A couple of weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to test drive two of Sigma’s latest lenses, their flagship 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sports Telephoto Lens and the 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens. Are these lenses a worthy replacement to your trusty prime lenses or just another stepping stone for novice photographers?
Once upon a time, a long ago I owned a few Sigma lenses. This is how many pro photographers’ stories start and mine was no different. Then there comes a time when many of us, for one reason or another, “graduate” to the Canon and Nikon prime lenses and never look back.
The main reason we all start with Sigma is undoubtedly price. When you are just getting your feet wet in this wonderful world of photography, the variety of lenses and their price tags can be pretty overwhelming. It makes sense to spend a little less, especially when you are starting from scratch and unsure of exactly what lens you will need. Sigma has been around for many years and has been the “go-to” third-party lens company for most of us. As we grow professionally, many of us migrate to Canon and Nikon lenses because they offer a huge selection of fast and durable lenses. Don’t get me wrong, the third party manufacturers have put out some good lenses, but build quality and overall performance was just shy of the prime lenses Canon and Nikon have on offer.
Now fast forward to the present day – Sigma has gone to great lengths to overhaul and streamline their lens lineup. With the introduction of the 500mm f/4 Sport Lens and the 85 f/1.4 Art Lens, Sigma delivers some stiff competition in the lens market. Here’s my take on both lenses.
500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sports Telephoto Lens
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At first glance, it is clear that Sigma was not cutting corners on this one. The lens is extremely well- built, designed with magnesium alloy components, and features a carbon fiber hood. Dust resistant and splash proof, Sigma made this lens to live in the field. In addition to the fantastic build features, Sigma also packed an “advanced optical stabilizer” into this lens. Two modes are available: one for shooting handheld and the other for panning and tracking. Why would they have a “Hand Held” OS mode on such a big lens? Well, that’s because it is surprisingly light and very well balanced on the tripod foot. I don’t think any of us are going to hand hold a lens of this size for hours on end, but for shoots where you need this kind of length and have to be mobile, hand-holding this lens for short periods of time is a real possibility.
All these new features are great, but what about image quality? I’m happy to report that image quality is outstanding. This lens is extremely sharp (even wide open) and the detail and contrast are fantastic. The only negative about this lens is I did find the autofocus to be a little on the slower side. In my testing it was fast enough for the subjects I was shooting, but I could imagine a few scenarios were missing a shot is a possibility.
To sum it up, this is a top-tier prime telephoto lens on par with the best out there. Great build quality and awesome features along with a price tag that is $3000 less than the Canon version means this lens will be a big win for Sigma.
85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens
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The Sigma 85mm 1.4 DG HSM Art is the latest addition to the Art series of lenses. The Art series has changed the way many of us look at the brand. These lenses are built extremely well and all produce superb image quality. The latest addition to the line, the Sigma 85mm f/1.4, is no different. This lens is ideal for a variety of photographic subjects, but portrait photography is where it really shines. I am pretty sure Sigma’s vision for this lens was to find a home in the fashion world, but I am happy to say this would be a great addition to any of our camera bags. I found this lens to be one of the best I have ever used, fast, sharp and incredible contrast. Depth of field wide open is extremely shallow, but if used correctly, that can be a great benefit and make for some impressive images. The only real downside is that the lens is a bit heavy. Holding it up in a studio for a few hours will surely get your arms in shape. If you are in the market for an 85mm portrait lens, then I would highly recommend taking a good long look at this lens.
My short time with these two lenses has really opened my eyes. Sigma has stepped up its game. I can’t believe I’m going to say it, but I may be upgrading from my Canon primes to a couple of these new Sigma lenses one day soon.
