Sony FE 85mm 1.4 GM

The Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM is an excellent example of what a lens should look like in this class - albeit it is still not perfect. It is very sharp at f/1.4 and outstanding when stopped down to medium aperture settings. Lateral CAs are very low even without image auto-correction. The quality of the bokeh is among the best that what we have seen in this lens class. The background bokeh is especially silky. It is a bit unfortunate that bokeh fringing is not controlled. To be fair though - very few lenses are capable of doing that (the Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 for instance). The RAW vignetting is high at f/1.4 and the amount of pincushion distortion is also a bit more than expected. However, once again, image auto-correction comes to the rescue so you won't really notice this in processed images. The build quality is superb thanks to high-quality materials, weather-sealing, and smooth control rings. A specialty is the dedicated aperture ring so you can choose whether to use this one or the dial on the camera. The aperture ring can also be de-clicked for a smooth adjustment when shooting video. The AF is fast and silent but it's no speed demon in this respect. Overall, if you are in need for the extra speed and/or just want the best native AF lens in this class, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM - highly recommended!

Sony's FE 85mm f1.4 GM is a high-end prime lens for its mirrorless cameras. The short telephoto focal length and bright f1.4 focal ratio make it ideal for portraits and the de-clickable aperture ring also makes it great for video work. The FE 85mm f1.4 also becomes one of Sony's first G-Master, or GM, lenses, boasting the company's best optical quality to date. The FE 85mm f1.4 GM delivers a clear step-up over Sony's budget FE 85mm f1.8 lens, as you'd hope for the additional price and weight: With its f1.4 focal ratio it collects 2/3 of a stop more light while being sharper across the frame and offering better Bokeh. Optically its only weaknesses are noticeable longitudinal color aberrations and a low resistance against flare, glare and ghosting. Compared to other f1.4 lenses it is relatively small and light and offers the additional features of a de-clickable aperture ring, a lockable lens hood and a focus lock button. This together with its thorough weather sealing supports Sony's high end claim of the G Master series. Unfortunately that makes the FE 85mm f1.4 GM three times as expensive as the Sony 85mm f1.8. But all in all the Sony FE 85mm f1.4 GM earns a Highly Recommended!