Published: August 28, 2024

The lens many of you have been asking for has finally arrived. Sony’s second-generation fast aperture portrait prime FE 85mm F1.4 GM II ($1,799 from B&H Photo | Amazon | Sony) features major improvements in sharpness and focus speed.

My friends at Sony loaned me a pre-release FE 85mm F1.4 GM II lens for a week ahead of this announcement – just in time for a vacation trip to Peru. Sony’s AF technology has grown in leaps since the release of Sony’s original FE 85mm F1.4 GM was released in 2016. The new lens addresses my only compliant about the first generation lens – focus speed was limited by technology of that era. While the original FE 85mm GM is optically excellent, it relied on traditional SSM stepping motors of the era like those still used in competing third-party lenses.

Does the updated version II address focus speed? You betcha! There’s a lot to love about the new FE 85mm F1.4 GM II lens – but ts blazing fast and silent autofocus is reason alone to upgrade. The updated FE 85mm F1.4 GM II features two Sony XD linear AF motors providing virtually instantaneous autofocus and it’s the ONLY 85mm lens on the planet capable of focus tracking at up to 120 FPS. The camera locks on the subject’s eye and never lets go. Focus is dead-on frame after frame after frame.

For purposes of this review, RAW images were processed in Lightroom – no lens profile applied as there is no profile available at this time – but you can expect to see a lens profile added in the next round Adobe updates to Lightroom and Camera Raw.

Lens Controls:

Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II features two programable Focus Hold Buttons, an aperture ring, Iris Lock, Click/Declick and AF/MF switches

Size Comparisons:

Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II is roughly the size of the FE 50mm F1.2 GM lens – slightly shorter without a hood and slightly longer with the hood attached.

Lens Design:

Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II features 14 Elements in 11 Groups including two XA elements and two extra-low dispersion elements.

MTF-Charts:

MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) describes how well a lens can reproduce fine details, measured as the degree of contrast achieved between finely spaced lines.

XD Linnear Autofocus:

Autofocus is controlled by an XD (extreme dynamic) linear motor that contributes to greatly improved focusing performance, compared to the DDSSM system of the predecessor, including faster, quieter, and more precise AF that’s ideal for both video and stills.

What’s in the Box:

Specs:

Focal Length: 85mm
Maximum Aperture: f/1.4
Minimum Aperture: f/16
Lens Mount: Sony E
Lens Format Coverage: Full-Frame
Angle of View: 29°
Minimum Focus Distance: 31.5″ / 80 cm
Maximum Magnification: 0.11x
Optical Design: 14 Elements in 11 Groups
Diaphragm Blades: 11, Rounded
Focus Type: Autofocus
Image Stabilization: No
Filter Size: 77 mm (Front)
Dimensions (ø x L): 3.3 x 4.2″ / 84.7 x 107.3 mm
Weight: 22.6 oz / 642 g

Order Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II from B&H Photo | Amazon | Sony

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