What makes something beautiful, exactly? Why are we hard-wired to be captivated by certain visual elements? These are the questions I am always seeking to answer through photography, and it was top of mind for me while testing the new Sony FE 35mm F/1.4 GM Full-Frame Large-Aperture Wide Angle G Master Lens, which launches for preorder January 14, 2021.
I’m slightly obsessed with composition, particularly producing shots that are symmetrical or that leverage the golden ratio. These are proportions that appear often in nature; humans reproduce them in architecture and art because we like looking at them.
With photography, my goal is to find that one, most aesthetically-pleasing perspective and capture it to be enjoyed—to be frozen in 2D perfection. The reason that a 35mm lens is an excellent tool for this quest is because it’s the focal length that most closely resembles the natural field of view of the human eye.
A picture taken with a 35mm lens like the Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM Sony Alpha E-mount Full-Frame lens provides the viewer with a vantage similar to the one they’d witness in real life. It’s familiar. We can visually process it easily, and that makes brains happy. And, whether or not a photographer is aware of the science behind it, I guarantee you almost every one of them has a 35mm lens in their gear set. And for those looking to up their 35mm lens game, the new Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM Sony Alpha E-mount Full-Frame lens is a great place to start.
Because it is such an important, versatile focal length, it makes sense to invest in the best 35mm glass you can afford. As of today, I can confidently say the Sony FE 35mm F1.4 G Master lens is the best 35mm lens option out there.
Impeccable resolution
The resolution you can achieve with this lens is superlative. It has 14 elements in 10 groups, including 2 extreme aspherical (XA) and 1 extra-low dispersion (ED) elements. The extreme aspherical elements are formed by 0.01 micron surface precision. These more complicated shapes focus light better than simple lenses. You don’t have to worry about distortion like you might with a wider lens, even with the aperture opened up to 1.4. It’s clean and sharp to the edges.
Smooth, creamy bokeh
The XA elements are also responsible for the creamy bokeh. The precise control this gives creators is unmatched. Where you want to draw the viewer’s eye will be tack-sharp, with a clean drop off to a pleasing buttery background that rivals any portrait lens.
A portable, lightweight design
An additional benefit of these XA elements is they are impressively light. The FE 35mm F1.4 G Master lens weighs in at a petite 524 grams (just over one pound). I switched to a mirrorless system largely for the smaller form factor, so this feature is important to me.
Some shots require full manual control, and for that, the Sony FE 35mm F1.4 G Master lens has you covered. There’s an aperture ring and click switch; a switch to toggle between manual and autofocus; a customizable focus hold button; and responsive manual focusing.
Of course, there are other shots, particularly those with quick-moving subjects, where having top-of-the-line autofocus is ideal. This lens is perfect for these images as well, with two extreme dynamic (XD) linear motors.
The Sony FE 35mm F1.4 G Master lens is hands-down the best 35mm lens I’ve used to date. No matter your focus area—whether it’s landscapes, portraits, street, architecture, video, or fine art—if you want the best, this fast, wide, versatile lens is a necessary investment.
The Sony FE 35mm F1.4 G Master lens is available for preorder starting January 14, 2021.
