The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM and the Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II is the longer of the two lenses at 69mm. The Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM with a length of 68mm, is 1mm shorter. On the other hand, the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II's 72mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II weighs 222g, 56% (283g) lighter than the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM's weight of 505g.
Filter Threads
The Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II has a 55mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM:
And these are the 55mm filters that we recommend for the Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM and the Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II.
Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM is also available in the Canon EF , Pentax KAF3, Sigma SA, Nikon F (FX) and Four Thirds mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
75mm.
On the other hand, the Sony DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 SAM II has a focal range of 18-55mm and 3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 27-82.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
