between the two. They both do exactly the same thing and have the same features. The material feels a little more solid on the canon but its definitely not worth 100 dollars for the Canon name. Even though I am a Canon lover, I have found that the ProMaster is a way better deal. 

Comment your experiences with the battery pack or your thoughts on the product.