Ultimate Compactness: Sigma 85mm F1.4 DN ART Hands On

Earlier today Sigma introduced a totally new 85mm f/1.4 lens for mirrorless cameras. This is not a minor update to its existing 85mm F1.4 Art DG HSM but a totally new physical and optical design with better performance at a much lower weight and size. The first reviews are already in and the results seem to be spectacular.

Signa’s ART line is expending and while it has already been a mark of very high quality, most ART lenses tended to be very large and bulky. That is changing since Sigma decided to focus on new mirrorless designs (currently only for E and L mounts although it is possible that RF and Z mount for Canon and Nikon will eventually appear as well).

Here are some of the specs of the new Sigma 85mm F1.4 DN ART:

85mm f/1.4, FF coverage.
Optical design: 15 elements in 11 groups including 1 Aspherical and 4 HR + 5 SLD elements.
11 aperture blades.
Filter: 77mm.
Mounts: Sony E and Leica/Panasonic/Sigma L mounts.
Dust and water-resistant build.
Min focus distance – 85cm (1:8.3 max macro magnification).
Weight: 630 grams.
Price: $1200.

There are a few things worth mentioning about this lens. First As mentioned above this lens is very compact relatively speaking – almost 1cm shorter than the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM lens and close to 200g lighter. It has some interesting features including an aperture ring which you can select as clickable or smooth and with an automatic mode which lets the camera body control the aperture as well as a unique switch for locking the ring on this mode (so you won’t accidentally switch to f/16 mid shooting). It also has the AF/MF switch and AF-L customizable button.

When you consider the price of this lens compared to the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM lens which at the moment cost $500 more (not to mention the new Canon RF 85mm lenses which cost more than twice) it looks like a very cost-effective option (and its only $300 over the existing huge and inferior Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art DG HSM lens).

Photographer, Christopher Frost had a chance to play with the new lens and released a glowing review with truly fantastic corner to corner sharpness wide open on a Sony A7R II. Dustin Abbott also did a very comprehensive review of the lens which got very high praise from him on almost all accounts (see below).

B&H quick look at the Sigma 85mm F1.4 DN ART

Dustin Abbott’s (very) in-depth look at the new 85mm Sigma

You can find many more previews and reviews on our Photography review section here on LensVid and you can find more of Frost’s videos here on LensVid.

Iddo Genuth

Iddo Genuth is the founder and chief editor of LensVid.com. He has been a technology reporter working for international publications since the late 1990's and covering photography since 2009. Iddo is also a co-founder of a production company specializing in commercial food and product visual content.