I've been using the standard 50mm 1.8 for a few months on my S5II and honestly im just so done with the soft edges i get when im shooting wide open. I bought this body because the phase detect was supposed to be a game changer for my workflow but my portraits still look... i dont know, just kinda muddy and lackluster? maybe its just the glass holding me back. I have a big high-end engagement shoot scheduled for late October at a garden in Portland and i really need that clinical sharpness that makes the eyes pop without having to add fake structure in post.
My budget is capped at $1200 and i need to buy something in the next week to get used to it. Ive been looking at the Lumix 85mm f1.8 because the autofocus is native and fast but then i see everyone on youtube raving about the Sigma 85mm f1.4 Art. The Sigma looks like a total brick though and im worried it'll be a nightmare to carry around all day. Is the sharpness gap between those two actually noticeable or am I just overthinking it? Or is there something else I'm missing like a 105mm? I just need the absolute sharpest prime possible for this sensor...
> the Sigma looks like a total brick In my experience, the Sigma 65mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is the smartest buy. Its bitingly sharp, way cheaper, and wont kill your wrist like those heavy bricks.
I was honestly so let down by the 1.8 series... it just felt mushy. I tried the Sigma 50mm f1.4 DG DN Art but the weight was such a drag during a three hour session.
- Sigma 50mm f1.4 DG DN Art: Sharp but heavy
- Sigma 90mm f2.8 DG DN Contemporary: Shockingly sharp, just slower Go look at the resolution charts on LensTip for the hard numbers.
Honestly, if you want that clinical, biting sharpness that makes eyelashes look like individual wires, the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is the one to get. I have used it extensively on the S5II and it is a massive leap over the Lumix f/1.8 primes in terms of raw resolution. The Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f/1.8 is a solid workhorse, but it is designed to be lightweight and have smooth bokeh rather than being a resolution monster. The Sigma is specifically corrected to be sharp edge-to-edge even at f/1.4. It is heavier, yeah, but it balances surprisingly well on the S5II body. It really isnt the brick people make it out to be compared to the older DSLR versions. Quick tip for that garden shoot: that muddy look can sometimes come from the internal noise reduction smudging fine details. Since you are on the S5II now, make sure you have the eye detection dialed in and maybe try turning down the in-camera sharpening to -1 if you are shooting JPEGs. It stops the camera from over-processing textures. If you really want to go overboard on sharpness and dont mind a slightly slower aperture, the Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art is arguably the sharpest lens on the L-mount system period. It is more of a specialist tool tho. Stick with the 85mm 1.4 Art... it will give you exactly the pop you are looking for. Good luck with the engagement shoot, garden light in October is usually gorgeous in Portland.
