The Sony corner sharpness – top left (f/1.8), top right (f/2.8), bottom, left (f/4), bottom right (f/8) This is the part that I truly love about the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art. It provides exceptional sharpness with smooth bokeh. Even wide open at f/1.4, this lens works incredibly well. All we've had till now is the model shots from the Sony event that you attended. I'm sure I speak for many forum readers when I say we would appreciate a gallery of real world shots taken by you guys, like you've done here for the Sigma and other lenses.

Even mounted on a 20MP Nikon D5, the results were better than a 42MP Sony A7r II with a Zeiss Basis F1.8, which is no mean feat! Your report very nicely showed the "performance" of both lenses. But actually it was mainly the optical performance. Spoiler alert: I can’t find anything substantial to complain about. If you’ll recall, I had some complaints about Sigma’s other flagship full-frame mirrorless prime, the 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art. (Unlike this 85mm, it was massively oversized, and also, the aperture ring was annoyingly bumped from “A” to f/16. Like other Sigma DG DN full-frame mirrorless lenses, of which we’re starting to see a growing number appear, the 85mm F1.4 DG DN stands out in a number of ways from previous Sigma examples and its rivals, which we’ll come onto shortly. Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners!All that’s left to say is that it sets a new gold standard in portrait lenses for mirrorless cameras and I’m hopeful it won’t be too long before we see Sigma release versions in Canon RF and Nikon Z-mount. All of these more obscure but pesky aspects of image quality are minimal or nonexistent. In fact, just out of curiosity, in Lightroom, I turned OFF the default “Remove Chromatic Aberration” tool that works so perfectly well. Even without any correction, there was STILL virtually zero color fringing or aberration! Truly impressive, Sigma, well done. Macro & Close-Up Photography It has, without a doubt, been a pretty big topic of discussion not only amongst our staff members, but also amongst portrait photographers around the world. With that said we just had to get our hands on itto see how it really performs and to see how it holds up next to some very stiff competition at 85mm. The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM is a very formidable competitor and arguably the best modern 85mm F1.4 on the market (behind the manual focus Zeiss Otus, of course). With that in mind, the question is; can the Sigma hold its own? Our review will answer that question and more. APS-C

If you buy a product through one of our referral links we will earn a commission (without costing you anything). Sharpness is outstanding everywhere in the frame from wide open, a very impressive performance! Bokeh Weighing in at around 1250 grams and measuring almost 15cm in length, the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM for Sony E-Mount is a very big lens given its focal length. It's significantly larger and heavier than all the other 85mm lenses that are available for Sony's mirrorless system, and also than most 85mm DSLR lenses too. On the other hand, it's actually about the same size and weight as the DSLR version of the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM plus a lens adapter. The Sigma corner sharpness – top left (f/1.4), top right (f/1.8), bottom, left (f/2.8), bottom right (f/4)This product is developed, manufactured and sold based on the specifications of E-mount which was disclosed by Sony Corporation under the license agreement with Sony Corporation. His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. We took some images with the Sigma over the past couple of months with our A7R IV outdoors and it was a lot of fun and you can see some of our results here (no retouching of any sorts, just cropping).

Both lenses come in Sony E mount (Full Frame coverage) with the Sigma having an L-mount version as well. We tested the E-mount on our Sony A7R IV and our A6500 cameras. Hood

The day you find a lens where the stars in the corners are just as round and sharp as those in the center, and the stars don't have red and blue halos... that's the day you've found a good lens. The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art shows some optical vignetting, but does a better job than most of the competition. The Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM does a better job here though. Sharpness Infinity Because professionals palm cameras by the lens with their left hand. Why do you think large lenses have tripod mounts. It's not difficult to hold. It’s perfect if you are looking for the dreamy bokeh effect on your portrait shots. It takes the cake for impeccably sharp wedding images. Especially ones shot in dark venues where artificial light disturbs the moment’s natural intimacy. For these distinct occasions, this lens is perfect for you.