Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM review by Opticallimits: “an excellent example of what a lens should look like in this class”

Opticallimits tested the Sony 85mm GM and this is their verdict:

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 85mm GM at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, BestBuy. Amazon Germany. Calumetphoto.de. WexUK. Jessops.