Sigma 85mm F/1.4 Lens Review
Hey, Wayne here,
And you‟re reading my unofficial (not sponsored by Sigma) Sigma 85mm f/1.4 lens review. This is a lens I am very familiar with, so what you read here is what I really think about the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM lens. (If you want to go directly to the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 product page, CLICK HERE.)
Why am I writing this? Well, when I was thinking about buying this lens, there weren’t any real reviews around so I thought I‟d write one quickly to help any of you who are in the same position I was.
But be warned, I didn’t find that this lens is one I would never take off my camera. It is great for some applications, but it is not meant to be the “do all – be all” of camera lenses.
Note that this IS a simple review by an amateur photographer though, if you‟re looking for Sigma’s official website you can find it here.
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Review
First of all, what is important in an 85mm lens with an enormously wide aperture?
Two things – low-light performance and bokeh.
The Sigma 85 f/1.4 delivers on both counts. Hand-held low light shots are beautifully rendered with bokeh that is practically unparalleled.
For photographers who like a solid lens, this one is just that. In comparison to the Canon 85 f/1.8, it is a monster. The lens feels and acts like a real pro. Price is less than half that of the Canon or Nikon 85mm f/1.2, which makes it very attractive.
Consider using this lens for portraits. My first shot out of the box was a portrait of my dog, Colby (shown below), and I was so impressed with the rich color and the bokeh in the photo that I literally stopped breathing for a moment. I had read about lenses with great color contrast, but this was my first taste of it.
Bokeh is the soft focus of the background in a portrait. It is made possible by a lens with really good glass elements and an extremely wide aperture (f/1.4 is pretty darn wide). In the photo of my friend with the duffer cap, you can’t even see any detail in the background.
| Sigma 85mm is perfect for portraits |
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 Sigma 85mm 1.4 is an awesome lens. It focuses fast and accurately, bokeh is beautiful and it is sharp wide open. What else could one want? |
| From mylhainen photostream on Flickr |
This could be just what you are looking for to move your portrait skills to the next level.
CLICK HERE to go directly to the Sigma 85mm product page.
Sigma 85mm for video – even though my camera does not have video, I have read on some camera forums, this one is just about perfect for the simple reason that it is a prime lens and will not be “searching” to focus when you zoom (because you can’t zoom). Just keep in mind that for video, 85mm may not be the ideal focal length – it depends on your subject.
Sigma 85mm for macro – I am personally a fan of macro, or close-up photography. The Sigma 85mm 1.4 lens is NOT a macro lens. However, after making that assertion, I tried using an extension tube with it and got some pretty good results. I was expecting some barrel distortion (curving of the picture around the center focus point), but I did not notice any of that. If you are in the market for a macro lens, take a look at a post about Canon macro lenses HERE.
What about Landscapes? Yes… and no. At 85mm, this Sigma lens is a medium telephoto lens, which does not make it your first choice for landscapes. Usually you will be looking for a wide angle lens to do landscapes. That does not mean you won’t get absolutely stunning sharp photos outside, it just means you will have to distance yourself farther away from the scene, and sometimes that is not possible.
Sports with the Sigma 85mm lens. This is one area I was really looking forward to using this lens. I figured it would be a wonderful lens for basketball since this is an indoor sport, and the wide aperture would help “stop action” in low light. So off I went to a high school basketball game to test out my new lens. I came away disappointed for two reasons. The first one is embarrassing. I was so excited about getting the pictures, I forgot to choose the right camera settings… a very rookie mistake.
The second reason I was disappointed with my basketball shots was that I could not get far enough away from the action to get a decent shot of the players. I was only getting part of the picture because of the telephoto lens on an APC-S camera (Canon 30D). In a larger gym, this might be just the key for great shots, but it did not work for me in a normal sized high school gym.
Product shots - the Sigma 85mm lens will work beautifully for this. Of course, you will use a tripod and some selective lighting, but the image quality of this tack-sharp lens is perfect for product photography. There are a few photos in another post showing a mixer and cheesecake. Take a look to see what I mean.
| Product Shot – Still Life 16 Jay Gill Photography |
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| Jay Gill Photography’s photostream
One AB800 in 47″ Octabox for main light – camera left. |
Finally, nature photography - while the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 lens is NOT a nature photography lens, you must see the pictures of the female Cardinal below. I could not believe the detail that was captured in the feathers. So, even though I would not tell anyone to buy this lens as a nature lens, you can certainly get some great photos in the right situations.
Overall, if you want to look like a pro and get photos that look like pro quality, this is the lens that will do it. Just keep in mind that the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 lens performs better in some photo categories, and you would be better served to have other lenses to fill in for other types of photographs.
Click here to go to the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens product page.
About the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 from the folks at Sigma:
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| Sigma 85mm f/1.4 |
“Sigma’s New 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM lens is a large aperture medium telephoto lens optimized for use with digital SLR cameras and is especially ideal for portrait and low light photography. Designed with SLD glass and a glass mold element excellent color correction is achieved for all types of aberrations and superior optical performance is ensured. It is equipped with a rear focus system that minimized fluctuation of aberration caused by focusing and the Super Multi Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting even in backlight photography. HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) ensures quiet and high speed autofocus capability and the round 9 blade diaphragm creates pleasant out-of-focus highlights. It comes with a Petal-type hood to block out extraneous light. For digital cameras with an APS-C size image sensor, a dedicated hood adapter, which expands the length of the lens hood is supplied and enables the hood to block out extraneous light more effectively.”
This comment from a new buyer at B & H Photo is quite impressive(See all Sigma 85mm f/1.4 reviews at B&H Photo):
“I’m an ex-pro enthusiastic hobbyist who takes a lot of available light shots. I fact, I almost never use flash any more. Since going full-frame a couple years ago, I’ve really wanted a fast prime that would give me that 85mm look that I used to get with a 50mm on a 1.6 cropped body. I was close to pulling the trigger on the Canon 85L, when Sigma announced this lens. A friend of mine has the Sigma 50 1.4 and I was impressed with the build quality, heft, and of course, the performance. So I waited for 6 months, and without reading any reviews, I bought this new lens the first day it was available on B&H. I’m totally happy. As an OCD pixel-peeper who usually buys two copies and mails the “bad” one back, after my tests, I can say that this is a good lens. I currently own the 70-200 IS f/2.8 mkII, the 135L, the 70-300DO, the 24-105 f/4 L, and a few others. So I’m comparing this to some good glass. And this lens is getting a ton of use. Also, the AF is plenty fast.”
First Shot With Sigma 85mm f/1.4 for Canon (click on the image to see a more detailed view)
The shot of Colby on the left is just an example of the beautiful bokeh and color that the Sigma 85 delivers. This shot was taken at night in a dimly lit room at f/1.4.
You can click on the photo to see a larger image of Colby. You will notice very quickly the extremely shallow depth of field (this simply means the focus plane is not deep), so it is critical to get the focus on the eyes to make your shot look “professional”. The front of the photo, his nose, is already out-of-focus, as is the fur on his ears. This “out-of-focus” feature is what the pros look for in a portrait lens. The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 really delivers in this area.
Click here to go to the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens product page.
Product Details
- Product Dimensions: 3.3 x 3.3 x 3.4 inches ; 11.2 ounces
- Shipping Weight: 7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
- Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
- Item model number: 85mm f/1.4 EX DG Canon
- f/16 Minimum Aperture
- f/1.4 Maximum Aperture
- 8 groups 11 elements
- 11 SLD glass elements
Great lens for Video. More photographers are switching back to Prime (single focal length) lenses because of their excellent video quality.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Lens Construction | 11 Elements in 8 Groups |
| Angle of View | 28.6 |
| Number of Diaphragm Blades | 9 |
| Mininum Aperture | f16 |
| Minimum Focusing Distance | 85 cm / 33.5 in |
| Filter Size (mm) | 77mm |
| Maximum Magnifications | 1:8.6 |
| Dimensions (Diameter x Length) |
86.4×87.6 mm/3.4×3.4 in |
| Weight | 725g / 25.6oz. |
| Available Mounts | |
| Sigma | HSM EX DG |
| Nikon | HSM EX DG |
| Canon | HSM EX DG |
| Sony/Minolta | HSM EX DG |
| Pentax | HSM EX DG |
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OR |
Sigma 85mm Lens – Canon Compatible Lens Produces Super Return On Investment
Yet another take on the Sigma 85mm Lens.
Canon users are seeing excellent results from the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM medium telephoto lens on their Digital SLR cameras!
Sigma 85mm Lens - Canon Lens Comparison
As the title indicates, the Sigma 85mm lens for Canon cameras has been very productive for those who have taken the time to comment on it. And on a more personal note, this lens has been remarkable for yours truly as you can see from former posts:
Here are some Sigma 85mm lens – Canon User Comments
From CVincent - “I’ve always been hesitant to try sigma lenses because I hear a lot of problems that people have with the focusing on them…I took some time to compare this one (Sigma 85mm f/1.4) to the (Canon) 85mm f1.8 and the 85mm f1.2 L II by renting all three before making any decisions, and I have to say that this lens really impresses!
“…As a hobbyist though, I can’t see myself paying over twice as much for the only slightly better lens. The Sigma really provides an excellent option for a midpoint between the Canon f1.8 and f1.2. In addition, it opens up a new way for indoor sports photographers to capture fast action… I shoot a lot of indoor dog shows and competitions, so the Sigma is now going to be my go-to lens for those.”
And Vance Zachary wrote this: “I am a pro wedding photographer who shoots primarily with zooms. I use prime lenses more as specialty lenses when I want to narrow depth of field or in extreme darkness. I own the Canon 85 1.8, itself an excellent lens, and rented a Canon 85 1.2L, a fabled Canon staple. The Sigma is actually better than the 85 1.8 at large apertures and rivals the Canon 85L in almost all respects…
“In summary, I feel Sigma got it right with this lens. It is truly an alternative to the 85L at half the cost with similar image quality and actually faster focus.”
There are more satisfied customers at B & H Photo:
Steve-shoots-weddings had this to say – “I recently purchased this from B&H and couldn’t be happier. Was considering the 85L but after reading reviews from two of my favourite wedding photographers stating how they sold their 85L after testing this lens, I couldn’t resist. Basically you get the bokeh of the 85L for almost half the price and a lens that focuses substantially faster than the Canon. Granted it isn’t as speedy as my old 85 1.8 but the bokeh, colour and sharpness are all superior to the 1.8.
All in all, I couldn’t be happier with this lens.
You can read more Sigma 85mm Lens – Canon User Comments at B & H Photo.
In case you missed it, the comparisons by these photographers alluded to the cost of the Sigma lens compared to the Canon 85L lens. It is a pretty significant savings, especially when considering the results with the Sigma are nearly as good (some consider them better) than those with the Canon 85mm f1.2 L lens.
Sigma 85mm Lens Features
- Sigma’s 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM lens is a large aperture, medium telephoto lens optimized for use with digital SLR cameras and is especially ideal for portrait and low light photography.
- Designed with SLD glass and a glass mold element excellent color correction is achieved for all types of aberrations and superior optical performance is ensured.
- It is equipped with a rear focus system that minimizes fluctuations of aberrations caused by focusing and the Super Multi Layer (SML) coating reduces flare and ghosting even in backlight photography.
- The HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) ensures quiet and high speed autofocus capability. and
- The round 9 blade diaphragm creates pleasant out-of-focus highlights.
Sigma Portrait Lens- Sigma 85mm f 1.4 EX DG HSM
Sigma has gone the extra mile to give digital SLR photographers what they want.. an excellent portrait lens with amazing Bokeh.. for less money. The Sigma 85mm f 1.4 EX DG HSM is that lens.
Sigma Portrait Lens Has Bokeh, Baby
| Portrait RGB #338 |
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 Markus Schwarze’s photostream on Flickr |
Click here to go to the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens product page.
Low light photography has been getting a lot of press of late, and wide aperture lenses are very attractive for this type of photography. The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 surely fits the bill there. However, with the advance in noise-reduction technology at high ISO settings, wide aperture lenses are not as necessary as in the past. Now, photographers are looking for the shallow depth of field that only a wide aperture can give.
Bokeh. It’s a term that means blurry background. And, it is the key term when talking about a good portrait lens. You want the subject, especially the eyes of the subject, to be in tack-sharp focus, but you want the background to have a soft, creamy out-of-focus look that draws all the attention to the subject of your portrait. So, the term Bokeh is what you will always find referenced when portrait lenses are being evaluated.
Bokeh is where the Sigma 85 shines.
 Bokeh is one of the key elements of the Sigma 85mm Portrait Lens |
Speed – Another Measure of Portrait Pleasure
There are two elements to consider when speaking of lens speed. The first is shutter speed, which is, again, a measure that has to do with the super wide aperture of this Sigma 85mm f 1.4 lens. There are only a couple of lenses to rival it in terms of aperture.
The second is focus speed. With the hypersonic motor, the Sigma has been evaluated been called as good as or better than its counterparts.. those lenses manufactured by the camera makers themselves, either Canon or Nikon.
Of course, if you are shooting in a studio setting using a tripod, this may not be as much of an issue, but hand-held in dynamic settings, focus speed is an important factor.
 Hand-held, indoors, the Sigma 85 handled this guitar player very well |
Build quality of the Sigma Portrait Lens:
Having read many online reviews of the Sigma 85, the build quality has never been questioned. Mostly, the lens is compared to the Canon 85mm f 1.2 L, which is really a beast in size by comparison. Reviewers, though, have been quite impressed with the Sigma. Personally, I have not used the Canon L lens, but I have the Canon 85mm f 1.8, and the Sigma makes that lens feel like a toy.
Final Evaluation for the Sigma 85mm f 1.4 EX DG HSM:
Sigma has really been working hard to capture the professional audience with lenses like this 85mm f 1.4 EX. Their engineers are paying attention to details. After all, they have to try harder, because the Canon and Nikon crowd are very discerning, and, let’s face it… snobbish.
But whether you are shooting a Canon or Nikon, a full frame or a crop sensor camera, the Sigma 85mm f 1.4 will bring a smile to your face when you see the results.
Alan Abrams of Alan Abrams Photography has taken the time to put his feelings online. His conclusion about the this Sigma 85mm Portrait lens is spot on in this writer’s humble opinion:
“The Sigma 85mm/1.4 EX DG is definitely a keeper. Since this lens is targeted to compete with Canon’s 85mm/1.2L, it’s almost unfair to compare it head to head with the Canon 85mm/1.8. Forget the almost….it is unfair to compare the two. It’s just a no contest. The Sigma focuses just as quickly, just as accurately, and is much sharper at f1.4 than the Canon is at f1.8. The fuzziness you get with the Canon is non-existen in the images shot with the Sigma. With both lenses at f1.8, it’s not even close…..I’m talking about a Mike Tyson style 1st round TKO! That’s pretty much it. The Sigma didn’t even work up a sweat and the Canon 85/1.8 is laying there looking like Michael Spinks.
“Bottom Line: Does it work like it’s supposed to? Yes. Do the pictures look pretty? Yes, especially the ones of my wife!”
Click here to go to the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens product page.
Sigma 85 1.4 Review
Sigma 85 1.4 Review – New information
The latest information is in with respect to my opinion about the Sigma 85 1.4 lens. I still am loving it.
And the cool thing is that the more I read about it, the more I love the fact that I made the purchase. Others are coming to the same conclusions that I have reached. “This lens is pro Quality!”
Other comments go like this: “Do yourself a favor and pick up this lens.” “My new fav!” “Fast and Sharp!”
This one holds a lot of weight for me:
I am a professional wedding photographer and I’m VERY happy with this lens. I usually shoot exclusively with Canon prime lenses but Sigma really stepped it up with this lens. The images are just as beaufiful as the Canon 85mm 1.2 but this lens focuses MUCH faster…
There have been a few comments from photographers who received copies of the lens that had focusing issues. The lenses in these cases had to be returned for new ones. I have never had an issue like this with any lens, but I can imagine that it is frustrating and could result in a lower rating.
Yellow Rumped Warbler - shot with Sigma 85mm f/1.4 lens and an extension tube.
Another thing I find as I look at the Sigma 85 1.4 reviews is that some photographers are afraid to give the lens a glowing review. It almost seems that they will be betraying Canon if they rate another manufacturer’s lens highly. After all, Canon is supposed to have the best lenses for Canon cameras, right?
I am personally not a “Canon prude”. Don’t take me wrong. I love Canon, and I would buy all Canon products if I were in a financial position to disregard price. But in my humble opinion, companies like Sigma are doing a great job, and performing a great service by providing quality products at somewhat of a savings.
In the case of the Sigma 85mm f/1.4, you can save a substantial sum of cash, considering the Canon 85mm f/1.2 lens is more than twice the price on most days.
That’s my opinion, and I’m stickin’ to it.
Click here to go to the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 product page.
I am of the opinion that the Sigma 85 will handle your video really well… Check the video below. It bears out those claims.
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 – Second Opinion
The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 lens has really impressed with it’s awesome image quality. This second opinion is the result of some recent shots taken under serious test conditions (just joking – it is not through a test lab, just my own photography setup). Look under the images for the evaluation.
Click here to go directly to the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM product page.
The image below has totally blown out any thoughts of poor quality performance. It is a female cardinal, taken from about 10 feet and cropped so you can see the amazing detail captured by the Sigma 85. “A picture is worth a thousand words.” The original (before cropping is underneath).
To do this right, click on the picture. You will see the larger photo to get a better idea of lens performance. You can then use the back button on your browser to return to this page.
Female Cardinal - taken with Sigma 85mm @f/2.2, ISO 400, 1/250, through my kitchen window. Make sure you click on the picture and look at the detail in the feathers.
Female Cardinal - slight crop off the top - taken with Sigma 85mm f/1.4 @f/2.2
Here are a few “test” pictures. Not being a professional tester, I have set up some simple situations to test light and aperture. You can judge for yourself..
Of the samples I took, there were a few “out of focus” shots, which I attribute to poor technique on my part. It was a rookie mistake in not checking camera settings before starting. Once correcting my error, the shots were mostly perfect, with only a couple of shots where I missed the focus by a hair. (missing by a hair when shooting at f/1.4 can make a big difference)
Bullwinkle posing for the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 lens
Bullwinkle again, this time hand held @ f/1.8, 1/200 sec.
Wooden Vase on the Mantel - Sigma 85mm f/1.8, 1/200, ISO 200
In all these shots, the goal was not to win a contest with my composition skills, but to see the effect of the focusing ability of the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 lens. Most experts suggest that a lens in used at its widest aperture will produce less sharp images than at the center of the aperture range. Yes, the depth of field was very shallow, but that is the goal sometimes, isn’t it? The overall performance in this little (very little) sampling has been excellent… far above any expectations I had.
Not only are the images sharp where I was expecting, but the color is much better than any lens I have ever used. It is rich and true.
One area that did not work out too well was at a basketball game. Since the pictures are of school kids, I chose not to display them without checking with the participants first. Of the 30-40 shots I took, only a couple were acceptable. The problem as I see it was that I was too close to the action. Using a Canon 30D, the focal length is actually 1.6 x 85mm, or 136mm. If I had been in the stands, this may have worked, but I was right next to the action and the players were simply too close to get the shots I wanted.
Overall, this lens has proven to be exceptional in its own element… portrait and product photography. The bird shots are a bonus because I can take them from close range, but this is not really a wildlife lens. I have not done any street photography, but I can imagine how good the results will be… maybe more on that later.
Click here to go directly to the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM product page.
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Images
Here are a few images taken with the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM lens.
You can click on any image to see it in a larger size.
85mm indoor action portrait @f/2.0 1/160 ISO 200
Close-up image with short extension tube for Macro effect
The photo above needs a bit of explanation… I used the Sigma 85 with a Kenco extension tube so I could get closer. Indoors at ISO 400 and f/5.0, the lens acted like a Macro lens. Notice the nice sharp focus in the center with soft focus toward the edges. There is a little color noise in this one, but I was extremely happy with the effect.
Sigma 85mm image - cropped
The cheesecake image above is a crop to show the detail.
Below is the full image.
Sigma 85mm image of cheesecake
Next is a pair of product images.
KitchenAid Mixer - the 85 f/1.4 is great for product shots
KitchenAid Mixer Up Close with Sigma 85mm f/1.4
CLICK HERE to go to the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 lens product page.
