Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM Lens

I am appalled by reading the first handful of reviews on this lens -- a product that I labored over pre-ordering having used and loved the Zeiss Batis 85mm. At the end of the day, I've tried every one of Sony's best lenses and found that in aggregate, my favorite images come out of the 90mm G-Macro (that is prior to owning this lens). Even when compared to the Batis, with the trademark Zeiss warmth, micro-contrast and spiraling background bokeh -- the colors, sharpness, detail and overall beauty was better on the 90mm Sony. Understanding the technology that went into this lens and the trust in Sony visual products above all else, I took a chance and I've never been happier with any camera product than with this lens.The bokeh/sharpness juxtaposition is outstanding. With minimal effort, you can get OOC images that are spectacular. Overall, easily better than the Batis. For the first three reviewers on this page, go buy the Zeiss Batis 85mm. It's built to be an autofocus lens. Literally it has fewer features than any of my owned Sony lenses and is really really easy to get great OOC portraits or other shots from. The problem -- it's focal distance is pretty far from the subject and while the autofocus is lightning quick (though IMO not meaningfully quicker than this lens, which adds to the puzzling read of the previous reviews) it's prone to over emphasizing one element because of the speed and focal distance concerns -- meaning you'd have to bump the aperture up to 2.8 or whatever you think you can point-and-shoot if that's your goal.Realistically though, why are you getting a $1200 autofocus Zeiss lens? If you want a camera that takes effortless pictures without you doing anything then why even on a Sony a7rII or sII that would even be able to stand with a lens like this? Sony's products are for perfectionists, they allow for total control, have the best full-frame sensors in the world (Canon and Nikon flagship pro cameras use Sony sensors...) and now their glass is better than anything I've ever seen.If you want total control, thoughtful innovation (click-aperture ring is not only amazing but also dead silent in video post processing...) and products from a company that designs the most important visual elements for the world's most recognizable companies then you are crazy not to be using Sony's a7r/sII and these lenses. If you want something to shoot a soccer game or have some colorful 1080 video without having to think or be artistic about it -- listen to these first three reviews. If you care about your images and are obsessive about quality and detail, you will feel like this lens (and probably the other two G-master's though I haven't used them) was custom made for you.To support, here's a casual shot I took leaving a studio earlier today -- simply holding the camera and liked the backdrop. If you can get image quality like this effortlessly, what else do you need?

One of the sharpest lenses I've ever shot with, and I've used quite a few. There is not much left to be said that other reviews haven't pointed out. In decent light, the lens focuses very quickly. In lower light, there is some hunting but not so much that it would ruin a majority of spontaneous shots. The auto focus is louder than the G Master 24-70 but it uses a different drive motor and the glass elements are substantially thicker (more weight) by comparison. Look online for the "G Master 85mm emergency tear down". A lens repair site tested 40 copies of this lens and tore down several. All of them exhibited near identical autofocus noise and the "scrapings" inside the barrel many are claiming to see weren't scrapings at all- they were lubricant streaks from the massive moving parts behind/around the sliding lens element and they have absolutely zero impact on image quality. In the teardown, you see the internal central moving glass elements are surrounded by a plastic and elastic material that would make it it impossible for the central lens element to scratch the metal- try scratching an aluminum plate with a bouncy-ball. Won't do it. I use this lens on my a7r2's and I have been in love with it. If you film video with the G Master 85mm, the autofocus motors slow down and make about 80% less noise. The internal microphones do pick up a little autofocus noise during video but an external shotgun mic mounted in the top hot shoe does not pick it up- who records video projects with the internal mic if audio is important? That's a non issue for me.Overall, a crazy sharp lens that is louder than the other G Master lens that I own (24-70 - if your ear is against the lens you can barely hear a hum, dead silent) but not near as bad as many lens owners are making it out to be. It uses a different focus motor technology than the 24-70, despite them both being classified as SSM- the lens tear down mentioned above also goes over Sony's written responses to inquiries about the autofocus noise and they explain why it's louder. My bet is that many people that are complaining about this lens' autofocus noise have very little lens experience - probably having used fewer than 5-6 lenses to compare this one to. I still have a Canon F1.2 prime that I actively use that is easily 2-3x louder. The autofocus of my G Master 85mm (I have 2) is audible to about 2-3 feet from the lens- audible, not loud. This lens is handily in my top 3 sharpest of all time and over the years I've probably used 300 lenses in every camera ecosystem imaginable. Highly recommended lens- don't let the complainers scare you off.