Sigma’s New 85mm f/1.2 DG Art Lens
The long promised Sigma 85mm f/1.2 DG Art is finally here, giving Sigma its longest f/1.2 prime lens yet. The new 85mm joins the 35mm f/1.2 DG Art II and 50mm f/1.2 DG Art, completing Sigma’s current trio of ultra-fast wide, standard and medium-telephoto primes. As you would expect, this one is meant for portrait photography, combining the f/1.2 maximum aperture with a rounded 13-blade diaphragm for very shallow depth of field. Inside, Sigma uses SLD glass to control axial chromatic aberration, while aspherical elements are used to correct spherical aberration and sagittal coma flare.
Despite the big aperture, Sigma has managed to keep the lens relatively light at 905g. That is noticeably less than the 1,160g Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.2 S and the 1,195g Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM. Sigma says part of that weight reduction comes from carefully positioning the aspherical elements and reducing the number of elements that actually need to move during focusing. Autofocus itself is handled by two HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) motors, with the dual-motor setup moving the focus groups quickly and quietly. Focus breathing has also been kept down, which should make the lens a little more practical for video work.
The body gets Sigma’s usual Art lens controls, including two customisable AFL buttons, an aperture ring and an aperture-ring lock switch. The aperture ring can also be switched between clicked and de-clicked operation depending on whether you are shooting photos or video. There is dust- and splash-resistant construction as well. Perhaps most importantly, Sigma does not really have much direct competition here, Sony, Panasonic and Leica currently do not offer their own 85mm f/1.2 primes, making this a pretty unusual option for both E- and L-Mount shooters. The Sigma 85mm f/1.2 DG Art will be available for Sony E-mount and L-Mount from October 6 for $1,599.
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