The world of photography has evolved rapidly in recent decades. Digital cameras, powerful software, and specialized lenses have transformed the playing field for both professionals and amateurs. Amidst these developments, Sigma has established itself as a leading lens manufacturer, recognized for its innovations and quality. One particularly outstanding example is the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN—a lens specifically designed for mirrorless cameras and a must-have tool for portrait photographers.
•
Want to see more stroies like this? > Sigma Objektiv 100-400mm – Funktioniert perfekt mit der Sony Alpha 6400
•
The Essence of a Portrait Lens
Portrait photography is an art form that requires more than just technical knowledge. A good portrait captures the essence and personality of the subject, conveys emotions, and creates a connection between the viewer and the person in the image. To achieve this, two things are particularly important: a good eye and the right tools. This is where the Sigma lens comes into play.
An 85mm lens is often considered the perfect focal length for portraits. It offers a natural perspective that neither distorts facial features nor makes the subject appear too flat. This focal length allows the photographer to maintain a comfortable distance from the subject, producing intimate and authentic images without getting too close. The Sigma combines this ideal focal length with a remarkable aperture of f/1.4, making it an unbeatable combination.
Design and Build Quality
At first glance, it’s clear that the Sigma 85mm F1.4 is a high-quality lens. It belongs to Sigma’s renowned Art series, known for its exceptional optical performance. The lens is solidly built, made from high-quality materials. The body is composed of a mix of metal and a special thermally stable composite (TSC), providing both stability and lightweight properties.
Weighing approximately 630 grams and measuring 94.1 millimeters in length, the lens is surprisingly compact and light for an 85mm f/1.4 lens. It was specifically developed for mirrorless systems, which is evident in its balance and handling. Even on smaller cameras, it sits well in hand and is comfortable for extended use.
The lens’s weather-sealing ensures it can be used in challenging conditions, allowing photographers to work without worry in rain or high humidity. This is a key feature for professionals who need reliability in any situation.
Optical Performance
The optical construction of the Sigma is simply impressive. It consists of 15 elements arranged in 11 groups, including five special elements (one aspherical lens and four with low dispersion). This combination minimizes image distortions such as chromatic aberrations, ensuring outstanding sharpness from the center to the edges of the frame.
Another highlight is the aperture design. The lens has an 11-blade diaphragm that creates a nearly circular opening, resulting in exceptionally smooth and aesthetic bokeh, which gently blurs the background and brings the subject into focus. The bokeh is even and soft, without harsh transitions or distracting areas, making it invaluable for portrait photography.
The large f/1.4 aperture allows for shooting in low-light conditions without the need to raise the ISO significantly. This not only results in cleaner, less noisy images but also allows the photographer to work with very shallow depth of field, artistically isolating the subject from the background.
Autofocus and Handling
Another critical aspect of a modern lens is autofocus. Sigma has equipped the 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art with a state-of-the-art autofocus system driven by a stepping motor (STM). This motor ensures fast, precise, and almost silent focusing, which is particularly important in portrait photography, as quiet focusing helps maintain the natural atmosphere of the shoot without distracting the subject.
The lens also allows for manual focusing. The focus ring is very smooth and precise, providing excellent control. This is especially important for photographers aiming for artistic effects or working in situations where autofocus may not be ideal.
Additionally, the lens features an “AFL” (Autofocus Lock) button, which can be customized to control various functions, such as locking focus, switching between autofocus modes, or other personalized settings. This flexibility is a big advantage, as photographers can adapt the lens to their workflow.
In Use and Results
In practice, the lens excels in portrait photography. The combination of focal length, aperture, and outstanding optical performance makes it the ideal tool for professional portraits. The image quality is exceptional, with incredible sharpness even at wide apertures, and beautiful bokeh that brings the subject into focus.
In both daylight and low-light conditions, the lens delivers impressive results. Thanks to the f/1.4 aperture, photographers can work in low light without using a flash, preserving natural lighting and authentic ambiance. The color reproduction is excellent, with rich and natural colors that make the subject appear vibrant and realistic.
Another benefit of the lens is its versatility. While mainly used for portraits, it is also suitable for other types of photography, such as weddings, street photography, and even landscapes. The 85mm focal length allows for capturing details and emotions without needing to be too close, which is especially advantageous for wedding photos.
Competitor Comparison
Of course, there are several other 85mm lenses on the market that offer high quality. Some of the most well-known include the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM and the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM. How does the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art compare to these competitors?
The Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is undoubtedly an excellent lens, specifically designed for Sony’s mirrorless cameras. It offers superb image quality and beautiful bokeh. However, it is significantly more expensive and somewhat heavier than the Sigma. In terms of sharpness and bokeh, both lenses are on a similar level, but the Sigma stands out due to its more compact design and better value for money.
The Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM is another outstanding portrait lens, but due to its size, weight, and high price, it’s not suitable for every photographer. It delivers excellent image quality, but the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art comes very close in many areas, while being significantly lighter and more affordable.
Overall, the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN offers excellent performance at an attractive price, making it a serious contender against the more expensive lenses on the market.
Conclusion
The Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art is undoubtedly one of the best portrait lenses available. It combines outstanding optical performance with a compact and lightweight design, specifically developed for mirrorless cameras. The image quality is impressive, with incredible sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and excellent color reproduction.
For portrait photographers looking for a lens that offers creative freedom and top image quality, the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN is an excellent choice. It provides exceptional value for money and is a serious alternative to more expensive options without compromising on quality.
Whether for professional portraits, weddings, or creative projects, this lens will delight any photographer who values quality and performance.
Addition: Using the Lens on the Sony Alpha 6400
The Sony Alpha 6400 is a camera with an APS-C sensor, meaning that the Sigma lens achieves an equivalent focal length of around 127.5mm on this camera (due to the 1.5x crop factor). This focal length offers exciting possibilities, particularly for portrait and telephoto photography, as it allows the photographer to get closer to the subject without having to move physically. Here are the benefits and unique features of using this lens with the Alpha 6400:
Portrait Photography with an APS-C Sensor
With an effective focal length of 127.5mm on the Sony Alpha 6400, the Sigma 85mm is perfect for classic portraits with an exceptionally strong focus on the subject and excellent background separation. The crop factor enhances the telephoto effect, resulting in flattering portraits, as the longer focal length slightly compresses facial features, making them appear softer. This is particularly helpful for isolating the main subject from the background and eliminating distracting elements from the frame.
Thanks to the f/1.4 aperture, the lens allows for extremely shallow depth of field, creating a pleasingly blurred background (bokeh effect). This draws even more attention to the subject, pulling the viewer into the portrait.
Telephoto Functionality
The extended focal length also makes the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN on the Sony Alpha 6400 an excellent choice for telephoto photography, such as nature or street photography. The greater reach allows the photographer to capture subjects from a distance while maintaining intimacy and detail in the shot. This is especially useful when capturing candid moments without the photographer’s presence disrupting the scene.
Outstanding Image Quality
The high optical quality of the lens remains intact when used on an APS-C camera like the Sony Alpha 6400. The sharpness, which is already impressive on full-frame cameras, stays at a top level even on the smaller sensor. The aspherical lenses and low dispersion elements help minimize chromatic aberrations and distortions, resulting in clear and high-contrast images.
Additionally, the Alpha 6400 effectively compensates for potential edge softness, as the APS-C sensor only uses the central area of the image circle, where lens sharpness is typically at its peak.
Versatility Despite the Crop Factor
While some photographers may hesitate to use an 85mm lens on an APS-C camera, the crop factor actually offers new creative possibilities. For street or event photographers who often need to work discreetly from a distance, the Sigma 85mm on the Sony Alpha 6400 provides enough range to capture natural, candid moments. At the same time, photographers can take wonderful close-up shots without having to be right next to the subject.
Weight and Balance
The Sigma was specifically designed for mirrorless cameras and is relatively lightweight and compact for a lens of this class. Even on a smaller APS-C camera like the Sony Alpha 6400, it remains well-balanced and easy to handle. With a weight of around 630 grams, the lens doesn’t feel front-heavy on the 6400, and even longer photo sessions remain comfortable.
Autofocus Performance
Another important factor is autofocus. Sony is known for its fast and precise autofocus systems, and the Sigma lens complements this system perfectly. The quiet stepping motor (STM) ensures quick and precise focusing, which is ideal for both photos and video recordings. This is particularly useful for portrait photography, as the lens’s autofocus keeps the model’s eye perfectly in focus, delivering sharp and clear images.
Aperture and ISO Sensitivity
The combination of the f/1.4 aperture with the powerful ISO sensitivity of the Sony Alpha 6400 makes the Sigma lens an ideal tool for low-light photography. Even in dimly lit environments such as indoors or at dusk, the photographer can work with low ISO settings to achieve noise-free images. This flexibility allows shooting without additional light sources like flashes, which is especially advantageous in portrait photography.
Conclusion
The Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art pairs perfectly with the Sony Alpha 6400. Although it offers a longer effective focal length of 127.5mm on an APS-C camera, this opens up new creative possibilities, particularly in portrait and telephoto photography. The combination of exceptional optical performance, light-gathering ability, and autofocus capabilities makes this lens an excellent choice for any photographer using a Sony Alpha 6400 and seeking the highest image quality.
•
Want to see more stroies like this? > Sigma Objektiv 100-400mm – Funktioniert perfekt mit der Sony Alpha 6400
•
