Sony has just announced the second generation of its wide-aperture 85mm prime lens, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II. It took eight years of development from the first generation, which was released in 2016. Where have those eight years shown up when looking at the specs of the lens?
When you first hold the lens in your hand, the first thing you’ll notice is the slimming and weight reduction. Although the length is the same as the first generation at 107.3 mm (4-1/4 inches), the lens has shrunk almost 5 millimeters to 84.7 mm (3-3/8 inches) at the “waist”. This represents a 13% reduction in overall lens volume. The weight of the lens has been reduced by 20% to 642g or 22.7 oz.
This reduction is even more impressive when you consider that the optical design of the lens has grown from 11 to 14. We will certainly test how the new optical design has affected the performance of the lens in a future review. Until then, I can only rely on the provided MTF charts, suggesting a visible improvement in resolution, contrast and probably bokeh as well.
Another significant change, according to Sony, is the autofocus speed. A pair of XD linear motors should result in up to three times speed increase for still images compared to the previous model. Sony also claims that “subject tracking performance has improved by as much as seven times.” Although autofocus speed is not as hot a parameter for portrait lenses as it is for sports or wildlife, faster is always better.
Among other tweaks, the 85mm f/1.4 GM II has received an improved Nano AR Coating II. In addition, the surface of the front element now has a fluorine coating for easier cleaning. On the video side, Sony has improved the focus breathing and linear response of the focus ring during manual focus. In terms of ergonomics, Sony has added a programmable button and an iris lock switch to prevent accidental aperture changes.
Here are the specifications of this lens:
- Mount Type: Sony E Mount
- Focal Length: 85mm prime
- Angle of View (DX): 19°
- Angle of View (FX): 29°
- Maximum Aperture: f/1.4
- Minimum Aperture: f/16
- Aperture Blades: 11, rounded
- Filter Size: 77mm
- Lens Elements: 14
- Lens Groups: 11
- Special Elements: 2 XA (extreme aspherical), 2 ED (extra-low dispersion) elements
- Nano AR Coating II: Yes
- Fluorine Coated Front Element: Yes
- Electronic Diaphragm: Yes
- Vibration Reduction: No
- Internal Focusing: Yes
- Control Rings: No
- Function Buttons: Two
- Switches: Three – AF-MF, Iris Lock, Click ON-OFF
- Focus Motor: Two XD (extreme dynamic) linear motor
- Minimum Focus Distance: 0.85 m/2.79 ft (AF), 0.8 m/2.63 ft (MF)
- Maximum Magnification: 0.11(AF), 0.12(MF)
- Mount Material: Metal
- Weather/Dust Sealing: Yes
- Dimensions (Length × Diameter): 84.7 × 107.3 mm (3-3/8 x 4-1/4 in.)
- Weight: 642 g (22.7 oz.)
- MSRP: $1,798
- Lowest Sale Seen: $1,798 (Pre-order here)
When you sum up all these changes, it’s a pretty good chunk of innovation. The good news is that all this slimming, weight reduction, and (supposed) improvement in optical performance and ergonomics hasn’t come at a higher price. It remains the same as the first generation, which is $1,798. Hopefully, the first generation will get a price reduction in order to remain competitive, which may be a deciding factor for many photographers.
