Customer Ratings & Reviews

I found myself in need of a decent portrait lens for my Sony mirrorless camera to do maternity photos for my daughter. As an advanced amateur hobbyist photographer, I pretty much knew that a fast 85mm prime lens would best suit my needs for at least some of my photos that I planned to take. In reviewing all the various options, it quickly became apparent that the Sony FE 85mm f1.8 lens checked off most of the boxes, including price, size, weight, and reputation. The lens features outstanding sharpness, excellent bokeh, and focuses quietly. I am surprised Sony didn't issue this lens as one of their G series lenses. Some of the compromises include lack of a rubber gasket for weather sealing of the lens mount, no aperture control ring like some of their newer G lenses, and no carry case. At least it does have on the lens barrel a MF-AF switch and a focus-hold button which can be programmed to handle other functions like Eye AF from the camera's menu. It also comes with a lens hood that some big-name lens makers don't always include. Bokeh is very pleasing although circular highlights take on a cats-eye appearance near the edges of the image. Focus is fast and quiet thanks to its double linear autofocus motors. The design and appearance of the lens is simple and clean, and it feels satisfyingly solid in the hands. The size is perfect for most camera bags and the lens balances nicely with all of Sony's full frame Alpha series of mirrorless camera bodies as well as the APS-C models, where it is the focal length equivalent of roughly a 135mm telephoto. If you want the benefits of owning a Sony brand 85mm lens, then the only other options include the more expensive Zeiss Batis lens and the much more expensive Sony GM f/1.4 lens. They are respectively over twice and three times the price of the Sony FE 85mm f1.8 lens, with the GM version much larger and over twice the weight. Given the affordability and host of options, the afforable Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 lens is an easy choice for a lot of photographers looking for the quality of image that only a fast prime lens can offer.

The Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 is a compact, lightweight prime lens designed primarily for portrait photography. It offers excellent image quality, smooth bokeh, and fast autofocus — all at a much lower price than the premium f/1.4 G Master version.

Best buy sold me a used lens as shown in the photos. I opened the package too late and passed the timeframe of return/exchange. So, I contacted the custom service and they said they can do nothing...So, I have to take this used lense at the price of a new one.

The best lens for my Sony 6600. What caught my attention was the price, a full frame prime lens I could afford. This 85mm 1.8 to be pretty sharp and the bokeh is fantastic. The size and weight don't overwhelm my 6600 making the combination comfortable to carry around. I look forward to using this lens a lot more during my travels

ThiThe Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 is hands down one of the best value lenses in the Sony full-frame lineup. It delivers incredible sharpness wide open at f/1.8, producing crisp details with beautiful subject separation. The bokeh is smooth and pleasing, making portraits look professional and natural. Autofocus is fast, accurate, and quiet, even in low light. I especially like the customizable focus-hold button and the dedicated AF/MF switch, which give it a pro-level feel. Despite being compact and lightweight, the build feels solid, and it even has some dust and moisture resistance, which adds peace of mind. For the price, this lens punches way above its weight. It rivals more expensive options like the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM or Zeiss Batis 85mm, while being much more portable and affordable. If you shoot portraits, events, or want a reliable low-light telephoto prime, this lens is a no-brainer.

You already know this thing is an affordable beast. The Sony 85mm f/1.8 delivers incredible sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and fast autofocus that rivals the 85mm G Master at a fraction of the cost. It’s lightweight, reliable, and perfect for portraits or events. Honestly, you’re getting about 90% of the G Master performance without breaking the bank — easily one of Sony’s best value prime lenses.

I’m very happy with this lens. The image quality is sharp with beautiful background blur (bokeh). It works really well for both photography and videography, even in low light. The autofocus is fast and accurate, and the build feels solid. Excellent value for the price — I highly recommend it to other creators.

A lightweight, sharp, and budget-friendly prime lens, perfect for portraits. It delivers great background blur (bokeh) with its wide f/1.8 aperture and offers impressive image quality even wide open. Autofocus is fast and accurate, though not as quiet as G Master lenses. It’s well-built, though not fully weather-sealed. For the price, it’s one of the best value 85mm lenses for Sony full-frame and APS-C cameras.

I recently had the chance to test out the Sony 85mm f/1.8 prime lens for portrait sessions and here are my thoughts. Even though it has a slightly slower f/1.8 aperture compared to an f/1.4 lens, the Sony 85mm f/1.8 still provides beautiful background blur and subject isolation for portraits. The optical quality is very good with sharp focus across the frame when shooting wide open at f/1.8. The autofocus performance is snappy thanks to Sony's quiet linear motor, though not quite as fast as the top-end GM lenses. Still, I found it locked focus very reliably on the subject's eyes during portrait shoots. The circular 9-blade aperture gives nice smooth bokeh when shooting wide open. This is a much more affordable 85mm prime lens compared to the GM version, but still provides excellent quality and performance for portrait photographers. The compact and lightweight design makes it highly portable for carrying around for portrait sessions. Overall, the Sony 85mm f/1.8 is a great value choice for Sony shooters looking for a fast prime lens specifically for portraits. While not inexpensive, it costs significantly less than the GM version while still delivering sharp, beautiful image quality. If you're on a budget but want superb 85mm performance, this lens comes highly recommended.

Incredible lens for video for the price. Extremely sharp image, nice bokeh, and great lowlight performance. This lens has served me extremely well.

a very lightweight lens that easily fits in the camera bag with it on the body. This is my go-to lens for portraits, for sure. Highly recommend over the f/1.4 GM. You don't need that .04 for $100s more...

This Sony lens is fantastic for both photography and videography. The image quality is incredibly sharp, and the autofocus is fast and accurate, even in low light. It’s well-built, lightweight, and easy to carry, making it perfect for on-the-go shoots. Overall, it has really elevated my work and is definitely worth the investment. Highly recommend for anyone looking to step up their gear!

This lens is fantastic, tack sharp and butter smooth bokeh. It is not heavy or long, perfect size. Excellent lens for portrait photography and more.

The lens is light weight and the pictures some out very sharp. It does well in low light, I was able to bump my iso up to 1600 and still get a picture that was not too noisy. This lens is great for portraits and the focus is sharp and the auto focus is quick. I use this lens with and Sony A7ii

Very happy with my purchase of this lens. Its priced right and did exactly what I needed it do. So far I’m getting very nice images and video. The lens is excellent in low light situations. The build quality is very good.

Great lens for the money. Wish it had a smaller minimum focus distance but not a biggie and I admit, that's asking a lot in a lens of this size and price point. So it's not a good lens for macro work. Lightweight, sharp as a tack, quick focusing and quiet, and the build is fantastic. So far, great in low light. Probably not as versatile as a 35 or 50mm but the quality is so good I find uses for it. I enjoy portraiture so it gets use. Would be great for kids. Wouldn't recommend for landscapes. I find it's in "no-man's-land" for many landscape shots. But for the price, it's a great little extravagance!

One of my “go-to” primes. 85mm is great for portraits and indoor sports photography. Super sharp pictures and fast auto focus ability.

Love this lens .. its good to try 85mm 1.8 takes really good pictures

Quality product. I’ve only used it a few times, but have had no problems with this lens. It’s also pretty quiet, so you can’t hear it while shooting video

Just get it. If you're looking for a fast 85mm lens for full-frame you will be very happy. Honestly not sure why you'd buy the G-Master lens over this one. It's razor-sharp, AF is very snappy, it's small and lightweight. The build quality is solid, certainly feels cheaper than the GM but the GM is basically a tank. So is build quality, a focus hold button, AF/MF switch, and an aperture ring worth a 3x cost increase to you? Certainly weren't for me.