Sigma Art 135mm F/18 for Sony E-mount Review

Put together my review of the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Lens for Sony, information technology has multiple images in information technology merely it's hard to exercise a review with one image then let me know if information technology's a trouble.

Introduction

When I lived in Fujiland, the Fujifilm 90mm (APS-C) chop-chop became favourite from a focal length perspective. I didn't have a detail affiliation with the 135mm focal length, I think I originally picked up the 90mm considering the AF speed on the Fujifilm 56mm was terrible for kids, merely I fell in dearest with focal length and the compression after that.

With my move to Sony, I started with the Zeiss Batis 85 which is astonishing, but after a while buying a 135mm seemed was a foregone determination, information technology was just a question of which one. The Zeiss Batis 135mm F2.8 would have been the logical choice, small and light, but u.s.a. humans aren't known for logical choices. This is how the bigger and heavier Sigma 135mm f1.8 ART found it way into my drove. I had a light portrait lens with my Zeiss 85mm Batis and so I thought for this one I was going to purchase the fauna, and a beast information technology is…dazzler and a fauna all in i.

For those who don't know me, if you desire a technical review with sharpness charts, dimensions, that's not me. I think there are better sites for sharpness tests, lens charts, my photos are what I exercise and show.

Pricing

The Sigma 135mm ART retails for effectually United states$1300 or AUD$1600 in Australia which is very reasonable for a portrait lens of this quality focal length and aperture. You tin become it cheaper on occasion depending on the deals that are happening. I think I paid a footling over $1500 at the time. I was fairly lucky with the 135mm Art. It was out of stock in most stores (like the Tamron 28-75), and so when I establish a Tamron 28-75mm at a store about 45 minutes drive from where I lived, I asked them to hold it and decided to make the bulldoze and collect it. Whilst I was there I saw a 135mm Fine art on the shelf and asked whether they had the Sony mount in stock…jackpot! Information technology was meant to be. I got a discount for buying both high demand lenses at the same time as an added bonus.

Packaging and structure

The Sigma 135mm is packaged in Sigma's usual white boxes. Whilst the boxes are largely colourless, the packaging on the Fine art lenses aren't substandard past any means. The 135mm comes in a nice padded lens case ensuring the lens remains well protected. The padded case is practiced, similar to the type of example you get with a Nikon 70-200 mm f/two.8. I'thou torn in my preference. I sometimes remember information technology's amend to take a thinner pouch that tin be used on an everyday basis, but I think this offers meliorate protection for long-term storage.

The structure of the lens is very good. It has an all metallic construction, with the exception of the hood which is plastic, normal for most loftier quality lenses. From a construction perspective, there is little to complain well-nigh although some would complain information technology'due south also well synthetic, I'll embrace that in the weight department.

Whilst the 135mm ART is an FE mount lens, it isn't a true Iron mountain from a mirrorless perspective. The electric current set of Sony mount lenses are still adapted DSLR lenses and so you volition find a one inch gap betwixt in the grade of a built-in adapter betwixt the mountain of the FE mount version compared to the Nikon or Catechism mountain versions. Information technology would be great to meet Sigma provide true Atomic number 26 mount versions which is more likely to happen now that both Canon and Nikon take joined the full frame mirrorless market.

Autofocus

I wasn't expecting annihilation spectacular given the focal length and aperture. Portrait lenses tend to be horrible from an AF perspective but this lens honestly surprised me. I've heard people say that the autofocus isn't cracking, but I have to say information technology isn't terrible by any standards and could easily agree up to sports activeness.

At that place are 3 areas I conducted my very unscientific and completely inaccurate tests:

1. Kitesurfing

2. Children

3. Birds

Kitesurfing is e'er good because yous information technology challenges the AF on various levels, including shooting into the sun. To exist completely honest, I had more than problems with the AF arrangement on the A7iii itself getting confused with what to focus on than the 135mm missing focus. Information technology's not the all-time selection for kitesurfing, just it's capable, with information technology'due south biggest consequence being information technology'due south focal length rather than the AF speed. Kitesurfing tends to exist more of a 100-400 or waterhousing sport.

Children are great considering they are like unpredictable olympic athletes. They move fast, change management when you least expect. It'southward similar getting sidestepped by a summit athlete, yous look ane style, they go some other. Another hitting. It wasn't perfect only the hit charge per unit was in the 90's so I couldn't find that much to mutter about.

Birds are great because they move quickly and if you lot use the right location, the background can be confusing for the camera to maintain focus. Again, the lens was up to the challenge with most of my misses relating to the bird disappearing off screen than the AF organization. Again, probably more than suited to a 100-400 but it did the job admirably.

Every bit y'all tin can see from the shots, the lens performed well and I'thou happy overall from an AF perspective, given it'due south non designed to exist a sports lens. Nix left me saying "damn this matter is slow".

Sharpness

Wow. Honestly. Wow! In instance you missed that…Wow! This thing is very sharp, and sharp wide open up. I know there are people who may attempt point out sharper lenses on lens charts, but this is ane of these occasions where I take to ask, how sharp does a lens demand to be before you lot start proverb "information technology's sharp enough".

As the kind of lens y'all expect to be abrupt wide open, it'south more than up to the challenge and I honestly don't come across people selling this lens for sharpness. Weight perhaps, sharpness no. If I was going to compete on survivor, I'd take this along because I could cut trees with it.

Yes, it's abased before you enquire

Weight and size

The lens is heavy, weighing in at 1.1kg's, similar in weight to a lxx-200mm f/four, but not equally heavy as a seventy-200mm f2.eight. It is manageable for an entire shoot without any levels of discomfort, although I've found it tends to be more than balanced with a battery grip on the camera.

Manifestly if weight is a major concern, the Zeiss Batis 135mm would be a far better option, but in a perfect world, I'd take both. I could accept the Batis around for every day use with my 28-75 and the 135 purely for portraits, but for now I tin can live with the 85 Batis for every day apply and this as my main portrait lens.

If weight isn't a concern, I'd take this every twenty-four hour period of the week. The DOF at f/1.viii kills the 135 Batis at f/ii.viii, you tin can encounter it cook away like a blowtorch on push.

For now, there aren't any f/1.8 alternatives, but rumour has it that Sony is working on their own version so if you're in no blitz to purchase, that might be an alternative, but wait information technology to come with a hefty price tag, twice the price of the Sigma Art version wouldn't come as a surprise to me.

The striping consequence with Sony and lenses

For those who don't know, there are striping issues with mirrorless (as a whole) which occurs from the reflection off the PDAF (focus) sensors. One of the showtime questions people enquire is whether the striping issue exists with this lens. I've heard it'due south worse with some lenses than others but I can't say I accept experienced enough of information technology to be a business organization. I've picked it upwards once or twice in really strong backlit scenarios, non simply backlit, heavy-duty sun backside the person stuff, and the prepare was piece of cake as shown beneath, only I tin't say it'south problematic enough that I've been overly concerned. I was a little surprised that it occurred the first time. In one of the photos highlighted to a higher place, the striping issue exists. I didn't fifty-fifty rectify information technology in the photograph on purpose to see if people were even enlightened it existed at web sizes but information technology does and the ready is simple. Got to the link below, upload your raw file and you get a new raw file back.

http://amass.org/DIT/KARWY-SR/

What starts off looking like this (zoomed in at about 200%), and yep, it's an out of focus area before you lot ask, because apparently I am not going to zoom in to the backlighting:

Ends up looking like this.

Honestly, striping effect no problem. Don't let striping problems cloud your lens selection, it'south a camera issue that Sony needs to address in software or the camera, simply there are fixes for now if you shoot compressed raw.

Conclusion

Beauty and the beast, I think it's the only style to describe this lens. It'southward a lens of 2 personalities, the beast in it referring to the weight, which to be honest, doesn't bother me in the slightest for defended portrait shoots, and the beauty, what you lot get to meet when your photos come out the other side.

It's really hard to dislike this lens when you consider the cost point and what it delivers and I doubtable the real haters will exist those who travel where weight is a premium. I wouldn't comport this around europe or to a mountain tiptop, it's non that kind of lens. I didn't take information technology to Fiji when I went there on holiday. As I mentioned earlier, in an ideal world you could take both a Batis and a Art, and there is nada wrong with doing that. I do that in a misaligned fashion with my Batis 85 and 135 ART, but I don't think I would consider losing the Fine art unless Sony released a f/1.8 and I had the budget to splurge, information technology'due south unproblematic too practiced a lens and when it's equally abrupt as this broad open, you'll have to pry it out of my dead, tired, hands.

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Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyAlpha/comments/9zctue/sigma_135mm_f18_dg_hsm_art_lens_for_sony_e_mount/

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