Zeiss 55/1.8 + Sony 85/1.8 vs Sigma Art

Hi there!

What would you choose ar go-around 50-ish and portrait 85-ish kit (and why) ?

Zeiss 55/1.8 + Sony 85/1.8 vs Sigma Art 50/1.4 + Art 85/1.4

 

I see Sony system as the future (I like face recogn., I like stabilization, a small size).

So instead of Canon I will move to Sony. How reliable is Sigma ? :oops:

Don't like their pricing, otherwise they all good.

I would stick with lenses made specifically for the Sony. That assures you of full functionality, and probably better corner sharpness. The 55/1.8 is rated very highly. I haven't read much about the 85/1.8, but the pricing seems more in the "kit lens" category.

 

At present, my only 50'ish lens, other than zooms, is a Zeiss Loxia 50/2, manual only, which i like very much for landscapes. I have three 90'ish lenses - Loxia 85/2.8, Batis 85/2 and Sony 90/2.8 Macro. Each has its strong and weak points. If I were to keep only one, the 90/2.8 Macro would be the best, most versatile choice. The Batis 85 is small, light and very quick focusing, best for portraits and children. The Loxia is manual, best for landscapes, and by far the sharpest of the three for normal use.

 

I suggest you look at the new Sony 24-105 f/4 zoom. It is cheaper than two prime lenses of similar quality, and has very good reviews. The difference between f/4 and f/2.8 doesn't mean much in a world of astronomical ISO values.

Edited November 20, 2018 by Ed_Ingold

They are all fine lenses. Ed does have a point, native lenses are designed by Sony to work with their bodies. Sony is not obligated to make sure third party lenses work 100% with their bodies under current or future firmware releases or for any new bodies for that matter. It does not mean third party lenses won't work but it is something to understand going in and making your decision. It might be worth doing a Google search to see if anyone is having compatibility issues.

 

Having said that, I am having pretty good success with my Canon, Sigma and Tamron glass using the Metabones V adaptor, under firmware 1.01 I would have to occasionally turn the camera off on the Tamron and Sigma combo because f-stop, focus or shutter speed might become unresponsive. So far with the A7RIII v2.0 firmware, the Canon and Sigma 85 Art EOS mount are working great, have not had a chance to verify the Tamron 70-200 yet. Of course I have not been testing every feature so others results and opinion may vary.

 

Sigma does sell a USB Dock for Sony mount SIgma lenses, so you can update the firmware as they make improvements.

Edited November 21, 2018 by Mark Keefer

Native lenses are designed with the thick filter stack (2 mm) on the sensor in mind. Sigma ART lenses are designed with a long back focus distance, which helps but not as well as correction built into the lens. Roger Cicala (Lens Rentals) found it necessary to insert a glass blank into the optical path when testing these lenses.