Sigma 50mm f/1.2 Art Lens Review

credits: Sigma

The Sigma 50mm f/1.2 Art lens is Sigma’s attempt at proving that you don’t have to spend an immense fortune for professional-grade optics. Available in both L-mount and Sony E-mount, this is a fast, sharp, and thoughtfully designed lens that manages to undercut its biggest rivals on both size and price—without sacrificing much, if anything, in image quality.

Handling and Build

This is one of the more compact f/1.2 lenses out there, weighing just 745 grams—about 40 grams lighter than Sony’s 50mm f/1.2 G Master. It’s fully weather-sealed, has a lockable lens hood, a declickable aperture ring, and twin linear motors for fast autofocus. All of this adds up to a lens that feels premium and well thought out, but still totally usable for everyday photography, whether you're walking city streets or on assignment.

Shooting Experience

Using this lens wide-open at f/1.2 is a joy. It’s sharp across the frame, even in the corners, and it doesn't fall apart at the edges like some ultra-fast lenses tend to do. Autofocus is snappy and reliable, even for fast-moving subjects. There's a bit of longitudinal chromatic aberration, but nothing that’ll ruin your shots, and overall, this lens is incredibly well-behaved optically. Flare, ghosting, and distortion are very well controlled.

Image Quality

The real star here is the bokeh. Thanks to a 13-bladed aperture (a first for Sigma), out-of-focus areas are buttery smooth, with round specular highlights and none of that harsh onion-ring texture. Even stopped down, the aperture shape stays nice and circular. The transition from sharp to soft is silky, making this lens ideal for portraiture or any scene where you want that cinematic look. Sigma also reduced focus breathing significantly, so video shooters get something usable here, too.

Who’s It For?

If you’ve always wanted an f/1.2 lens but didn’t want to break your back—or your bank account—this is the one to get. It's perfect for portrait shooters, street photographers, wedding pros, or anyone who wants top-tier shallow depth of field performance without the G Master price tag. It's also a solid choice for hybrid creators, since the autofocus and breathing control make it a viable option for video work.