135mm prime lenses are beloved for crisp subject isolation and flattering compression, making them a go-to for portraits, events, indoor sports, and stage work where you want reach without a bulky telephoto zoom lenses.
Sigma with its F1.4 aperture is first of its kind among AF 135mm lenses
Sony’s FE 135mm F1.8 GM is widely regarded as one of the sharpest lenses in the system, but there are now strong alternatives. Some are easier on the wallet, like the Viltrox AF 135mm f1.8 LAB Z and Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE, and one is even faster at F1.4, the Sigma 135mm F1.4 DG Art. The Sony has the advantage of being the most compact of the bunch. Below, we show a true-to-scale, real-life size comparison of all four, followed by a full specs and features rundown. But before, let's look at the prices of these lenses:
Price Comparison
Recent price hikes have pushed Sony’s price past $2,000, which is a stretch. We still love its image quality, but the faster Sigma 135mm F1.4 costs less, and both Viltrox and Samyang come in well under $1,000 with very respectable results, making the Sony a tougher sell.
Size Comparison
(click on the image for a larger version)
Viltrox 135mm f1.8 FE vs Sigma 135mm F1.4 vs Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE vs Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM
Viltrox 135mm f1.8 FE vs Sigma 135mm F1.4 vs Samyang AF 135mm F1.8 FE vs Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM Specs and Feature Comparison
Here we have the simplified comparison table for further analysis.
