90mm macro vs. Batis 85, G-Master 85 for portraits

[JimmyD]

I have used all three lenses quite a bit and there really can be no debate if the question is simply which of the three lenses is best for portrait work.  It is the 85 GM.

[Old Dog]

I  have both the 85 GM and the 90 MACRO. I love both of these lenses but I have to say when shooting portraits, the 85 is the clear winner for me. I love the weight of the lens, the vision of lens, and the results. The 90 is a wonderful lens but if I have the chance to work on a portrait with the 85, there has no competition- it sings.

[adwb]

I gather however , from loads of on line comments, there is a low ambient light ( studio modeling lights) struggle to focus issue with the 85GM ?

 

At f8 a very common aperture in a studio I gave little problems with the 90 macro

[David Grano-De-Oro]

I've owned the Batis for over a year now and am totally happy with it.

 

The 85mm GM is quite bulky and heavy in comparison almost twice the weight of the Batis. I've rented the GM to see if it would be worth replacing the Batis but wasn't all that impressed. I could live with the weight and size if the quality far exceeded the Batis but it fell short in 3 areas. First it isn't nearly as sharp wide open as the Batis nore stopped down, which defeats the whole purpose of buying a wide aperture lens. Second its not nearly as well corrected for fringing as the Batis. Removing the longitudinal and contrast CA would damage the entire image and would be most evident in areas where the correction would eat into places of color that should not be corrected like lipstick and colorful clothing. The CA also changes the color of what your shooting despite white balance. Last is the bokeh it's self. It's definitely better than the Batis but suffers from the same swirling pattern of foot ball shaped bokeh just outside the center.

 

All this considered I chose to stick with my batis as a compromise in my priorities of how I shoot. I do wish it were a F1.4 but am content. May pick up the ZY 85mm f1.2 and holding out for a Batis 135mm f1.8...however unlikely that may be though.

[Dr. Harout]

I wouldn't mind a Batis 135/3.5...

[mjoshi123]

Not to hijack thread but how will the addition of new FE100 F2.8GM will change the equation of portrait lenses ? Tehcnically Sony is pushing it as a portrait lens.

[nomad]

It will be something really special, since you can have a bit more DOF and still a marvelous bokeh. Check this site about it's predecessor: http://www.the135stf.net

 

I always hoped Sony would make something like it with AF and a bit shorter. If they make it with open aperture AF, it may be the perfect portrait lens. Keep in mind, though, that the true T-stop will be a bit slower. But I don't really care about that with todays sensors and stabilizers.