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Venus Laowa 105mm F2 Smooth Trans Focus vs Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM

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Venus 105mm F2

Telephoto Prime | Sony Alpha

Venus Laowa 105mm F2 Smooth Trans Focus
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Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM

Telephoto Prime | Sony Alpha

Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
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Venus 105mm F2 vs Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing Venus 105mm F2 and Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM, two Telephoto Prime lenses from Venus and Sigma.

We will start with briefly looking and the main specs of these two lenses and in the section, we will start analyzing in more detail and list the pros and cons of each lenses.

Venus 105mm F2 Key Specs

  • 105mm Focal Range
  • F2 Max Aperture
  • Filter Thread: 67mm
  • Max Format: 35mm FF
  • Sony Alpha Mount
  • Weight: 745g.
  • Diameter: 76mm
  • Length: 99mm
  • Min Focus Distance:0.9m

Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Key Specs

  • 85mm Focal Range
  • F1.4 Max Aperture
  • Filter Thread: 77mm
  • Max Format: 35mm FF
  • Sony Alpha Mount
  • Weight: 725g.
  • Diameter: 86mm
  • Length: 88mm
  • Min Focus Distance:0.85m
  • Max Magnification:0.12x

What type of photography are the Venus 105mm F2 and Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM lenses good for?

The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Venus 105mm F2 and the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:

Photography Type Venus 105mm F2 Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
Bird/WildlifeAverageAverage
SportsGoodGood
PortraitExcellentExcellent
TravelFairFair
StreetAverageAverage
WeddingVery GoodVery Good
Walk AroundFairFair
VloggingAverageAverage
LandscapeFairFair

Size and Weight Comparison

Size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses.Venus 105mm F2 is the longer of the two lenses at 99mm. The Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM with a length of 88mm is 11mm shorter. On the other hand, the Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to Venus 105mm F2's 76mm 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. Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM weighs 725g, 2% (20g) lighter than the Venus 105mm F2's weight of 745g.


Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the 'Telephoto Prime Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for size comparison purposes.

Telephoto Prime Lenses in Sony Alpha Mount for Size Comparison
Model Length Diameter Weight Street Price
Sigma 300mm F2.8 APO EX DG HSM Lens Sigma 300mm F2.8 APO EX DG HSM
215mm
119mm 2400g Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 300mm F2.8 G Lens Sony 300mm F2.8 G
243mm
122mm 2310g Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 500mm F4 G SSM Lens Sony 500mm F4 G SSM
368mm
140mm 3460g Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 85mm F1.4 ZA Carl Zeiss Planar T Lens Sony 85mm F1.4 ZA CZ
73mm
82mm 560g Amazon B&H Photo
Tamron SP 85mm F1.8 Di VC USD Lens Tamron 85mm F1.8 VC
91mm
85mm 700g Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 300mm F2.8 G SSM II Lens Sony 300mm F2.8 G SSM II
243mm
122mm 2300g Amazon B&H Photo
Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA Carl Zeiss Sonnar T Lens Sony 135mm F1.8 ZA
115mm
89mm 1050g Amazon B&H Photo
Rokinon 85mm F1.4 Lens Rokinon 85mm F1.4
75mm
78mm 539g Amazon B&H Photo

Lens Mounts

Both Venus 105mm F2 and Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG 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.

Venus 105mm F2 is also available in Sony E , Canon EF, Nikon F (FX) and Pentax KAF2 mounts.

Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM is also available in Canon EF , Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF3 and Sigma SA mounts.

Focal Range

Venus 105mm F2 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.
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 an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 127.5mm.

Reasons to choose Venus Laowa 105mm F2 Smooth Trans Focus over Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM

Focal Length - Tele 105mm vs 85mm 20mm more Tele coverage
Aperture Ring Yes vs No able to adjust the aperture on the lens
Diameter 76mm vs 86mm 10mm smaller in diameter
Filter Thread 67mm vs 77mm Smaller filters are cheaper and easier to find

Reasons to choose Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM over Venus Laowa 105mm F2 Smooth Trans Focus

Focal Length - Wide 85mm vs 105mm 20mm Wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide 1.4 vs 2 Wider aperture at wide end
Max Aperture - Tele 1.4 vs 2 Wider aperture at tele end
Autofocus Yes vs No Easier, faster and more accurate focusing
Weight 725g vs 745g 20g lighter
Length 88mm vs 99mm 11mm shorter
Minimum Focus Distance 0.85m vs 0.9m can focus closer to the subject
Max Magnification 0.12x vs x higher magnification better for close-up shots

Common Strengths of Venus Laowa 105mm F2 Smooth Trans Focus and Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
Internal Focusing Yes vs Yes Length of the lens doesn't change during focusing
Distance Scale Yes vs Yes Distance Scale to assist focusing
Depth-of-Field Scale Yes vs Yes Depth of Field scale to assist focusing
Common Weaknesses of Venus Laowa 105mm F2 Smooth Trans Focus and Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
Image Stabilization No vs No Reliant on in-body Image Stabilization
Weather Sealing No vs No not safe under rain and dust



**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Venus 105mm F2 vs Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General
Brand Venus Sigma
Lens Type Prime Prime
Price CHECK PRICE CHECK PRICE
Lens Type Telephoto Prime Telephoto Prime
Lens Mount Sony Alpha Sony Alpha
Max Format 35mm FF 35mm FF
Focal Range 105mm 85mm
Image Stabilization No
Colour Unknown Unknown
Zoom Method No Zoom No Zoom
Power Zoom No No
Zoom Lock No No
Zoom Ratio 1.0X 1.0X
Aperture
Max Aperture F2 F1.4
Min Aperture F22 F16.0
Aperture Ring Yes No
Diaphragm Blades 9 9
Optics
Optical Elements 11 11
Optical Groups 8 8
Focusing
Min Focus Distance 0.9m 0.85m
Max Magnification unknown 0.12X
Autofocus No Yes
AF Motor Type No AF Ring-type ultrasonic
Full Time Manual Yes Yes
Focus Method Internal Internal
Distance Scale Yes Yes
DoF Scale Yes Yes
Distance Scale Yes Yes
Focus Distance Limiter Unknown Unknown
Physical Specs
Weight 745g 725g
Diameter 76mm 86mm
Length 99mm 88mm
Materials Unknown metal mount
Weather Sealing No No
Filter Thread 67mm 77mm
Filter Notes - Does not rotate on focusing
Hood Supplied Unknown Yes
Hood Code Unknown Unknown
Tripod Collar Unknown No
Optional Accessories - -
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