If you compare this to the Sony f/1.8 you can see that the Sony looks similar to the Sigma at f/1.4 although we still prefer the look of the Sigma bokeh. 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.

The Sigma corner sharpness – top left (f/1.4), top right (f/1.8), bottom, left (f/2.8), bottom right (f/4)

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The larger focus ring has no hard stops but has a very nice resistance and the rubber finish it has feels better than the metal one on the Sony and easier to turn. Were those Sigma Art lenses worth it? Yes, they were flawlessly sharp, if that’s what you’re asking. However, they were almost more trouble than they were worth, especially to any photographer who expected primes to be a portable, lightweight alternative to their big heavy full-frame zooms. However, with their new lenses that are made specifically for mirrorless platforms, Sigma is changing all that. They’re shedding weight from some of their most impressive lenses, and even more exciting is this fact: The new mirrorless lenses are just as sharp, or even sharper! The Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM for Sony E-Mount ships with a good quality soft case and strap and also a large plastic petal-shaped lens hood. It accepts 86mm filters.

Wide open with the sun in the corner just outside the frame one can catch a rainbow artefact which disappears already at f/1.6. Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art | f/1.4 Ghosting 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. The Sigma is quite a bit heavier than the Sony 85mm f/1.8 weighing in at almost 750 grams / 26.4 oz (with caps and hood) compared to only 450 grams / 15.9 oz for the Sony (mind you the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM is even heavier than the Sigma at about 820 grams / 29 oz). If it’s good for portraits and weddings, it’s probably great for candid & street photography, and all types of event journalism. You might want a 105mm or 135mm prime instead, if you find yourself not being able to “reach” your subjects with an 85mm, however, if your camera has more than ~40 megapixels, you can easily switch your camera into APS-C crop mode, and still have plenty of resolution (and plenty of shallow depth at f/1.4!) …which gives you a ~125mm prime. Not bad! Action Sports Photography While both lenses exhibit fairly prominent darkening of the corners wide open the Sigma seems to clear up at f/2.8 while the Sony does the same only at f/4.

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art Review | Pros & Cons

Coma correction is pretty good. Wide open there is some coma visible, already at f/2.8 it is almost invisible. For milky way panorama stuff I would recommend to stop the lens down a little bit to reduce vignetting and getting a more even exposure across frame.

The official minimum focusing distance of the Sigma is 85cm although we were able to focus as close as 78cm. The Sony’s official close-up distance is 80cm and that is exactly what we got in our test. The macro magnification of the Sigma is only 1:8.4 compared to 1:7.6 of the Sony – both considered low but quite common for this type of lens. The high resolving power that covers the entire image from the center to the edges ensures sharpness of the area in focus, and coupled with the significant bokeh effect produced by the F-value of 1.4 brings out the users’ subject in an evocative way.

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The Sigma seems to have very significant breathing in our testing. The Sony might be a little better but both are far from ideal in this respect and light-years from the Sony 35mm f/1.8 which we recently tested and has practically zero breathing. Chromatic Aberrations