The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM and the Nikon 85mm f1.4D for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
Size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses.Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 132mm. The Nikon 85mm f1.4D with a length of 73mm is 59mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM also has a larger diameter of 116mm compared to Nikon 85mm f1.4D's 80mm diameter.
Weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Nikon 85mm f1.4D weighs 550g, 66% (1095g) lighter than the Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM's weight of 1645g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the 'Telephoto Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Prime Lenses in Nikon F (FX) Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM and Nikon 85mm f1.4D has the same Nikon F (FX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon F (FX) lenses are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500.
Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM is also available in Canon EF , Sigma SA and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 105mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 157.5mm.
Nikon 85mm f1.4D is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 127.5mm.