Sigma Contemporary 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Review

The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 is a one-trick pony, but that trick is making people look fantastic. If you shoot portraits on a Canon APS-C camera, this is the lens you want. It's sharp, it's fast, and it gives you that beautiful, creamy background blur that makes your subject pop. Everything else about it is secondary, because it does its main job so well.

The optical performance is solid, landing in the 58th percentile, which is good but not mind-blowing. The real surprise is the build quality, which is in the 86th percentile. For a relatively affordable prime, it feels much more premium than you'd expect. The autofocus, however, is just okay, sitting in the 48th percentile. It's fine for portraits, but don't expect lightning-fast tracking for sports.

At $579, it's a strong value for a dedicated portrait lens. You're paying for that fast aperture and solid build, and you get exactly that. There are cheaper options, but they usually compromise on something, often the aperture or the optics.

For Canon APS-C shooters, the main choice is between this and a zoom like the Panasonic 14-140mm. The Sigma gives you way better low-light performance and background blur for portraits. The Panasonic gives you massive versatility but a much slower, variable aperture. If you only shoot people, the Sigma is the clear winner. Against something like the Meike 55mm F1.8, the Sigma's f/1.4 aperture and better build are worth the extra cash for most people.

If you own a Canon APS-C camera and want to take your portrait game to the next level, buy this lens. It's that simple. It's not the most versatile tool, but for making people look great, it's hard to beat at this price. Skip it if you need a walk-around lens or shoot a lot of video where stabilization is key.