Sony 85mm F1.4 GM II Officially Announced: Release Date & Specs

Sony continues to roll out their new products as we enter the final months of 2024. Having started the year with the A9 III and with the potential of another Alpha camera on the horizon, the manufacturer shows no sign of slowing. Now, with confirmation of the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II release date, photographers now have an exceptional portrait lens to pair with their new camera bodies.

With the official information now out in the wild, here’s everything we know about Sony’s latest G Master upgrade.

Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II Official Specs and Release Date Window

• Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II
• Focal Length - 85mm
• Aperture - f/1.4
• Weight - 642g
• Filter Thread - 77mm

You can watch the official announcement via Sony's Youtube channel here.

Though there were plenty of leaks regarding this lens in the run-up to an official announcement - including one YouTuber accidentally publishing his full review early - we got confirmation from Sony themselves on the 28th of August. The lens will be available from September 2024, for approximately $1,799 USD / $2,499 CAD. Yann Salmon Legagneur, Sony’s European Head of IP&S Marketing, said this in the press release:

In 2016 we launched our G Master lineup and the first generation 85mm f/1.4 lens was one of the three lenses part of that pivotable moment for Sony. Our goal with our G Master line is to design glass that delivers stunning resolution and beautiful bokeh, while incorporating the highest level of technology available at the time, and we are proud to continue that message with the next-generation FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II we are announcing today.
We know how many photographers and videographers rely on the large aperture 85mm focal length. We are excited to offer an updated version packed with our latest lens technologies, all while maintaining a lightweight lens and extremely compact in size.
Source: Yann Salmon Legagneur, Sony

The press release goes on to proclaim that the GM II is as much as 3 times as fast as the previous-generation G master lens, and around 20% lighter - a winning combination for on-the-go photographers. An 11-blade spherical aperture creates the bokeh that portrait artists know and love, and multiple layers of premium glass minimize flare for optimum results.

Should you buy the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II?

If you are a Sony shooter that specializes in any form of portraiture - in photo or video - then this lens is shaping up to be an absolute steal. The previous generation of this G Master lens is one of Sony’s best, offering gorgeous bokeh and beautiful images. 85mm is argued by many to be the best focal length for portraits, with the best blend of width and compression, and a wide f/1.4 aperture gives you all of the brightness and shallow depth of field you could ever ask for.

That said, if you find that the upgraded G Master lens is a bit beyond your price point, there’s every chance that the previous-generation G Master lens could see a reduction in the near future. And for a triple-digit alternative, Sony also offers an 85mm f/1.8 standard lens for budget portrait shooters.