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Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

ReleaseDrive
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p.2 #1 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

I recall the same issue with my previous Sony 100mm 2.8 STF. The Auto setting on the ring didn't align with the marking on the barrel. I've seen a few others online with the same trait. No issues but annoying on such an expensive lens.

Apr 26, 2021 at 09:47 PM

FJR1
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p.2 #2 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

Hmm . . . I acknowledge the GM is a stellar lens, but I was impressed with the Sigma 35mm f/2 in comparison. Other than corner shots at larger apertures, the Sigma, I believe, performs well and competes admirably with the GM.

Apr 26, 2021 at 10:06 PM

trogdon
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p.2 #3 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

Those results mirror what I�ve seen so far with my copy. The resolution cross frame is absolutely outstanding. At 1.4 it�s actually critically sharp cross frame by focusing on the center, something I honestly wasn�t ever sure I�d see with any lens.

Apr 26, 2021 at 10:06 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.2 #4 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

ReleaseDrive wrote:
I recall the same issue with my previous Sony 100mm 2.8 STF. The Auto setting on the ring didn't align with the marking on the barrel. I've seen a few others online with the same trait. No issues but annoying on such an expensive lens.

It happens with all GM and G lenses with aperture ring. Not a huge deal but could be irritating to some folks.

Apr 26, 2021 at 10:08 PM

Rogerang
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p.2 #5 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

Fred Miranda wrote:
It happens with all GM and G lenses with aperture ring. Not a huge deal but could be irritating to some folks.

I was lucky with my copy, it�s perfectly aligned. On the other end my 85 1.4 is all out of place, only f16 and auto are aligned. The 24 1.4 is very little misaligned, if you turn the dial back a little bit it ends up aligned. Hopefully my next GM (not sure yet if it�s going to be the 50 or the 135) will be aligned.

Fred thanks for the fantastic review, your are the first ones I read from beginning to end.

Apr 26, 2021 at 11:38 PM

hiepphotog
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p.2 #6 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

FJR1 wrote:
Hmm . . . I acknowledge the GM is a stellar lens, but I was impressed with the Sigma 35mm f/2 in comparison. Other than corner shots at larger apertures, the Sigma, I believe, performs well and competes admirably with the GM.

I think that is somewhat a given for a weaker lens lens to catch up stopping down. On the other hand, we are at the age where a fast lens can beat a slower lens of the same generation handily in term of sharpness at any aperture and anywhere on the frame. That was never a thing in the past. The Sigma ain't exactly a cheap nifty 35 either.

Apr 27, 2021 at 01:01 AM

abadger
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p.2 #7 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

raminolta wrote:
I hope there will be a comparison against the Sigma f1.2 and, hopefully against the upcoming Sigma f1.4 in the future once that lens is released.

I am also interested in something more scientific using these lenses. But, we have seen a lot of field comparisons so far. And from what I can tell:

-GM has more neutral color cast, is sharper across the frame, has more contrast overall and better micro contrast, OOF areas are more defined, transition zone is wider, AF is more reliable and slightly faster, distortion and CA better corrected though not perfect, is close to actual 35mm, excellent flare resistance
-Sigma f/1.2 has more pleasing OOF areas and has an edge with rendering, narrower transition zone, a very slightly warmer color cast, isn�t quite as sharp (but still very good) and performs a little worse outside of center wide open (but still performs well), AF is fine but comparably less reliable, has greater distortion, slightly worse CA correction, and bokeh swirl effect, is slightly longer than 35mm, isn�t great with flare

There�s probably more. But just a quick summary from discussions I have seen. Someone can correct me if they don�t find the above to be accurate.

Apr 27, 2021 at 02:14 AM

InFocus2014
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p.2 #8 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

abadger wrote:
I am also interested in something more scientific using these lenses. But, we have seen a lot of field comparisons so far. And from what I can tell:

-GM has more neutral color cast, is sharper across the frame, has more contrast overall and better micro contrast, OOF areas are more defined, transition zone is wider, AF is more reliable and slightly faster, distortion and CA better corrected though not perfect, is close to actual 35mm, excellent flare resistance
-Sigma f/1.2 has more pleasing OOF areas and has an edge with rendering, narrower transition zone, a very slightly warmer color cast,...Show more →

Having shot both, I would agree with all of the above. I find the GM35 to be amazing. It is also one of the few lenses I have tested to have virtually no detectable de-centering. Are the days of iterative returning of lenses for optical flaws a thing of the past?

Now, having said that, I wish I had not sold my Sigma 35 f1.2. The f1.2 does not make a significant difference in rendering for mid and far subject distances, but the differences in smooth rendering/transitions are very noticeable for closer subject distances. Given a choice, I would prefer the size/weight/sharpness advantage of the GM lens for most of my shooting; however, for some critical shooting situations, I would much prefer the Sigma. Therefore, I can find a use for both lenses, and perhaps, find a justification for owning both lenses (gotta be some kind of psychosis).

Below are some comparisons published by Marc Alhadeff that illustrate this point. Note that if the f1.2 lens had been framed the same as the GM lens (tighter), the rendering might have been even better. On the other hand, the darker exposure of the GM lens makes it look a bit worse than it is, by comparison.

Jeff
www.jefftitteringtonphoto.com

Shots by Marc Alhadeff from his review of the GM 35mm

Apr 27, 2021 at 07:40 AM

nhsonyshooter
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p.2 #9 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

Well having seen Gerald's review of the new Sigma 35mm 1.4 I'm glad I pulled the trigger on the GM. Suppose to be delivered this afternoon. Been a long time coming

Apr 27, 2021 at 08:44 AM

j4nu
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p.2 #10 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

I noticed something similar. I wouldn't base my decision which one to keep off close-up shots where the differences in bokeh are rather small. On the other hand, when the focus is a few meters from the camera and the transition zone becomes clear, you can see the differences in rendering show up.
Today I reluctantly took off the GM and put on the Bigma for a walk with my dog, but looking at the pictures aftewards I think I won't be able to get myself to sell the Bigma. They just render differently, with the Bigma providing buttery backgrounds making the focused subjects easier to pop (that's my impression at least) and the GM giving this crystal clear, eye-bitingly sharp image.

InFocus2014 wrote:
Having shot both, I would agree with all of the above. I find the GM35 to be amazing. It is also one of the few lenses I have tested to have virtually no detectable de-centering. Are the days of iterative returning of lenses for optical flaws a thing of the past?

Apr 27, 2021 at 09:36 AM

Mystik
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p.2 #11 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

abadger wrote:
I am also interested in something more scientific using these lenses. But, we have seen a lot of field comparisons so far. And from what I can tell:

-GM has more neutral color cast, is sharper across the frame, has more contrast overall and better micro contrast, OOF areas are more defined, transition zone is wider, AF is more reliable and slightly faster, distortion and CA better corrected though not perfect, is close to actual 35mm, excellent flare resistance
-Sigma f/1.2 has more pleasing OOF areas and has an edge with rendering, narrower transition zone, a very slightly warmer color cast,...Show more →

This is a pretty good summary, though I'm finding that the flare resistance on the GM may be oversold, as the Bigma/35i do well in anything all but extreme lighting, and the GM is not immune to flare in the harsh situations that would test the Sigma lenses

DSC00065-2 by Carlo Alcala, on Flickr

Apr 27, 2021 at 09:54 AM

Mystik
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p.2 #12 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

j4nu wrote:
I noticed something similar. I wouldn't base my decision which one to keep off close-up shots where the differences in bokeh are rather small. On the other hand, when the focus is a few meters from the camera and the transition zone becomes clear, you can see the differences in rendering show up.
Today I reluctantly took off the GM and put on the Bigma for a walk with my dog, but looking at the pictures aftewards I think I won't be able to get myself to sell the Bigma. They just render differently, with the Bigma providing buttery backgrounds making...Show more →

Yeah I find the bokeh of the Bigma to be superior basically at all distances. That isn't to say that the GM bokeh is bad...its more the case the Bigma bokeh is superlative and that's a tough thing to achieve for a 35mm lens given the wide FOV. How material the difference in bokeh between the Bigma/GM is a subjective thing...depends on what you shoot. I have some environmental portraits shot on the Bigma that undoubtedly would have looked worse on the GM based on what I've seen in testing. If bokeh and rendering are a priority, in a lot of ways its hard to forget the Bigma and consider the GM as an upgrade. The GM is of course more appealing due to it size. As always, YMMV, horses for courses, etc.

Apr 27, 2021 at 10:07 AM

Holger
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p.2 #13 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

Mystik wrote:
This is a pretty good summary, though I'm finding that the flare resistance on the GM may be oversold, as the Bigma/35i do well in anything all but extreme lighting, and the GM is not immune to flare in the harsh situations that would test the Sigma lenses

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51143028634_181cef7cf9_b.jpg DSC00065-2 by Carlo Alcala, on Flickr

I disagree very, very strongly.
We shoot into the sun regularly and the Bigma introduced very large and strong rainbow colored flares in a location you don't want to have it.
Only because the GM does, occasionally, create some flares, too, it is not oversold. The GM flares are much weaker and not as prominently placed in general. It is much more difficult to provoke them compared to the Sigma. When initially testing both, this difference immediately came to our attention.

This Sigma flaring was so extreme, we disliked using the Bigma in recent times and were glad now to have both replaced by GMs. No fiddling with position and angle or post processing to get rid of this ugly flare.
And we are not alone. Many fellow wedding photographers we know now do the same.

Yes, the bokeh is smoother on the Sigma. But in real life, when not comparing both side by side, when adjusting for the fact that the Sony is wider and clearly sharper, has much less field curvature which helps in the oof zones, the difference is not that large anymore.

Apr 27, 2021 at 11:09 AM

HelBen85
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p.2 #14 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

I I also used the Sigma against the sun every now and then. Not perfect, but I couldn't detect such blatant flares. Of course, that doesn't mean that you can't get such flares.
Here are some examples:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/helmhagen/50422917653/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/helmhagen/50505504227/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/helmhagen/50423773412/in/dateposted-public/

Until recently, the Sigma was considered to be one of the sharpest lenses ever. The reviews show, however, that the GM should certainly be a bit sharper.

But one shouldn't ignore the copy variation: I had several copies here due to the defective autofocus of my Sigmas because of the firmware upgrade and the difference in sharpness with open apertures was dramatic, from good / very good (none was bad) to absolutely fantastic / unbelievable, everything was there...
That means a very good sigma will beat a average GM in terms of sharpness.

And of course, size and weight speak clearly in favor of the Sony. I don't like the autofocus with the Sigma either, plus the debacle with the firmware...

But I still don't have seen beautiful pictures of the 35mm GM, showing beautiful "rendering", but that's subjective. Have a look at this thread https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/983034/1 and especially JohnDizzo15's images with the Sigma 35mm f1.2 (without much post-processing). That is what I consider as "special".

Edited on Apr 27, 2021 at 11:32 AM · View previous versions

Apr 27, 2021 at 11:25 AM

Mystik
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p.2 #15 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

Holger wrote:
I disagree very, very strongly.
We shoot into the sun regularly and the Bigma introduced very large and strong rainbow colored flares in a location you don't want to have it.
Only because the GM does, occasionally, create some flares, too, it is not oversold. The GM flares are much weaker and not as prominently placed in general. It is much more difficult to provoke them compared to the Sigma. When initially testing both, this difference immediately came to our attention.

This Sigma flaring was so extreme, we disliked using the Bigma in recent times and were glad now to have both replaced...Show more →

I supposed its a YMMV situation then. I don't make a habit of shooting into the sun wide open, but not doubting that you don't see the GM doing better based on how you shoot.

That said, in the same vein, I wouldn't disregard the quality of the bokeh between the Bigma and the GM either. Like flare, when you get into critical shooting situations, the nuanced differences in rendering can have a pretty material impact. GM bokeh is not bad, but the Bigma is noticeably better. It will materially matter for me when shooting outdoor portraits because of how foliage and hard specular highlights are rendered between the two lenses. So pick your poison based on how you shoot.

Apr 27, 2021 at 11:30 AM

keepcoding
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p.2 #16 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

Interesting, most of you seem to agree that the Bigma renders smoother. So far I haven't seen a comparison that shows a clear advantage for the Bigma...

Apr 27, 2021 at 11:39 AM

Holger
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p.2 #17 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

HelBen85 wrote:
I I also used the Sigma against the sun every now and then. Not perfect, but I couldn't detect such blatant flares. Of course, that doesn't mean that you can't get such flares.
Here are some examples:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/helmhagen/50422917653/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/helmhagen/50505504227/in/dateposted-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/helmhagen/50423773412/in/dateposted-public/

Until recently, the Sigma was considered to be one of the sharpest lenses ever. The reviews show, however, that the GM should certainly be a bit sharper.

But one shouldn't ignore the copy variation: I had several copies here due to the defective autofocus of my Sigmas because of the firmware upgrade and the difference in sharpness with open apertures was dramatic, from good /...Show more →

Phillip Reeve here

shows a typical rainbow flare, something we got less strong of course but still too prominent around f1.4-f2 all the time in the central part of the image, too. It is very easy to produce with the Sigma, around sunset at our longitude and latitude.

I highly doubt you will get a very good Sigma which clearly beats an average GM wide open, given all the different measurements and comparisons we have seen by now. lenstip has a difference of almost 50 lp/mm vs. 67 lp/mm in the central region. lensrentals shows the average MTF of the Sigma which isn't that high, too, compared to other lenses (that doesn't mean it isn't sharp at all, for an f1.2 lens!). Even if we take variance of the MTF into account, based on past measurements at lensrentals, I don't think that the Sigma will reach the Sony unless we probably talk about 3sigma copies.

I know the images you referred to and without side by side comparison and without difficult backgrounds it is difficult to judge both. Nevertheless, as I said, the f1.2 is smoother and has an advantage here.

Apr 27, 2021 at 11:56 AM

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p.2 #18 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

Apr 27, 2021 at 12:08 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.2 #19 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

Flare Resistance

The Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM has a very good flare resistance for both ghosting and veiling but it's not perfect. In backlit situations, some ghosting and loss of contrast are noticeable. For the most part, if one is careful with the lens angle, it's not hard to avoid excessive ghosting.

Compared to other 35mm lenses like the Sigma 35/2 DG DN and Voigtlander 35mm f/2 APO, it does a better job suppressing flare compared to the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN but it's no on-par with the Voigtlander 35mm f/2 APO which looks to be a top lens for those shooting under backlight.

Here are some side by side comparisons to the Sigma and Voigtlander lenses:

Sample 1

Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM

Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN

Voigtlander 35mm f/2 APO

Apr 27, 2021 at 12:12 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.2 #20 · Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM Review

Sample 2

Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM

Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN

Voigtlander 35mm f/2 APO

Apr 27, 2021 at 12:12 PM

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