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Archive 2016 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

Roger Cicala just posted the tear down of the new Sony FE 85/1.4 GM.

Here is a section regarding focusing noise, scratches and dust:
"A couple of facts that I’ve gleaned from simply examining and testing 40+ copies of the 85mm f/1.4 Master.

The Piezo (or SSM if you prefer) ring-linear drive does make noise. It’s noticeable. Every copy I’ve tried does to some degree, although some are louder than others. HOWEVER, if the camera is put in video mode the AF slows down and the noise is markedly reduced. So photo mode fast and noisy, video mode slower and quiet. That’s logical.
Every 85mm wide-aperture lens I’ve ever looked in has some dust inside, NIB and no matter the brand. It’s partly because this type of lens has a front group that magnifies the interior. If yours doesn’t have dust in it then you don’t have a bright enough light to fuel your dust paranoia properly.
Just over half of the 85mm f/1.4 G Master lenses I’ve looked at have some marks on the inner focusing barrel that look like either scrapes or lubricant. These don’t make any more or less noise than ones without marks. Also a fair number have marks on only the lower part of the barrel. These are no noisier over the marked part than over the unmarked part. In other words, I didn’t find any association between barrel marks and noise."

To read the entire test, check out Lensrentals.com

___________

Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM ($1,798)
B&H Photo | Adorama

Apr 12, 2016 at 09:49 AM

mco_970
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

"If yours doesn’t have dust in it then you don’t have a bright enough light to fuel your dust paranoia properly."

Thanks for the teardown, Roger!!!

Apr 12, 2016 at 10:02 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

This is the best part for me. There were never 'scratches'. It was just lube residue.

"Now, after all of this, we can finally get to see those ‘scratches’ in the inner barrel. They didn’t visualize that well when we began, it’s hard to take a good image through that big front element. Now you can see them all around the inner focusing barrel; Aaron is pointing a Q-tip towards some of the worst ones."


	https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/media/2016/04/innerscratch.jpg

"A quick swipe with a Kim-wipe takes them right off. Although they did look a lot like scratches it was just lubricant."


	https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/media/2016/04/wipedoff.jpg

Apr 12, 2016 at 10:07 AM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

Sounds like new GM 85 owners have a lens that "speaks" to them, the same way the EF 300/4L IS used to "speak" to us.

Apr 12, 2016 at 10:22 AM

GMPhotography
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

Lol mine I think I will return as to me it's just overly loud but I really like to handle another copy just see if there is a big difference . Not sure Tempe camera has one or anybody in Phoenix does yet that I can meet for coffee and try it. I will keep shooting it and not worry about it the lens literally just sings. Lol

Apr 12, 2016 at 10:36 AM

gatorine
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

Guy, I think Roger needs to disassemble your lens as well!

Apr 12, 2016 at 11:07 AM

GMPhotography
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

Well just got message from my dealer 2 minutes ago with my emails and such to them. Sony is on it. Lets see what happens in a day or two. But yes i would love Roger to tear it down to the last bolt.

Apr 12, 2016 at 11:14 AM

GMPhotography
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

I also put this on you tube my video shot in camera from yesterday

https://youtu.be/Syfp4-NRpe8

Apr 12, 2016 at 11:27 AM

wildwildwes
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

Thanks for the tear down Roger... Very much appreciated!

Apr 12, 2016 at 11:30 AM

Schlotkins
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

Thanks for everything Roger!

Apr 12, 2016 at 11:35 AM

GMPhotography
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

Agree thanks Roger great job and I know you where rushed into doing it. I certainly appreciate the hard labor

Apr 12, 2016 at 11:54 AM

Stoffer
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

Thanks Roger, much appreciated!

Apr 12, 2016 at 12:14 PM

taz_k
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

I also appreciate all the hard labor that goes into this and other articles. Very interesting read and pictures. Thanks!!

Apr 12, 2016 at 12:21 PM

PanS
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

What we learned; When the motor moves fast, it makes noise.

Roger working hard to find the simple answers to keep the internet quiet. : )

Apr 12, 2016 at 12:23 PM

mjm6
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

I haven't seen/heard the 85mm in person yet, but I find the noise an odd problem...

Canon has been making nearly silent AF lenses since the first USM based lenses came out in, what 1987 or so? By the mid 90's the smaller lenses were all but silent. How is this a problem in 2016 for Sony to tackle?

All my native FE lenses are quite. Not silent, but close, and that includes the 70-200, 90 macro, which are both big lenses with substantial glass to push around.

Let's hope they fix this right away.

Apr 12, 2016 at 12:43 PM

RCicala
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

mjm6 wrote:
I haven't seen/heard the 85mm in person yet, but I find the noise an odd problem...

Canon has been making nearly silent AF lenses since the first USM based lenses came out in, what 1987 or so? By the mid 90's the smaller lenses were all but silent. How is this a problem in 2016 for Sony to tackle?

All my native FE lenses are quite. Not silent, but close, and that includes the 70-200, 90 macro, which are both big lenses with substantial glass to push around.

Let's hope they fix this right away.

Not saying it's right, but this a very different focus motor. Canon's USM for many years has had nearly silent helical AF. Sony and Fuji's electromagnetic focus is both linear and silent. This is the first time I know of that anyone has tried making a ring motor that focuses linearly.

I wish I'd had the guts to take it apart, but I'm fairly certain there must be some type of gear train in there that converts the ring motion to linear motion, and that's probably what we hear.

Now as to why they chose this motor, I have no idea, and I would guess everyone who does have an idea is under a nondisclosure agreement.

Apr 12, 2016 at 01:00 PM

mjm6
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

Roger,

Great job on the teardowns and all the lens testing of all the products you have done, by the way...

Trying something new in a top of the line product is always a risk. Canon used to do some proof of concept introductions in the consumer line before a technology would get into the pro grade products. I presume they still do, but I don't pay attention to them anymore.

Sony has taken the opposite route with the FE mount and lenses for the most part, it seems, introducing cameras that are significant advances, but without having the details of the design engineering and features fully mature.

Either that, or they just aren't willing to think/prioritize the features and specifications of the cameras and lenses in the same way that the market is employing them.

It seems that with Sony, it is a risk to be an early adopter as well.

I wasn't in the market for the 85 (I've got an old Canon FD 85 1.2 that I'll use in those application), but I find it painful to observe these potential missteps when they occur, if that's what you could call this.

---Michael

Apr 12, 2016 at 01:29 PM

chrisgibbs
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

RCicala wrote:
Not saying it's right, but this a very different focus motor. Canon's USM for many years has had nearly silent helical AF. Sony and Fuji's electromagnetic focus is both linear and silent. This is the first time I know of that anyone has tried making a ring motor that focuses linearly.

I wish I'd had the guts to take it apart, but I'm fairly certain there must be some type of gear train in there that converts the ring motion to linear motion, and that's probably what we hear.

Now as to why they chose this motor, I have no...Show more →

I think putting that de-clickable iris ring on there and then adding "Video" into the marketing kinda draws attention to the (non)issue.

Apr 12, 2016 at 01:39 PM

GMPhotography
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

RCicala wrote:
Not saying it's right, but this a very different focus motor. Canon's USM for many years has had nearly silent helical AF. Sony and Fuji's electromagnetic focus is both linear and silent. This is the first time I know of that anyone has tried making a ring motor that focuses linearly.

I wish I'd had the guts to take it apart, but I'm fairly certain there must be some type of gear train in there that converts the ring motion to linear motion, and that's probably what we hear.

Now as to why they chose this motor, I have no...Show more →

Yea I wish you got into the guts of it too but my dealer did send Sony my video and emails and it did get elevated to Sony engineering and hope to have answer in a couple days. All we can hope for but I did want them aware ASAP. Thanks Roger for all your help on this issue. Now maybe we will see Sony respond to it.

Apr 12, 2016 at 01:45 PM

Lucinda
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · 85mm f/1.4 G Master Tear Down!

GMPhotography wrote:
I also put this on you tube my video shot in camera from yesterday

https://youtu.be/Syfp4-NRpe8

I just subscribed to your channel, now you are one of those know it all you tubers!

Apr 12, 2016 at 02:16 PM

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