Question: Sigma 85 1.4 on Leica SL2

[vincent_1919]

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Hi everyone! I'm considering to get a Sigma 85mm 1.4 but someone said the autofocus, especially the AFc,  is terrible since it is not a DN lens. 

There is no place for me to rent one to test so I'd like to ask for your opinions. I will use it for both photo and video.

Thank you very much.

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[Jared]

I have no experience with this lens so can offer only limited advice, but there is one thing I would recommend you consider.  Does it matter for the photographs you will be taking with this lens whether the AF-C performance is bad?  My closest prime lens is the 75mm Summicron SL, and I’m not sure I have ever used that as an “action” lens. 

[vincent_1919]

1 minute ago, Jared said:

I have no experience with this lens so can offer only limited advice, but there is one thing I would recommend you consider.  Does it matter for the photographs you will be taking with this lens whether the AF-C performance is bad?  My closest prime lens is the 75mm Summicron SL, and I’m not sure I have ever used that as an “action” lens. 

Hi Jared, thanks for the reply. Since I'll be using this lens for video filming so the usability of the AFc is quite important. As to the photo shooting, I don't use AFc at all. 

[Jared]

35 minutes ago, vincent_1919 said:

Hi Jared, thanks for the reply. Since I'll be using this lens for video filming so the usability of the AFc is quite important. As to the photo shooting, I don't use AFc at all. 

In that case, I can’t help you at all.  Hopefully someone else will chime in.

[BernardC]

On 3/4/2020 at 10:00 AM, vincent_1919 said:

Hi everyone! I'm considering to get a Sigma 85mm 1.4 but someone said the autofocus, especially the AFc,  is terrible since it is not a DN lens. 

Did they test the native L-Mount version of the lens, or the EF-mount version with an adapter?

"DN", according to Sigma, means that the lens is mirrorless-only, meaning that the flange focal distance is too short for SLR cameras. It shouldn't have a direct correlation with AF.

That being said, focusing an 85/1.4 on full frame in video is going to be a challenge with any camera. I doubt that even the latest $20,000 cinema cameras from Sony and Canon can do it consistently.

You may have much better luck switching to "crop mode" (Super-35) and using a 50/1.4. The field of view will be similar, and the images are more likely to be in focus.

[NRKstudio]

On 3/4/2020 at 9:00 AM, vincent_1919 said:

Hi everyone! I'm considering to get a Sigma 85mm 1.4 but someone said the autofocus, especially the AFc,  is terrible since it is not a DN lens. 

There is no place for me to rent one to test so I'd like to ask for your opinions. I will use it for both photo and video.

Thank you very much.

On my SL2, I use the 28 Art L mount, and the 24-70 L mount.  The 28 Art has no issues focusing at all, the zoom has some issues in afc.  The 35/1.2 L mount Art was about in the middle.  I’d liken the 35 Art to the 85/1.4 Art and say, it’s acceptable focus issues for the SL2.  I’m sure you won’t see the dreaded red focus frame like with the 24-70 Art l mount.  
 

the sigma primes seem to focus almost as well as my 50 Cron and the 35 Cron.  The Zoom is a different story.  I’m in the market for the 85 Art, unless Panasonic comes out with a portrait prime.  The 90/2 is just too rich for my blood now, and if it has the mechanical vignetting of the 75 APO SL, I may pass anyway.