Digital Camera World - UK (2019-12)

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com DECEMBER 2019 DIGITAL CAMERA^125

Sony

FE 85mm

f/1.8

£599/$598

Highly capable, neat and tidy

Tamron

SP 85mm

f/1.8 Di VC USD

£749/$749

A lens to beat the shakes

Digital Camera verdict Digital Camera verdict

4.5 Outstanding 4.5 Outstanding

Features Build & Performance Value Features Performance Value

handling

Build &

handling

Compact and light with
impressive handling
and performance,
it’s ideal for A7 and
A9 series cameras,
although the Sigma
f/1.4 gives you an extra
two-thirds of an f-stop.

Build and performance

are great, and the

stabiliser can make

a huge difference

for portraiture in

the shadows or under

ambient lighting, on

Canon or Nikon SLRs.

ollowing on from Sony’s
35mm and 50mm f/1.8
lenses, this one has a
similar look and feel. It’s
certainly not cheap for an 85mm f/1.8,
but only costs about a third as much
as Sony’s f/1.4 G Master lens, and
feels a much more fitting size and
weight for E-mount mirrorless bodies.
Autofocus is courtesy of a quick and
virtually silent linear stepping motor,
with an electronically coupled manual
focus ring that works with smooth
precision. The weather-resistant
build quality feels very good, while
the optical design incorporates an ED
(Extra-low Dispersion) element and
a well-rounded 9-blade diaphragm.

Performance
Sharpness in the central region
of the frame is outstanding, even
wide-open, where it rivals the Nikkor
Z-series lens, as well as the Sigma
stopped down to f/1.8.

martly turned out with a

strong, weather-sealed

metal barrel and mounting

plate, the Tamron is no

lightweight at 700g. Like other Di

lenses, it’s designed for digital SLRs,

which are more prone to ghosting and

flare than film cameras. Indeed, it

features two types of nano-structure

coating which work in tandem to keep

these aberrations to a minimum.

Further high-tech finery includes

a fast and accurate ring-type

ultrasonic autofocus system and

Tamron’s proprietary VC (Vibration

Compensation) system.

Performance

Sharpness could be a little better at

f/1.8, but it’s certainly good enough.

Despite the modest f/1.8 aperture

rating, bokeh is excellent, matching the

smoothness of many top-flight f/1.4

lenses and beating a few. Defocused

points of light remain well-rounded.

FS

Sharpness

It’s almost as sharp as the

Nikkor Z at the centre, but

drops off more at the edges.

Sharpness

Wide-open, it’s not quite as

good as the Nikkor AF-S lens,

but better than the Canon.

Fringing 0.75

Lateral chromatic aberration

in the corners is a little worse

than from some other lenses.

Fringing 0.5 4

Levels of both axial and lateral

chromatic aberrations are

very minimal indeed.

Distortion 0.15

There’s only a very minor

amount of pincushion

distortion to be found.

Distortion 0.22

Pincushion distortion is very

minor, less even than in the

Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8.

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

f/1.8f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16 f/22

Centre Middle

Edge

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

f/1.8 f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16

Centre Middle

Edge

4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 5.0 4.5 4.5 4.5

Portrait lenses Group Test