The Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM is a new mid telephoto prime lens for Sony full-frame E-mount mirrorless cameras. It features 13 elements in 10 groups including a recently developed, extremely precise XA (extreme aspherical) element that reduces aberration and increases resolution, as well as Super ED...

The ninth addition to Sony's premium G Master series, the FE 135mm f/1.8 GM is likely to interest many portrait, wedding, event and live performance photographers in need of a fast telephoto prime lens.

Excellent sharpness; even wide open; Top-quality build; Smooth AF performance

Very expensive next to some rivals; Cat's eye bokeh at f/1.8; Somewhat stiff focus switches

When a lens is as well-designed as this one, the purchase (or rent) decision comes down to whether or not the provided focal length is a useful addition to the kit and whether or not the price tag can be afforded.

This lens is totally fabulous particularly, for low light work. I tried it out at a stage performance this past summer and immediately returned it to the rental shop with money in hand.

The Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM ($2,099.99) is another entry in the company's top-end line of lenses, the G Master series. As with other G Master lenses, the 135mm F1.8 is built to professional specifications, with exotic lens elements, weather-sealed construction, and exceptional resolution. Its focal length makes it a bit of a specialized tool for portraiture, but it also gets quite close for macro shots, and focuses quickly enough to keep up with fast action. It's one of the pricier entries in Sony's catalog, but if a 135mm prime is a tool you use for portraits and other photographic disciplines, rest assured that it backs the price up with exceptional image quality. G Master Design The FE 135mm F1.8 GM doesn't stray from the blueprint that Sony has established for the G Master lens series. It's about average size for a lens of this type (5.0 by 3.5 inches, HD) and 2.1 pounds. It's a little smaller and lighter than the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art (5.6 by 3.6 inches, 2.6 pounds), whic...

Sony's pricey FE 135mm F1.8 GM lens incorporates the latest optical and focusing technologies to deliver sharp, crisp images.

Bright aperture; Fast autofocus; Classic portrait focal length; 1:4 macro magnification; Weather sealing and fluorine coating; Declickable aperture ring

Pricey; Omits optical stabilization

Sony camera owners enjoy access to one of the earliest, and most well established, made-for-mirrorless lens libraries. With all of the basic optics covered, there's room to explore more exotic, niche designs. The FE 14mm F1.8 GM ($1,599.99) captures an ultra-wide angle and has an extra-bright aperture, a real benefit for night sky photography. It's smaller and lighter than zoom lenses, making it a better fit for use on a gimbal or drone, and a lot easier to carry than the Sigma 14mm F1.8 DG HSM Art, a lens first made for SLRs that is available in E-mount.Mirrorless Optics Cut Down Size Many tout the smaller size and weight of mirrorless camera systems as the big reason to move away from an SLR. There's not always a dramatic difference—most full-frame cameras are sized and shaped similarly to comparable SLRs out of ergonomic necessity, as tiny cameras make too many sacrifices in handling. But for wide lens designs, the benefits are palpable. Optical designers have the freedom to p...

The Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM lens captures ultra-wide photos with a bright aperture to defocus backgrounds. It's smaller than a zoom, a plus for use on drones and gimbals.

Excellent optical performance; Light, compact build for drones and gimbals; Dust, splash, and smudge protection; Bright aperture for low-light work; Rear filter support

Some focus breathing visible; Not as versatile as a wide zoom

Introduction; Size and build quality; Sample images; Autofocus; Flare and ghosting; Sunstars; Chromatic aberrations; Rear gel holder; Video performance; Introducing Vladimir Kabanov; Advantages for astrophotography; How images are processed; Composing with 14mm; Astrophotography samples; Vladimir's impressions; Final coma impressions; Sharpness; Bokeh; The wrap;

Introduction; Size and build quality; Sample images; Autofocus; Flare and ghosting; Sunstars; Chromatic aberrations; Rear gel holder; Video performance; Introducing Vladimir Kabanov; Advantages for astrophotography; How images are processed; Composing with 14mm; Astrophotography samples; Vladimir's impressions; Final coma impressions; Sharpness; Bokeh; The wrap;

Of course it doesn't mean we are going to carp only. Optics specialists who constructed the Sony FE 14 mm f/1.8 GM tried to combine unique parameters, relatively small dimensions, and low weight – the result is, I admit, very impressive.

solid and weather-sealed mechanical construction,, moderate dimensions and low weight for offered parameters,, excellent image quality in the frame centre up from the maximum relative aperture,, good image quality on the edge of the APS-C sensor,, very good correction of longitudinal chromatic...

resolution on the edge of full frame could have been a tad better,, high vignetting on full frame,, too high coma,, significant astigmatism,, you cannot attach classic filters.

If you love ultra-wide lenses, then this could well be the one that will hit the spot. The dynamic compositions that are possible are unique to this type of optic, and on top of that, we have an absolutely superb optical performance, far in excess of what the first lenses that I have mentioned were...

Fantastic lens, the widest of wide lens. lightweight & superfast too.. 10 out of 10 Sony