Sigma50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens for Nikon

I just bought this lens and I am just overwhelmed by the sharpness, quality of the bokeh and corner to corner clarity of it. It is truly an astonishing piece of glass that outperforms many primes, including the Nikon 50mm f/1.8. It is not an easy lens though, it is extremely large and heavy, and the depth of field at f/1.8 is so shallow you can take a portrait and focus on one eye while missing the other one, this is even more noticeable due to the extreme sharpness of this lens. It does not have image stabilization so it is easy to have a blurred picture. All that said, it is not for the casual user, but if you use it correctly, it produces some of the most beautiful images I have ever seen on a DX sensor. It has plenty of focus breathing, and it is strangely backwards (the image appears larger when you focus closely). That makes it even more noticeable when you pull focus while shooting video.I haven't tested it long enough to see the AF issues other users report. I will update the review when I do.

I have this lens mounted on a Nikon D500 and I am using it primarily for outdoor running photography. Many times I'm taking photos in early morning low light conditions. Having a lens as fast as this makes it easy to get crystal clear shots without needing to boost the ISO excessively high. The autofocus speed, particularly paired with the D500, is excellent.Image quality is spectacular, even wide open. The only disadvantage to this lens is the weight. This is definitely one of those cliched "you could drive nails with it" heavy, solid lenses. The zoom ring is stiff. I don't personally see that as an issue, though - no chance of accidentally bumping the zoom ring and ruining the composition of your shot.The built-in tripod mount ring is a handy feature. No, it isn't removable, which has been a complaint for some people. The good news from my perspective is that is not in the way and actually provides a handy grip to stabilize this heavy lens when hand holding.Overall, an excellent lens for close to mid-range action photography and undoubtedly just as good, if not better, for portrait or stand-off street photography. I'll update my review once I put it through its paces in those areas.

This is a truly remarkable piece of glass, even wide open at f1.8 throughout the zoom range. The photos it produces really stand out compared to my 35mm 1.8 and 50 1.8. They are sharper, the colors are exceptional, and the bokeh is remarkable. It's heavy and feels extremely well built. I do shoot this handheld and for street photography, so you will need to understand the weight involved before purchasing this lens and then complaining about the weight. The focus is spot on and with a 7200, the AF is fast and accurate.This is my favorite lens so far. 10/10

Was sent a dirty lens with a fracture in the plastic near the front of the lens

I just opened the box 20 minutes ago and WOW. I am SO thrilled with how sharp these images are coming out, even at very wide apertures. I’ll have to update with images once I play around more, but I am IMPRESSED.—————Update 6 months laterI upgraded from a Nikon D7100 to D810 and this rarely leaves my camera even though it is traditionally for a crop sensor. It’s very sharp and quick. It IS heavy and definitely an adjustment from a light prime lens, but it is so worth it. I bought it used through amazon and the condition was perfect and I saved several hundred dollars.

In my opinion, this is a very beautiful lens. In day light, it is sharp and focuses fast ☺. However, in low light situations, this lens hunts and struggles to lock on to edges 😐! The massive barrel at the end of the lens blocks more than 70% of the auto focusing bulb. Simple test, turn down the lights and AF on a white wall, you will see the round barrel in 2 thirds of the view finder blocking the focus area. This means D1, D9, or D21 center or to the left will NOT focus in many low situations.A sharp but short ranged cropped sensor lens with a 82mm filter thread which blocks the AF bulb is DEFINITELY not worth $1100

Amazing lens but two things to know before buying.Autofocus is a major issue. It doesn’t actually focus at its sharpest point, and is slightly off. I had to stop using autofocus and start focusing manually, taking a dozen shots as I focused in and out hoping one of them was clear. When focusing manually I had the issue of the viewfinder being clear, but the photo it took was completely blurred out you couldn’t see the subject.However, when you can get the sharp photo it is sharp!! Excellent lens for low light!!The other major issue is there is no built in image stabilizer. So you will get minor shake from pressing the shutter. Tripod or monopod are highly recommended with this lens.If you’re doing any photography other than wildlife it is a must have in the arsenal, however, for wildlife sigma has a 150-600mm that has image stabilization for just $100 more so I’ll be returning this and getting that.

It’s a very heavy lens. But remember that this lense Is used for crop sensors. The crop factor can highly alter the quality of your photos. Using this on a full frame is going to change your max aperture to 2.7-3.0 depending on the camera you use. You HAVE to multiply the zoom range/aperture by your crop factor to get the actual range you’re getting. And ultimately the MP will be affected to. I used this lens on a NIKON D810 and it dropped my MP to 24mp instead of 36mp because of the crop and the photos were a little grainy. So if you’re gonna use this on an APS-C it’s gonna be wonderful. If you’re looking for a full frame zoom just get the sigma 70-200 2.8 and you’re going to be much happier with photo quality.