Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM

Reviewers rate it among the best 35mm f/1.4 lenses on any mount. Centre sharpness is excellent wide open and the corners catch up by f/2 to f/2.8. Coma is well controlled, which makes it a sensible astro choice, and longitudinal colour fringing is low for the speed. Autofocus is fast, silent and keeps up with Eye-AF tracking for stills and video.

The main criticisms are price and some visible vignetting at f/1.4 without correction. A few testers found bokeh slightly busier than the best 50mm G Masters in complex backgrounds, and focus breathing, while modest, is present.

Owners use it as a do-everything lens for weddings, street, travel and video, and many say it replaced two or three other primes in their bag. The size and weight on A7-series bodies get regular praise, as does the AF reliability in dim venues.

Complaints are mostly about cost against the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art and the Sony FE 35mm F1.8, and a few users wish the hood locked more securely. Cat's-eye highlights toward the frame edges wide open come up occasionally.