Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM II

Reviewers rate it among the best 85mm lenses on any mount, with high resolution wide open, low longitudinal colour fringing and smooth, creamy backgrounds. Focus breathing is low, flare resistance is good, and AF is fast and silent enough for video and event work.

The main criticism is price, which rose over the original GM. Some testers note that strong vignetting at f/1.4 is left for in-camera correction and that the original GM or third-party 85mm lenses still give much of the look for less.

Wedding and portrait shooters say the AF hit rate at f/1.4 and the lighter weight are clear upgrades from the first GM, and they praise the bokeh and skin rendering. The iris lock and declickable aperture ring are popular with hybrid shooters.

Complaints are mostly about cost, the large 77mm hood and that the gains over the original GM are less obvious for slow portrait work. A few owners mention cat's-eye highlights in the corners wide open.