35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Artvs A1 II
Sigma
35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art (2012)
Starting from £499 new
Best for Street, documentary & low-light photography
View 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
VS
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Street, Documentary & Low-Light Photography — 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art (2012): The lens that proved third-party glass could beat first-party — world-class optical quality at a significantly lower price than Nikon equivalents.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work — A1 II (2025): The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship body.
Who should buy what
A1 II (2025)
- Professional sports and wildlife photographers who need 30fps, 50MP, and the best AF available
- Commercial and advertising photographers who demand 50MP resolution alongside pro video specs
- Photojournalists who need a single body capable of handling every assignment
- Sony system shooters ready to invest in the absolute best
Quick take: The 35mm f/1.4 dg hsm art is the most affordable; only the a1 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art (2012) | A1 II (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £499 | £6,500 |
| Sensor | f/1.4 (max aperture) | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 50.1MP |
| Video | 30cm minimum focus distance | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) — fast and near-silent with full-time manual override | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | None (relies on body VR if available) | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | N/A | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 665g | 743g body only |
| Dimensions | 77mm diameter × 94mm length | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | N/A | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | N/A | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Nikon F-mount (FX / DX) | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | N/A | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art | A1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
More comparisons with 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
Camera family history