The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H) is primarily a photography lens, though it will be used for video.
In this article let’s take a comprehensive look at the important features and specifications of the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H) and see how good it will perform specifically for video, cinematography and filmmaking.
I think it is important to mention that Sigma is a third party lens manufacturer and its performance cannot be justly compared to the native lenses.
The aim of this article is to provide you with enough information and perspective so you can decide for yourself whether this lens is right for your film or video.
Important: This article is a comprehensive overview of the lens with available information; and an analysis based on our experience shooting for almost two decades. It is not a hands-on review. If and when we get hold of the lens we’ll be sure to publish a detailed review. If this is not your cup of tea you can stop reading.
Click to what you want quickly:
- TLDR;
- What does DG HSM mean?
- Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM vs Sigma 135mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art vs Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
- Features:
- Control:
- Basics:
- Alternatives to the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art
TLDR;
What you need to know for video work about the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H):
- The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art DG HSM is a great third party telephoto focal length lens.
- The f/1.8 aperture is amazing for low light work.
- It’s much heavier and bigger compared to its competitors.
- 9 blade aperture for a theoretically better bokeh.
- Has a 0.875m minimum close focusing distance.
- The lens doesn’t have OS, but you will get some stabilization with a camera that has in built stabilization.
- It exhibits breathing.
This lens will be useful for following types of filmmaking:
- Short filmmaking
- Low budget music videos
- Interviews
- Documentary filmmaking
- Advertisements
- Product Shoots
This lens can be used to gain the following shots:
- Extreme close up
- Close Up
- Telephoto Shot
- Glamour Shot
- Product Shots
What does DG HSM mean?
According to Sigma, DG refers to the lenses that are designed specifically for full frame DSLR cameras. Sigma claims that their DG DN lenses are designed specifically and exclusively for full frame mirrorless cameras.
So while the DG HSM will work with a full frame mirrorless camera, but, according to Sigma, a DG DN lens will communicate better with the camera than the DG HSM lens.
HSM refers to their ring-type hypersonic autofocus motor in that lens.
Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM vs Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art vs Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
| Lens | Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM | Sigma Art 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art | Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM |
| Filter Thread | 82mm | 82mm | 72mm |
| Size | 89.5mm x 127mm | E-mount: 91.4mm × 140.9mm EF-mount: 91.4mm x 114.9mm | 82.5mm x 112mm |
| Weight | 950g | E-mount: 1,200g EF-mount: 1,130g | 750g |
| Closest focusing distance | 0.7m / 2.3ft | 0.87m / 2.85ft | 0.9m / 2.95ft |
| Aperture Ring | Present, De-Clickable | Absent | Absent |
| Customizable Button | Present | Absent | Absent |
| Max. Aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 | f/2 |
| Min. Aperture | f/22 | f/16 | f/32 |
| Aperture Blades | 11 blades | 9 blades | 8 blades |
| Angle of View (Diagonal) | 18° | 18.2° | 18° |
Sigma is a third party lens manufacturer, so this is not an apples to apples comparison. Native lenses will always have an edge over third party lens manufacturers, when it comes to the communication with the camera system. While being a third party lens manufacturer, Sigma has become a tough competitor to many major lens manufacturers.
The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H) is heavier and bigger than the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM (Amazon, B&H). This would make the Sony 135mm the preferred lens for gimbal or handheld use.
The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM also has a much farther minimum focusing distance. The Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM also has a better aperture range than the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art.
The aperture ring puts Sony 135mm f/1.8 GM at a major advantage over the Sigma 135mm. The Sony FE 135mm also has a customizable button on the lens body.
If we compare the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 to the Canon EF 135mm f/2 L USM (Amazon, B&H), we observe that the Canon EF 135mm f/2 L USM is lighter and smaller than the Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art. The EF 135mm also has a better aperture range from f/2-f/32.
The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 has the advantage of opening up to f/1.8. That is almost a whole stop of light more than both its competitors.
Upon comparing the official MTF charts of both the lenses you can infer that Sony is better when it comes to sharpness and corner to corner performance.
The aesthetic ability of each lens is subjective and you might want to test both lenses. However, on the whole, the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM (Amazon, B&H) is to me the clear winner.
The MTF charts of EF 135mm f/2 were unavailable at the time of writing.
Features
Coverage
The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H) is a full frame lens. It is designed to completely cover a sensor the size of 36mm x 24mm.
If you are considering this lens for an APS-C sensor or other cinema camera, check out this article:
Focal Length
The focal length is 135mm. This is considered as a telephoto focal length on a full frame 35mm sensor.
This focal range is most used for close ups, beauty shots and will be also used for extreme close ups.
Aperture
The maximum aperture is f/1.8 and the minimum aperture is f/16.
Having f/1.8 is great for low light. Most people will use it at f/2 or f/2.8 for the purpose of getting optimum sharpness, and to get soft out of focus backgrounds.
The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H) has 9 diaphragm blades. One expects a smooth bokeh, considering the number of blades, but it’s not always a given. To know more about bokeh:
Resolution
From Sigma’s official MTF charts:
The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H) is sharp in the center and has a negligible falloff towards the edges of the frame.
With the variance in the Sagittal and Tangential lines, you can infer (somewhat) that the bokeh will not be as good as the best primes in the world.
If you really want this lens at its sharpest you’re better off stopping down to f/2 or even f/2.8 for best results.
If you are curious and want to read the MTF chart for yourself. Here’s a guide on how to read them easily.
Close Focus
The closest focusing distance of this lens is 0.875 meter or 2.87 feet. You won’t be able to get as close as you wish for with this lens, but being a telephoto lens, it should not be much of a problem.
The lens comes with a close focus limiter switch. This switch has three modes:
- Macro: 0.875m – 1.5m
- Telephoto: 1.5m – infinity
- Full: 0.875 – infinity
Image Stabilization
The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H) lens doesn’t have OS. At this focal length, you need some stability in the lenses. Not having image stabilization makes this lens a hard choice for run and gun shoots. Using it cameras that have IBIS can provide it with some image stabilization.
Control
Manual focus system
The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H) has an infinite turn ring for its focus ring and can turn infinitely one way or the other. Unfortunately for videographers and cinematographers, the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art is set to focus by wire by default and has no option to switch it to fly by wire.
What is the meaning of focus by wire and fly by wire?
Focus by wire: Let’s say you turn the focus ring to change focus from point A to B. You’d expect the focus to shift accordingly. When you stop point B will be in focus. Now bring the focus point back to A and try again, but at a different speed. Slower or faster, doesn’t matter. Now, even if you precisely rotate to the exact same degree, the focus will not be on point B! The speed of rotation determines which point it is focused on. That’s just completely useless for follow focus work. If an actor or person moves at a different speed, even slightly, you’ll never get the same focus. Avoid focus by wire lenses like the plague (for video work).
Fly by wire: The distance of focus shifted is directly proportional to the speed at which the ring is turned. This is how a manual focus ring is supposed to operate for video and cinematography.
This decision to exclude fly by wire or linear MF by Sigma will make this lens unsuitable for professional cinematographers and videographers.
Autofocus system
Sigma’s autofocus is improving day by day, but it is nowhere near the precision and reliability of Canon or Sony’s autofocus system. Keep in mind, that Sigma is a third party lens manufacturer, i.e. they do not make native lenses. Native lenses, such as Sony’s FE series and Canon’s EF and RF series, have always been better than third party lenses at communicating with their respective cameras.
I do not think anyone will purchase a Sigma lens for its autofocus performance.
Basics
Filter Thread
The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H) has a filter diameter of 82mm. This is a somewhat common large filter diameter.
Build Quality
The majority of the lens exterior is plastic, though the lens doesn’t feel cheap.
The optical design consists of 13 elements in 10 groups, including aspherical lens, FLD glass and SLD glass.
Size and Weight
The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H) has a diameter of 91.4mm and a length of 140.9mm for the E-mount. It weighs around 1,200 grams for the E-mount. The E-mount variant of this lens is the biggest of all mount variants. This is a bulky lens and it does not have image stabilization making this lens not ideal for run and gun shoots.
Weather resistance
Sigma claims that all their Art lenses are weather resistant. But again this only holds true if the camera body you will be using is also weather sealed. No camera is truly and officially weather sealed, so the best you can hope for is reliable weather resistance. Sigma claims to coat their lenses with dust and moisture repellent.
This is an Art series lens and we can expect it to perform as such.
What’s in the box
This is what you get in the box (other than the lens):
- Case
- Hood LH880-03
The hood might be useful for photography, but the shape and design makes it mostly vestigial for video work. Some people like to put it on to protect the front element in case of a fall. The hood takes the impact and shatters, but saves the lens. I’d keep it on unless you have good reason not to.
Alternatives to the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art DG HSM Lens
For the E-mount, Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM (Amazon, B&H) can be a good substitute but for a hefty price. It has more blades and is lighter, more compact.
For the EF mount, Canon EF 135mm f/2 L USM (Amazon, B&H) is a good substitute to the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art due to its lightweight, compact design. The Canon EF does have a smaller maximum aperture and lesser blades. It is also cheaper than the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art.
I hope you found this overview of the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art (Amazon, B&H) useful. If we have missed out on something, please let us know in the comments below.
