In the trifecta of portrait lenses-85mm, 105mm, and 135mm-the 85mm focal length is the gateway. It's short enough for tight shooting spaces, while producing a real portrait look, yet versatile enough for use in other genres, including photojournalism, where a nifty 50 comes up a bit short.

The 85mm features a fast maximum aperture of f/1.4, working in perfect harmony with its 9 rounded diaphragm blades to produce beautiful bokeh in the out-of-focus areas.

Ever since Zeiss announced their Otus lens lineup, a race of catching up is on by the other vendors. The game started with the 50mm class and it moved on to 85mm lenses. This time we'll have a look at the latest contender here - the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 HSM DG Art.