Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 Lens
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super fast and quiet focusing
I LOVE this 85mm just for three minutes of test shot. It is super quiet and fast focus lens, sharp and bright. If you are doing action/sports photographing, this is a must have in your bag. It's light and small with low light capability, plus it is relatively cheap comparing to others, for under $600, I have no complaint. I also own 55/1.8 and 35/1.8, SONY is so successful in making this trio f1.8 primes. The right kind of price, size and perfor... Show More
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great Lens!
I use this Full Frame lens exclusively for video on an FS7 which has a Super-35 sized sensor thus yielding the equivalent of about a 125mm lens. ( I say about because Ive researched that the actual crop factor is 1.39 and not 1.5) Fantastic images. Lovely Bokeh. Because only the center of the image circle is being used in this way, one doesnt have to worry about vignetting or edge-to-edge sharpness, so I had no need to pay more than double for the G-Master version. With a native ISO of 2000, I really dont miss the 1/3 of a stop more the G-Master provides. Highly recommended and sharp!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
As a working artist this is the prime portrait lens to buy.
My wife and I are artists and we photograph landscapes and people for translation to paintings and to display as large images on canvas and other media. This lens is excellent. After purchase from B+H I gave it a basic sharpness test by photographing a newspaper taped to the wall. Not the best way to test, but adequate. The results from this lens compare well to the Ziess 55mm f1.8 Sonnar, so I'm happy. The lens fits my A7R perfectly in weight and balance. It's a really nice combination for sharp, unobtrusive shots. The bouquet and color rendition are great. It's currently my favorite.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great value
I give this 5 stars when considering what I get for what I paid. I have a Sony A7r2 and am used to the Sony 24-70/2.8 FE GM. This lens has a beautiful bokeh that really makes headshots/portraits beautiful as an image. The auto-focus is not as fast or accurate as with my other lens, it is silent but tends to search a little now and then. I'd guess 8/10 shots it works find and as hoped. 2/10 shots need a tiny bit more time to get itright, and that's ok for my usage. And this lens is VERY SHARP. I love its clarity. Oh, and it is lightweight. Thank you!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
No Brainer
For me, this lens is a 'no brainer' or 'must have' lens for Sony FE system: 1) sharp even fully open 2) contrasty, with pleasing rendering 3) subjects stand out while bokeh (out of focus blur) is pleasing 4) relatively compact and light and affordable (compared to 85mm F 1.4 GM lens and zooms) 5) AF is quick and reliable 6) seems well built 7) relatively free of CA, Distortion, lens flare and vignetting I have been very pleased with image quality and do not have any complaints. If you need this focal length, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Sony, Create More Like This!
At around $550, at this quality of sharpness and focus ability, I grabbed this after getting a great deal from a friend on his used A7rii. A really nice match, with great bokeh, sharpness edge-to-edge wide open and a nice wide aperture. Now, if they can build some other primes with this great quality at the same price point (yes, I know there's the 50mm f/1.8) I'll be able to round out my lens collection without breaking the bank. Great work and a no-brainer for anyone with a Sony FF mirorless (or even APS-C, for that matter...)
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Unquestionable build and image quality
Everybody knows this lens is awesome for portraits, has an incredible bokeh and etc. But I'll talk about the build quality. Two months ago I was photographing a building when accidentaly dropped mine. I was standing, so it was more than 1m from the floor. It was a concrete sidewalk. Dropping it broke my heart but, despite a few scratches, the lens continues to be perfect. No serious damage done, just minor cosmetics, even after bouncing a couple of times. It's been almost a year since I bought mine and I'm still in love with it.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
A sharp, lightweight prime: awesome
Perfect complement to an A7riii, making a great allaround pairing. Add a 35mm (not gonna get into choices here), plus either a 135mm on the long end or 18mm on the short end, and you will have a 2- or 3-prime combo that makes for an interesting argument / alternative to carrying zooms. No I.S., but sonys camera stabilization helps. (UV filter was essentially free, so wont comment on quality compared to other solutions....) Would add 1star if it was a little more rugged/weather sealed at same price....
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Works Fine But Needs Fine Tuning
I tried to use this lens right out of the box. The properties of the lens work exactly like they are supposed to and is just fine, straight out of the box if you use manual focus techniques. However, the copy I got missed focus when I used AF right out of the box. I have to calibrate it to work with my older camera. It did not miss focus enough that it affected images when they are viewed on a computer screen, but the focus was rather soft when I enlarged the image to 100% in my editing program.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great Autofocus
I absolutely love this lens. I've only been able to shoot with it once (as I got it yesterday) but the results I have gotten with it far exceeded my expectations. Eyes are so sharp with this and I can see every detail. The weight is beautifully balanced with my a7sii body. The manual focus ring is stiffer than I imagined but it makes it incredibly easy to find the perfect focal plane when shooting wide open. I've never written a review before but this lens is so good I had to do it.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Portrait Machine!
The Sony FE 85mm F1.8 has been a great lens to shoot with on my new A7iii. I was previously a Canon shooter, and I am not sorry I made the switch to Sony Mirrorless. The 85mm in conjunction with the A7iii resolve an astounding amount of detail when zoomed in on the preview screen. I am sure that I would be even more amazed if it was G Master glass, however this F1.8 is a great choice in itself. I would recommend it to anyone in need of an 85mm for their Sony body.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Very sharp
Its sharp, focuses well on my A7iii. F2 seems to be pretty good, 2.8 very sharp all the way out to F8 or so.Like the focus button on side, but feels a little weird using it on such a small lens. Might re-program to be eye detect. Great bokeh during the day, but night shots have proven to be bummer In out of focus areas, Bokeh balls turn into cat eyes. Very irregularly shaped, would have taken onion syndrome over this. But for the price, it might be worth it.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
A quality piece of glass
I am a landscape and travel photographer more so than a traditional portrait photographer. With that being said, this lens has been nothing short of terrific. The image quality and durability of this lens makes the purchase worth it alone. Not to mention the excellent bokeh and lightning quick auto focus (paired with my A7iii). This lens is tac sharp, and in my opinion, worth every penny. Also, B&H customer service and shipping gets two thumbs up!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
best bang for the buck!
i own the 35mm 1.4 Zeiss/Sony lens and this lens seems to be sharper, and that is saying a lot because the 35mm lens is known for its sharpness...and it's $1000 more. used it for a wedding (on the A7III on continuous focus) to shoot about 10 groups of people walking up the isle and it missed the focus 1 time. i've been a Nikon shooter for years and still love my gear but it has limitations and the Sony system is really filling those gaps nicely
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Won't Lock Focus
On Sony A7rII, the lens refuses to lock focus at f10 to F22 even in bright sunlight. It just vibrates in and out of focus two or three times a second. It sometimes does this at wider f-stops, too. It is unusable. I can't comment on its image quality because it is impossible to use. The only good thing I can say is that it has a nice quality feel to it. Obviously, it will be returned. Not sure if I will try another one or buy a different 85mm.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
portrait master
Want a great lens for portraits? This is the one. It has fabulous depth of field at 1.8 and is sharp and fast focusing. If you were used to the larger DSLR lenses, this one will make you smile at the smaller size and lighter weight (and smaller expense). On my full frame A7III and using a super35 setting, you will feel like you have a 135 mounted instead of an 85, available with the click of a button. Buy it, you won't be disappointed.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Outstanding value
I was using the 85mm A mount with the la-ea3 and while it was performing well it was just not as sharp as I wanted for a portrait session I had coming up. So I ordered the Sony FE 85mm 1.8 and I am so happy I did. The lens is well balanced on my A7ii and the optical performance is very good! Sharpness was great and bokah was very good. While there may be other lenses that may score higher, for the money this lens is hard to beat.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Sharp lens with minor autofocus issues
Takes sharp photos on my a7ii with great detail. Autofocus is quite quick, when it works. The first copy of the lens I got had a terrible autofocus issue where it would get stuck at a certain point. After RMA-ing that copy and getting a new one, the autofocus works the majority of the time, but I have had it freeze on my once or twice already in the past couple of weeks. Hopefully this is an issue fixable via firmware update.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
The best lens Ive ever owned
After watching extensive reviews where this lens was compared with others, including the Zeiss Batis 85 1.8, you cant get a better 85mm for Sony without paying significantly more for a minor boost in quality. Ive had no problems with autofocus and manual focus is buttery smooth as well. I programmed the button on the lens to activate eye auto focus, which is really handy as well. I just cant say enough good things.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
This is a really awesome lens!
I saw the reviews and comments about this lens everywhere saying it was an amazing bang for the buck, and boy were they right. This is an absolutely sharp lens, and produces astonishing images. My wife pulled it out of the box and her first impression was: "WOW is this lens light". It is a small and well balanced lens for my sony? camera, focuses instantly and it is good for video too. What else could you ask for?
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Absolutely stunning lens for the money
I am baffled at how good this lens is for the money. Eyelashes are tack sharp wide open. Hard edges look like razorblades, yet the bokeh is very pleasing. Coming from Fuji I thought I would miss the 56mm f/1.2, but I don't thanks to this lens. I have spent much more money on lenses that didn't perform nearly as well as this one. It would be great even at a higher price, but in this price range it's a no-brainer.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Good Performer, Nice And Practical And A Great Value
It's nice to see a budget fast prime so useable all the way from wide open. One can certainly go further down the rabbit hole with speed and BOKEH smoothness, but the financial and practical (i.e. size and weight) penalties are considerable. I got this even though I already have the 90mm macro. The macro is great for what it does, but for travel and/or low light, the 85/1.8 was a worthwhile acquisition for me.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
First lense I add to my bag
This was a great pick up it does great job with portraits and candid shots. I am a new photographers and I use this lense for my photoshoots and headshots. I was on the fence because I normally rent the g master lenses for gigs but this was a great value buy. I recommend this for anyone looking to add to there bag of tricks. Focusing is fast the build is solid and its light to carry for on the go shooting.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Loving this lens.
After swearing off of interchangeable lens cameras for the past decade, I decided I wanted to be a big boy and try it once more. So to go with my new Sony a7 iii, I bought this lens. I wanted a good portrait lens with a decent f stop. I have been very pleased. I've shot several casual portraits with it including this one of our dog, Colin. I'm enjoying being able to use available light with the f 1.8.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
