**Foreword**
When it comes to Nikon portraits, I have to say that Zhang Xiwen is always the first name that comes to mind when comparing major brands.
I’ve been experimenting with different cameras and lenses lately, and one of the most interesting things I’ve noticed is how each brand has its own unique color signature. Some say that Nikon is all about faithful restoration, Fuji for color correction, Pentax for green tones, Casio for beauty retouching, Canon for microdermabrasion red, Dafa for yellow tones, Leica for high contrast, Ricoh for black and white, and so on. In short, every camera has its own personality.
However, I found that Nikon’s skin tone adjustment is more suitable for Caucasian skin. When I tried it on a white guy, the results were much better than what I saw in some of the photos online.
I’m not claiming to be an expert, but on my D750, I never saw any yellowish tones. The key point here is that post-processing has improved so much that portraits are no longer embarrassing. You don’t need to chase the "sister" anymore — I decided to switch gears and focus on portraits instead. A big light was needed, and I had to force it.
So I used Sigma's black technology to shoot portraits — like shooting in mud. After the initial excitement, the prices dropped, and I felt like it was a good time to grab them.
PS: My skills aren't top-notch, but I'm just sharing my experiences. Light spray is good for both body and mind.
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**Purchase Process**
I barely escaped the Double 11, and now it's Double 12 again. My nails are growing, and I really want to pick this up again. Maybe it's because I haven't had time to travel, and the sadness turned into a river. Buying something is a way to decompress.
I've had this in my cart for over ten months, and finally, during the Double 12 sale, I took the plunge and bought the Hong Kong version. I heard that the quality might be bad, but after testing it, it actually worked well. So I also picked up a focusing base.
The 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm Sigma lenses are well-known for their reputation. I joked around, but I really wanted to get a set of Sigma's black technology. I rented a USB base three times before buying it, and even the 35mm lens had some issues.
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**Out of the Box**
SF arrived quickly, and the delivery was efficient.
Sigma has never had a bad review.
Looking at the packaging, the lens came clean, and there was no dust. The quality control was impressive.
There was even a depth-of-field ruler included. It's a great piece of equipment for practice.
After unboxing, I tried to tune it, but it didn't go smoothly. Fortunately, I hadn't adjusted it too much yet.
One thing I noticed was that you can bind the serial number to your Sigma account for warranty extension. This makes repairs less stressful, especially compared to my experience with the D750.
After binding, I upgraded to a Gold Card, and Sigma sent me a photography friend.
I also saw the D850 on the first page, which scared me a bit, and I threw it away immediately.
There are a lot of full-color printing ads for drones, tripods, PTZ systems, and PS/LR tutorials mixed in. I feel like I'm learning a lot.
It reminds me of the old days when I used to read magazines like *Microcomputer*, *Computer Lovers*, *Ship Weapons*, and *Light Weapons*.
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**Real Shot Real Shot**
To show off the tech, I did some post-processing, adjusting skin tones slightly. But I haven’t developed my own style yet — maybe it's just a sweet water style.
I bought it and went to the auto show. I tried to capture some golden moments, but I focused more on the lens and image quality. I mostly used f/1.4.
You can download the original images if you're interested.
Some shots are still rough, but the details are clear. There are some minor issues like soft focus or green edges, but they’re manageable.
I tried to capture a few models, and the results were decent. However, the focus wasn’t always perfect, especially in low light.
The skin tones varied between foreign and local models, probably due to lighting conditions.
Overall, the lens performs well, especially when the light is good. It focuses accurately, and the eyes look bright.
But in low-light situations, the success rate is lower, and the focus isn’t always sharp.
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**Outdoor Shooting**
Going out on the street wasn’t as smooth as expected. I didn’t have much time.
The focus speed is slow, and capturing moving subjects is difficult. Compared to an electromagnetic gun, it’s not quite the same. The success rate is probably less than half, so I often use smaller apertures for deeper depth of field.
Under strong sunlight, I couldn’t open the aperture to f/1.4 without overexposing the image.
Some photos of ordinary people and family portraits still make me feel that my skills need improvement.
When there's strong light, the focus seems ineffective. Even if the focus isn’t on the light, it's hard to get it right. Sometimes I have to focus manually.
I captured some nice scenes, like tree shadows and maple leaves. The shallow depth of field gives a nice sense of depth.
But capturing spontaneous moments is tough. The model often doesn’t move, and the best expressions are usually when the focus is off.
I think my style is still evolving. I’ll wait for the school tune to do a more accurate evaluation.
Those who are interested can look forward to my next article.
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**In Summary**
**Advantages:**
1. Cost-effective — significantly cheaper than the original factory price.
2. High image quality and sharpness. Most edge issues can be corrected.
3. Large aperture — allows for faster shutter speeds, soft background blur, and good low-light performance.
4. Minimal distortion and vignetting.
**Disadvantages:**
1. Heavy — 1.2kg is like carrying a small dumbbell.
2. Slow focusing — not ideal for dynamic shots.
3. Purple and green fringing at maximum aperture — but mostly correctable.
**Personal Experience:**
I found that the best performance is at f/4, but I still prefer the F1.4 for its creamy bokeh and overall quality.
According to DxO, the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art scored 50 points, with a sharpness score of 36 — the highest ever recorded. It outperforms even the ZEISS Otus series.
This lens is truly one of the best I've tested.
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**At Last**
The price is still dropping, and I think it's a good time to buy.
I see myself in the photo — maybe I'm looking a bit older.
I recently watched some amazing photos, and I felt like I was shooting garbage.
It's time for a change of heart. In 2018, I decided to take the money to buy a camera for traveling — or rather, to take care of the baby.
I wonder why I got into photography in the first place. It started as a way to soak up the sister, but now I don’t need to. Why keep picking up the camera?
Maybe I just want to dominate the circle of friends.
I hope this series won’t have new lenses.
Next, I’ll write about macro photography — a whole new world awaits.
Don’t tell me about that 105mm f/1.4E — I definitely won’t buy it.
Unless someone really likes it and donates money.
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