Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 Lens

The Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 lens is a short telephoto prime lens designed for Sony full-frame E-mount mirrorless cameras, also compatible with APS-C E-mount bodies providing an equivalent field of view of about 127.5mm. It has a bright f/1.8 maximum aperture that allows for excellent depth of field control and performs well in low light. The lens features one extra-low dispersion element to reduce chromatic aberrations and color fringing, delivering clear and accurate images. It has a 9-blade rounded diaphragm for smooth, pleasing bokeh, making it ideal for portraits.

Optically, the lens delivers reasonable sharpness wide open at f/1.8 with razor-sharp image quality by f/2.8 across most of the frame. It exhibits mild lateral chromatic aberrations and some color blur at wide apertures, but vignetting is not strong and diminishes when stopped down. The lens uses a double linear autofocus motor for fast, precise, and quiet focusing, includes a focus hold button, AF/MF switch, and a smooth focus ring. Its build is lightweight at about 370g (13.1 oz) and it is dust and moisture resistant. The minimum focus distance is about 0.8m with a maximum magnification of 0.13x.

Overall, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 is praised for its impressive sharpness, excellent bokeh, and practical features at a relatively affordable price point, making it popular especially for portrait photography and low light situations.