During this portrait photoshoot, I am comparing the Sony GM 135mm f1.8 vs Samyang AF 135mm f1.8 vs Sigma 135mm f1.8 Art DG HSM. I am using all 3 lenses on one Sony A7IV camera body to make sure we have identical settings during our tests. Watch my comparison video below to see SOOC, 1:1 views of all the photos. I share comparisons of the image quality, sharpness and bokeh. I also compare the AF performance and autofocus accuracy to see who makes the best 135mm prime for Sony cameras.
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model kiera
makeup lidija j
video dan @ i make films
All photos edited with my Palm Valley Lightroom Preset Pack!
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Lens build
The Samyang AF 135mm f1.8 is the cheapest and lightest out of all 3 weighing 772 grams. The Sony GM 135mm f1.8 is the 2nd heaviest weighing 950 grams but the most expensive. Finally, the Sigma 135mm f1.8 Art DG HSM is the heaviest at 1130 grams but comes in 2nd cheapest.
In my review video above, I share a side by side full view of the SOOC images first. Then a 1:1 view of the unedited photos to see all the details and finally a full view of the edited photos.
Sharpness and Image Quality
I share closeup portraits taken at both f2.8 and wide open at f1.8. One of the first features I noticed when taking a glance at all the images, is the GM 135mm f1.8 has a cooler colour cast straight out of the camera. I found it was easy to edit the skin tones with a neutral base to work with.
The Samyang is on the other side of the scale where it has a very warm colour cast to the photos. This can be a good thing, especially if you shoot portraits. A warm colour cast can be very flattering for portrait photography. Finally, the Sigma sits in the middle with its colour cast. It is not as cool as the GM and not as warm as the Samyang.
Looking at these 3 images here, there's no denying that all three lenses produce sharp, beautiful results. Each lens has a lot of clarity and detail in the skin texture, iris, eyelashes but they all still look very flattering for portraits.
The difference between each of these 135mm primes for Sony comes down to autofocus performance and accuracy. This can determine which lens you should go for with your photography. Please watch my review video to see all the comparisons and hear my final thoughts!
All photos edited with my Palm Valley Lightroom Preset Pack!
If you enjoyed this 135mm f1.8 comparison, you might want to check out my blog post and video comparing an 85mm vs 135mm for portrait photography to find out which focal length is right for you.
