**Foreword**
When it comes to Nikon portraits, I always think about the way it renders skin tones. Recently, I had the chance to compare some major camera brands and their unique characteristics. Some people say that each brand has its own signature: Nikon for faithful color restoration, Fuji for color correction, Pentax for green tones, Casio for beauty retouching, Canon for red tones, Dafa for yellow, Leica for high contrast, Ricoh for black and white, and so on. In short, they all have their own distinct styles.
However, in my experience, Nikon's skin tone adjustment is more suitable for white skin. I tried it on a white guy, and it looked natural. But when I used it on myself, I didn’t see any yellowish tone on my D750. The point I’m trying to make is that even with post-processing, the lens you choose plays a big role. What we really need is to retain as much detail as possible.
The level of Photoshop has improved a lot these days. Portraits are no longer embarrassing, and the figure doesn’t have to chase the "sister" anymore. I decided to switch from landscapes to portraits, and I needed a big light to create the right mood. So I ended up using the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art lens, which I call "mud pits" because it’s not easy to work with.
After the price dropped, I felt like it was a good time to pick it up. I’ve been using it for a while now, and I'm still learning. My PS skills aren't great, but I'm sharing my experiences. Light spray is good for both body and mind.
**Purchase Process**
I barely survived Double Eleven, and now it's Double Twelve again. My nails are growing back, and I wanted to buy this lens again. Maybe it's because I haven't had time to travel, and I turned my sadness into money.
I had this lens in my shopping cart for over ten months. When the sale came, I bought the Hong Kong version. I heard that the color wasn't great, but after tuning it, it worked well. So I also picked up a focusing base.
The 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm Sigma lenses are known for their reputation. Besides joking around, I wanted to get a set of the "black technology," and I rented it three times before buying. I also ran into some issues with the 35mm.
**Out of the Box**
The SF delivery was fast. The quality control was good, and there were no dust issues. The lens had a green coating, and the depth of field ruler was nice.
After opening it, I tried to tune it, but I found that it wasn’t perfect yet. Fortunately, I hadn’t adjusted it too much. I also bound the serial number to my Sigma account to extend the warranty. That way, I don’t have to worry about repairs like I did with my D750.
Once I registered, I upgraded to Gold Card status, and Sigma sent me a photography friend. I also got a free copy of D850, which scared me a bit.
There were many full-color printing ads mixed with PS and LR tutorials. It made me feel a bit guilty, like I was being a bit lazy.
**Real Shot Real Shot**
To show off the technology, I did some post-processing, just adjusting the skin tone a little. I haven’t developed my own style yet, but I think it’s still a sweet water style.
I went to the auto show right after buying it. I tried to capture some details, mostly focusing on the lens performance and image quality. I used the f/1.4 aperture most of the time.
You can download the original images if you're interested.
Some shots were a bit out of focus, maybe because I didn’t focus on the face. Others were sharp and detailed, especially at 100% zoom. There was a slight green edge on the face, and I couldn’t fully remove it.
For foreign models, the skin tones were more varied, with red, yellow, and orange. For domestic models, it was mostly red and orange.
I tried shooting in low light, but the success rate was low. It wasn’t easy to take a perfect shot.
**Outdoor Shooting**
Going out on the street wasn’t very smooth. I didn’t have much time, and it was hard to capture dynamic moments. The focusing speed was slow, and the dynamic capture wasn’t reliable. Compared to an electromagnetic gun, it was a bit worse, and the success rate was probably less than half.
I could only make up for the shallow depth of field by using a smaller aperture. Under strong sunlight, I couldn’t open the aperture to f/1.4, and it would be overexposed at 1/4000 seconds.
**In Summary**
**Advantages:**
1. Cost-effective – much cheaper than the original factory price.
2. High image quality and sharpness – except for some purple and green edges, nothing else seemed wrong.
3. Large aperture – allows for faster shutter speeds, soft background blur, and better low-light performance.
4. Minimal distortion and vignetting – what you see is what you get.
**Disadvantages:**
1. Heavy – 1.2kg with the body feels like a small dumbbell.
2. Slow focusing – especially in dynamic situations.
3. Purple and green edges – especially at maximum aperture, but mostly removable in post.
**Personal Experience:**
I read some reviews and thought that F4 was the best for overall quality. But I already have a 70-200mm lens, so I prefer the F1.4 for the ultimate experience. The image quality is not worse than the original, and the focus is even softer. That’s enough for me.
According to DxOMark, the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art scored 50 points, with a sharpness score of 36, making it one of the best lenses ever tested.
**At Last**
After the price dropped, I decided to share my thoughts. I look at my 40-year-old self and wonder why I got into photography. Originally, I just wanted to take pictures of girls, but now it’s not necessary. Why do I keep picking up the camera?
Maybe I want to dominate the circle of friends. I hope this series won’t have new lenses. The next article will focus on macro photography, where you can discover a whole new world.
Don’t tell me about the 105mm f/1.4E — I definitely won’t pick it up unless someone gives me money.
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