Not much unlike the Canon 50mm f/1.4′s test, the Nikon 50 1.4 just bombed DPReview’s high-tech lens test. Wide open, the entire frame is “orange-ish” and the corners might even be red. (Green / blue being the best, and red being the absolute worst)

Both lenses are seriously outclassed by the new Sigma 50 1.4 at f/1.4.

Nikon:
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/nikon_50_1p4_n15/page4.asp

Canon:
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/canon_50_1p4_c16/page4.asp

Sigma:
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma_50_1p4_c16/page4.asp

Wide open, the Nikon and Canon are neck and neck, with the Canon being a little sharper in the center. Stopped down to f/2, the Sigma is still in the lead by far (the entire frame is “green” by f/2) however the Nikon takes a lead over the Canon…

NONE of the lenses perform too well on full-frame, sadly. Wide open, the dead-center of the Canon may be sharpest. (But it is a TINY circle in the center!) But stopped down to f/2, the Sigma again takes the lead, The Nikon and Canon barely make it to a “very sharp” center, and ALL have pretty bad corners.

I’ll wait until Photokina when Nikon is alleged to release some new f/1.4 lenses, and then decide what to buy…

One thing is for sure, looking at the corner performance of ALL these lenses on full-frame, I’m very inclined to stick with DX. Maybe a new Nikon, or the Current Canon 50 1.2 L, can do better on full-frame?

=Matt=