Does anyone have any experience with the Sigma 85mm 1.4?

guybrush

guybrush

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Hey,

I'm building up my prime collection for portraits & indoor music gigs and would like an 85mm for tight head shots or if I'm a further away from the stage than I'd like to be. I'm also ruling out the 135mm here because I'm shooting on a crop sensor (500D right now, 7D towards the end of the year) and that will be far too long for my needs.

I see this lens was only released back in February so it is still relatively new on the market and hence there are not a lot of people discussing it as I'd have liked before I go out and splash all that money on it. I'm just hoping it will pair well with the Sigma 50mm 1.4 as I'm ruling out both the Canon 50mm 1.2 & 85mm 1.2 as they are just far too expensive and I personally don't see me ever needing to shoot wide open at 1.2.
 
The Siggy 85mm was announced ages ago and I've been waiting for it but as far as I know it isn't in the shops yet. I do a search every now and again but as yet there's no sign of it and I'm beginning to wonder if they've forgotten to actually make any. I've now moved this lens into my "I'll believe it when I see it" category.

I have the Siggy 50mm f1.4, great lens.
 
Yeah the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 seems to be a bit of a ghost, I've not seen or heard very much of it at all. IF and when it does appear, and if you don't fancy paying the extra overhead for an 85mm f/1.4, give the Canon 85mm f/1.8 a try? I slapped one on the camera body the other day, not much bigger than Canon's fifties, and I could see straight away through the viewfinder what lovely out of focus blur it produces. Not to mention it focussed fast, and accurately, like any decent ring USM system should.

85s fascinate me because the aperture blades are hooooooj :lol: :nuts:
 
woof woof said:
The Siggy 85mm was announced ages ago and I've been waiting for it but as far as I know it isn't in the shops yet. I do a search every now and again but as yet there's no sign of it and I'm beginning to wonder if they've forgotten to actually make any. I've now moved this lens into my "I'll believe it when I see it" category.

I have the Siggy 50mm f1.4, great lens.
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Oh, that is a shame. Mind you that would also explain why reviews of it are so scarce!

I was really looking forward to purchasing one of these in the next few months.. :(
 
The Sigma 85/1.4 has been announced but not released.

i.e. nobody has had one delivered yet.

Therefore nobody can provide any info on it.
 
I'm not that gend up on current lenses now a day's but I remember the Tamron 90mm macro got good press. Might be worth considering.
 
Just bumping this thread..

It appears the lens has now been released. I shall most certainly be buying it as soon as I have the funds to do so. Really looking forward to it, the reviews and comments about it so far haven't been as good as I was expecting but nevertheless I still have high hopes for it!
 
I saw it at Photokina and talked at length to the development guys from Sigma, who are pretty keen that the Army adopt their lenses for operational and training.
We've undertaken to test the latest 'Pro' spec lenses from Sigma, including the 85mm f/1.4, which on paper looks to be very, very good indeed...
I had a quick fondle but since it wasn't fitted with a Nikon bayonet, i couldn't do any test shots...
It does feel as sturdy as a sturdy thing and even if it's only as good as the old Nikkor 85mm f/1.4, then at £600 (as opposed to the new Nikkor at £1600-ish) it'll be a real and viable contender and should steal a few Nikon customers away...
 
I've been looking forward to this lens being released since it was announced. Looks like it will be a useful complement to my 30mm.

I'm only seeing it listed as pre-order on retailer sites. Is it definitely available now?
 
Alastair said:
I've been looking forward to this lens being released since it was announced. Looks like it will be a useful complement to my 30mm.

I'm only seeing it listed as pre-order on retailer sites. Is it definitely available now?
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There were a few reports of people getting hold of it in Europe and a few people in the states have been buying them. I wouldn't have thought UK would have the same release as Europe but I could be wrong.
 
A street price of $899? That'll be £900 then? Probably :) Hmmm. I don't know why I want one, but I do, but I'll definitely wait for the street price in the UK to drop a bit.
 
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woof woof said:
A street price of $899? That'll be £900 then? Probably :) Hmmm. I don't know why I want one, but I do, but I'll definitely wait for the street price in the UK to drop a bit.
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It started out at a pre order price of £799 and Warehouse Express, Milfsuds and RGB have already dropped to sub £699. I'd guess that Arkady may well be right, and that it'll settle at around £570-600 ish if the drop on the 70-200 was anything to go buy.

I hope so anyway! :)
 
It's still a lot of money to spend on something that's only 2/3 of a stop faster than the Canon 85/1.8. My copy of the 1.8 is still really sharp at full throttle, and I'd be surprised if the Sigma could improve on it "that much". Perhaps Nikon customers will be more inclined to get it, given the position the Sigma is compared to their own 85s.
 
The Sigma will be a bit faster and you'll get a hood and a case but is that and any real world IQ benefit worth the additional £300? That's the question.
 
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