The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 85mm F1.8 and the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM is the longer of the two lenses at 108mm. The Sony FE 85mm F1.8 with a length of 82mm, is 26mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM also has a larger diameter of 90mm compared to the Sony FE 85mm F1.8's 78mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Sony FE 85mm F1.8 and Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sony FE 85mm F1.8 weighs 371g, which means it is 449g (54%) lighter than the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM which has a weight of 820g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 85mm F1.8 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 85mm F1.8:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony FE 85mm F1.8 and the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
85mm but while Sony FE 85mm F1.8 has the fastest aperture of
F1.8, the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM's widest aperture value is
F1.4.