p.16 #1 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Agreed. Though I will say the lens hood is a different story entirely. It’s not heavy, but it’s size makes slipping the lens in and out of quick access spots in my various bags a little more difficult to do with it mounted the right way.
wind30 wrote:
I sold my 85mm f1.8. The weight is really not that big a difference once u mount it.
p.16 #3 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
wittyphrase wrote:
Agreed. Though I will say the lens hood is a different story entirely. It’s not heavy, but it’s size makes slipping the lens in and out of quick access spots in my various bags a little more difficult to do with it mounted the right way.
I wish lens manufacturers would introduce multiple sized hoods for each lens. One for flare and debris protection (& everything else) and the other to primarily protect against bumps and drops. I don't need a massive hood all the time but I don't really just want to carry a naked lens either.
Are there any decent aftermarket hood options that are easy to screw on and allow filters + caps while being used?
p.16 #4 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Teo Rey wrote:
I wish lens manufacturers would introduce multiple sized hoods for each lens. One for flare and debris protection (& everything else) and the other to primarily protect against bumps and drops. I don't need a massive hood all the time but I don't really just want to carry a naked lens either.
Are there any decent aftermarket hood options that are easy to screw on and allow filters + caps while being used?
p.16 #6 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
I wish lens manufacturers would introduce multiple sized hoods for each lens. One for flare and debris protection (& everything else) and the other to primarily protect against bumps and drops. I don't need a massive hood all the time but I don't really just want to carry a naked lens either.
Are there any decent aftermarket hood options that are easy to screw on and allow filters + caps while being used?
(Teo Rey)
Below, are a couple quick-and-dirty phone shots of a collapsable rubber hood I just mounted on my new 85mm that arrived a couple hours ago.
This is a 77mm screw-on rubber hood that I used years ago on a Canon 70-200mm f2.8. It is threaded for filters and accepts the Sigma lens cap. It looks large in the photo's, but the diameter is about the same as the stock hood. I forgot to add a photo of the intermediate hood position that is possible.
I use a lot of these collapsable hoods for travel, on various lenses, as they are fast and there is no fumbling... plus , the rubber provides a lot of protection. I think I am going to leave it on this lens.
I wish I had found one of these hoods for my Sigma 105, with it humongous hood. The lens looks like new, but the hood has found every furniture corner and wall to collide with and looks like it has been through a war.
p.16 #8 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
wittyphrase wrote:
OK. Managed to get my daughter out before it started raining. So just tried to grab some photos all at f1.4 since I figured that'd be what most people want to see out of an f1.4 lens. This was real quick because it felt like 100 degrees out and then processed pretty quickly in C1.
Clouds were rolling over so it was good for a mix of light. We're also now in a downpour and I think will be for the rest of the day so I won't get back out until tomorrow.
Very nice photos.
But the Cat Eyes are really very perceptible and similar to my Sony FE 85/1.8, which is a pity because the Bokeh would be the only reason for me to change from a FE 85/1.8 to the new ART 85/1.4. But especially here I find the bokeh balls of the 85 GM better, they are mostly round at the edge.
p.16 #9 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Sigma 85/1.4 DG DN for Sony E - I have not intended to buy any more of 85/1.4 AF lenses,having magnificent Sony GM 85/1.4 already,but this Sigma spoke to me immediately.
For me the sharpest 85/1.4,with the best CA correction wide open,that I have ever had and 200g lighter,compared to the 85/1.4 GM.Yet I'll keep the GM,as it's wide open softness is magical.I guess that under correction of LoCA was deliberately planned during engineering process in order to get more pleasing bokeh.
p.16 #10 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Donbioh wrote:
Very nice photos.
But the Cat Eyes are really very perceptible and similar to my Sony FE 85/1.8, which is a pity because the Bokeh would be the only reason for me to change from a FE 85/1.8 to the new ART 85/1.4. But especially here I find the bokeh balls of the 85 GM better, they are mostly round at the edge.
Absolutely. It’s one of the things the GM has in its “pros column.” Like evaluating any purchase it comes to what combination of factors you’re prioritizing and how you value them all. I don’t care too much about the mechanical vignetting. It seems to be pretty common in most 85mm lenses that aren’t the GM and so then it’s a matter of whether I value rounded bokeh balls across the frame more than the size, weight and cost savings over the GM. I’ve wanted an 85/1.4 for a while for pretty superficial reasons, but kept and loved the FE 85/1.8 because it produced great quality pics at a great price.
This is a rough week for me with my day job, so not getting to test much since the weekend, but as I grab a few snaps here and there I continue to like the look of this lens. I’ve got shoots scheduled starting the end of this month so it won’t be until then that I can really put it through some paces that aren’t deliberately trying to find flaws in it (shooting in that hellscape of tangled foliage and dappled light down by my dog park that quickly exposes the focusing and bokeh flaws). All that is a long way of saying while I don’t love the cats eyes, I do love the overall look, the focusing speed and feel of the lens mounted.
p.16 #11 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
I think it’s highly likely I’ll be selling my Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 in favor of this. I am happy with the Samyang IQ/AF wise but I’m just not sure if it would last as long as the Sigma build wise.
I asked Dustin on Twitter if he prefers the Sigma more than the Samyang (a lens he highly recommended before) and he said "The rendering is close, but the Sigma is definitely a more complete package".
p.16 #12 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Teo Rey wrote:
I wish lens manufacturers would introduce multiple sized hoods for each lens. One for flare and debris protection (& everything else) and the other to primarily protect against bumps and drops. I don't need a massive hood all the time but I don't really just want to carry a naked lens either.
Are there any decent aftermarket hood options that are easy to screw on and allow filters + caps while being used?
I use step up/down filter rings as front end lens protection. Works great when I don't want to use a bulky hood!
p.16 #13 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Recently picked up the Sigma 85mm f1.4 DN DG lens...An excellent smallish/lightweight 85mm F1.4 lens.
Size comparison of the Sigma 85mm f1.4 DN DG lens against some of the other popular Sigma and Sony AF lenses.
p.16 #14 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
I still prefer the FE 85/1.4 GM's rendering as a dedicated portrait lens. It's slight under-corrected for SA wide open and at mid distance, transition zone rendition is always smooth and pleasant. Lenses like the FE 135/1.8 GM and new Sigma 85/1.4 are technically better corrected for CA and SA but I don't see the same pleasant rendering, even though they are still capably of neutral and well balanced bokeh.
Also, specular highlights are rounder towards the edges which is rare for a telephoto, making this lens unique.
If they were the same price, I would still take the GM. AF is slower but for portraits it is accurate.
p.16 #15 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Fred Miranda wrote:
I still prefer the FE 85/1.4 GM's rendering as a dedicated portrait lens. It's slight under-corrected for SA wide open and at mid distance, transition zone rendition is always smooth and pleasant. Lenses like the FE 135/1.8 GM and new Sigma 85/1.4 are technically better corrected for CA and SA but I don't see the same pleasant rendering, even though they are still capably of neutral and well balanced bokeh.
Also, specular highlights are rounder towards the edges which is rare for a telephoto, making this lens unique.
If they were the same price, I would still take the GM. AF is slower but for portraits it is accurate.
I also still slightly prefer the GM's rendering, but I'd rather buy this new Sigma. I want an 85 to have more decent AF performance than what the GM offers.
p.16 #16 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Same here. After watching Dustin Abbott’s in-depth comparison between the new Sigma 85 and FE 85 GM, I’d take the GM’s softer background blur and better controlled bokeh balls over the new Sigma‘s sharper images.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I still prefer the FE 85/1.4 GM's rendering as a dedicated portrait lens. It's slight under-corrected for SA wide open and at mid distance, transition zone rendition is always smooth and pleasant. Lenses like the FE 135/1.8 GM and new Sigma 85/1.4 are technically better corrected for CA and SA but I don't see the same pleasant rendering, even though they are still capably of neutral and well balanced bokeh.
Also, specular highlights are rounder towards the edges which is rare for a telephoto, making this lens unique.
If they were the same price, I would still take the GM. AF is slower but for portraits it is accurate.
p.16 #17 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Fred Miranda wrote:
I still prefer the FE 85/1.4 GM's rendering as a dedicated portrait lens. It's slight under-corrected for SA wide open and at mid distance, transition zone rendition is always smooth and pleasant. Better corrected lenses like the FE 135/1.8 GM and new Sigma 85/1.4 are technically better corrected for CA and SA but I don't see the same pleasant rendering, even though they are still capably of neutral and well balanced bokeh.
Also, specular highlights are noticeably rounder towards the edges which is rare for a telephoto lens, making it a very unique lens.
If they were the same price, I would still take the GM. AF is slower but for portraits it is accurate. I don't own it anymore as I'm enjoying the super tiny Voigtlander 75mm f/1.5 but if I wanted a dedicated portrait lens, it would be the 85/1.4 GM.
For portraiture, definitely. That's my use-case for this focal length (for walk-around it's the Contax 85/2.8) and I have no temptation to trade in my GM for this lens. As long as the AF is acceptably fast, size isn't too onerous, and sharpness is good, rendering is king for shooting people IMO.
If I could only have one 85 the Sigma would be more appealing.
p.16 #18 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
What I also like about the Sigma is that there's clearly less CA in the bokeh. If you want the highlights to be rounder you can always stop down slightly, like with most of the fast lenses ever made.
p.16 #19 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Fred Miranda wrote:
I still prefer the FE 85/1.4 GM's rendering as a dedicated portrait lens. It's slight under-corrected for SA wide open and at mid distance, transition zone rendition is always smooth and pleasant. Lenses like the FE 135/1.8 GM and new Sigma 85/1.4 are technically better corrected for CA and SA but I don't see the same pleasant rendering, even though they are still capably of neutral and well balanced bokeh.
Also, specular highlights are rounder towards the edges which is rare for a telephoto, making this lens unique.
If they were the same price, I would still take the GM. AF is slower but for portraits it is accurate.
p.16 #20 · In Stock: Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199)
Sarpedon wrote:
For portraiture, definitely. That's my use-case for this focal length (for walk-around it's the Contax 85/2.8) and I have no temptation to trade in my GM for this lens. As long as the AF is acceptably fast, size isn't too onerous, and sharpness is good, rendering is king for shooting people IMO.
If I could only have one 85 the Sigma would be more appealing.
I’ve only shot with someone else’s GM before - never owned it. But with that limited experience I think you’re making a fair assessment. If I already had invested in the GM I don’t know that anything about the Sigma IQ is overwhelmingly tempting to deal with the hassle of a switch. Other factors - maybe. Like fast autofocus, for which I give the Sigma high praise.
IMO the value proposition of the Sigma lies not for converting GM users, but for anyone that hasn’t yet committed to an 85/1.4. Like the 24-70 I think Sigma’s DN line is providing great alternatives to exceptional, but very expensive Sony glass.
