In the newest episode of TCSTV, Dave and Evelyn braved the cold to test out the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM! To make things a little bit more interesting, they compared the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM to the Sigma 35mm F1.2 to see how the Sony would hold up. To their surprise, the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM performed, in many ways, better than the Sigma 35mm F1.2!
A 35mm lens is a great focal length for versatile shooting and the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM fits the bill. It’s great for shooting environmental portraiture, while still being wide enough to shoot landscape photos, street photography and more. Since there are so many on the market, TCSTV opted to compare the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM to the well-loved Sigma 35mm F1.2 lens.
Physically comparing these lenses, the Sigma 35mm F1.2 is quite a bit bigger than the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM. Although size isn’t always a make or break, it’s important to note that the Sigma is 2.4 pounds (1080g) while the Sony is almost half that (524g), and the Sony is about an inch and a half shorter than the Sigma. The other big difference is the filter size. The Sony 35mm F1.4 GM has a 67mm filter thread, while the Sigma 35mm F1.2 has an 82mm filter which makes purchasing filters more expensive.
The Sony 35mm F1.4 GM is Sony’s first G Master version of a 35mm F1.4. Since it has that G Master label, it has a few extra qualities that make it special. The 35mm F1.4 GM has a high-quality feel and build while being weather-sealed, compact, lightweight and travel-ready! It has an excellent focus hold button that can be programmed to a variety of different settings, giving flexibility to your operation. Additionally, it has a nice aperture ring that goes from F1.4 to F16 and has the option to be de-clickable which is fantastic for video.
The Sony 35mm F1.4 GM has a smooth focusing ring that feels smoother compared to the Sigma 35mm F1.2. It also comes with a cylindrical lens hood with a rubber end, making it easy to put on as well as stand it up, versus the sigma with its pedal hood.
When it comes to sharpness, both of these lenses are exceptionally sharp, however, the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM is just a tad sharper. The Sony 35mm F1.4 GM does pull ahead in its barrel distortion, as it does a better job of suppressing vignetting and overall distortion. As for bokeh, although the Sigma is an F1.2, the bokeh doesn’t stay as smooth and creamy when you start stopping it down. The bokeh does start to lose its smooth edges and starts to have a geometric look to them, unlike the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM, which stays consistent.
For videographers, the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM is a great option. Being 35mm, it is wide enough to do vlogging, while its minimum focusing distance of 27cm, allows users to shoot at an arm’s length. The only major downfall is that it does have significant focus breathing, which can be a problem when doing larger focus pulls. Overall, it would make a great video package with a Sony body as it works wonderfully with Sony’s AF technology.
In total, the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM is a fantastic travel lens or replacement zoom lens and works well for both photo and video! The question is, is it better than the Sigma 35mm F1.2? Watch TCSTV’s latest review and decide for yourself!
Featured in this blog:
Sony FE 35mm f1.4 GM
Sigma 35mm f1.2 DG DN ART – Sony E
