p.13 #1 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Agreed. The 70-200 GM is the shortest ownership of a lens I have ever had. It did everything 'ok' but didnt excel at anything. And I didnt like the bokeh.
Fred Miranda wrote:
It's possible their new 70-200 will outperform the GM...a lens that never impressed me.
p.13 #2 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
photomadnz wrote:
Agreed. The 70-200 GM is the shortest ownership of a lens I have ever had. It did everything 'ok' but didnt excel at anything. And I didnt like the bokeh.
I really hope Sigma 70-200 goes the Tamron 70-180 / Canon RF 70-200 / Sigma 85 dg dn route, so optimize for size and weight at least a bit...
p.13 #4 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
DPR now also has their video review online.
I must say that I much prefer the colors of the GM. Much more neutral than this new Sigma.
The Sigma gives everything a (too) warm cast.
p.13 #5 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
To me the colors look OK. I'm more concerned about the potential lack of flat field in the copy DPR tested. Hoping to have that in an 85. The focal length is a good stomping around in the woods or on a wide open trail focal length. The size makes it very attractive for those applications.
Having a 24 and an 85 in a small bag would make a nice kit.
Jochenb wrote:
DPR now also has their video review online.
I must say that I much prefer the colors of the GM. Much more neutral than this new Sigma.
The Sigma gives everything a (too) warm cast.
p.13 #6 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
I haven't been interested in 85mm in the past, but am really interested now. Seems like the Sigma has everything in balance, from size and weight to sharpness and bokeh. Some people have been saying that the "rendering" and more neutral colors on the GM are better. I've watched every video and written review that I could find. Any further thoughts on this?
p.13 #7 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
It's been awhile since I had a new shiny object to play with. Gas is creeping in. I like the smaller size and love faster lens but I'm torn between this and the 70-180 to give a try. I know different uses for most but the 70 -180 renderings look pretty good that I have seen. Although not as fast is certainly more versatile. Don't do alot of portraits so probably makes more sense the 70-180.
p.13 #8 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
shadow9d9 wrote:
I haven't been interested in 85mm in the past, but am really interested now. Seems like the Sigma has everything in balance, from size and weight to sharpness and bokeh. Some people have been saying that the "rendering" and more neutral colors on the GM are better. I've watched every video and written review that I could find. Any further thoughts on this?
I never care about colour of a lens (within reason).
I profile them so every lens ends up with exactly the same colour.
You don’t even have to profile them to get 99% of that effect. Just photograph a grey card in the same light for every new lens, and use the WB tool and notice how much it changes. You know know how much to change WB to make your new lens looks almost exactly the same as every other lens you have tested in terms of colour! You can use import presets..
As for rendering, I do think the GM is a bit nicer wide open; more SA in the background, a bit smoother in out of focus corners, and a bit less swirl and cats eyes. The sigma is a bit contrastier for sure and maybe a touch sharper wide open, but that hard to judge without testing myself.
For me the size of the sigma trumps the rendering, but YMMV.
p.13 #9 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
'Some people have been saying that the "rendering" and more neutral colors on the GM are better'
It's a view many will agree with. Why not ask a woman or two? They are the best judges of portrait lenses. Few will worry about bokeh ball circularity, that much is obvious.
Aug 15, 2020 at 04:58 PM
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p.13 #10 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
DavidBM wrote:
I never care about colour of a lens (within reason).
I profile them so every lens ends up with exactly the same colour.
You don’t even have to profile them to get 99% of that effect. Just photograph a grey card in the same light for every new lens, and use the WB tool and notice how much it changes. You know know how much to change WB to make your new lens looks almost exactly the same as every other lens you have tested in terms of colour! You can use import presets..
As for rendering, I do think the GM is a bit nicer wide open; more SA in the background, a bit smoother in out of focus corners, and a bit less swirl and cats eyes. The sigma is a bit contrastier for sure and maybe a touch sharper wide open, but that hard to judge without testing myself.
For me the size of the sigma trumps the rendering, but YMMV....Show more →
I agree with you totally here. I normally would pick rendering over other attributes and thing the Sony 85 GM has lovely rendering a little better than the Sigma, but in this case the rendering is still, IMO, very very nice from the Sigma and the size different is enough that I am pretty sure that I am going to go with the Sigma. I will trade a little bit in rendering to get the smaller, less bulky lens. For me in this case it is partly because I like to keep lenses about the same weight as the camera or less. The Sigma is about a big as I like to go on a Sony camera, and the Sony is just a bit bigger than I would like to go. So even though the size difference isn't huge the Sigma is on the right side of my threshold for how large a lens can be and still feel a decent size and the Sigma is on the other side.
p.13 #11 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
DavidBM wrote:
I never care about colour of a lens (within reason).
I profile them so every lens ends up with exactly the same colour.
You don’t even have to profile them to get 99% of that effect. Just photograph a grey card in the same light for every new lens, and use the WB tool and notice how much it changes. You know know how much to change WB to make your new lens looks almost exactly the same as every other lens you have tested in terms of colour! You can use import presets..
As for rendering, I do think the GM is a bit nicer wide open; more SA in the background, a bit smoother in out of focus corners, and a bit less swirl and cats eyes. The sigma is a bit contrastier for sure and maybe a touch sharper wide open, but that hard to judge without testing myself.
For me the size of the sigma trumps the rendering, but YMMV....Show more →
Its an interesting issue you raise there David, as colour is an integral part of rendering; I don't think you can just separate out the two. The Sigma's colours do look warmer in the reviews I've seen, and perhaps a simple slide of the white balance in post will cool it to match the GM.
Considering the complexity of colour science, I'm not completely convinced that a grey card or lens profiling will give each exactly the same colour either. Every lens has its own spectral power distribution which creates its own individual colour signature. Sure, if you want to make all your lenses as colour neutral as possible, then profiling will help achieve that, although outside of product photography, I'm not sure why you would want to do that: the individual colour signature of brands is one of the reasons I personally chose them (preferring Zeiss and Voigt colours), and I would hate to destroy that by profiling just to match a Sigma or Samyang.
p.13 #12 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
It definitely appears to be the pin-cushion distortion champ. Not that simple distortion matters much in the age of well-profiled lenses.
I know this was a necessary release for the L mount, but it feels like it's just another 85 on the Sony pile struggling to differentiate itself from the competition. OS would've helped it stand out, or a soft-focus like adjustment.
p.13 #13 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
freaklikeme wrote:
It definitely appears to be the pin-cushion distortion champ. Not that simple distortion matters much in the age of well-profiled lenses.
I know this was a necessary release for the L mount, but it feels like it's just another 85 on the Sony pile struggling to differentiate itself from the competition. OS would've helped it stand out, or a soft-focus like adjustment.
" but it feels like it's just another 85 on the Sony pile struggling to differentiate itself from the competition"
It is the smallest and lightest 85/1.4 lens. That itself makes it stand out from the rest.
p.13 #14 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Petegh wrote:
Its an interesting issue you raise there David, as colour is an integral part of rendering; I don't think you can just separate out the two. The Sigma's colours do look warmer in the reviews I've seen, and perhaps a simple slide of the white balance in post will cool it to match the GM.
Considering the complexity of colour science, I'm not completely convinced that a grey card or lens profiling will give each exactly the same colour either. Every lens has its own spectral power distribution which creates its own individual colour signature. Sure, if you want to make all your lenses as colour neutral as possible, then profiling will help achieve that, although outside of product photography, I'm not sure why you would want to do that: the individual colour signature of brands is one of the reasons I personally chose them (preferring Zeiss and Voigt colours), and I would hate to destroy that by profiling just to match a Sigma or Samyang. ...Show more →
I feel the same way.
I also regularly create profiles (via Color Checker) for all camera-lens combinations and also for different light. But, I only use them in certain situations. Especially with lenses with great colors (Voigtländer, Zeiss, some Sony GMs) the use of Color Checker destroys their colors somewhat.
In addition, you always pay a price for the application of these profiles, for example, depending on the intensity of the profile, a very much reduced processing latitude (increased noise / less dynamic range).
For me, an (to my eyes pleasing color representation) is absolutely essential, because I don't get it corrected in post-processing and the professionals who always claim that, haven't been able to prove to me that they can do it in reality .
For example, when I'm taking photos at a wedding, when choosing lenses I pay very close attention to ensuring that the color rendering is similar, if possible.
p.13 #17 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
I hope this is not considered off-topic. Does anyone ever consider the 100 STF to compete with the 85 1.4s? Obviously it is more of an outdoor lens, but I love the bokeh.
p.13 #19 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Petegh wrote:
Its an interesting issue you raise there David, as colour is an integral part of rendering; I don't think you can just separate out the two. The Sigma's colours do look warmer in the reviews I've seen, and perhaps a simple slide of the white balance in post will cool it to match the GM.
Considering the complexity of colour science, I'm not completely convinced that a grey card or lens profiling will give each exactly the same colour either. Every lens has its own spectral power distribution which creates its own individual colour signature. Sure, if you want to make all your lenses as colour neutral as possible, then profiling will help achieve that, although outside of product photography, I'm not sure why you would want to do that: the individual colour signature of brands is one of the reasons I personally chose them (preferring Zeiss and Voigt colours), and I would hate to destroy that by profiling just to match a Sigma or Samyang. ...Show more →
I guess it can be fun to play with the slightly different colour profiles of lenses; but Zeiss, Voigtlander and Sony lenses all have somewhat different colour signatures, and Sony and Voigtlander vary a bit from model to model.
Profiling them means that you always start with the same colour in post, and it makes getting the look you want more reliable and repeatable.
"rendering" is one of those not fully defined terms, but I think it's mostly taken to mean features to do with the bokeh, and the overall contrast, rather than colour, but of course people use the term differently.
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