The G Masters have finally arrived, and definitely deliver on their promises of outstanding sharpness, creamy bokeh, and durable, ergonomic construction. Starting off this new high-end series are the much desired FE 85mm f/1.4 GM and FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM, each filling a gap in the professional lens lineup. And, thanks to Sony, we were given a set of these lenses to test.
Sony’s Perfect Portrait Prime
One thing definitely and sorely missing from Sony’s own E-mount lens line was a portrait-length prime. Some third-party options do exist, but Sony wanted to go straight to the top when it developed the FE 85mm f/1.4 GM. There’s just a look to super-fast telephotos that can’t be replicated, and it’s the reason optics like Canon’s EF 85mm f/1.2 II USM are so highly regarded. Fortunately, the Sony G Master lives up to those expectations and delivers incredible image quality.
Of course, a lens of this style begs to be used wide open, where it was astoundingly sharp on the a7R II and, of course, has exceptionally shallow depth of field. There is a noticeable amount of chromatic aberration on high-contrast edges at f/1.4, but it was easily corrected in post and I wouldn’t necessarily consider it unexpected. It only gets better as you stop down, peaking at about f/4-5.6, where you will experience optimal performance. Vignetting is also very well controlled and flare is nonexistent.
The main advantage of this lens, compared to many third-party options, is the native AF system. It benefits from all of Sony’s features, including Eye AF. It is okay when it comes to speed, but the lens is much slower than other native options. This is likely due to the use of an older, and louder, Linear SSM system to move the large elements precisely, as opposed to the Direct Drive SSM available in many current models.
Operation is great, with a rubberized focus ring that acts much like you would expect a mechanically coupled lens to feel. The focus-by-wire system has been tweaked on these lenses to have a more natural feel and does not seem to ramp up or down in speed depending on how fast you turn it. This means that you can easily repeat focus moves with muscle memory, a vast improvement over other E-mount glass. Another bonus of the G Master series is the physical AF/MF switches and a programmable Fn button (defaults to Focus Hold). I personally set the button to activate Eye AF for natural and easy access to the setting during use.
Another feature of the 85mm, specifically, is the integration of a physical aperture ring, which can be clicked or de-clicked with a switch, exactly like the kind we saw on the Distagon T* FE 35mm f/1.4 ZA. This makes it a stellar option for video shooters, as well as photographers, and seems to be a perfect pairing for 35mm shooters. Finally, there is a ton of attention put on the physical details of this lens, as you can see from a small ridge on the bottom of the lens. Since the lens is large, compared to the camera body, the ridge ensures that the lens’s aperture and focus rings are not lying directly on any surface when the camera is laid down.
The Professional’s Workhorse
You asked for a “professional” mid-range zoom, and now you have it, with the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM. While it may upset many who moved to mirrorless specifically for the size advantage, this G Master lens matches the optical quality of many of its peers. It also feels like a serious optic, with rubberized zoom and focus rings, along with an AF/MF switch and programmable Fn button. It is definitely going to be one of the must-have zoom lenses in any Sony professional’s bag.
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This lens is sharp! The optical performance of this zoom and the 85mm make me really excited for what is coming next. Wide open, both these lenses impress with crisp, contrasty imagery. Distortion is really well controlled at both ends and vignetting, while definitely noticeable at the far corners of the tele end, was not a problem. It does get better stopped down, with a sweet spot around f/5.6-8.
Autofocus was fast throughout the zoom range. But, while the manual focus ring does function much better than previous Sony E-mount lenses, the ring feels really loose. While the 85mm felt close to that of a truly mechanically coupled lens, the 24-70mm definitely betrays the lens’s focus-by-wire design.
A side note, since this lens wasn’t designed for video, is that my copy seemed to be close to parfocal. It wasn’t quite perfect but is perhaps good enough for run-and-gun work, meaning hybrid shooters can make great use of this lens, especially with the a7S and a7S II.
One thing is very clear from this release: Sony is listening to customers. This was among the many demanded lenses for the FE system and it definitely delivers, with excellent image quality and construction.
Benefits of Both Lenses
While the lenses themselves are very different, the G Master Series lenses share many features that make them really great options for Sony shooters. One of these benefits is the enhanced weather resistance, where the most noticeable addition is a rubberized gasket at the lens mount, which results in a tighter seal that should prevent water and dust from entering the camera. The lenses themselves feel very solidly built, and considering teardowns of other Sony glass, I would expect the sealing to be very good here, as well. In addition to the improvements to build quality, the lenses are larger. Some may see this as an affront to the mirrorless name but, for the most part, they handle very well and while definitely heavier, you have to understand the limitations of current lens designs.
An issue I ran into with firmware version 3.10 on the a7R II is that both of these lenses ignore the “Setting Effect” setting and always stop down during use, regardless of this being turned on or off. For those unfamiliar with this menu option, the camera defaults to a mode where it always stops down the lens during preview and composition—Setting Effect allows users to turn this off so that the lens functions more like that of a DSLR. I personally prefer this and was a bit annoyed that these lenses weren’t 100% functional, even with a firmware update. Hopefully, Sony will fix this in the next update.
Overall, these lenses surprised and impressed with optical performance and build quality. The FE 85mm f/1.4 GM will definitely be one of the signature lenses of the system, and pairs quite perfectly with the 35mm f/1.4 that is already available. The FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM is great in its own way, providing sharp imagery throughout the versatile range of focal lengths. And with the faster f/2.8 aperture, many demanding shooters will be happy. Sure, both of these lenses are quite large for the mirrorless design, but they aren’t designed to fit into the smaller and lighter arena. These lenses were developed to take on professional DSLR options where quality is more important than saving a few ounces.
