Sigma already offers the 85mm F1.4 DG DN | Art for £979 in L-Mount and Sony E-mount, but the Sigma 85mm F1.2 DG | Art takes things a step further by opening up the maximum aperture to f/1.2. That lets more light reach the sensor, enabling faster shutter speeds in low light, while also reducing depth of field for greater subject separation.

　　Sigma 85mm F1.2 DG | Art at a glance: £1299 82mm filter thread 84cm minimum focus 121.7 x 87.2mm, 905g For Sony E and L-Mount Interestingly, Sony doesnt currently offer an 85mm f/1.2 lens of its own. Its top-flight option is the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II, which retails for around £1799. Consequently, at £1299, the Sigma gives Sony photographers a larger maximum aperture for considerably less money, although size and weight also come into the purchasing decision.

　　An 85mm lens is traditionally a popular choice for portrait photography because it gives a flattering perspective while allowing a comfortable working distance. You can shoot a tight head or head-and-shoulders portrait without crowding your subject, while equally, you dont have to move too far away to compose a full-length image.

　　Adding an f/1.2 maximum aperture makes the focal length even more attractive for portraits, weddings and social photography because theres greater scope to blur a distracting background and draw attention to your subject. Of course, an aperture that large also means the depth of field can be extremely shallow, so accurate focusing becomes particularly important.

　　Features As part of Sigmas Art line, the 85mm F1.2 DG | Art is designed with image quality as a priority. Its optical construction of 17 elements in 12 groups includes two SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements, which are used to control axial chromatic aberration, along with three aspherical elements that help correct aberrations while keeping the lens relatively compact.

　　The focusing system uses a floating focus design with two HLA (High-response Linear Actuator) units moving separate groups. According to Sigma, incorporating an aspherical element into one of the focusing groups creates extra room for the focus actuator and has helped reduce the overall size of the lens.

　　The floating focus system is also designed to minimise focus breathing, which will be of particular interest to videographers as it reduces the change in framing when the focus distance shifts.

　　Theres no optical stabilisation, so the Sigma 85mm F1.2 DG | Art relies on the cameras in-body stabilisation where thats available. Thats unlikely to be a major concern with the current Sony and L-Mount cameras that this lens is designed to accompany.

　　Sigma has also included an aperture ring that can operate with distinct clicks or be de-clicked via a switch for smooth adjustment. There are two customisable function buttons plus an AF/MF switch.

　　The lens has a dust and splash-resistant construction, and the front element has a water and oil-repellent coating. Thats reassuring for wedding, event and outdoor photographers who may find themselves shooting when the weather is less than perfect, although, as usual, weather resistance doesnt mean the lens is waterproof.

　　L-Mount users also have the option to change the manual focus ring between linear and non-linear operation with compatible cameras, with the rotation angle being adjustable between 150 and 720 degrees.

　　Build and Handling First impressions of the Sigma 85mm F1.2 DG | Art are very good. From the packaging through to the feel of the controls, its apparent that this is a high-quality product. Theres no getting away from the fact that its quite a beefy lens. Its 87.2mm in diameter and measures 119.7mm in length in L-Mount, or 121.7mm in Sony E-mount. Both versions weigh 905g.

　　For comparison, the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II weighs 642g and measures 84.7 x 107.3mm. That makes the Sony noticeably lighter and a little smaller, but of course it has an f/1.4 rather than f/1.2 maximum aperture. The Sigma is 263g heavier than the Sony and 14.4mm longer, which is worth bearing in mind if youre trying to keep your kit compact.

　　To be fair, however, a full-frame 85mm lens with an f/1.2 maximum aperture was never going to be tiny. The Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM and Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.2 S, for example, both weigh more than 1kg. According to Sigma, as of September 2026, the 85mm F1.2 DG | Art is the smallest and lightest autofocus 85mm f/1.2 lens available.

　　I tested the Sony E-mount version on the Sony A7R VI and while the combination is weighty, it feels good in the hand. Id use a strap if I was carrying it for a long period and Id think about what other lenses I was putting in my bag. But I can forgive the Sigmas bulk because of that f/1.2 aperture.

　　The broad focusing ring moves beautifully smoothly and has a pleasing level of resistance. It falls just where I naturally support the lens with my left thumb and index finger, although I can turn it with one finger if I need to.

　　Closer to the camera body, the aperture ring also has a lovely feel. With the click mechanism engaged, the clicks are distinct without being very loud or sticky. Flick the switch to the de-clicked position and the movement is super-smooth.

　　I particularly like the positioning of the two customisable function buttons. Theyre 90 degrees apart on the barrel, so one falls conveniently within reach whether youre shooting in landscape or portrait orientation.

　　The functions available for these buttons vary with the camera. On the Sony A7R VI, I set them to switch subject detection on and off. I find that useful in social situations when I might want to switch quickly between photographing people or animals and inanimate objects without diving into the camera menu.

　　Autofocus The Sigma 85mm F1.2 DG | Art focuses in an instant on a camera such as the Sony A7R VI. The autofocusing is impressively quick, quiet and decisive, which makes the lens feel very responsive.

　　Naturally, its compatible with Sonys subject detection AF system and thats a real bonus for portrait, event and social photography. I used the lens and Sony A7R VI to photograph some Reading Festival goers as they started their journeys home and the combination did a great job of finding an eye in the frame, even when my subject was some distance away.

　　I asked some of the people I photographed to carry on with what they were doing, looking at their phones or chatting rather than turning towards the camera. Even with a side view of a face, the focusing was right on the eye.

　　Thats especially useful at f/1.2 because theres very little latitude for focusing errors. Having confidence that the camera and lens will find an eye means I can concentrate on the expression, timing and composition rather than repeatedly checking the focus.

　　As youd expect from a premium lens, the manual focusing experience is also very pleasant. With the appropriate option selected in the camera menu, the area under the AF point enlarges as the focus ring is turned, making precise focusing straightforward. As I mentioned earlier, the ring also falls naturally where I support the lens, so its easy to make a quick manual adjustment if I need to.

　　Image quality The Sigma 85mm F1.2 DG | Art produces a very impressive degree of sharpness across the frame throughout its aperture range, but Im especially impressed by the amount of detail it captures at f/1.2.

　　You pay a premium for such a large aperture, so it needs to be good at that setting, and the Sigma 85mm F1.2 DG | Art puts a smile on your face. If you capture a head and shoulders portrait, you can expect to see enough detail to tell whether your subject is wearing contact lenses. Crucially, I dont feel theres any need to stop down simply to improve sharpness.

　　If you choose not to use the in-camera or processing correction profile, theres some vignetting at the widest apertures. It reduces as the aperture closes and is gone by f/2.8. With the corrections applied, the files look evenly exposed with no obvious corner shading.

　　The Sigma lens also renders straight lines nicely and distortion isnt something that jumps out when you look at the images. However, switching the correction profile on and off in Adobe Camera Raw produces a slight shift that suggests its correcting a very small amount of pincushion distortion.

　　Chromatic aberration is also very well controlled. I searched around high-contrast edges in my images at 100% on screen and was unable to find any obvious examples. I spotted a little colour around a few particularly bright out of focus highlights, but nothing dramatic.

　　Then theres the bokeh, which is one of the big reasons for buying an 85mm f/1.2 lens. At wide apertures, out-of-focus areas look wonderfully smooth and the fall-off in sharpness at f/1.2 is rapid. It makes it very easy to separate your subject from a busy or distracting background.

　　Of course, that shallow depth-of-field needs some thought. If youre photographing more than one person, its extremely unlikely that both pairs of eyes will be in exactly the same plane of focus. There are times when you need to resist the temptation to use f/1.2 and stop down a little to get both subjects acceptably sharp.

　　Most small out-of-focus highlights look very good, although, as is often the case with fast lenses, they become cats eye shaped away from the centre of the frame. Overall, however, the Sigma 85mm F1.2 DG | Art produces the smooth backgrounds and strong subject separation that Id hope to see from a lens of this type.

　　Sigma 85mm F1.2 DG | Art: Our Verdict The Sigma 85mm F1.2 DG | Art is a lens that makes you want to go out and photograph people. Its 85mm focal length gives you a comfortable working distance for portraits, while the f/1.2 maximum aperture brings a degree of subject separation that can give images a more distinctive look.

　　It’s a substantial lens, and there’s no getting away from the fact that it adds noticeable weight to a camera bag. However, I find that easier to accept when the handling, focusing performance and results are as good as they are here. The lens feels reassuringly well made, the controls are a pleasure to use, and it works very well with Sony’s subject and eye detection.

　　For Sony photographers, there’s also the attraction that Sony itself doesn’t currently offer an 85mm f/1.2 lens. Its FE 85mm F1.4 GM II is smaller and lighter, but it costs around £1,800, making the Sigma’s £1299 price look quite competitive, especially if you want that extra aperture.

　　If you’re into portraiture and perhaps looking for a lens to elevate your work with a full-frame Sony mirrorless camera or an L-Mount camera, the Sigma 85mm F1.2 DG | Art is sure to please. It gives you the tools to produce beautifully isolated subjects, but it still leaves the creative decisions firmly in your hands.

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　　Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II review: perfect portrait prime? Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art Review Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.2 S Review Do you want to win some great prizes for your photography? Enter your photos in our International Amateur Photographer of the Year competition. Free entry for photographers aged 13-21.

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