So I finally upgraded to the S5II and Im super hyped to get some glass for a wedding Im shooting in Chicago next month! Ive been looking at the Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN because everyone says the bokeh is just insane but then I saw the Panasonic 85mm f1.8 is way lighter and half the price. My logic was that the Sigma is the pro choice but Im worried about the weight for an 8 hour day. I saw some people online saying the 105mm is better but that feels too long for tight spaces? I have about $1200 and I just cant decide if the extra f-stop is worth the back pain or if there is another holy grail prime Im missing...
> Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN because everyone says the bokeh is just insane but then I saw the Panasonic 85mm f1.8 is way lighter and half the price. Honestly, I bought the Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art and ended up returning it. Its sharp, sure, but unfortunately that extra weight really kills you during a long wedding day. I had issues with the focus motor hunting in low light too, which isnt what you want during a ceremony. Everyone hypes the f1.4 but the Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f1.8 is way more practical. Its not as fancy looking but the image quality is basically the same for social media and wedding albums. Plus you save like 600 bucks. Id take that extra cash and grab the Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f1.8 too. Having two lenses is way better than one heavy beast. Dont even bother with the Sigma 105mm f1.4 DG HSM Art, its way too massive for a mobile shooter. That f1.4 tax is just not as good as expected when youre 6 hours into a gig.
Just caught this thread. Regarding what #1 said about "> Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN because everyone says the bokeh is just insane" - just be careful about that focal length. Chicago wedding venues are often tight. I would suggest the Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG DN Art instead.
- Test your eye-AF in low light
- Watch out for edge distortion Its a solid pro choice tho...
Bookmarked, thanks!
Saved for later, ty!
@Reply #4 - good point! Honestly, after shooting weddings for years, I have to disagree slightly with the focus on just the focal length or weight. In my experience, the real choice between these brands is about how the glass handles the S5II phase hybrid AF in low light. I've tried many setups where native glass just feels more reliable than third-party options during a ceremony, even if the others look better on paper. To help narrow this down, I have a couple questions:
- Will you be shooting with two bodies or just the one S5II?
- Is the venue one of those tiny underground Chicago spots or something more open? Knowing that helps because the weight issue matters way more if youre swapping lenses on one body all day... it really changes the math.
