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Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

patotts
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

Sorry, I thought you were referring to the upcoming 85 GM II would have a loud AF motor. Yeah, current one, might have but I never bothered getting one since it isn't overly sharp.

Oct 31, 2023 at 08:00 PM

Frogfish
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

No. I am very happy with my Samyang 85/1.4 (gorgeous bokeh, very sharp and AF is fast enough) and see no reason to upgrade at all. And for travel I have the Samyang 75/1.8 (small, light, cheap but very sharp, lovely bokeh and fast AF). Around this FL I'm done

Nov 01, 2023 at 12:32 AM

zeitlos
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

I remember having the Pentax FA 77 1.8 Limited. It was a gorgeous portrait lens. It also wasn‘t the sharpest, but sharp enough. Maybe that‘s the recipe for a lovely portrait lens?

There used to be a time when people recommended Macro lenses for portraits. Other people rejected that idea because of their excellent sharpness. Sharpness (I mean much of it…) seems not to be a dealbreaker for portrait lenses anymore, quite the opposite seems to be true, right?

Well, I also own the 50 GM 1.2. I haven‘t had the time to shoot it much, but from what I saw so far I can say that it‘s sharp. But I still has great bokeh and rendering. So maybe it doesn‘t necessarily have to be an “either … or“ thing…

But then again, I suppose not being too sharp is an ingredient that can help a portrait lens to “perform magic“ somehow…

Nov 01, 2023 at 06:23 AM

MARKFER
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

When the 85 GM II or the 1.2 comes out there will be a mass sell and buy, then 6 months later the original GM will suddenly come back into positive favor for the unique qualities it has for 'some'. I can see it coming a mile away.

Nov 01, 2023 at 06:28 AM

zeitlos
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

Btw. there have been newer portrait lenses for Pentax. The FA 77 ist from the 90s, if I‘m right. It was developed for film cameras. But well, it‘s still the best.

Nov 01, 2023 at 06:36 AM

Frogfish
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

zeitlos wrote:
Btw. there have been newer portrait lenses for Pentax. The FA 77 ist from the 90s, if I‘m right. It was developed for film cameras. But well, it‘s still the best.

Yes I had the fabulous '3 Amigos' from Pentax (at one time described as the best three lenses ever made) ! The 77 Ltd however was my favourite, I was pretty sad when I switched to Nikon and let it go.

Nov 02, 2023 at 12:49 AM

zeitlos
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

But still no 85 GM mk II in sight, right?

Feb 10, 2024 at 02:22 AM

zeitlos
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

okay…

Feb 10, 2024 at 02:27 AM

Tony Ross
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

zeitlos wrote:
If yes, why?
If not, what speaks against it in your opinion?

I own an 85mm f/1.4 GM. It's not a "full GM" - a bit slow, and not supporting things like full-speed on A1 / A9 III.

Will I buy a GM II version? I don't know. Maybe - it will depend on the reviews it gets. If it were f/1.2, I doubt I'd have been willing or able to resist, but if it's f/1.4 - I'll wait and see...

Would I buy one today, knowing what I know about its shortcomings, and the rumours of a new one this year? No, I think not. Maybe I'd use an 85mm f/1.8? Maybe the 70-200mm GM II (that is a very fine lens!)?

Even if you decide you'd want one, a bit of a wait might get you one at a much better price - there are likely to be secondhand ones a plenty once the GM II arrives, and there is also the likelihood of a price drop on the remaining stock of new ones.

Feb 10, 2024 at 03:48 AM

ghs007
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

zeitlos wrote:
If yes, why?
If not, what speaks against it in your opinion?

The Sigma DG DN is better imo. It's sharper and cheaper

Feb 12, 2024 at 03:33 PM

wordfool
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Would you still buy a new Sony 85 1.4 GM in November 2023?

Yes, if the slow, noisy AF is not going to be a problem (it was for me so I bought the Sigma instead). Rendering of the current 85GM is its key selling point and I imagine the replacement will fall in line with the usual Sony update ethos of pin-sharp and twice the price (especially if it's an f/1.2).

Feb 12, 2024 at 05:50 PM

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