# Has the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Production Come to an End?



## Canon Rumors Guy (May 20, 2016)

```
A <a href="https://twitter.com/fujiyacamera" target="_blank">Tokyo based camera store</a> seems to be reporting that production of the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM has ended.</p>
<p>Might we finally see the lens everyone has been waiting for, an 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art?</p>
<p>We haven’t been told this directly by anyone, but we’re definitely hoping that it turns out to be true.</p>
<p><em>More to come we hope…</em></p>
<span id="pty_trigger"></span>
```


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## Chaitanya (May 20, 2016)

Dont care, I am still waiting for replacement of the 50mm/70mm Macros that were discontinued few years back.


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## ahsanford (May 20, 2016)

Chaitanya said:


> Dont care, I am still waiting for replacement of the 50mm/70mm Macros that were discontinued few years back.



You are in a minority, then.  A lot of people want this lens.

A non-'focus-by-wire' 85mm f/1.4 portrait lens with speedier AF and better resolution than the 85L _at $899-999_ will sell like hotcakes. That's a hammerlock certainty. 

The question is if the (occasionally) flaky Sigma AF at f/1.4 will haunt this lens as well. The 50 Art and 35 Art both have exhibited a nutty AF inconsistency issue that you can't correct with a dock / AFMA. It's a non-issue for manual focusing portraiture or for studio work that you can proof / chimp, but for field work, the 35 and 50 Art AF issue leads to missed shots you may not be able to retake. That's Sigma's #1 challenge with an 85 Art, IMHO, as we know the lens will be sharp.

- A


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## cellomaster27 (May 20, 2016)

I hope they could incorporate some weather sealing into it. or IS. But an update to the current 85 is going to be really awesome! time to sell my 85 1.8.


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## jebrady03 (May 20, 2016)

used EF 85/1.8 don't fetch much. If you use it, I'd hold on to it for a while because it's unlikely that a Sigma 85 Art will come any time in the next 6 months.


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## MrFotoFool (May 20, 2016)

I own this lens and it produces very nice images. When I first got it, it would not autofocus at close range. I sent it in for factory warranty repair (CRIS Camera in Phoenix, an authorized Sigma service center) and since then it works fine.


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## [email protected] (May 20, 2016)

If it had both weather sealing and OS, then I might consider switching from my Tamron F/1.8 VC (the one thing that could be improved is a moderate amount of CA). But without both of those, the Tamron will be more useful for me, even given the third of a stop advantage of the Sigma. 

Was shooting it in the rain yesterday and thinking to myself "Glad the Tammy came out before the Sigma."


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## j-nord (May 20, 2016)

I assume the new one will be around $1k. The 50 Art didn't have have OS or weather sealing so I doubt this lens will.


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## ahsanford (May 20, 2016)

j-nord said:


> I assume the new one will be around $1k. The 50 Art didn't have have OS or weather sealing so I doubt this lens will.



Agree on all fronts. 

It would make little sense to add something to the line that it never had before, and (I believe) these Art lenses were selling quite well based on each and every one (20/24/35/50) are all sitting at their original asking price right now (according to CPW).

This of course _may_ change as Sigma leaves the 'typical' Art wheelhouse of standard primes. I was a little surprised a 20mm f/1.4 lens was not sealed as a special case for (clearly) the astro camp, but I guess the less than stellar coma performance made that an academic distinction. I also could see Sigma climbing up into non-standard territory and go after some sacred Canon jewels, like the 135 f/2 and 200 f/2L IS -- the first really calls out for IS and the second is a different ballgame price-wise. Perhaps those two offerings might get special treatment with IS, sealing, etc.

- A


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## CanonGuy (May 20, 2016)

I never pre ordered any lens. But if it's true, I'll be pre ordering in a hear beat. I got excited for 35L ii and the price was ridiculous. Not giving my money again to canon that easy. Go Sigma.


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## d (May 21, 2016)

CanonGuy said:


> I never pre ordered any lens. But if it's true, I'll be pre ordering in a hear beat. I got excited for 35L ii and the price was ridiculous. Not giving my money again to canon that easy. Go Sigma.



Will you be changing you name to 'SigmaGuy'?


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## dlee13 (May 21, 2016)

I own the current Sigma 85mm and for me to sell it for an Art version, it would have to be a substantial upgrade.

The AF on my copy is spot on without any adjustment and it's tack sharp wide open already so I may stick with my copy.


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## IglooEater (May 21, 2016)

ahsanford said:


> Chaitanya said:
> 
> 
> > Dont care, I am still waiting for replacement of the 50mm/70mm Macros that were discontinued few years back.
> ...



My thoughts exactly. I wonder if spotty AF is the reason they haven't released one yet. At 1.4 AF discrepancies are a major issue as the focal length gets longer and longer. The 35A was received with much more applause than the 50A, despite the 50A being optically as good. I suspect AF was to blame.


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## CanonGuy (May 21, 2016)

d said:


> CanonGuy said:
> 
> 
> > I never pre ordered any lens. But if it's true, I'll be pre ordering in a hear beat. I got excited for 35L ii and the price was ridiculous. Not giving my money again to canon that easy. Go Sigma.
> ...



I might. I already sold my 35L i and 50L then bought 35 art and 50 art. Couldn't be happier with the switch. Both art have Much better optics than both L lenses. Though I had to return first copy of 35 art because of AF issue. But the 2 copies I have now has spot on AF. If sigma keeps on releasing art series, I'll replace all my L glasses (except prolly the 70-200 2.8 IS mk ii as I love that lens and don't think sigma can beat that). Nice to see the competition and I welcome it. And i totally understand some fan boys/paid posters don't appreciate competition and will buy any overpriced lens canon releases lol.


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## jd7 (May 21, 2016)

dlee13 said:


> I own the current Sigma 85mm and for me to sell it for an Art version, it would have to be a substantial upgrade.



Agree!

The lens I'd really like to see next from Sigma is a 135 f/2 Art - or ideally, a 135 f/2 Art OS.


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## Maximilian (May 21, 2016)

Canon Rumors said:


> Might we finally see the lens everyone has been waiting for, an 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art?


Yeah! Bring it on!

I'd love to see how this beast will perform. 
And I'd like to see if Canon finally feels compelled to also act at this focal length.


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## dlee13 (May 21, 2016)

jd7 said:


> dlee13 said:
> 
> 
> > I own the current Sigma 85mm and for me to sell it for an Art version, it would have to be a substantial upgrade.
> ...



That seems like the more reasonable choice to me too. If they added OS to the 135 it would definitely sell like crazy. 

It's even more surprising since that patent for a 70-200 was released not long ago.


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## AshtonNekolah (May 21, 2016)

Top reason I dumped sigma on these version of lenses long before this was going to happen, saw it was coming from a long shot. Thank goodness this is over.


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## drs (May 21, 2016)

I look forward to the 85 Art. Nothing more to add here. )


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## LSXPhotog (May 21, 2016)

Half the Canon world is waiting on the 85 Art lens. I personally don't like the 85mm f/1.2 for my personal style. Right now, no 85 has the color fringing performance to warrant its price tag, in my opinion. I'm sure the Art will tackle this as well as the previous lenses in the lineup have.

Also, the next 135mm to come out with rounded blades and/or image stabilization gets my moolah. I love my 135L aside from the aperture blades creating the occasionally distracting bokeh.


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## MrFotoFool (May 22, 2016)

To add a little color to this thread, here is a shot taken with the lens almost (not quite) wide open at f1.6. This scene was much darker in person than it appears in the photo. On most photo outings I use a 24-70 f4 zoom and a 70-200 2_8 zoom, but for low light events like this I find the Sigma to be a stellar performer.


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## Pitbullo (May 22, 2016)

Hopefully the 85 art will be f1.4.


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## Luds34 (May 23, 2016)

Pitbullo said:


> Hopefully the 85 art will be f1.4.



It almost certainly has to be, considered their current 85mm is f/1.4. And it would sort of follow what appears to be the Sigma Art game plan on their primes.

Can Sigma improve (optically) on their current 85mm? I've never shot it but have heard it is a great lens.

I personally will be keeping an eye (or two) on this development. Along with the new Tamron, their are a number of options for 85mm lenses. Not a bad time to be shooting Canon these days, lots of great glass to choose from.


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## ejenner (May 24, 2016)

The new version will have to have great bokeh. Less CA would be nice, but IMO it needs to have a realty nice 'look', not necessarily just be the sharpest across the frame. I have the current version and had a love-hate relationship with it until I got my 5DIII, all due to AF issues (needed different MFA for different focus distances). Since the current version works pretty well with my 5DIII - even tracking.

I wonder why they struggle with primes. At 600mm f6.3 the DOF is pretty small, but the 150-600C I had was very decent AF and there haven't been many complaints about that or their other zooms AFAIK.


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## Nivelis (May 24, 2016)

I sold my 85mm f1.4 because it had some AF issues, even on 2.8, 4.0, 5.6, especially at full body shots. I really hope they will fix the AF, how many years it can take to develop working AF? Im using Sigma 50mm ART and its better but it also have front focus AF problems from 2-3meters... 
I was using old 50mm f1.4, 35mm ART, 50mm ART and 85mm f1.4, AF is the real problem both studio and field shooting.  But optics and colors, results you can get from this lenses are amazing! Its so sad, I love this lenses but cant risk so many faults. I really hope they are working on improvement.

Another question - we all wait for 85mm f1.4 ART but what about new Tamron 85mm with IS? Maybe its not worth waiting for Sigma after all?


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## Hjalmarg1 (May 25, 2016)

jd7 said:


> dlee13 said:
> 
> 
> > I own the current Sigma 85mm and for me to sell it for an Art version, it would have to be a substantial upgrade.
> ...



Count me in. I used the current version and I was impressed with the results. I have been awaiting long time for the 85A, but I doubt it will have OS using this very wide aperture.


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