There is a certain look I have been after for some time. Something I like to call:
Large object subject isolation from a distance.
That phrase does not roll off of the tongue admittedly. But I can tell you exactly the moment that this became an obsession of mine. It was when I viewed this photo:
My first roll of a film through a medium format film camera that happened to be one of, if not the best medium format film camera.
I was hooked. Easy enough to replicate with various quality medium format film cameras. Image capturing real estate is your friend. Tried my hand at the same with digital medium format finally.
Was quite pleased… for a while. Used it for a wedding. It was great.
But there was another image capturing solution that did great that day.
Spoiled in the title, but that lens is the SIGMA 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art.
Truth be told I could not tell the difference between medium format and this lens subject isolation wise. It was made clear this day. Here are some of my other favorite images with the Sony A7III, A7C, and SIGMA sd Quattro (Bought the SA mount and adapter.) and this lens.
That is it. Large object subject isolation from a distance handled, and handled well. But that was only half of the equation. Depth of field. An important one admittedly. But there is another medium format trait I wanted. Resolution. While 100MP is available with the higher end GFX offerings, had wanted 50MP GFX options and had acquired the 40MP Pentax 645D. I have said in the past that 24MP was adequate and that I had found 40MP+ too much for my purposes. Well, the Pentax 645D’s 40MP spoiled me. As described in an earlier post full frame lenses have provided the look I was after. So I traded the 645D towards the MP bump, and then some, that I was after.
But I had not used the 105mm f/1.4 Art and Sony A7RV together in the wild until recently. Used a favorite on camera flash setup with the Flashpoint/Godox V1.
The result? Fantastic. Used it for a portrait session for a friend and his wife.
Here are my favorite photos from the shoot.
I have absolutely no regrets for pursuing this path rather than pricier medium format solutions. Not only has the look I was after been sufficiently replicated there are other advantages as well.
- Comparable or lower price than lower MP medium format options.
- Superior AF to all medium format solutions even including the best of breed Fujifilm GFX 100 S.
- More MP than all but the most expensive offerings at 60MP.
- Availability of more lenses than any other full frame or greater mirrorless solution.
Well done Sony. Well done SIGMA.
-ELW
Eric L. Woods 
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