The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM and the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 121mm. The Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM with a length of 88mm, is 33mm shorter. On the other hand, the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM's 78mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM weighs 725g, which means it is 85g (10%) lighter than the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM which has a weight of 810g.
Filter Threads
The Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM and the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II.
Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM is also available in the Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF3 and Sigma SA mounts.
Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM is also available in Canon EF , Pentax KAF, Sigma SA and Nikon F (DX) mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM 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 a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
127.5mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM has a focal range of 18-35mm and 1.9X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 27-52.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.