The definitive portrait prime for mirrorless
The SIGMA 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art is the ultimate portrait lens for mirrorless systems — a modern classic that delivers uncompromising optical performance, exquisite bokeh, and professional reliability in a remarkably compact form. With its ideal focal length for portraits and a bright F1.4 aperture, it has become the go-to choice for professional photographers and filmmakers working across portrait, wedding, fashion, and fine-art genres.
Designed from the ground up for today''s ultra-high-resolution mirrorless cameras, the 85mm F1.4 produces incredibly sharp, detailed images with natural-looking transitions between in-focus and out-of-focus areas. The combination of exceptional clarity, minimal aberration, and beautifully smooth background rendering makes it a true benchmark in portrait optics.
Despite its bright F1.4 aperture and advanced optical construction, the lens weighs just 630g, making it around half the weight of the DSLR version. It also includes a de-clickable and lockable aperture ring, a customisable AFL button, and a locking petal-type lens hood — all within a sleek, weather-sealed design built for demanding professionals.
Outstanding build quality
Every element of the 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art reflects SIGMA''s signature craftsmanship. The exterior barrel is constructed from Thermally Stable Composite (TSC), a high-grade polycarbonate material that combines strength and lightness with a thermal expansion rate similar to aluminium. This ensures seamless operation and structural integrity across temperature changes.
The rubberised focus ring offers precise manual control, and the internal focusing design means the lens never extends or retracts during operation — maintaining balance for gimbal use or handheld shooting.
An aperture ring positioned towards the rear of the barrel provides tactile control directly on the lens. It features an Auto mode for those who prefer to adjust exposure via the camera body.
The included petal-type hood is built from robust materials and features a lock button and rubberised grip, offering both protection and ease of use. At the mount, a durable brass bayonet is surrounded by a rubber seal to guard against dust and moisture, ensuring the lens performs reliably in challenging outdoor conditions.
Professional feature set
Engineered with versatility in mind, the lens offers a range of intuitive on-body controls.
AF/MF switch for quick focus mode changes.
Customisable AFL button* for assigning preferred camera functions.
Click/de-click switch for smooth, silent aperture transitions — ideal for video work.
Aperture Lock switch to prevent accidental changes between Auto and Manual aperture modes.
A powerful stepping motor provides fast, precise, and near-silent autofocus, perfectly suited to both stills and video. It also ensures exceptional AF tracking performance for moving subjects.
*Features vary by camera model.
High-performance optics
The 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art delivers outstanding sharpness and clarity even at its maximum aperture, with fine details — from eyelashes to hair strands — rendered with lifelike precision.
The optical design comprises 15 elements in 11 groups, including five SLD (Special Low Dispersion) and one aspherical element. These advanced components work together to virtually eliminate chromatic aberration, distortion, vignetting, and flare, ensuring consistent image quality across the frame.
SIGMA''s Super Multi-Layer Coating minimises ghosting and flare in backlit scenes, maintaining strong contrast and rich colour fidelity even in challenging lighting.
Well-controlled aberration
The sophisticated optical design ensures minimal chromatic aberration, even in high-contrast scenes — preventing unwanted colour fringing that can be difficult to correct in post-production. Distortion and vignetting are also very well suppressed, while lens coatings minimise internal reflections for exceptional clarity and contrast.
Perfect for portraits
With its flattering focal length and wide F1.4 aperture, the SIGMA 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art produces dreamy background separation and creamy, cinematic bokeh — ideal for isolating subjects and emphasising emotion. In-focus areas remain razor-sharp, while transitions into blur are smooth and natural.
A short-telephoto option for landscapes
Beyond portraiture, the 85mm F1.4 is also a powerful creative tool for landscapes and fine-art work. The short-telephoto perspective allows photographers to compress scenes and capture intimate vignettes within wider landscapes — adding versatility to an already exceptional optic.
In summary:
The SIGMA 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art is the definitive portrait prime for mirrorless — combining world-class optics, precision engineering, and professional reliability in a compact, lightweight body. Whether capturing the subtle emotion of a portrait or the cinematic atmosphere of a film scene, this lens delivers unparalleled performance and artistry every time.
