SIGMA 105mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art lens: First Impressions

The SIGMA 105mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art lens has just begun shipping, and our crew of bloggers and pros have had a few days to get a feel for this amazing new fast-aperture tele prime Art lens. See what they’ve got to say and check out some of their first shots with this fantastic addition to the Art line!

Michael Anthony

The SIGMA 105 1.4 has almost instantly become one of my most favorite lenses to use.  The distinct quality of the bokeh, along with the vibrant production of accurate color allows me to create beautiful subject isolation at a focal length that was simply not possible before.  After using the 105mm during a recent wedding, we were able to create beautiful images for our clients that were distinctive and unique, both important qualities to our brand and style as art-focused wedding photographers.

In my testing, I have found the autofocus to not only be incredibly accurate, but also extraordinarily fast.  Sharpness of this lens wide open is very impressive from corner to corner.  The build quality is superb just like we have come to expect from SIGMA Art glass.  I can definitely say that not only am I impressed with this lens, but I have made a permanent spot in my bag for it.

Jim Koepnick

The first thing I expect from any lens is a sharp image. But my first thought when I mounted the new SIGMA 105mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art lens (with MC-11 adapter) on a Sony a9 camera was how awesome this lens is to look at. The huge front element and the beautiful finish hold your attention (as well as the interest of those around you). My first images with this lens just blew me away with an almost magical sharpness as well as beautiful bokeh.

Meg Loeks

When I heard about the new SIGMA Art 105mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art, I was so excited to test it out. I gravitate towards longer focal lengths outside with my children because of the compression and bokeh. Then I read about how this new lens had been nicknamed the “bokeh master” and I was already hooked. I was a little apprehensive about the weight and whether it would fit easily within my daily life of chasing around my three boys. I was shocked to find that the lens didn’t feel any heavier than my SIGMA 85mm F1.4 DG HSM | Art. The lens definitely lived up to its nickname with incredible bokeh. Another bonus: it’s just as sharp and fast as my 85mm which is crucial with photographing little ones.

Jack Howard

This is a lens with a serious presence that shows the continuing evolution of the SIGMA Global Vision. From the huge light-gathering 105mm front lens element—the same diameter as on the 150-600mm and 120-300mm F2.8 | Sports lenses, to the Arca-Swiss compatible tripod foot that’s easily removable and swappable for a tripod ring cover—a feature first introduced on the 150-600mm | Contemporary—this lens is simply a masterpiece. The large diameter elements necessary creating an F1.4 aperture make this a dense lens: it is 3.6 pounds and just 5.2 inches long.

It is not a macro lens, despite there being an EX version 105mm F2.8 MACRO in the SIGMA lineup. This is an entirely new beast! Maximum magnification is 1:8.3 at 39.4 inches. It isn’t a bug-hunter with those specs; instead, it is perfect for products, portraits and more. From what I’ve seen in my experiments, it is going to be killer for dark sky shots, and I hope Jack Fusco and Darren White experiment with it really soon!