The new Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II “portrait” prime lens boasts cutting-edge technology and design improvements that aim to deliver unparalleled image quality and performance.
The lens’s bokeh quality is equally noteworthy thanks to its 11 rounded aperture blades, helping it to produce smooth, soft background blur with lovely rounded highlights.
The lens also exhibits excellent micro contrast at wide apertures, helping it to surpass other 85mm options and chromatic aberrations are well-controlled, with minimal fringing visible in high-contrast situations.
Weighing in at just 642 grams, it’s 20% lighter than the original, making it more portable and comfortable for extended shooting sessions. And despite the reduction in weight, build quality remains impressive, featuring dust and moisture resistance, helping to ensure its durability in various climate conditions.
The lens also features a hybrid Auto/Manual aperture ring, allowing users to control aperture settings directly on the lens or through the camera.
For videographers, there is a de-clickable aperture switch, enabling smooth aperture adjustments during filming.
The focus ring, features a ribbed texture, offering precise control and realistic damping, which Sony says mimics more traditional manual focus lenses.
With impressive autofocus capabilities, thanks to its dual XD linear motors, the new lens is three times faster than its predecessor, delivering swift and nearly silent focusing.
It also excels in low-light situations, locking onto subjects quickly and accurately and supports continuous focus adjustment at high speeds, keeping up with cameras like the Sony A9 III at 120fps for both stills and 4K video recording.
Sony says that the lens’s tracking ability has also improved significantly, claiming a sevenfold increase in accuracy for moving subjects, particularly noticeable when using Eye Detection AF for portraits, where the lens demonstrates exceptional precision.
Finally, the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II offers a blend of cutting-edge technology and thoughtful design improvements. It is capable of producing exceptional sharpness and beautiful bokeh, and thanks to its advanced autofocus capabilities it is a standout choice for photographers and/or videographers looking to elevate their images.
