s on digital SLRs with APS-C sized sensors, a good portrait focal length. (For APS-C sensor DSLRs, Sigma already has a 30mm f/1.8 lens, which translates to around 50mm for those cameras) The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 has a built-in Hyper Sonic Motor, and will be available in Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony/Minolta mounts. Pricing and availability have not been announced.
For details, read the Sigma press release:
The Sigma Corporation (COO: Kazuto Yamaki) is pleased to announce the new large aperture 50mm F/1.4 EX DG HSM standard lens.
50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
Availability :TBD
Fittings :Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Pentax*, Sony*
*If the camera body does not support HSM, auto focus will not be available.
Distinguishing characteristics
* Standard lens with large maximum aperture of F1.4.
* It creates sharp images with high contrast and ensures superior peripheral brightness.
* Incorporates molded glass aspherical lens, perfectly correcting coma aberration and creating superior image quality.
* Super multi-layer lens coating reduces flare and ghosting.
* Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensuring silent, high-speed AF.
This is a large aperture prime lens with a standard focal length of 50mm, ideal for digital cameras. This lens is perfectly suited for a wide range of subjects enabling outstanding, sharply defined images against a nicely blurred background. The fast, F1.4 aperture makes this lens desirable for use with Digital SLR cameras. This lens effectively becomes an 80mm medium telephoto lens on digital cameras with APS-C size image sensors. The optimum optical design and molded glass aspherical lens elements provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations. This lens has superior peripheral brightness and provides sharp, high contrast images even at the maximum aperture. Superior optical performance is also ensured throughout the focusing range. The super multi-layer lens coating reduces flare and ghosting. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 45cm (17.7”) and has maximum magnification of 1:7.4. It creates a very attractive blur, even when a small aperture is used.
This lens incorporates HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), which ensures a quiet and high-speed AF as well as full-time manual focus override.
