Sony FE 135 G Master Lens Review

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Join me on Patreon for the best Alpha Support and Guidance. A single $10 Membership fee includes access to my 500-page camera-specific eBooks, member-only Q&A Forums + Over twenty 1-hour member-only seminars + cameras settings files & access to the Raw files from the lens and camera reviews (there is no contract or commitment beyond the first month). www.patreon.com/markgaler

[@h1pst3r88]

Have learned more from your videos than any other photography source online... and I always love the wonderful photos that illustrate the points you are making. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and craft!

[@alantay9409]

Excellent presentation! You never fail to impress me with little details and taking effort to explain why certain bokeh happen! Thank you.

[@chrisfu1736]

Super informative review! Glad to see a video detailed with working examples. Always see product reviews where they focus on things like weight and buttons rather than actual performance.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Glad it was helpful! - Please subscribe to the channel to support my work.

[@stephenrich7762]

I really like the Sony GM lenses; however, I for landscape shooting involving travel, 33 oz for the Sony vs 21.6 oz for the Batis is a consideration.

[@HikeBikePhoto]

OMFG such a detailed review and such a smooth voice. Thank you dude!

[@artmaltman]

Superb presentation. You anticipate my questions perfectly!

[@deniszolin1]

Thank you Mark, you videos are always a great resource for helping one decide “either or “ situations.

[@massimotintori8114]

I miei complimenti Mark. I tuoi video sono molto professionali e intelligenti, mi sono stati sempre molto utili. Non ti limiti a presentare il prodotto, ma lo analizzi e lo confronti nelle sue diverse possibilità di utilizzo ( fullframe/apsc).

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Thanks for the positive feedback Massimo

[@prjct72]

Perfectionist! Thank you very much for every piece of advice and that level of attention to detail

[@abtyne]

All your videos are meticulous, precise and comprehensive. By far, the best channel on photography. Thank you Sir.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

So nice of you

[@dawgyv72]

10:20 My goodness that sharpness! I dont see myself ever needing a 135mm Prime but thats just damn gorgeous

[@AnthonyPtak]

It's really stunning in these pictures you're taking with the 135. I'm seeing the creative advantage.

[@funnybugsbunny]

Sir, your images are breath taking!! Thank you very much!

[@camfairbairn8997]

I don't own either the 85mm or 135mm - and i'm using this video (and, actually your Capturing Powerful Portraits video) to help decide which one to purchase. I own the 70-200 gm 2.8 used primarily/exclusively for concert photos where even at 2.8 my ISOs are extremely high. With an "R" body (I use an M3 for its superior low light performance but am in the queue to buy an R4) and especially given your warning that the RIV (in your R4 review) will be intolerant to small motion shake when cropping and will tend to blur at extreme crops unless a GM lens is involved I have decided that I need to stay with the GM series and that the 135 is the way to go. Given that sometimes I want to shoot at F4 or lower to get more of a band into focus it's nice to know that the lens will open wide to get said focus. Lastly, I don't ever shoot in a studio so moving away from my subjects will not be of concern to me. I've seen the video now three times and each time I see it I get more nuanced information. Thanks for the effort of putting this together, Mark.

[@fluxcapacitor3273]

A very very good review that you can not see nowadays....THANK YOU.

[@777-Phil]

Greatest review (thumbs up): I'm surprised you did not test astro-footage with your prime lenses. The mind-boggling 85mm F1.4 with A7Sii body, for example, makes NASA 'space' vids appear fake (since NASA 'live' space vids render NO stars). The 85mm F1.4 Gm picks up EVERYTHING stellar next to the moon and the city light-polluted skyline ... and renders thousands of stars in the Orion constellation during these conditions (F1.4, ISO 50K, 1/50). Now I can't wait to get this 135mm F1.8 to see more of what NASA cannot.

[@LuisGabrielPhotography]

Thanks for the video, Mark. Please note there is a small error about the Aperture Blades. They do not affect the image unless you are stopping down the lens so when shooting wide open, they are not playing any role on the image you are getting. May want to add that to the notes so viewers do not get confused.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Thanks - the is why I included a bokeh shot with the aperture closed down to f/2.8 so viewers could see the round bokeh balls were maintained even when stopped down slightly.

[@LuisGabrielPhotography]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills I was referring to 4:40 when you showed two wide open shots and mentioned that some people might be able to tell the difference but that given that both are using circular apertures with 11 blades, that they will be very similar. So what I was clarifying is that wide open, the aperture blades are not doing anything since you are wide open so the comparison between those two wide open images and any similarities have nothing to do with the circular blade at that point. Regards

[@cameraprepper7938]

I have got this excellent Sony 135mm 1.8 GM Lens, it is very sharp, have very high resolution, very good colors and contrast, very nice and creamy bokeh. I like that it have a short focus of 70 cm, only thig that I miss are a 1.4x Teleconverter for this Lens. Before this I had the Canon EF 135mm 2.0L USM which are very good, but the Sony 135mm 1.8 GM are much better ! I can very highly recommend the Sony 135mm 1.8 GM Lens !

[@JojoDineros]

This is great lens!👍👍

[@BillZebubproductions]

This lens has been on my mind for a while, as was the 85. The 85 from Sony recently has been upgraded. Do you foresee this lens getting the same treatment?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

It’s hard to imagine how Sony can improve on this lens as it is one of the most optically perfect lenses ever tested. If also has lightening fast AF - which has been the primary reason that Sony felt the need to update four of its older GM lenses that would struggle to keep up with the A1 and A9lll cameras - I provide in-depth and personal equipment advice on my Patreon.com/markgaler alpha support channel

[@Hsukhaybir]

3 years later .. this lens still a top notch even with A1 .. I’m happy I got it couple months ago to complete my setup .. thank you mark Btw: I couldn’t keep my eyes off the map in the background and wondering why my country has a neon yellow color 😅

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

The map was purchased for me as a present and you scratch away the country you have recently visited to reveal a coloured foil behind the matte surface.

[@Hsukhaybir]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills thank you mr galer .. if I may there’s one feature that I’m not sure that you mentioned in any of your videos, maybe you did I missed it :| .. it’s the aperture drive in AF for Action and BIF .. mainly I leave it at standard and I don’t mind noise for the aperture when acquiring focus to open for faster focus like .. but for tracking in continues shooting is better to sit it to focus priority or leave it at standard ? I can see it focuses much faster in priority .. Thank you.

[@Hsukhaybir]

Oh I just realized that the aperture stays wide open even if you change the aperture to any F stops in aperture priority .. why ?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

@@Hsukhaybir - Turn the aperture ring to A if you want to control the aperture from the camera body.

[@Hsukhaybir]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills thank mark .. I know how the rings work but i think my question confused you, I was confused too smh .. However I find out why now. in The settings I was trying the option “ aperture drive in AF “ with 135mm GM .. I noticed when I choose focus priority if I change F value EVF doesn’t change DOF and I thought it will be like that and the aperture won’t close even when I take the shot .. but with help from a friend I was able to see how the aperture act in that option it stays open and you can’t see DOF and the aperture close right before you take the shot AND THEN you can see .. there’s no WYSIWYG.

[@elijahprada7793]

Always a pleasure to hear your reviews!

[@Anarki2U]

The 24mm 1.4 GM and The 135mm 1.8 GM are GREAT lenses !!! So Sony keep those GM primes lenses comming... Wish for 55mm GM, 300 4.0 GM 400 4.5 GM and more... oh yeah and a macro GM without stabilizer ! The Lens Hood for the 135mm 1.8 GM should have been much more rugged !!!

[@martynphillips6646]

Informative and inspiring as always, thank you.

[@chelostgo]

Thanks for the video. Really considering selling my 70-200G for the 135. The bokeh on the 135 is super nice...

[@nikanj]

If you didn't tell me the model was lit with ambient light only I would have guessed large soft-box plus reflector for fill. Find such a nice soft light source at dusk is so rare.

[@booga2007]

No it is not. I do that all the time. You need to enable zebras and increase exposure until the zebras appear in the face and then decrease exposure slightly until they are are gone in the face. Totally ignore overexposed backgrounds as long as the subject is well exposed. The same works for indoor dance photos. They tend to be way underexposed until you do the zebra thing. Just pump up the ISO. Sony van handle a lot and the captured intimacy outweighs a bit of noise or less detail. The whole discussion that noise is not professional is not relevant anymore. The images at 12800 or higher look fantastic and are not anywhere near what was really ugly 5 years ago.

[@c2aus319]

thank you so much sir. I had the same question tormented me for the past few days because i already have the 85gm.. but even if you explain very clearly that you can do 90% of that look with the apsc 85gm i still going to get it . hard to explain, i will blame the faster autofocus.. but actualy is more like the pokemon effect :))) thank you

[@DavidSornbergerFilms]

On my wish list 😊 If I get one I’ll feature it on my KZbin channel for my Faroe Islands trip this summer.

[@NoManForAnAnswer]

Amazing work. Exactly what i'm looking for! Best regards from Germany

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Glad to hear that!

[@abtyne]

Thank you sir, for your priceless reviews

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

My pleasure!

[@RalfWeyer]

Beautiful pictures, this lens seems to perform really well 👍

[@TheEquineImage]

Great video as always. Top notch!!

[@Mr09260]

Great Video Mark

[@onegreenev]

I’m assuming Sony can’t fix the aperture issue with the 85mm GM. Hard to imagine the would have left that function out. Awaiting my 135 GM. :)

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Switching Live View Display to off is the only workaround that I am aware when shooting in low ambient light with the aperture stopped down.

[@hubertbaierl9546]

I would appreciate to know what camera was used for the pictures shown in the video. (Yes, I watched in 4k mode on my 4k monitor)

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

There is a link in the info section that takes you to the gallery of ultra high-definition images that contain all the EXIF data (including camera used).

[@plopthebubble9443]

I had a question on my mind fore months, does the apsc mode as an impact on the compression of the background like a longeur focal lenth would ? Or does it just crop in the image ? Thank you Mark for your work and detailled review. 4:38 "bokah composition" is stunning.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

It's exactly the same effect as if you were cropping in post or shooting with an APS-C camera. You have to magnify both the focal length and aperture by X 1.5. An 85 mm F/1.8 behaves like a 135 F/2.7 in APS-C mode.

[@onelovebygaryphillip9278]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills Hi Mark, I'm not sure this is true. I believe in apsc mode the image just gets cropped in-camera, it doesn't actually give you any more reach or bokeh. Its there so you can use cropped lenses. Im happy to be corrected.

[@tevfikdemircioglu53]

Great video, you told us very much information. Thanks for it Mark.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Glad it was helpful!

[@haltodd5377]

Excellent presentation - really enjoy your videos

[@MaxPhotoGraphic]

Thank you for this video, i wonder: do you thinkvis it possible to mount on it a 2x multiplier? And how will it perform? To which stop will it get? Will tge autofocus be still fast in outdoor and indoor? Have a great day, Max

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

The 1.4 and 2.0x Teleconverters are not compatible with the FE 135 GM

[@IrixGuy]

Great images and presentation!

[@FeliciaAlston]

Thank you so much for the expert review and comparison of these lenses. I really appreciate your assistance with helping me to make a keen decision with regard to my needs as it relates to my shooting style, and what I would like to accomplish. This movie makes so much sense to me--and I think I am moving closer to the decision. Thank you

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Thanks for the positive feedback Felicia. Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

Thank you, Mark. What a remarkably sharp, fast AF lens! It smokes the 85mm F1.4 GMaster out of the water in sharpness, clarity, microcontrast and AF acquisition speed. The difference in all shots is very evident, especially in the shots of flowers in a basket on a bike. Even the skin tones (i.e., the model's forehead) appear to look much better likely due to its superior microcontrast. The cyclist's images are delightfully sharp and tonally quite rich. A feat, considering they are in motion (albeit, no Roglices & Sagans at that age. I'm positive they are quite slow, but even so - they ride). Unfortunately, at €1900 or thereabouts, it's exceedingly expensive. Almost as expensive as the much more versatile, but somewhat heavier and slower, 70-200mm F2.8. I'm holding My breath for Samyang to come up with something very similar (same optical and AF performance, please! And a focus hold button!) for ca. 35-40% of its cost.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

They are both fabulous - the 135, however, has much less color fringing when used wide open than the 85

[@LeoInterHyenaem]

@@AlphaCreativeSkillsThe 6:00 focus area zoom compared to 6:32 one confirms my conclusion. The optical quality difference is easily discernible in these two images, at least in 1:1 or greater renders.

[@Motogarazin]

Mark, i want to buy a new lens. I think among 85 f/1.4 and 135 f/1.8 I make a lot of automotive photography and video. Which of them will me more useful for me? I have A73 + Zeis 24-70 f/2.8 and Samyang AF 35/f1.4

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Difficult to advise when I don’t know how you shoot but maybe the 135 as you already have 70mm on your zoom. I offer a full consultancy service on Patreon.

[@tonyvalqta]

Hello ! What body you use? And please tell me- how you get this amazing color in picture- Do you use a luts or anithing else ?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

No LUTS -check out my 2-hour Lightroom editing video on my KZbin channel.

[@tonyvalqta]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills OK! what PP you use ? :)

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Picture Profiles are for movies and not for Raw stills.

[@tonyvalqta]

​@@AlphaCreativeSkills Yes! Thanks! Im beginer ! Do you have video for sony camera settings?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

More than 100

[@peterlopez8641]

Hi Mark.... I was wondering how far back would I need to step back to get a full body pic for the Sony 135mm G master VS Sony 85 mm G master ?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

I have never measured the distance I am standing from my subjects. If you have a 70-200 lens you could test this yourself.

[@desertoo23]

I did enjoy this video. Fantastic!

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Thank you very much!

[@zoetmoments5625]

Hi Mark Galer, please can you help me out am using an A7RIII but my images look exposed correctly in camera but when brought into lightroom it then losses about 1-2 stop of exposure and look very contrasty. they are all shot with DRO turn of and no custom picture profile on and all set to netural and with the creative style with Contrast, saturation and sharpness level reduced by -3. with this been said i have tried every work around. you pictures look absolutely stunning and am hoping that am able to find a good workaround on this issue above. i would rather not have to be spending time adjusting exposure and saturation level in post. i also shoot man and RAW only no raw + jpeg so DRO shouldn't affect the RAW

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Ideally you should base your exposure in camera using the histogram and not how bright or dark it looks as changing the brightness of your Monitor and Finder will change your impression of the exposure and contrast. Adjusting the Creative Style setting will not Effect the Raw file so your -3 sharpness will change only the monitor and EVF View. It is typical to have to lighten shadows when processing Raw. You can modify the Adobe default and create your own in Lightroom if you are tired of adjusting the majority of images the same way. You should also use a good quality monitor and calibrate and profile this monitor as you must be able to trust what you are seeing on your monitor is accurate and not just a characteristic of the monitor.

[@3rebornxd]

So, I have the 24mm 1.4, 85 1.8, and the 70-200mm 2.8. Do I need this lens in my kit? I shoot mostly sports and portraits but am getting in wedding photography. Please help!

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Zooms are a little more flexible for weddings but the 135 is absolutely gorgeous- super fast AF, pin sharp wide open and bokeh to die for.

[@3rebornxd]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills thank you!!

[@marksummers5504]

Thank you for the review. Having used the A-Mount version 135mm f/1.8, the compression, I feel really makes a difference. I’m so excited about using this version. Hopefully Sony will add a Mark ii version of the 85mm f/1.4 GM using the XD motor system. My only complaint with my 85 is the slight hunting in low light. I think the 135mm f/1.8 GM might just be the best portrait lens available!

[@farhada1371]

Great educational videos and excellent presentation. Would you please review the sound quality of your videos, they seem to be a bit dull. Thanks Mark.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

I use a good Rhode desktop microphone but unfortunately I do not employ the services of an audio engineer as I work from donations.

[@jonspoard8416]

Thanks for the review. Great as always Are these images straight out of the camera Mark?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

I usually process my images for about 1 to 2 minutes each in Lightroom. If you have watched my Lightroom Masterclass video tutorial you will know that there is 'no truth' in an unprocessed raw file.

[@jonspoard8416]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills I'm a fan of editing anyway as long as it's quite quick. I will give them a look, thanks. Keep up the great work. I've learnt so much from your channel

[@martinpickard5818]

Torn between the 135 and the new 50 f1.2…..enjoy street and enjoy action and portraits…..leaning towards the 135.Any advice would be welcome.🙏🏻

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Check out my 50mm GM review but my personal preference would lean towards the 135 GM due to the proximity I need to be from my subjects.

[@martinpickard5818]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills thank you,the 135 it is,what money remains will go towards the 55mm f1.8…again many thanks

[@BostonHooligan08]

I mostly shoot landscapes but I'm trying to do more portrait work now. I'm switching from Nikon to Sony and I'm wondering if it's worth the $800 difference between the A7iii and the A7Riii.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

It really depends how much you would use the extra resolution of the A7RIII - Shooting in APS-C mode on the A7RIII is one of those uses of the extra resolution. It effectively allows me to use two focal lengths for each lens I own. They often discount the A7RIII heavily as it is the older model when compared to the A7III so keep your eye on the specials.

[@johndt5444]

since you get the resolution you get with the A7Riii with no penalty in fps and autofocus then the $800 is well spent. I was out and about the other day and saw some nice surf action. I only had a 70-200 f4. I thought I needed at least 400mm. I took the shots anyway. I cropped heavily and still had amazing quality.. The overhead with big files etc its total BS. Get fast cards thats all.

[@evenios2831]

nice but keep in mind if you use crop mode you lose much resolution now thats not a huge issue on say the R cameras but if your not using a R camera i think if you want to do 135mm best to get a full 135mm lens so you dont lose any image quality

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

With the GM glass I am very much focussed on the R cameras in these reviews.

[@charruaporelmundo]

I have the incredible planar, and the batis 85,...I'm wondering to sell the batis for this 135 mm gm. What your thought?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

The 135 is my favourite prime of all time

[@cricketer3135]

Mark, what do you recommend between Tamron 70 180 and Sony 135mm 1.8 For videos?? Thanks

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

I own 85 and 135 GM primes so don't need a Tamron zoom.

[@akirahojo2]

Is it possible and what do I need to be aware of if I used the Sony 135mm G lens on my APS-C Sony A6000 camera so it becomes a 202mm focal length for animal shoot?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

You don’t need to be aware of anything- it will work well if you need a telephoto with a very wide aperture for photographing in low ambient light. The AF of the A6000 is quick but the tracking of moving subjects is more easily implemented in subsequent models and super reliable with the new A6400. If your wildlife is static this won’t be an issue with your A6000.

[@unpadonundnaundxtall4740]

Can we look forward to seeing a comparison between this lens and the Jupiter-37A 135mm f/3.5?

[@VitaminVS]

All pictures are amazing. I would like to meet you if you are in Europe.

[@FL18644]

So In short does 85 GM apsc mode can get similar to 135 GM so keeping one 85 is enough. Forget about the boring things like chromatic aberration or color fringing I cannot see in full hd monitor.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Yes it’s one of the advantages of the 7R camera’s over the 24 MP cameras

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Yes it’s one of the advantages of the 7R camera’s over the 24 MP cameras

[@IamLaR1]

My dream lense

[@elias38]

Any idea if Sony is going to release a new model of 85mm GM in a few years or so? I want to get it but it is already 3 years old. Don’t want to be surprised by a new release after getting it.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Sony keeps the development and release schedule of new products a closely guarded secret - staff sign non-disclosure agreements if they know - but few outside of Japan do.

[@superchickensuperchicken7939]

Mark Galer's Alpha Creative Skills, what Sony camera are you using to shoot these photos and what Sony camera are you used to make this video in 4k?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

A7Rlll with the 135 and an A6400

[@marcusmurray5440]

Great tutorial, very informative. I'm am switching to sony and pre ordered a sony a7 iv. I'm definitely buying a 35mm 1.4 as my first lens but I'm torn between 85mm or 135mm f1.8 as a second. Ideally I'm interested in street and portrait photography. What would you recommend?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

The 85 is often called the Portrait Prime as it puts you at the right distance from your subject for head and shoulder portraits. The 135 can be useful for street for those who are a little nervous of strangers and want to stay at a more respectful distance or who cannot get as close as they would like. The 135 is Sony’s most optically perfect lens.

[@Sharkdigger10]

I have just received my copy of the 135 lens and I noticed something that seems a little strange and I would appreciate your opinion here. When I hold the lens by its own and turn it upside down and back again there seems to be a shifting in the elements within as I move the lens from side to side. I don’t get that with the 35mm 1.4. The 135 is obviously heavier but is this normal? Shouldn’t there be no movement at all of anything within the lens when you move it?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

What you are hearing is the linear focus motors that are feet yet engaged with the lens elements. As soon as they are powered by the camera they engage with the lens elements. The 135 GM uses quad linear AF motors and and is one of the fastest focusing lenses there is. The sound is normal.

[@Sharkdigger10]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills Ah, great news, thank you. very much appreciate your swift response. I was a little worried there. I’m just now making the switch to Sony and my camera body hasn’t arrived yet so I wasn’t able to check that out. I’ve been following your reviews for the past months and I very much appreciate your expertise and content. Well done

[@robmcd]

Hi Mark! Absolutely love love your videos. If you get a chance I’d love to see the 135 in super 35, I guess the only missing lens in the e mount is an F2 200 prime.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

a 14 or 15 mm F/2 would also be useful :-)

[@garudavideoproductions4140]

Great vid Mark, but would be nice to include the f-stop for each shot (ie. bicycle tracking) so we can evaluation the DoF at whatever f/ you're shooting.For example, the female cyclist's backpack is getting soft, so curious about f-stop used.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

All of the images are available in ultra high definition with all metadata if you follow the album link in the info section below the video

[@garudavideoproductions4140]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills Wow! Really fast reply. Thanks. Your stills and footage are exquisite... as you well know. Appreciate your hard work.

[@jonoy4375]

Wish Sony has a better version of 85GM Mark ii

[@HalcyonMode]

Soon

[@milosvolenec6514]

Hi Mark, thaks for the great review. Is it possible to use 1.4x extender with this lens?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Unfortunately not - it’s the only negative for this lens.

[@ursbeerli9900]

Thanks Mark for the very interesting video. I‘am using the Batis 135. Is there a big reason to change for the new Sony 135? OK 1.8 vs 2.8 could be one. On the other hand the Batis is light and i like the displayed DOF calculator of the Batis. Thanks for short remark on this.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

If you read the Batis review on my blog you will see I liked this lens a lot. The Sony is great but it is heavier. I used the distance scale on the Batis 18mm but never used it on the longer focal lengths - not sure what Zeiss has against focus hold buttons on lenses but I really miss them when they are not there.

[@EtienneRouleau333]

Amazing pictures!!

[@mohandass3442]

I have purchased sonyA1 according to sony company I hv to use 2.8 lens what is this I want to purchase 24_105 sony f/4 or sony 55 f/1.8 Zeiss pl explain sir

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

That is incomplete advice - some lenses cannot track focus at 30fps but are otherwise fine to use.

[@vincebaldwin2829]

There is all the hype with the A7iii. But I love my A7ii. Will it be just as fast and sharp with that body

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

You may not need the performance features of the A7lll but most of the information about the A7lll is not hype. I describe the PDAF of the A7ll as ‘pedestrian’ - it can track moving subjects coming towards the camera at walking pace, whereas the A7lll can track a charging bull. The 135 is a fast focussing lens that can keep up with the A7lll and A9 cameras. It can certainly keep up with the A7ll but it is the camera that limits or dictates the AF speed. The resolving power of the lens can keep up with the A7Rlll so again it is the resolution of the 24 megapixel sensors that is the limiting factor in terms of sharpness and not the lens.

[@OptimaMrL]

I can tell you that it is no hype

[@bhaskarpatel7233]

Nice..Sunrise films

[@alamba78]

What wireless lavalier mic are you using in this video? TIA!

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

The Sony Bluetooth Microphone

[@WilliamLesourd]

Thanks Mark. There is a question at the end of this comment. I thoroughly enjoyed your review of these three exceptional lenses. I am about to purchase one of them, and based on what you are saying about focusing speed and accuracy, as well as by looking on a 4k monitor at your sample images, I think I can safely place an order for the 135mm GM. Such a shame though that the 100mm cannot open wider and deal better with low light it. The resulting images with this lens are great too. But I need a medium-long focal lens anyway and the 135mm it will be. What multiplicateur would you recommend I purchase with it ? If I reach 200mm it will be fine for my needs. Is there a loss of quality ? Thanks again. Great review indeed.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

The Teleconverters cannot be used with the 135 GM

[@tobyntoby]

The 135 is clearly the better lens here, particularly in handling those colour fringing issues. I wonder if stepping down to f/1.8 on the 85 would eliminate them.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Stopping down the 85 eliminates the fringing

[@pianoman1973]

Great review. Question - when you're shooting at ASP-C mode with the 85mm , doesn't it mean your sensor gathers less light which then should be compensated by either lowering shutter speed or increasing the ISO ? Otherwise, we'd all go about shooting ASP-C no ? :) Also , overall resulting shot resolution would also be smaller , is that correct ? Just trying to understand better :) Thanks !

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

APS-C Mode is effectively just cropping in camera - the angle of view is narrower. There is no effect on exposure. The 85 f/1.4 behaves like a 127.5mm f/2.1 (in terms of depth of field but not exposure) but captures only 18 Megapixels on a 42.4 MP sensor and 10 MP on a 24 MP sensor.

[@pianoman1973]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills Thanks for the quick response ! So I guess I should have bought the A7R3 and not the A73 ! Didn't think about this before :) Silly me :) that way my resulting resolution even cropped would be still quite good. That was really enlightening ! Also, I have the 85mm 1.8 , so combining these two - if I want high quality pics with shallow DOP, purchasing the 135 1.8 would still be much better than using my a7III + 85mm 1.8 in crop mode wouldn't it ? Thanks again !

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

135 all the way if you want that focal length on a 7III

[@hubertbaierl9546]

Color fringing is terrible in the pictures shown with the SEL85. I do own the SEL85F14GM, and must say I rarely get such bad results.

[@hubertbaierl9546]

I suspect the SEL85F14GM2 will be better in color fringing, plus faster in AF speed and better resolution in the corners.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

If you shoot into the light at maximum aperture with the 85 F1.8 you will find the color fringing at the high contrast edges (where a dark tone meets a very light tone).

[@mariosinisterra193]

Great Video.. Mark it is Possible add 1.4 telecoverter to the 135mm ?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Unfortunately not

[@DeutschKurzhaar]

Hello from Germany - Is it also a good lens to make photos of my running dog?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Yes

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Dual linear XD Focus motors makes this lens perform as good as any sports lens

[@DeutschKurzhaar]

Thank you so much! I like your channel very much! I learned a lot about my camera! The lens is ordered! Wishing you all the best!

[@MrMuralikrishna1982]

So impressive ! are you using any kind of presets?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

No - I am, however, very quick at editing my images - usually less than 1-minute. Watch my Lightroom Classic Masterclass to see what drives my decisions to make adjustments. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHfClmhrhpxnaM0

[@safiullahtheriot3767]

Its better than 85mm gm??

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Yes -quieter, faster AF and less color fringing when used wide open

[@safiullahtheriot3767]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills thx❤️. I really wish we had a 24-105mm f2.8 for full Frame; that would be amazing ❤️

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

I prefer using the 1.8 primes - faster, sharper and lighter.

[@safiullahtheriot3767]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills 105 f1.4 vs 135 f1.8 which is better? ❤️❤️❤️

[@vreeke777]

Do you advise this 135-1.8 for a6600 please ? ( sports)

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

The size of the 135 GM is quite large for an APS-C camera but it is super-fast and super sharp. If you need something smaller take a look at the FE 85 F/1.8.

[@vreeke777]

Mark Galer's Alpha Creative Skills thank you i appreciate Bud Who long Will iT be i Cannot find the cropfactor because i like fast for sport

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

The crop factor is 135 x 1.5 = 202.5

[@BlackZEddie]

Hi, Mark. What kind of editing, specific color, do you do with your images? They have such a very nice clean feel to them.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

I have outlined my entire post production editing workflow in this free 2-hour masterclass movie kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHfClmhrhpxnaM0

[@bmbfilmshd]

great video bro,im thinking about getting a sigma 85mm but i know the 135mm sigma is even better,but i understand this is sony and sony lens tho! lol

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

I am sure those Sigma lenses are great but just check the weight compared to the Sony lenses.

[@Madoxyama]

You said that 85mm at f 1.4 becomes 127.5mm with f 2.1 in APS-C mode. Or 135mm at 1.8 becomes 200 with ???? aperture. How does this calculation take place? In other words what's the math formula for this convertion?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

You multiply the focal length and the aperture by the APS-C crop factor which is x 1.5. The aperture in terms of exposure is a constant but in terms of depth of field it is applied.

[@Madoxyama]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills I see! Thanks a lot!

[@hubertbaierl9546]

I agree, an 85 is super to "pick" people, the 135 is frequently too long. Having said that, I do own a SEL85F14GM, Batis 85mm (yes, I am not cracy) and the Batis 135. I love them all. The Batis is better for walk around, the SEL8514GM is "instrument" you need to know how to handle.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

I love both the 85 and 135 focal lengths and have both the Sony and Batis 135 lenses

[@jmartinianovlogging1482]

Thank You Sir🙏

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Most welcome

[@just_peppe_proto_86]

I want this lens...

[@vincebaldwin2829]

When will this lens be released in the United States? I’m buying one. I wanna see video with it

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Just check in with Amazon and/or B&H regarding status on availability of stock

[@criticaltinker]

man that CA from the 85 is bad which is nonexistent on the 135. I really like a 200F2 but it's way expensive so this 135 is the closest to what i like.

[@klinskind]

what is the difference between shooting in aps-c mode and just cropping into the full frame image?

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

I have an APS-C Mode video tutorial that describes all of the differences.

[@steveatesh]

Great video as ever Mark, thanks, I actually bought the 85 F1.4 a week before the 135 GM was announced to the world - must confess I felt gutted but then as I do most portrait work in a studio setting I convinced myself the 135 would be too long for most of my use lol. One thing I did notice last week was doing a natural light baby shoot with the 85, mainly stopped below F2, and the new A7iii Eye Af struggled with the babies eye focus which I believe was due to a lack of contrast when the baby had her eyes shut - can you put mind at rest and say that is to be expected with poor contrast please?..... Had to do it manually, it was like stepping into the dark ages lol!

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Eye-AF can struggle in low light, low contrast and with eyes closed, Watch my DMF movie to see my fallback position at times when Eye-AF does not kick in. I use the AEL button as a Recall Custom Hold Button to bring up my Register Custom Shoot Settings. In a studio you will also want to switch the Setting Effect to Off for this lens when stopping down.

[@Pharesm]

You present that 135 very convincingly! And it seems 135mm is the longest lens commonly available as a prime? Hate to have an expensive GM lens on my list, but it seems rather versatile and I haven't got anything long yet. 20mm and 55mm so far.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

It's my favourite focal length - so much so that I own the 2.8/135 Batis as well.

[@evenios2831]

nice hope to get tha camera lens someday soon ;-) should have asked for a direct photo of the girl in white in the end she could be a model! ;-)

[@MiloLBalls]

Awesome!!!

[@JessDemant]

Great review, thanks!

[@SilvioPfiffner]

Thanks for that very informative video! I enjoyed watching it a lot! =) Maybe someone can help me with this.. Can't decide wheter buying this one or maybe the Sony 70-200 2.8 gm. This lens looks absolutely stunning so does the 70-200mm. I'm a huge fan of prime lenses but the 70-200 seems to be a great all arounder.. What do you think? 135 vs 70-200? =)

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

If you are using an R I would personally recommend the prime / sharper, lighter and behaves like a 200mm f/2.8 in APS-C mode.

[@SilvioPfiffner]

@@AlphaCreativeSkills Hey Mark, thanks a lot for the fast reply! =) I think I should have mentioned that I work with a Sony A7III. But also thinking about switching to an A7R III. Just gotta see what my bankaccount means after all thes purchases.. ;P

[@hubertbaierl9546]

Why is the SEL135F18GM Made in China by an anonymous third party and not by Sony in its own facilities in Thailand? How does this help build quality and consistency? I am wonder whether similar products from Nikon or Canon would be assembled outside of Japan? Not at least to speak of the leak of knowhow from Sony to that third party.

[@AlphaCreativeSkills]

Unfortunately Ambassadors are not privy to this type of information