I am so sick of my old 50mm 1.8G. I just moved up to a Z7ii and honestly the old lens looks like trash now. Everything is soft and the purple fringing on high contrast edges is driving me insane. I have a portrait session coming up in two weeks in downtown Chicago and I cannot show up with gear that performs this poorly. I've been looking at the Z 50mm f/1.8 S since everyone says it is the sharpest thing ever but then I see the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art and that extra stop of light is so tempting even if it is a brick to carry around. I also saw the 1.2 S but there is no way my bank account can handle that right now my budget is capped at like 800 bucks max. Is the Z 1.8 actually better than the Sigma Art when adapted or am I gonna regret not having that f/1.4 look? I need something that wont hunt for focus in low light because the reception is gonna be dim as hell. Which one of these is actually going to give me the best results on a high res sensor without making me broke or frustrated...
> moving to the z7ii is basically a wake-up call for your glass. Re: that point, I totally agree. I had a similar reality check when I first switched to high-res mirrorless and tried hanging onto my old F-mount glass. Honestly, be careful with the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art on an adapter. I used that exact setup for a wedding in a dimly lit cathedral once and it was kinda a nightmare. The Sigma glass is gorgeous, but the weight with the FTZ adapter makes the Z7ii feel super front-heavy. I noticed it hunting for focus way more than I liked in the shadows. I eventually grabbed the Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S and the difference in focus speed was night and day. It is insanely sharp, like clinical levels, but you wont deal with any of that nasty purple fringing you're seeing now. If you really need that f/1.4 look, you might want to consider the weight trade-off, but for a session where you need to be mobile in downtown Chicago, the native 1.8 is the safer bet for that sensor.
> moving to the z7ii is basically a wake-up call for your glass. Ngl that is 100% true. If you want a setup that just works without the headache, the Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S is the way to go. It fits your budget and handles low light focus way better than an adapted Sigma. I've been so satisfied with mine... the lack of fringing is a total lifesaver for those downtown Chicago shots.
moving to the z7ii is basically a wake-up call for your glass. that 45.7mp sensor is gonna expose every flaw in your old lenses. ive spent tons of time with the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art and while the rendering is beautiful, you might want to consider the downsides of adapting it for a pro gig. in my experience, using the ftz adapter in dim receptions can sometimes lead to focus hunting or slight delays that you really dont want when things are moving fast. i would suggest going with the Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S instead. i know losing that extra bit of light feels like a sacrifice, but the s-line optics are seriously on another level. it is tack sharp from edge to edge even wide open, which is where the sigma can sometimes get a bit soft in the corners. make sure to keep the chromatic aberration in mind because the z-mount design basically killed the purple fringing that drives you nuts. be careful with the weight too... the sigma is a total brick and will feel very front-heavy on your z7ii after a few hours. for a high-res sensor like yours, the native z lens is just more reliable and handles the resolution much better than adapted f-mount glass.
