Sony FE 85mm F1.8 E-mount lens review by QuietOC
 QuietOC#44491 date: Apr-3-2020 | |
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| sharpness: 4 color: 4 build: 4 distortion: 4 flare control: 4 overall: 4 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Lensbaby Twist 60 F2.5 Sigma 65 F2 DG DN C Sigma EX 70 F2.8 DG Macro Samyang AF 75 F1.8 Kipon Iberit 75 F2.4 Samyang AF 85 F1.4 FE Tamron SP 85 F1.8 USD Canon EF 85 F1.8 USM Minolta MD 85 F2 Minolta Varisoft 85 F2.8 Sony 85 F2.8 SAM Tamron SP 90 F2.5 Macro Sony FE 90 F2.8 Macro G OSS Sigma 90 F2.8 DG DN C Canon EF 100 F2 USM Minolta AF 100 F2 Minolta MC 100 F2.5 Minolta AF 100 F2.8 Soft Focus Minolta AF 100 F2.8 Macro D Minolta AF 100 F2.8 Macro RS Sony FE 100 F2.8 STF GM OSS |
| price paid: | 398 USD (used) |
| positive: | Quiet linear motor 120 FPS tracking Linear response MF Hood included Lens Compensations "Dust- and moisture-resistant" |
| negative: | Axial CA/purple fringing Very wide for an "85" Variation Unreliable AF Focus breathing Outdated aperture mechanism Lack of distance scale Metal surfaces Plastic filter threads |
| comment: | After lugging the Tamron SP 85mm F1.8 around last week I decided to make an offer for this lens. This was the most I've even spent on a single lens so far. It came out the same year as the Tamron USD and the list price was $150 cheaper than that lens--suggesting a lower end lens. Canon has discounted their EF 85mm F1.8 USM to less than half the price of this Sony. The first copy was "Made in Vietnam" were Tamron has a lens factory. The second copy is "Made in CHINA". As of 11/2023 this is the most up-to-date "85" lens in the Alpha system. It is the only one that supports 120 FPS on the A9III and 30 FPS on the A1. However the aperture mechanism doesn't support Silent Priority Aperture Drive in AF which also means the aperture will be locked in bursts at 60 FPS or higher. This lens continues the styling of the early FE lenses like the 1.8/55 Sonnar instead of matching more recent G and GM lenses. The anodized black finish looks nice when new. The alloy focus grip holds contaminates and the finish on the narrow ridges is easily marred. The front mechanical mounting surfaces which are likely to wear and break are plastic. There is an anachronostic MF override switch like the cheapest SLR lenses and a focus hold button like 1988 Minolta lenses. Thankfully there is no electronic aperture control. I purchased a second used copy after being disappointed with the AF-C performance of the Samyang on older firmware on the A7RIV. This copy has some issue with the upper left corner but seems slightly better aligned than the previous copy. It supports the fastest tracking of the stacked sensor cameras while the older FE 1.4/85GM is limited to 20 FPS and the third-party alternatives are limited to 15 FPS. Unfortunately, I have had AF issues using this lens on every camera I've used it on. In AF-S the A7III occasionally would confirm focus and not move when given an out-of-focus scene. It spends a good deal of time hunting in AF-S. It is quicker in AF-C but still often inaccurate. It did work better in AF-S on the A7RII. Adapted 85mm F1.8's focus much quicker in AF-S. The Samyang AF 85mm F1.4 hunts less in AF-S, though it is on its fifth firmware. There have been no firmware updates for the Sony lens. While it is pretty sharp wide-open there is a high amount axial fringing--similar to the old Canon 85mm F1.8 USM. The Background rendering stands out when compared with other 85mm primes. Some of this can be attributed to a shorter actual focal length. This is by far the widest "85" lens I have used. DXOMark reports the focal length to be 82.1 to 81.4 mm. Matching at preset infinity focus the 4/24-105 G OSS reports 78 mm and the 4/70-200 G OSS reports 76 mm. It does have more focal length than the Samyang AF 75mm F1.8 FE. It matches the Sigma 90i at about 1.5 meter focus distance and is a bit longer at MFD. This lens has some poor optical tradeoffs and is fairly unusable for action on a non-stacked sensor. |
rating summary
- total reviews: 15
- sharpness: 4.90
- color: 4.93
- build: 4.53
- distortion: 4.80
- flare control: 4.67
- overall: 4.77