Ive been shooting Sony for ages but honestly Im hitting a wall with my current glass. Got a high-stakes indoor shoot coming up in a month and my old 85mm is just hunting way too much in low light. Its driving me crazy because I need that creamy bokeh but I cant miss shots. I got about 1200 bucks to drop on a new prime and I keep going back and forth between the 85mm GM and the newer Sigma stuff. I need something that actually nails eye-AF every single time without being a brick to carry around. Which prime lens is actually the best for portraits on these bodies right now or am I overthinking the 1.4 vs 1.8 thing...
Jumping in here because honestly, I had such a bad experience with the Sony FE 85mm f1.4 GM that I ended up returning it after a week. It was just not as good as expected for the price. The AF is clunky and loud, definitely not what you want for a high-stakes shoot where hunting will kill the vibe. It feels like 2016 tech in 2024. Quick question tho, what body are you actually rocking? Like, are you on an A7RIII or something newer like an A7IV or A1? The body makes a massive difference in how these lenses behave with eye tracking. If you're struggling with hunting, it's usually for a few reasons:
- The lens is using an old RDSSM motor which struggles to move heavy glass fast enough for modern Eye-AF.
- You're losing contrast in low light, making the f1.4 aperture more about AF accuracy than just blur.
- Newer Sony primes use XD Linear motors which are basically instant and silent. I'd ngl look at the Sony FE 50mm f1.4 GM instead if you can handle a slightly wider focal length. It uses those newer dual XD linear motors and it hits focus every single time even in a dark room. It's way smaller than the 85mm GM and sits right at your budget. If you absolutely need 85mm, the Sigma is okay but native Sony glass with linear motors is the only way to get 100 percent reliability imo. Just stay away from that old 85mm GM.
Honestly, stop overthinking f1.4 vs f1.8! For pure speed, the Sony FE 85mm f1.8 is a total beast and focuses instantly. But for that wow factor, the Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art is absolutely amazing and miles better than the Sony FE 85mm f1.4 GM. Its way lighter and nails eye-AF every single time!! TL;DR: Grab the Sigma for incredible bokeh and speed without the GM price tag.
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Building on the earlier suggestion, focus acquisition is often more a function of the internal motor actuators than the maximum aperture.
- Newer linear motors are generally much faster for tracking eyes than older systems.
- Weight distribution is a critical factor for maintaining stability during long indoor sessions.
- Budget efficiency is usually found in gear that offers consistent performance rather than just chasing the lowest f-stop.
- That actually reminds me of a shoot I did in an old underground bank vault years ago. The walls were so thick that none of my wireless triggers would fire, so I had to run cables everywhere. People kept tripping over the cords and at one point the manager threatened to kick us out because we were a fire hazard. We ended up finishing the whole session in a nearby alleyway next to some very smelly dumpsters just to get the job done because the client didnt want to reschedule. Anyway lol, sorry kinda went off topic there.
I totally get the frustration! I used to struggle with hunting lenses until I finally bit the bullet and updated my kit. Here is my take:
- Stick with Sigma! Their newer stuff is absolutely amazing and the autofocus is honestly light years ahead of some of those older lenses.
- Reliability is everything when you have a high-stakes shoot. I love how fast these newer motors are!
- Honestly, the weight difference is huge too. My wrists stopped hurting after I made the switch.
- Dont sweat the aperture numbers too much, focus speed is way more important for your sanity. You really cant go wrong with any of the recent primes from them. They are fantastic!
