So yes, the Sigma ART 105/1.4 is serious business on a Fujifilm GFX camera (in my opinion); performing admirably well with very sharp results. Also; it is giving you access to an extremely ƒ1.4 bright telephoto character lens with strong isolating effects.

Not bad.

The native Player

Still - there is also the native Fujifilm GF 110/2 lens... just saying.

More than a half kilo lighter...

Now, I said the weight and size of the Sigma 105 is a very heavy as well bulky combination - around 2.6 kilo with the camera. Add more to it, if you use a lens tripod foot with an extra long slide (making it easier to carry). You're closer to 3 kilo.

Not always that pleasant when "just walking" in the city without a backpack. However I really wanted to try this out in the city, in order to see how ƒ 1.4 images look like with the Sigma 110 + GFX.

Welcome Fujifilm GF 110/2 R LM WR lens...

I decided to order the Fujinon GF 110 mm ƒ2 R LM WR lens (equivalent to a 87 mm portrait lens) for the GFX camera. It is said that the GF 110/2 is the best of all Fujifilm GF lenses. Or if you like, a sort of "boutique lens". The latter sounds a bit... fashion like - which perhaps is stupid of me to call it that way. Still - it is the type of lens that made the Fujifilm GFX mediumformat system get a seriously good reputation. It is sort of the golden standard for portraits for the GFX system.

No more compromise then.

Among the sharpest, if not the sharpest lens in the Fujifilm GFX lens lineup

"This is quite possibly the sharpest lens we've ever tested! Center sharpness is simply awesome, particularly from f/2.8 through to f/8. The GF 110mm also retains superb sharpness across the whole image frame, right into the corners, even when shooting wide-open".

 

In the photo studio

(with the GFX camera mounted on a tripod), i may choose the new Fuji 110mm lens - especially when I work without tripod. But when working on a tripod I also may choose vintage lenses like the magnificent Mamiya (RZ67) APO Sekor 210 mm ƒ4.5, as well some other (non-Fuji) mediumformat lenses.

The GF 110/2 lens has a neutral rendering style - some call it clinical. It exhibits very smooth bokeh for the most time, and of course comes along with stellar optical performance.

Vintage lenses with similar focal length do have their proven space, when it comes to character and somewhat different image rendering, no doubt. While other time,s you just might to like the "perfect" rendering that comes from a NATIVE lens, made for the cameras it was designed for.

Outdoor photography

I think for outdoor photography (e.g. portraits) the new Fujifilm GF 110/2 will be an excellent choice. With 1 kilo weight, it isn't as heavy like the Sigma ART 105mm with 1.65 kilo. Nor is it as thick, due to the lesser filter diameter of 77 mm, compared to Sigma's 105mm filter size.

Also; the Fuji renders highlights in the corners and borders far less squeezed / stretched compared to what the Sigma does when strong highlights are present in the frame.

I also believe that the access to top lenses like Fujifilm GF 55/1.7 lens + GF 110/2 are a great combo. Yeah, I am not that of a huge fan of zooms, you can tell. Especially in mediumformat, those have usually much slower apertures - even if the optical quality of those today, often are very, very good.

The two photos of Sal:

i was testing how an indoor portrait looks like when taking using it with the Fuji GF 55mm ƒ 1.7 lens (= 43mm), and then to the right, with the the big Canon EF 200/2 L IS lens (160 mm) in order to explore the difference. I stepped back a couple meters with the Canon 200mm lens of course.

In the latter photo, Sal's face is more compressed. While in the first he looks a more youthful in the balance between face and body.

The background bokeh is very smooth in both photos. Both have an extremely thin depth of sharpness - while the zone of sharpness shows that the fine details are sharp. I was a bit surprised to see, that i got away with getting sharp images, despite that it was not too bright indoor light in the kitchen.

Well you know me. Sometimes I just click away - for better or worse. Often getting crap shots, you know.