Sigma's 85mm f/1.2 DG Art is coming — and it undercuts Canon and Nikon

Portrait shooters, this one’s for you. Sigma’s 85mm f/1.2 DG Art — teased through the summer and now looking imminent for a September 2026 launch — completes the brand’s f/1.2 prime trio and does it at a price that makes the first-party options look expensive.

What we know

• 85mm f/1.2 full-frame prime for Sony E-mount and Leica L-mount
• Expected around $1,549 — roughly 40–45% cheaper than the Canon and Nikon f/1.2 equivalents
• The third and final lens in Sigma’s f/1.2 Art lineup, joining the 50mm f/1.2 and 35mm f/1.2 II Art
• Development was announced at CP+ 2026 with a working prototype on display

There’s also chatter about a second Sigma reveal — a full-frame 65mm said to open faster than f/1.2 — but that one is still rumor. We’ll treat it as such until Sigma says otherwise.

An 85mm at f/1.2 is the classic look of high-end portraiture: the subject rendered sharp, the world behind them melting into smooth, creamy bokeh.

Why 85mm f/1.2 is a portrait weapon

The 85mm focal length is the portrait standard for a reason — it flatters facial proportions and gives comfortable working distance between photographer and subject. Open it up to f/1.2 and you get razor-thin depth of field and that dreamy background separation clients recognize as “professional,” even if they can’t name why.

The catch has always been price: Canon and Nikon’s f/1.2 85mms are premium, flagship glass. Sigma undercutting them by nearly half changes the math for a lot of studios.

How we’d use it at JPics Studio

• Editorial and brand portraits: subject-first images where the background falls away into color and light.
• Headshots with character: flattering compression plus enough separation to make a plain wall look intentional.
• Product-with-hero detail: that f/1.2 falloff draws the eye exactly where we want it.

The bottom line

If the price holds, the 85mm f/1.2 DG Art is one of the most compelling portrait lenses of the year — flagship rendering without the flagship sticker. It’s firmly on our shortlist for the next round of client portrait sessions.

Thinking about a portrait or brand session? Let’s talk.

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Sources: PetaPixel, Fstoppers, Sigma Global — development announcement. Final pricing and date are not yet official; the 65mm lens remains a rumor.