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amazon Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM reviews
It is clear that the Sony FE 85mm F/1.4 GM too is one of the three offspring from this self-developed first in the market high-end G Master series like the Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM. Indeed, like any other lenses from Sony, the Sony FE 85mm F / 1.4 GM has a very sturdy design to ensure water and dust resistance.
In the announcement of Sony, they mentioned that their major objectives were not only resolution but also quality bokeh. Hence, this 85mm F1.4 is fitted with as many as 11 octaves, the highest number of leaves ever achieved on an Alpha lens.
Experience the Sony FE 85mm F / 1.4 GM
The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 will definitely yield smooth and delightful bokeh owing to its 11-way gearbox. Great of a lens for an individual interested in polished portraiture. Sony B1.4 is covered by its external Nano AR coating for reduced internal reflection of light and mapping with backlit subjects or similar lighting conditions.
The outside design of the lens is the same simple-as-the-existing lens. It looks very compact but it looks like its weight is not as good as it looks. As it’s made up of metal with layers of glass inside, it is quite heavy. You feel like you’re working with a huge piece of glass when you grab it. This is also a defect in the Sony 85 1.4 GM, particularly for the user who needs some physical strength involved.
The Sony 85 f1.4GM can be used in making smooth and quiet video recordings while changing the aperture shutter on the lens, which allows the user freely spins without worrying about noise. The metal rings and rings made of metal have been substituted by rubber in turn and plastic. Some users have said their dislike of this change, as it does not portray any professionalism that found such a lens captures.
Here, if you have just moved onto a Sony lens, you will positively see that the new lens is every bit off the Carl Zeiss logo, but instead, the new G Master logo goes pretty sharp into differentiating it from the other Sony lens line products. Which indicates that very likely, users shall never be led along a line, but that of Sony G lenses similar to that of Canon users having their Canon L series sometime in the future.
Advantages of the Sony FE 85mm F / 1.4 GM
Sony’s G Master lenses are equipped with a completely new technology that simply acquires a new height in today’s lens technologies. The lens Sony FE 85mm F / 1.4 GM is a composition of the extremely aspherical (XA) and 3 ED (Extra-low-Dispersion) lenses to ensure that focus area is taken at High resolution while outside of the subject bokeh effects are harmony into a beautiful soft wallpaper.
Autofocus system
Additionally, it features the SSM motorized system which supplies very quick and powerful power available for focusing from large lens to heavy bulky focus system. The focus system that is very heavy or that comprises large lenses is provided with two sensors for good control of the system.
Image quality
Testing with the Sony A7R Mark II, it has proved that having that focus quite fast and accurate is an advantage for the 85mm f1.4 lens from Sony. This owes a lot to the new SSM motor system within. When tested on the other Sony A7 models during less light conditions, the Sony 85mm lens of 1.4 still proves its capability in autofocus.
where can you get a Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM online
Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM Lens: Buy it now
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Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM Lens, Filter, and Card Bundle – Includes Lens, 77mm UV, Polarizer, FLD Deluxe Filter Kit, 32GB SDHC Memory Card, Lens Cap Keeper, and LCD/Lens Cleaning Pen and Microfiber Cloth: Buy it now
Sharp Optical Performance
Sharpness
True to G Master aesthetics, the 85mm F1.4 GM is excellent: yes, sharp wide open at f/1.4. Not surprisingly, it is blessed also in strong sharpness at f/2.8 and f/4, but edge-to-edge clarity of sharpness is remarkable in a lens of this type. It is found steady over the aperture range, which, therefore features the best for high-resolution sensors where capture detail is very critical.
Bokeh
The Bokeh Bokeh of the FE 85mm F1.4 GM features is one of the best. The nine-blade circular diaphragm produces that kind of bokeh quality that is creamy and smooth in blending, making it an excellent candidate for subject isolation from a background. I love the way the sharp and out-of-focus areas blend seamlessly; that’s exactly what portraiture requires since background blur is one of the more critical variables affecting the composition at completion.
Chromatic Aberration and Distortion
This doesn’t do a bad job of controlling chromatic aberration on a fast aperture prime. Longitudinal chromatic aberration (LoCA), which we perceive as a color fringe in the out-of-focus areas, is just very slight, and if needed, can be corrected very easily in post. Then there’s the very small lateral chromatic aberration (LaCA), not entirely absent, showing up at the edges of the frame.
This virtually absence of distortion is a hallmark of a good portrait lens and prevents the need for corrective post-processing, all the more preserving natural proportions.
Vignetting and Flare
To be expected with a fast prime lens, it has some degree of vignetting at f/1.4, but this goes with the territory. Sometimes, that gives a certain look to a photo, turning the viewer’s attention toward the center. Stop down to f/2 or smaller and the vignetting practically disappears.
Thanks to the Nano AR coatings from Sony, flare and ghosting can be reduced, retaining contrast even when the subject is shot against shallow bright light. Thus, it makes the lens quite capable of taking difficult lighting situations, like backlit portraits, with minimum quality sacrifices.
Autofocus Performance Speed and Accuracy
With the help of direct drive SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor), now on the latest Sony lens, the FE 85mm F1.4 GM has very fast, accurate, and silent autofocus, perfect for shooting both stills and video works because it will be also quite annoying during still-life shooting when the elements are whirring of the focusing motor. Very quick focusing between two moving subjects most easily produces results in nearly any situation, including weddings and events.
Eye AF
Most importantly Eye AF means the smaller mirrorless cameras from Sony can make special lens models like the FE 85mm F1.4 GM for users who want to use that feature. Eye AF with this lens also functions at its very best, locking onto the subject’s eye and tracking it with high precision, what a truly fantastic invention for portrait photographers: ensuring fine sharpening of eyes that matter so much in portrait photography.
Practical Application Versatility
Portrait
The intended use for the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM is as a portrait lens, and this is where it truly excels. An 85 mm focal distance makes for ultra-flattering portraiture while being very close to the natural perspective and distortion seen with a wider lens. It allows for gorgeous background blur because of the wide f/1.4 aperture, which causes the object in focus to be sharply defined against a beautifully diffused background.
Low Light Performance
Because of its wide f/1.4 aperture, this lens performs well in low-light conditions. It sucks up a lot of light for lower ISO settings and higher speed shutter releases in badly lit areas. Thus it is very good for indoor events, evening shots, and everything else where lighting is not ideal.
Other Uses
This is a lens for the portrait specialist but offers some potential in other genres as well. The street capture will be able to catch spontaneous moments in detail, together with the subject definition. The sharpness and bokeh in this lens also provide good performance for product photography as it often requires isolation from the background.
Comparison with Opposition
Sony FE 85mm F1.8
Sony has the cheaper 85mm f/1.8 lens for those who think a lot of money cannot be spent on glass. The standard drawback of f/1.8 is that it might provide a frivolous lightness and relative savings; picture quality, build quality, and bokeh do not compare to those of the f/1.4 GM. If it is brought to professional work or for amateurs desiring the very best image quality, then that extra cost on G Master is justifiable.
Sigma 85mm F1.4 DG HSM Art
Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art is also a very popular choice among portrait lens photographers. It delivers very good sharpness and bokeh; quite often, you get it for a lower value than that of the Sony GM. However, the fact that it is designed for Sony E-mount cameras secures the advantage of the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM in compatibility and superior autofocus performance. Build quality and weather sealing also make the Sony lens much more reliable for professional use.
Value for Money
As far as real expense goes, the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM is undoubtedly going to leave a hole in the purse. It is also one of those investments well-food on consideration of performance, build quality, versatility, and much more. It makes sense to professional photographers because the lens consistently produces brilliant results. For anyone else, it is more of budget versus what is needed type of scenario, but for those who can afford it, this will prove to be a valuable addition to their kit.
Conclusion
The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM lens is a wonderful piece of engineering that lives up to the expectations of the G Master label. It is incredibly sharp, produces fantastic bokeh, and can perform reliably in a range of shooting conditions. The build quality and weather sealing are intended to withstand the rigors of professional use, and its autofocus is fast and precise, particularly with the Eye AF technology of Sony.
An expensive investment, but for someone who wants the best in optics and build quality, it is worth every rupee. For a pro portrait photographer, a wedding photographer, or an enthusiast looking for an ultimate portrait lens, this is an excellent investment. The Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM will not disappoint.