Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art lens for Sony FE 

With a perfect focal length for portraits, the multi-award-winning SIGMA 85mm F1.4 is the prime lens of choice for many professional portrait and wedding photographers and film-makers.

Designed specifically to operate with the latest ultra-high resolution mirrorless cameras, its exceptional optical quality provides ultra-sharp in-focus results right across the frame, and the lens is also well known for its pleasing out-of-focus rendering when shooting with a shallow depth-of-field.

• Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16
• Five SLD Elements
• One Aspherical Element, Four HR Elements
• Super Multi-Layer Coating
• Stepping Motor AF System
• Customisable AFL Button
• Physical Aperture Ring; De-Click Switch
• Rounded 11-Blade Diaphragm
• Weather-Sealed Design

The 85mm has a very wide aperture of F1.4, providing fast shutter speeds in lower light conditions and a very shallow depth-of-field for blurry backgrounds.

The lens has an advanced optical design with 5 SLD elements and one aspherical element, which help ensure a clear image throughout the plane free of chromatic aberration, vignetting and distortion.

A short-telephoto option for landscapes

Although mostly used as a portrait lens, the 85mm is also ideal for other photo or video applications, including landscapes. The short-telephoto focal length allows photographers to pick out a small vignette within a scene.

Well-controlled chromatic aberration

The lens’ optical design eliminates virtually all chromatic aberration, even in high contrast scenes. This is important as coloured fringing is difficult to remove digitally.

Distortion and vignetting are also well controlled, and flare and ghosting is minimal thanks to the lens coatings that reduce internal reflections.

High-performance optics

The 85mm delivers incredible image quality with fine details such as hair and eye lashes rendered perfectly even right into the corners at F1.4.

Its advanced optical design is made up of 15 elements in 11 groups, including 1 aspherical element and 5 SLD elements. These help to ensure razor-sharp results and virtually completely eliminate chromatic aberration, flare, distortion and vignetting.

Advanced Super Multi-Layer Coatings reduce flare and ghosting when working in bright direct sunlight, creating high-contrast images with rich colours and strong blacks.

Professional feature-set

A range of controls on the lens include an AF/MF switch, and a customisable AFL button (depending on camera model).

The lens also has a click/de-click switch so that the aperture ring can be adjusted smoothly rather than in hard stops, which may be useful for film-makers. There’s also a lock switch that keeps the aperture ring in either Auto or Manual. This stops the ring accidentally being knocked out of Auto to F16 during use.

A powerful stepping motor ensures fast, accurate and quiet AF and excellent AF tracking capability.

Outstanding build quality

The exceptional build quality of the 85mm F1.4 DG DN is exactly as you’d expect from an Art-line lens, in the materials used, the overall ergonomics and the quality of craftsmanship.

The exterior barrel is made of a polycarbonate called Thermally Stable Composite (TSC). Not only is this very strong and light, but it has a similar thermal expansion rate to aluminium. This ensures that the interior aluminium parts and the exterior TSC parts behave in the same way as temperatures change.

The focus ring is rubberised for easier operation and focusing is internal, meaning the lens never changes length. This makes it ideal for use on a gimbal as the centre of gravity remains fairly constant.

Towards the rear of the barrel is an aperture ring so that aperture can be changed on the lens, and it has an Auto setting should users prefer to change aperture using the camera.

To reduce flare and ghosting in bright sun, and to help protect the front element from damage if dropped, the lens has a robust petal-type lens hood with lock button. A rubberised ring on the hood makes for easier removal and fitting.

The durable brass mount is surrounded by a rubber seal to help keep out dust and moisture.

Made in Japan

All Sigma cameras and lenses are designed, manufactured and assembled at their sole factory at Aizu in Japan. This domestic production model is unusual in today’s industry, with most imaging companies opting to outsource to other countries to reduce costs. But SIGMA believes that keeping virtually all manufacturing, processing and assembly in Aizu is essential for creating innovative, carefully thought-out and impeccably constructed products that meet the high standards demanded by professional photographers and film-makers around the world.