Most people don't realize this, but Sigma has never made an 85mm f/1.2 lens. The fastest it has ever gone is f/1.4 – until now. After teasing its development back at CP+ 2026 in February, the Sigma 85mm f/1.2 DG Art is finally here – and it's every bit as beautiful as I'd hoped.
This focal length and aperture combination produces, for my money, the best lens for portraits. And with Canon and Nikon having set incredible standards, Sigma had a lot to live up to. But, boy oh boy, did it live up to them.
The first thing that hit me when I took the Sigma 85mm f/1.2 DG Art out of its box is how small it is. For reference, the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L weighs 1,195g and is over 117mm long – while the Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S tips the scales at 1,160g and is even longer at over 141mm.
The Sigma? It's a mere 950g and 120mm – making it the world's smallest and lightest 85mm f/1.2 (with autofocus). Seriously, seeing it next to my Canon is like a before-and-after commercial for Mounjaro.
So, it's small and light – but that's far from all that the Sigma 85mm f/1.2 DG Art has going for it. I don't usually put much stock into press release noise, but Sigma brags that, "In addition to two SLD glass elements, glass with high anomalous dispersion is used to suppress the axial chromatic aberration inherent to large-aperture lenses to the utmost limit."
Well, in our own tests for this lens, our lab manager concluded that, "Control over both axial and lateral chromatic aberrations is pretty epic at all aperture settings", adding that, "Center sharpness is spectacular in the f/2 to f/11 sector of the aperture range and holds up really well even at the widest aperture".
That's what 17 elements, 12 groups and 13 aperture blades from Sigma will get you, I suppose, powered by dual High-response Linear Actuator motors for fast and accurate autofocus.
"I feel that the Sigma 85mm f/1.2 DG Art comes as close to portrait perfection as any lens in its class," said my colleague Matthew in his Sigma 85mm f/1.2 DG Art review.
"That makes it a really top-class lens, combining its essential 85mm focal length with a highly desirable and super-fast f/1.2 aperture. It’s an aspirational, heady mix but one that’s more attainable than with Canon and Nikon equivalent lenses, in terms of purchase price."
The Sigma 85mm f/1.2 DG Art review will be available from September 30 for Sony E and L-Mount, with a price tag of $1,599 / £1,299 / AU$2,225 (for reference, that's half the price of Canon and Nikon's offerings!).
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Looking for something similar for other mounts? Check out the best Canon portrait lenses and the best Nikon portrait lenses.
