Hands On: Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II - the new standard for perfect portraits?
85mm fixed focal lengths with f/1.4 aperture for Sony FE mount. There are already a few of them. And now there is another one, but not just any one, but one that is set to set new standards: The new 85mm f/1.4 GM II. Find out what this Lens can do and, above all, how it compares to its predecessor in this blog post with video.
Size and weight
Even if you hold the 85mm GM of the first and second generation directly next to each other, you will notice that Sony has saved a lot in terms of size and, above all, weight.
At 642g, this Lens is a good deal lighter than its predecessor and, although its length has been reduced only minimally, its diameter (with the same size filter thread) has decreased significantly, so that it now fits much better in the hand.
Another new addition is an additional assignable focus hold button, so that one of the two can now always be reached in both landscape and portrait format.
Also on board is the manual aperture ring, which has proven its worth with GM Lens, and which can of course be declicked and thus adjusted continuously.
Sony SEL 85mm f/1.4 GM II Sony FE-Mount
- Sony SEL 85mm f/1.4 GM II
- Full-frame lens with fixed focal length
- outstanding GMaster image quality
- great bokeh
- fast, quiet autofocus
- lightweight design
- perfect for portrait and wedding photographers
- Aperture ring with switchable click-stop function
- Dust and moisture resistant
Sharpness and image quality
But now let's move away from the exterior to the inner values: One point that immediately struck us about the new Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II is the sharpness that the Lens delivers - right into the edges of the image; even at f/1.4, of course.
And the transition from the center of the image to the blur is also pleasantly soft, which is really brilliant, especially for portraits.
If you compare this with its predecessor, you can see a really clear difference. The images from the new 85mm GM II are not only significantly sharper, but also more contrasty.
Admittedly, this is particularly noticeable if, like us here, you compare both lenses directly with each other and get very close, but: the GM II was of course also developed precisely for applications such as professional fashion or beauty shots, where the best possible image quality is required.
Bokeh
Another extremely important aspect of a portrait Lens is, of course, the bokeh. And of course Sony has also made significant improvements here compared to its predecessor: the total of 11 aperture blades of the new 85mm f/1.4 GM II conjure up a buttery-soft bokeh - and largely without the unattractive color fringing that the GM I had to contend with from time to time. Fortunately, we were also unable to discover any onion rings during our short test.
Bokeh comparison Sony 85mm f 1.4 GM I and IIChromatic aberrations, flares and ghosting
One point of criticism of the 85mm f/1.4 GM I was the chromatic aberrations. Fortunately, Sony has now got these under control with the help of two new ED glass elements. And flares and ghosting are also absolutely rare thanks to the latest AR coating - so rare that we were unable to detect them during our brief test.
Autofocus
In terms of autofocus, the new GM II is also clearly noticeable in comparison to its predecessor: thanks to the new XD Linear Motor, it now leaves nothing to be desired, is super precise, quiet and above all: fast! Compared to the GM, it is even up to 3x faster.
This is easily enough to keep up with the high speed of an A9 III. This is extremely helpful, especially at events or for sports photography. And - particularly important for videographers: Sony has also been able to significantly reduce focus breathing with this Lens.
Conclusion:
Especially compared to its predecessor, Sony's new 85mm f/1.4 GM II is one thing above all: better. And that in almost all areas. It is more compact, lighter and sharper, has a beautiful, soft bokeh, smooth transitions and with significantly fewer image errors and a fast, quiet and reliable autofocus.
Of course, these improvements come at a price - as you might have guessed. As with other GM lenses, the new 85mm f/1.4 is clearly aimed at professionals who really need the highest possible image quality and therefore need extremely powerful and fast cameras as well as lenses that can keep up.
If you don't have quite so much budget to spare and above all don't necessarily need the highest image quality down to the last pixel, you will find good alternatives on the market; e.g. the Sigma 85mm f 1.4 DG DN Art.
