I am trying to figure out which portrait prime is actually worth the money for my Lumix S5II before a big outdoor wedding I have booked in late October. I have been staring at reviews for weeks and I am basically torn between the Panasonic 85mm f1.8 and the Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art.

The Lumix 85mm is super tempting because its so tiny and light and it matches the 35mm f1.8 I already own perfectly in terms of size and weight which makes balancing my gimbal a breeze if I need to switch to video. But then I see the shots coming out of that Sigma 1.4 and the rendering just looks... creamier? I dont know if thats just placebo effect or what. I am based in Chicago so I do a lot of street portraits and urban shoots where I really need that subject separation because the backgrounds can get pretty busy and distracting with all the traffic and signs.

My budget is capped at about $1,100 which makes the Sigma a bit of a stretch unless I find a good deal or buy used, while the Lumix leaves me with extra cash for lights or batteries. I have also heard some people swear by the Sigma 105mm f1.4 but honestly that thing looks like a literal brick and I am worried about my wrist hurting after a ten hour wedding day. Plus I am not sure if the autofocus on the Sigma lenses is truly as sticky as the native Panasonic glass now that we finally have the phase detect on the S5II.

Is the jump from f1.8 to f1.4 really noticeable enough to justify the extra weight and the extra five hundred dollars? I want my clients to have that professional look but I also dont want to be miserable carrying a heavy setup all day. Every time I think I have decided on the 85mm 1.8 for the convenience I look at a Sigma sample photo and start second guessing myself again...