Sigma 322965 85mm F1.4 DG DN | A For Sony E, Black

Product Information

This lens has only a single switch to activate or deactivate autofocus. The manual focusing ring on the lens is pretty generous in size at 1 7/8” wide and is composed of rubber with a ribbed texture. The filter thread diameter is 86mm. Handling and Build Quality The focus ring has no direct coupling so manual focus is focus by wire. Resistance is fine and there is no delay when you turn the focus ring. Depending on the speed the focus ring is turned it takes 280 degrees or 1260 degrees to get to infinity from MFD. Because the focus throw is only 1260 degrees when you turn the ring very slowly it doesn’t bother me at all, sometimes it actually is pretty handy. A star performer, this lens delivers fabulous image quality with superb sharpness and contrast, negligible color fringing and beautiful bokeh. It’s a dream for portraiture and still life, not only due to the quality of the results, but because handling is so refined. Relatively compact and lightweight for such a ‘fast’ 85mm lens, it’s a joy to use. And while it’s not cheap, it’s very good value for money at the price. The lens has a dust and splash-proof construction to protect the mount from dust and water droplets.

The difference becomes apparent when you remove their lens hoods. The Sigma is clearly more compact.However when you are in the market for a 85 mm lens with very fast AF this will be the better option. I'm aware that the lighting has variations, but of course this has no affect on the contrast of a lens, merely the overall contrast of the image. There seems to be an uneasy balance with the DXOmark information - I mean, are you using it as a guide or to supplement your own photo tests - because as I say the test shots do not show the Sigma as sharper in the centre than the Sony as you claim. Yes, if you use the Metabones IV ;) like i use every of my EF-Lenses on A72 - everytime perfect focus. That was the reason why i sold my 6D... The Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art (left) and Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art (right). The new lens is 500g lighter than Sigma’s previous version

To protect the glass, I have been using a B+W 86mm XS-Pro Clear MRC-Nano 007 filter for two years. The filter has had no effect on the image quality, so I would highly recommend it. Lens Construction: The Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art has an optics design consisting of 15 elements in 11 groups. The Sony 85mm f1.4 G Master’s features 11 elements in 8 groups. Sony A7 III, Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art, 1/800sec at f/1.4, ISO 100 (With thanks to the Spa Valley Railway) When I look the images that this lens produces on APSC cameras, I cannot but prefer those coming from the combo of Samsung NX1+85mm/1.4. You might not need f/1.4 all the time, in fact, you might spend most of your time at f/8 or f/11. However, if you’re a landscape photographer who also shoots nightscapes or any type of creative nature work with shallow depth and selective focus, then you’ll be happy to know that the Sigma 85 1.4 DN isn’t just a wide-open top-performer, it’s also truly flawless when stopped down to f/8-11. The lighter weight and more compact size also mean you might prefer it over any other 85mm prime, for its rugged durability that you can trust in inclement weather. Nightscape & AstrophotographyI wonder how many of these people who care only about sharpness actually use super high resolution screens and print their picture in 40 x 60?

Again, the absence of ‘bokeh fringing’ is excellent. The manual focus ring works with smooth precision so that you can really nail focusing in extreme close-ups. (Image credit: Future) Lab tests The same goes for wedding photographers: If you’re going to be holding a camera and lens to your eye literally all day long, (yes, I have photographed many Hindu weddings that started before sunrise, and went until very late at night!) …you’ll want a decently lightweight choice, but one that doesn’t compromise on image quality or build quality, either. Sony A7 III, Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art, 1/125sec at f/4, ISO 100 (pincushion distortion corrected in Adobe Camera Raw)Also owned 43-86mm Nikkor zoom which was softer than a set of Hasselblad softar filters attached. Traded-in for safer 50mm Nikkor standard lens. Also owned 20-40mm Pentax zoom which was passable by capturing magical Mediterranean colours in my local travels.