Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Review | A Worthwhile Investment?
When I first picked up the Sony A7III back in 2018, I picked up two lenses alongside it that were recommended to me.
One of these lenses was the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8, a pretty solid lens that, at the sacrifice of its cheaper-feeling to its exterior, produced pretty solid images at a wide aperture for its then roughly $700 price point.
To this day, I would still recommend that lens to any beginner looking to work with a quality zoom, albeit with their more updated model.
The other lens was a Sony FE 85mm F1.8, which cost roughly $600.
I used it for a few weeks before returning it to invest in other gear.
In retrospect, even though the person who recommended this lens to me had the best intentions, it did not suit my workflow at the time.
It involved mainly taking cityscape and landscape images for social media and my enjoyment.
I share the opinion of most other photographers regarding the best utilization of an 85mm… fashion, headshot, and studio.
However, times have changed.
It’s 2025, and my workflow has significantly adapted since then.
These days, I’m mostly photographing for apparel and lifestyle clients and, in my spare time, creative portraiture.
Since its release, the only lens I’ve owned is Sony’s FE 35mm F1.4 GM, which has covered much of my workflow.
However, I found myself renting telephoto primes and zooms more and more often to accommodate my client’s needs, so I figured it was time to look into Sony’s latest addition to the coveted G-Master lineup… the FE 85mm F1.4 GM II.
Now, I know what you’re probably thinking…
Why didn’t I already own the original FE 85mm F1.4 GM?
The original was among the first three Sony G-Master lenses released in early 2016, under nine years ago when I wrote this.
Maybe it’s because I was spoiled by the sharpness and tasteful color contrast of slightly newer models, such as the FE 24mm F1.4 GM, but I was less than pleased with this lens.
When renting it for wedding or event work, I was irritated by several factors.
It’s a whopping 820g, nearly a third heavier than their new version, which weighs 642g.
You'll feel that weight difference if you utilize this lens for over an hour or two.
Secondly, it was not nearly as sharp as I hoped, even when stopped down.
Most of our clients aren’t going to notice the difference when it comes to a little bit of detail loss here and there, but I was finding myself slightly annoyed with how soft and flat of an image I was getting.
When you’re paying $1,800 at the time of its release for a prime lens, I think it’s fair to nitpick the details of the lens when comparing it to others in its focal range.
Instead, when renting for wedding and event work, I would opt for an FE 70-200mm F2.8, which, although not quite as sharp, more than made up for its versatility.
If a heavier lens is going to wear me down, I may as well double down and get some extra utility out of it, right?
So, what made me pull the trigger on the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II?
I can’t lie… I’ve been waiting YEARS for Sony to release an updated iteration of their original 85mm F1.4 GM.
I knew I wanted to pair it with my 35mm when they announced it in August. After sitting on the thought for a few months, I finally picked it up last week.
So far, it’s been everything I had hoped it would be.
I can’t stress enough how a smaller, lighter body can make a huge difference in everyday life.
Sony camera bodies are pretty compact and light, but for someone like myself with bigger hands, having a more petite camera body paired with a heavier lens can make for an awkward shooting experience, even when utilizing a vertical grip.
Secondly, the color contrast and sharpness are on par with, if not better, than the best in their lineup.
Even wide open on the A7III, the corner-to-corner and subject sharpness was superb, and I rarely, if ever, missed focus, even on a very high burst mode setting.
Is it worth the investment over the Sony FE 85mm F1.8, the original FE 85mm F1.4 GM, or similar lenses from third-party manufacturers?
I have a similar philosophy to others regarding when and what to upgrade regarding photographer gear.
If it will help me make more money, I want the best.
If I’m approaching it as a hobbyist, I should choose the most affordable option that will still produce an optimal result.
At the time of my writing this, Sony full-frame users have the following (viable) lenses at their disposal, listed in order from least to most expensive, per F-stop, at their rate when purchased new:
Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II Lens: $300-400
Sony FE 85mm F1.8: $500-600
Zeiss-Batis 85mm F1.8: $900-1,000
Samyang AF 85mm F1.4: $519
Sigma 85mm F1.4: $900-1,000
Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM: $1,200-1,300
Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II: $1,800
I’m not going to bore you with information on specs and build quality that you could easily find elsewhere, so I’ll keep it short and sweet:
If you’re a hobbyist photographer who shoots purely for fun and is looking for something that focuses decently fast, renders beautiful images, and doesn’t break the bank, get the Sony FE 85mm F1.8.
It’s still a pretty solid lens at its price point, beating out both the Samyang and the Viltrox.
It is enough for any aspiring portrait photographer who doesn’t need top-of-the-line glass to best serve commercial and brand clientele.
However, if your photography pays most, if not all, of your bills, and you’re looking for the best 85mm for Sony full-frame bodies, then I highly recommend the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II.
I don’t believe that the original GM, even at a heavily discounted price that sits roughly in the middle of the price points of both the F1.8 and the GM II, has the quality worth the price jump.
If you’re looking to invest more than $1,000 into a prime lens to make back your money with it, I firmly believe that you should future-proof your workflow and invest in the best of the best.