The Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art ($1,199) is a built-for-mirrorless lens, and one that offers full-frame coverage, a bright aperture for dim light and blurred backgrounds, and a relatively light, compact build. Add an aperture control ring, dust and splash protection, and support for the popular E-mount and growing L-mount systems, and you have a lens that’s sure to please a lot of photographers—especially portrait specialists. That’s enough to earn the lens our Editors’ Choice award.
First-Rate Fit and Finish
The 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art is as well made a lens as you’ll find today. The barrel is a mix of metal and polycarbonate, and includes internal seals to prevent dust and moisture from getting inside—it pairs perfectly with full-frame mirrorless cameras, most of which include similar protection.
Sigma sells the lens in two versions, one for L-mount cameras from Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma, and the E-mount version for Sony cameras we received for review. Apart from the mount, the two are identical, putting the same optical formula in the same housing. The 85mm Art measures 3.8 by 3.3 inches (HD), weighs 1.4 pounds, and supports 77mm front filters.
Front and rear caps are included, along with a reversible lens hood and a soft carrying case. The hood is polycarbonate and sports a push-button lock to secure it in place. It’s a big hood, considering how short the lens is.
On-lens controls include an aperture ring, a manual focus ring, a programmable function button, and an AF/MF toggle. The aperture ring has an A position, which moves control to the camera body, and manual settings from f/1.4 through f/16. You can lock it in A if you’d like, or set the aperture for silent, click-free operation.
Getting ride of clicks is good for video—you won’t add unwanted noise to the soundtrack, and adjustments in exposure can be made smoothly. It’s not a perfect lens for video, though, as it shows the breathing effect, a visible change in angle of view, when adjusting focus.
Autofocus itself is deadly fast and silent. Focus is available to 2.8 feet (85cm), good enough to capture subjects at 1:8.3 life-size when focused close. The lens omits optical stabilization, but it’s not a problem—most compatible cameras include in-body stabilization.
Crystal Clear Results
I tested the Sigma 85mm F1.4 in the lab with the 60MP Sony a7R IV and software from Imatest. Wide open, the pair nets photos with very good resolution (3,950 lines), with detail improving a bit at narrower f-stops.
At f/2 we see excellent results (4,615 lines), and the lens hits outstanding territory at f/2.8 (5,000 lines) through f/8. There’s a slight drop in contrast at f/11 (4,500 lines), and a noticeable step back at the smallest f/16 setting (3,800 lines).
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The optics do require a little bit of correction for distortion-free photos. Without any sort of correction, there’s a visible pincushion effect—lines that are straight in reality bow inward in photos. In-camera corrections remove it from JPG shots automatically.
For Raw images, you’ll need to take care of this yourself. Adobe doesn’t have a profile for the lens yet, but once it does, distortion (and vignette) will be a single-click issue. As it stands, the former is pretty easy to remedy without one (a -6 distortion slider adjustment does the trick).
The vignette is more of personal choice—with in-camera corrections enabled, there’s a slight dimming of corners visible at f/1.4; if you opt to disable them, you’ll be able to see a bit more darkening at the edges, and the effect is evident through f/2.8.
A Stunning Lens With Few Flaws
The Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art’s appeal and positioning varies a bit depending on which camera system you use. At press time, the L-mount catalog is still growing, so the 85mm F1.4 art is your only option for a bright, short telephoto prime shy of spending Leica money; the APO-Summicron-SL 75mm and 90mm lenses are both priced north of $5,000.
Sony’s E-mount system enjoys a longer history and larger market share. There are a lot of other short telephoto prime options to consider, and not just in the 85mm focal length. Our favorite for all-around image quality and value is the FE 85mm F1.8, and it’s tough to make an argument against it if you’re shopping on price.
If you must have the look an F1.4 lens delivers, the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM is the most obvious competitor. It’s built to a similar standard and is a stunner in its own right, but now that the Sigma is here, its $1,800 asking price looks a bit steep—for $600 less, the Sigma is a strong value proposition, especially considering just how good of a lens it is. There are many standout 85mm lenses out there—this is another, and worthy of our Editors’ Choice award.
