> I am looking for a top-tier 85mm prime specifically for professional portrait sessions... I am curious if the new GM II is worth the extra investment over the Sigma for this high-res sensor? Yo! Congrats on picking up the Sony a7R V Mirrorless Camera!! Honestly, that 61MP sensor is a double-edged sword cuz it literally shows every single flaw in ur glass. I've been shooting Sony for over a decade now and I totally get the struggle of wanting to maximize those pixels without going broke. In my experience, while the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II is a total beast and super lightweight, you really gotta look at the price tag. Its like $1,800-1,900 right now. I recently used the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art for Sony E-mount for a big portrait session and let me tell you... it holds up amazingly well. The sharpness is actually insane even wide open at f/1.4. You can usually find the Sigma for around $1,050, which means you're basically saving almost 800 bucks! I mean, the GM II is definitely faster with the Eye AF cuz of those new linear motors, but for pro portraits? The Sigma is still incredibly snappy on the a7R V. I personally couldnt justify the extra cost cuz the Sigma already resolves sooo much detail. Plus, the rendering is just fantastic. I guess if you're shooting high-speed action the GM II wins, but idk if the average portrait pro needs that tiny bit of extra performance for nearly double the price. Anyway, if you wanna be smart with ur budget, the Sigma is lowkey the best value pro 85mm out there. Have you had a chance to rent either of them yet to see how they feel in ur hand?? Cheers!

I used to be an 85mm fanatic until I missed focus on a huge gig... it was a nightmare cuz that 61MP sensor is so unforgiving!! Respectfully, I'd consider a different approach for ur a7R V:

• Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM
• Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM The 135mm is literally the sharpest glass I've ever owned. It resolves those pixels way better than any 85mm!! gl

@Reply #3 - good point! Honestly, choosing glass for a 61MP sensor is basically a science project. If you want pure reliability for professional work, you gotta look at the AF motor tech. I love deep diving into these specs!

• Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II: This lens is amazing! The dual XD Linear motors are a game changer for hit-rate. Native glass always wins for AF reliability on the a7R V, especially for eye-tracking.
• Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art: Fantastic optics and super sharp, but it uses a stepping motor. It's fast, but it wont ever match the Sony linear motor speed when things get moving.
• Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8: I love the weather sealing on this one! It's a tank. Not as fast as the GM II, but it's incredibly consistent for studio work. I actually just spent all morning re-wiring my NAS system because these 61MP files are absolutely eating my storage alive. I had to go buy three more 14TB drives and a new 10GbE switch just to keep the workflow moving at a decent speed. It's a total rabbit hole once you start upgrading your kit... anyway, the GM II is the technical winner.

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