Minolta AF 85mm f/1.4G (D) vs Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z)
Side-by-side comparison from our catalogue data. Better values are highlighted only where a clear difference exists.
Verdict at a glance
- Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z) is faster by 11.1 stops (f/1.8 vs f/85.0), letting in more light.
- Minolta AF 85mm f/1.4G (D) is lighter by 490g.
- Minolta AF 85mm f/1.4G (D) goes wider (85mm vs 135mm).
- Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z) reaches further (135mm vs 85mm).
- Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z) is the newer design (2006 vs 2000).
| Spec | AF 85mm f/1.4G (D) | Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z) |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Minolta | Sony |
| Mount | Sony A | Sony A |
| Type | Prime | Prime |
| Focal length | 85mm (wider) | 135mm |
| Max aperture | f/85.0 | f/1.8 (faster) |
| Released | 2000 | 2006 |
| Blades | 9 | 9 |
| Format | full-frame | full-frame |
| Groups | 6 | 9 |
| Af motor | screw-drive | screw-drive |
| Elements | 7 | 11 |
| Weight g | 560 (lighter) | 1050 |
| Filter mm | 72 | 77 |
| Length mm | 72.5 | 115.0 |
| Min focus m | 0.85 | 0.72 (closer focusing) |
| Max magnification | 0.13 | 0.25 |
Minolta AF 85mm f/1.4G (D)
A fast 85mm G-series portrait lens from Minolta, with screw-drive autofocus. It weighs about 560 g and takes 72mm filters.
Pros
- f/1.4
- G-series build
- 9-bladed aperture
- Smooth rendering
Cons
- Screw-drive AF
- No weather sealing
Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm F1.8 ZA (SAL135F18Z)
A Zeiss 135mm f/1.8 telephoto for A-mount, widely admired for portrait rendering. It uses body-driven screw-drive autofocus and is built heavy at about 1,050 g.
Pros
- Bright f/1.8 aperture at 135mm
- Famous for smooth, natural rendering
- Min focus 0.72 m
- Full-frame coverage
Cons
- Heavy at about 1,050 g
- Screw-drive AF is not as fast as SSM
- Slow to refocus in low light