Quick answer
A portrait prime from Sigma's Art line with an f/1.4 aperture and hypersonic motor. It is heavy and uses an 86mm filter thread.
Pros
- Sharp
- Smooth bokeh
- Fast HSM focus
Cons
- Heavy
- Large 86mm filter diameter
Verdict
Consider it a top-tier portrait option from a third-party maker.
About this lens
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art: a full-frame fast short-telephoto prime lens with a 85mm focal length and a maximum aperture of f/1.4, made for Canon EF mount cameras, from the Sigma Art line with Hyper Sonic Motor autofocus. A wide-aperture portrait prime from Sigma's Art line.
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art specifications
- Brand
- Sigma
- Mount
- Canon EF
- Focal length
- 85mm
- Maximum aperture
- f/1.4
- Lens type
- Prime
- Format coverage
- full-frame
- Optical construction
- 14 elements in 12 groups
- Aperture blades
- 9
- Autofocus motor
- HSM
- Minimum focus distance
- 0.85 m
- Maximum magnification
- 0.12x
- Filter thread
- 86 mm
- Length
- 126.2 mm
- Diameter
- 94.7 mm
Specification source: sigmaphoto.com
What can you shoot with the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art?
- Portraits
- Weddings
- Fashion
Its very wide maximum aperture suits low light and shallow depth of field with strong background blur.
Full-frame equivalent and field of view
Calculated from the focal length and crop factor. Not measured.
| Sensor | Crop | Equivalent | Horizontal FOV | Diagonal FOV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 1.0x | 85mm | 23.9° | 28.6° |
| APS-C | 1.6x | 136mm | 15.1° | 18.1° |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art good for portraits?
Yes. It is a standard portrait focal length with a wide f/1.4 aperture.
Does the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art have stabilization?
No. The lens has no stabilization, so handheld sharpness at slow shutter speeds depends on the camera body or a faster shutter speed.
How heavy is it?
It is heavy compared with typical 85mm primes, at roughly 1.1 kg, so a balanced camera grip helps over long shoots.
Alternatives for Canon EF from other brands
All Canon EF lensesSame mount, overlapping focal range, closest maximum aperture first.
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