p.5 #1 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
Mystik wrote:
35i renders similarly to the 35 1.2 and the 45i for sure. Same pleasant colors, contrast, and bokeh. F1.2 vs F2 of course is different, but the 35 1.2 also has a slightly longer than 35mm FOV, which lends more compression of of course blur.
35i has a hint of a glow wide open, though at as dramatic as the 45i, and definitely none of the focus issues of the 45i either.
I've been shooting with the 35i for years now so I'd say I'm happy with it. Renders well and no fuss to carry around and shoot with.
I'm sort of blown away by your answer. I didn't expect such a strong affirmation that the 35i had rendering similar to the 35/1.2 and the 45/28, though I am very pleased to hear it. And I appreciate your making a distinction between the blur from 1.2 and the rendering of the lenses.
Just to be sure--these excellent photos are from the 35i?! Very lovely rendering, and certainly all I would need!
p.5 #2 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
chiron wrote:
I'm sort of blown away by your answer. I didn't expect such a strong affirmation that the 35i had rendering similar to the 35/1.2 and the 45/28, though I am very pleased to hear it. And I appreciate your making a distinction between the blur from 1.2 and the rendering of the lenses.
Just to be sure--these excellent photos are from the 35i?! Very lovely rendering, and certainly all I would need!
Do you have experience with the Sigma 50i?
Yeah those were the 35i.
No experience with the 50i, but I did have a 65i that I regret selling for sure. It renders similarly to the 35i but definitely does not have the wide open glow. More bite wide open but still a pleasing rendering. I feel like the Sigma i series lenses get slept on because they aren't super large aperture primes.
Most of my shooting is casual stuff these days so maybe I don't get 85GMII to get more i series glass lol
p.5 #3 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
Indeed, the increase of the cat's eye effect is subtle. The old GM seems to have slightly smoother bokeh balls as well in the magic's video, but it's subtle as well. I would like to see a direct comparison with a more structured background. But honnestly it was expected. The GM II will be a more modern lens, sharper and better corrected, at the expense of some compromises in the bokeh.
I'd love to see apples to apples comparisons, but to me the cat's eye/bokeh seems noticeably different and not an improvement for my needs. Weight reduction and speed are welcome improvements.
p.5 #8 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
j4nu wrote:
Well, I think the only recent Sony lens that has not followed this trend is 50/1.2GM so I guess this was to be expected unfortunately...
Yes.I expected this.Either high level of sharpness across the frame wide open and poorer bokeh,or undercorrected spherical/longitudal aberrations,smooth bokeh and softer image.
The whole situation resembles Sigma 85/1.4 DG DN Art versus Sony GM 85/1.4 Mk1 story.Mk2 is probably getting in the shoes of Sigma.
p.5 #11 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
I preordered one
TBH, I never got along with the original version. Is the bokeh creamy? Yes. But everything else about the lens isn’t that great IMHO
Focus was pretty crude. Even for portraits. It doesn’t really have the greatest ability to make micro adjustments in focus on the fly. So if you or the subject moved slightly, focus would be off slightly. Not all the time, but enough to be noticeable
Chromatic aberration is pretty noticeable. Especially on hair in bright backlit situations. Sharpness and contrast are not great wide open. Kinda like a veil over the whole image(which some people might prefer. Especially for female portraits)
IDK, I have mine still. But I’m looking forward to replacing it with the mark II.
p.5 #12 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
What I notice is the Version 1 has a softer focus point overall which may lead to showing more character overall and its a nice look but Version II is sharper at that focal point and leads in my mind to more 3d look and lets say for argument sake more modern in look. More important though Version II fixed a lot of real issues for me at least. Which make me want to buy the 85 again. I sold my Version 1 as it almost lost me a client from a studio gig where focus could not keep up with modeling lights in front of a client and it was obvious. So I laid off having the 85 for quite sometime went to a 135 but NOW I could go back to a 85 and having the 24-50 it be a perfect fit as the 1.8 version was useful and good but just had no juice to it. Here I can get that back and with 61mpx you can drop it into crop mode at 128 mm and get some range from it. Not saying here Version 1 is soft but its also not as digital if you know what I mean
I have to say, he has some really nice photos there.
Going back to Tims comment here and I agree its just sharper in look at the focal point than Version 1 in my mind and it leads to a 3d look easier. Even though it maybe more modern I think in a 85mm It maybe better overall. I think the huge difference with this lens is accuracy with the AF now, it seems to stick like glue
p.5 #14 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
robert614 wrote:
I preordered one
TBH, I never got along with the original version. Is the bokeh creamy? Yes. But everything else about the lens isn’t that great IMHO
Focus was pretty crude. Even for portraits. It doesn’t really have the greatest ability to make micro adjustments in focus on the fly. So if you or the subject moved slightly, focus would be off slightly. Not all the time, but enough to be noticeable
Chromatic aberration is pretty noticeable. Especially on hair in bright backlit situations. Sharpness and contrast are not great wide open. Kinda like a veil over the whole image(which some people might prefer. Especially for female portraits)
IDK, I have mine still. But I’m looking forward to replacing it with the mark II. ...Show more →
Regarding AF, people reported here that with current gen bodies (A1, A7RV,...) they can track dogs running towards them with mk 1, so maybe body was part of the issue previously...
p.5 #15 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
j4nu wrote:
Regarding AF, people reported here that with current gen bodies (A1, A7RV,...) they can track dogs running towards them with mk 1, so maybe body was part of the issue previously...
p.5 #16 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
Peire wrote:
Resolution-wise yes,but it seems that Mk2 lost MK1's buttery smooth out of focus blurr.To me the major strength of this lens.
Yes, the Ver.1 has a luminousness and soft, pastel-like contrasts that I don't see in the Ver. 2.
The Ver. 2 will be a more commercial lens, I think, even for wedding photographers. The Ver. 1 will move toward becoming a more specialized lens for creating a particular look. But that look is so good and highly prized that the Ver. 1 will remain in wide use and will keep its price, even better than the 50/1.4 ZA has done.
p.5 #17 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
j4nu wrote:
Regarding AF, people reported here that with current gen bodies (A1, A7RV,...) they can track dogs running towards them with mk 1, so maybe body was part of the issue previously...
Yea mine was from an older body since its been a few years since than and not sure which one maybe the A7RIII so I blame that as well and I honestly have not shot it since than . So I agree I can't blame the lens fully but now knowing an improvement im willing to go back to it in Version II. Everything evolves and the new bodies like the A1 and A7RV are really good at focusing
p.5 #18 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
I do think if the AF improvement may not be a big deal to anyone and like that more pastel look than maybe not upgrade. I think if your sitting on a Version 1 and this is the case for you but still wondering than rent the Version II and compare it and see what you like better. But in Galers images which I trust better than any other I see some nice stuff with it and makes me want to buy it. For me that's enough
p.5 #19 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
j4nu wrote:
Regarding AF, people reported here that with current gen bodies (A1, A7RV,...) they can track dogs running towards them with mk 1, so maybe body was part of the issue previously...
That could be the case. I’ve used the original version on my A1, and most recently on the A9III. The A9III is the first body where I felt the AF was decent with the Mark I.
I think large focus adjustments are ok. I was referring more to the very small micro adjustments.
Like when you’re shooting a portrait wide open, and you, or the subject, lean in or out a few millimeters. You can hear the AF motor try to make the fine adjustment needed. But I don’t think the gearing is fine enough to make those very small adjustments. Often leading to under or over shooting the mark.
I’m not trying to be argumentative. I’m just reading a lot of comments on this thread waxing poetic about the original version.
Which is fine. If people are happy with the original and have no plans on upgrading. Or plan on trying to pick up a used one for cheap (which may not be that easy since it doesn’t sound like many folks are planning to upgrade)
I have no problem with that.
I, for one though, am excited to replace mine with the new version
p.5 #20 · Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Announced—Pre-Orders Now Open!
robert614 wrote:
That could be the case. I’ve used the original version on my A1, and most recently on the A9III. The A9III is the first body where I felt the AF was decent with the Mark I.
I think large focus adjustments are ok. I was referring more to the very small micro adjustments.
Like when you’re shooting a portrait wide open, and you, or the subject, lean in or out a few millimeters. You can hear the AF motor try to make the fine adjustment needed. But I don’t think the gearing is fine enough to make those very small adjustments. Often leading to under or over shooting the mark.
I’m not trying to be argumentative. I’m just reading a lot of comments on this thread waxing poetic about the original version.
Which is fine. If people are happy with the original and have no plans on upgrading. Or plan on trying to pick up a used one for cheap (which may not be that easy since it doesn’t sound like many folks are planning to upgrade)
I have no problem with that.
I, for one though, am excited to replace mine with the new version ...Show more →
Sure, if you actually used mk1 on both bodies then you know more than me .
I just remember people comparing mk1 with 85DN on A1 I think (?) and saying they got more in-focus shots of their dogs with mk1. Which is possible, because the Sigma is only so-so with rapid movement towards (and close to) the camera...
If mk1 is decent on A1, I'd also like to give it a try, given how praised it is here for its rendering .
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