Evening Portrait shoot with Sigma 85mm 1.4 DG HSM ART

Outdoor portraits, Portraits, Vlogs

January 27, 2021

In this episode of the vlog, I do some more portraits of my friend, Dan. I took my new Sigma 85mm 1.4 DG HSM ART lens (Canon mount) for a spin and put it through it’s paces with some night time portraits. We explored the Lawrence Market area in Downtown Toronto.

I also share a couple of insights for shooting in low light and at night time. Two of the best things you can do to shoot in low light (preferably together) is to shoot with lenses that have wide apertures and use supplemental light (a flash or other light).

You’ll know what your lens’ aperture is by the F-number on your screen when it’s attached to the camera. The lower the number, the wider the aperture (opening) and, thus, the more light is let in. The contrary applies to bigger F-numbers.

So, for example, if your lens can work are F2.8 or lower, that’s a fairly wide aperture and can work in most typical low-light situations.

Unfortunately, the wider the maximum aperture on the lens, the more expensive they typically go for. If you’re new to the game or are on a budget consider the Canon 50mm 1.8. It’s the cheapest and best value lens you can get for your money. Other camera makers offer their own equivalents of this lens.

After going through the edits, I really love this Sigma 85mm and the images it produces, especially with wider apertures. It’s tack-sharp, renders a nice punchy image and the bokeh is pleasing to my eye. Also, despite being a non-native lens, the focus is pretty responsive on my Canon 5D IV.

Enjoy the vlog and the rest of the images from this shoot!