In summary
Almost nine years of technological developments have created a fast 85mm prime lens that is smaller, lighter and boasts better handling and performance than its predecessor. While larger and heavier than the FE 35mm f/1.4 GM and the FE 24mm f/1.4 GM lenses, it shares many of their key features and is designed to match the full autofocus speed and precision of the latest α-series bodies.
The updated AF system and improved technologies in the new lens provide good reasons for portrait photographers to consider upgrading to the new version.
Full review
Announced in late August 2024, the second-generation model in Sony’s GM-series portrait lenses replaces a classic FE 85mm f/1.4 GM lens that was introduced in 2016, which we reviewed in April 2016. Also released at the same time were the original 24-70mm f/2.8 GM lens and 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens, which have since been updated. The new lens is smaller and lighter than its predecessor and boasts improvements to its optical design and faster, more accurate autofocusing. It is also capable of capitalising on the advanced features in Sony’s latest camera bodies, including the Alpha 1 II, which we used for our tests and is reviewed separately.
Angled view of the FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II lens. (Source: Sony.)
The optical design of this lens consists of 14 elements in 11 groups. Among them are two XA (extreme aspherical) elements that effectively correct field curvature, astigmatism, coma and other spherical aberrations and two ED (extra-low dispersion) glass elements that minimise chromatic aberration. Their positions are shown in the diagram below.
This diagram shows the positions of the exotic elements in the design of the FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II lens. (Source: Sony.)
Eleven iris diaphragm blades produce a circular aperture, which delivers 22-point sunstars and contributes to beautiful bokeh. Sony’s proprietary Nano AR Coating II has been applied to suppress ghosting and flare and ensure accurate contrast and colour reproduction in challenging lighting.
In addition, the front lens element has a fluorine coating that repels dust, water, oil and other contaminants and makes the lens easy to keep free of fingerprints. Weather resistant sealing provides extra reliability for outdoor use in challenging conditions.
Autofocusing is driven by two of Sony’s high-thrust XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors which are controlled by a revised algorithm to provide smooth, responsive focusing. Sony claims this lens will focus up to 3x faster than the original lens it replaces, which used a DDSSM (Direct Drive Super Sonic Wave Motor) system.
Tracking AF has also been improved through subject recognition, making it up to 7x more effective than that in the previous lens. The AF system is also fast enough to support shooting with focus tracking at up to 120 fps when used with the Sony a9 III.
The lens is supplied with the ALC-F77S front cap, ALC-R1EM rear cap, ALC-SH180 lens hood and a soft carrying case.
Who’s it For?
Almost nine years of technological developments have created a fast 85mm prime lens that is smaller, lighter and boasts better handling and performance than its predecessor. While larger and heavier than the FE 35mm f/1.4 GM and the FE 24mm f/1.4 GM lenses, it shares many of their key features and is designed to match the full autofocus speed and precision of the latest α-series bodies.
While it’s ideal for most kinds of portraiture and will suit both stills photographers and videographers, like the original FE 85mm f/1.4 GM lens, its minimum focusing distance of 80 cm makes it largely useless for close-up work, unless the subjects are moderately large (or the lens is used on a camera with a 23.5 x 15.6 mm sensor, where the effective focal length becomes equivalent to 127.5mm). It’s also a bit too big and heavy to be suitable for use as the only lens for travellers.
The updated AF system and improved technologies in the new lens provide good reasons for portrait photographers to consider upgrading to the new version. At current street prices between AU$2199 and $2399, it could be seen as a worthwhile investment for those who require such a fast lens and have cameras capable of utilising it.
Build and Ergonomics
Like all of Sony’s GM lenses, the FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II is solidly constructed, even though much of it is made from industrial-quality plastic. It’s attached to a robust base with a very solid, chromed metal mounting plate.
The front element of the lens is approximately 55mm in diameter and surrounded by an 8 mm deep, ribbed ring that slopes to join the threading for attaching the 77 mm diameter filters. A bayonet mount for the supplied ALC-SH180 cylindrical lens hood surrounds the outer rim.
The focusing ring begins roughly 11 mm back from the front rim of the lens. It’s approximately 22 mm wide, with most of its surface clad in fine rubber ribbing. Because focusing is driven from the camera, this ring turns through 360 degrees with power off. But even with the camera powered-up there are no hard stops to delineate the focus range.
This diagram shows the locations of the main lens controls. (Source: Sony.)
Behind the focusing ring is an 18 mm flat section of the barrel that carries the main controls. On the top and around the left side of the barrel you’ll find the two focus hold buttons, with the AF/MF slider just beyond the lower one. On the right side you’ll find the iris lock, with the click on/off slider further around.
The aperture ring is located just behind this section of the barrel. It’s roughly 15 mm wide, with its front half deeply ribbed and the rear half carrying aperture markings in one-stop increments, starting with 16 on the left-hand end and ending with 1.4 on the right. A red ‘A’ left of the 16 mark sets the lens to auto aperture control, while a narrow band behind the ring carries a white index line for selecting the selected aperture setting.
The lens barrel dips down to a flat band behind this section, which carries the name of the lens: FE 1.4/85 GM II. It then slopes gently inwards for just over 10 mm behind this band and then flattens out for a further 10 mm to meet the metal lens mount.
You can feel the narrow rubber flange around this intersection, which keeps out moisture and dust. Ten gold-plated contact points inside the lens mount carry signals between the lens and the camera.
The lens accepts 77 mm diameter screw-in filters, which are relatively common but larger than the filters used in the FE 35mm f/1.4 GM and FE 50mm f/1.4 GM lenses, which use 67 mm filters. The supplied cylindrical ALC-SH180 lens hood is a newer design with a locking button interface.
Performance
The review lens performed well in our Imatest tests, coming close to meeting expectations for the test camera’s 50-megapixel resolution with JPEG files at aperture settings between f/2 and f/5.6 around the centre of the frame. Even with the aperture wide open at f/1.4, resolution remained high across the frame, as shown in the graph of our test results from our JPEG tests below.
Not unexpectedly, ARW.RAW files, which we converted into 16-bit TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw, comfortably exceeded expectations for the camera’s sensor in the centre of the frame, with the highest figures again recorded between f/2 and f/5.6. Because Sony cameras apply corrections for the main aberrations, chromatic aberration, vignetting and distortion by default we switched them off in the camera and tried to base our test results on converted ARW.RAW files.
Unfortunately, the raw files from the α1 II contained ‘baked-in’ profiles for chromatic aberration that we were unable to disable. Consequently, our Imatest software showed both JPEGs and the TIFFs we obtained from the camera’s raw files to be relatively free of this aberration. We also found no signs of coloured fringing in test shots.
We disabled the in-camera corrections for our vignetting and rectilinear distortions tests and based our test results on converted ARW.RAW files with the automatic profile corrections applied by Adobe Camera Raw also switched off. Slight visible vignetting was visible at f/1.4, but it disappeared as the lens was stopped down, becoming difficult to see by f/1.8.
Interestingly, the review lens was almost totally free of rectilinear distortion. The relatively low levels of vignetting and distortion means it can be used for copying work, another potential application.
The review lens handled backlit subjects quite well and resisted flaring under most conditions. Sharp 22-pointed sunstars were possible at f/16 and they weren’t accompanied by flare artefacts.
The minimum focus distance of 80 cm makes this lens only suitable for close-ups of larger flora and fauna. As usual, bokeh in wide-aperture shots is influenced by the selected lens aperture as well as the background lighting.
With evenly-lit backgrounds, the f/1.4 maximum aperture produced some nice, softly-blurred backgrounds, although some of the brighter highlights had discernible edges. Stopping the lens down to f/5.6 emphasised this outlining a little, as you can see in the Samples section of this review.
Autofocusing performance with the α1 II camera was generally excellent, thanks largely to the fast linear autofocus motors. We found the lens had no issues focusing in very low light levels and no instances of hunting occurred during our tests. Subject tracking was as fast and accurate as we’ve seen from any lens we’ve tested, in part due to the improved subject detection capabilities in the α1 II camera used for our tests.
While the review lens revealed some minor focus breathing issues, on the whole we found this problem to be well controlled, aided by Sony’s Breathing Compensation automatic in-camera corrections. Focus pulls were also smooth and well damped and both focus and exposure transitions between one subject and another were equally smooth.
Conclusion
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SPECS
Picture angle: 29 degrees diagonal
Minimum aperture: f/16
Lens construction: 14 elements in 11 groups (including 2 ED elements, 2 XA elements) fluorine coating coatings
Lens mounts: Sony FE
Diaphragm Blades: 11 (circular aperture)
Weather resistance: Dust- and moisture-resistant
Focus drive: Linear motor with internal focusing
Stabilisation: No (Sony Alpha cameras include sensor-shift stabilisation)
Minimum focus: 80 cm
Maximum magnification: 0.12x
Filter size: 77 mm
Dimensions (Diameter x L): 84.7 x 107.3 mm
Weight: 642 grams
Standard Accessories: ALC-F77S front and ALC-R1EM rear caps, ALC-SH180 lens hood, soft case
Distributor: Sony Australia
TESTS
Based on JPEG files taken with the lens on the Sony α1 II camera body.
Based on ARW.RAW files recorded simultaneously and converted into 16-bit TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw.
SAMPLES
Vignetting at f/1.4.
Rectilinear distortion.
Sunstar; ISO 100, 1/100 second at f/16.
Close-up at f/1.4; ISO 100, 1/160 second.
Close-up at f/1.4; ISO 100, 1/500 second.
Close-up at f/1.4; ISO 100, 1/4000 second.
Close-up at f/2.8; ISO 100, 1/1000 second.
Close-up at f/5.6; ISO 100, 1/320 second.
ISO 160, 1/100 second at f/2.8.
ISO 320, 1/100 second at f/2.8.
ISO 100, 1/1600 second at f/2.2.
ISO 640, 1/50 second at f/8.
Crop from the edge of the frame showing sharpness.
ISO 500, 1/20 second at f/7.1.
ISO 200, 1/60 second at f/4.5.
ISO 200, 1/500 second at f/2.2
ISO 100, 1/1000 second at f/5.6.
ISO 800, 1/50 second at f/8.
ISO 100, 1/200 second at f/3.5.
Additional image samples can be found with our review of the Sony Alpha 1 II camera.
Rating
RRP: AU$2,899
- Build: 9.1
- Handling: 9.0
- Image quality: 9.0
- Autofocusing: 9.0
- Versatility: 8.8
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