I have both the Batis 85 f1.8 and the 70-200 f4 Macro II. I do a lot of travel and shoot lots of portraits, so my answer for the shooting types you listed is the Batis 85. Just love the results the Batis series produces. I actually have 4 Batis primes from 25mm to 135mm, yes they are older and a bit large in size, but the uniformity of the design, IQ results and same 67mm filter thread make it easy to switch among them and they will be a last Sony lenses that I would every sell.
The only advantages the zoom has is its zoom range and Macro ability, but you did not mention Macro in your photo shooting types. Much more important to me is the 2-1/3 added stops the Batis 85mm brings, and with it’s OIS, how does in focus interior or evening shots at a 1/25th of a second sound? No way my 70-200 II with it’s size/weight, even with its OSS, is going to be usable at below 1/100ss.
The photo below was taken in Hua Hin Thailand with my Batis 85 at 6AM in the morning at ISO 100, F4 and at 1/320ss. I don’t have confidence that the 70-200 II and it’s OSS at ISO 100 would have been sharp, as the ss would have dropped below 1/80, so the ISO would have needed to be raised.
I have both the Batis 85 f1.8 and the 70-200 f4 Macro II. I do a lot of travel and shoot lots of portraits, so my answer for the shooting types you listed is the Batis 85. Just love the results the Batis series produces. I actually have 4 Batis primes from 25mm to 135mm, yes they are older and a bit large in size, but the uniformity of the design, IQ results and same 67mm filter thread make it easy to switch among them and they will be a last Sony lenses that I would every sell.
The only advantages the zoom has is its zoom range and Macro ability, but you did not mention Macro in your photo shooting types. Much more important to me is the 2-1/3 added stops the Batis 85mm brings, and with it’s OIS, how does in focus shots at a 1/25th of a second sound? No way my 70-200 II with it’s size/weight, even with its OSS, is going to be usable at below 1/100ss.
The photo below was taken in Hua Hin Thailand with my Batis 85 at 6AM in the morning at ISO 100, F4 and at 1/320ss. I don’t have confidence that the 70-200 II and it’s OSS at ISO 100 would have been sharp, as the ss would have dropped below 1/80, so the ISO would have needed to be raised.
Mar 06, 2026 at 08:23 AM
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