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Picked up a Contax Zeiss 85mm 1.4, my first 85mm, and I cannot believe I have neglected this focal length for so long. Absolutely loving it so far.

I think I ‘need’ it… More (exclusively actually for me) for stills than video. 2 years ago, I was running around with an S1R + battery grip + Leica 24-90 as my ‘one & done’ stills unit. It had 3 principal faults. 1. Weight; it was 2.8kg in the hands. 2. Using an APSC crop on the 47mp sensor, I could extend the focal length to 135mm with something like an 18mp file but that was not quite long enough for my needs ideally needing something within the 150-200mm range. 3. F4 at the longer ends which is a bit slow for a 90mm lens. Roll forward to 2024 and swapped that rig out for a trio of f2.8 zooms on the Sony A7R5 with the heaviest combo being approx 1.75kg with the 70-180mm, but that lens being a tad long for more general use. Sigma offer their 28-45mm f1.8 which primarily for indoor use would be PERFECT for my needs, but lacks a longer companion such as a 45-90mm f1.8, but even this would not give me the reach I need. Step forward Sony with this constant aperture f2 50-150mm. Does it cover all my focal range needs? No because it starts at 50mm, but covers everything beyond and then some because with the 61mp sensor on my A7R5 and APSC cropping, I can reach 225mm with a 26mp file. Is it big? Yes, but not ridiculously so and it is internal zoom and unless it’s a short extension, I can’t abide long zooming lenses. Is it heavy? Yes, kinda…and more than the 1kg self-imposed limit I would prefer but it covers 50-‘225’mm. At f2. Without extending. Or lens swaps. It would be approx 2.5kg in the hand as a combo with the baseplate I have on the A7R5. Three criticisms: 1. Why white only? Some of us would prefer to be more discrete and maybe they will follow up with a black one or someone like Alphgvard will have a skin soon? 2. No Arca Swiss built into the detachable tripod foot. That’s a bit of an oversight IMO. 3. Price. Despite US trade tarrifs, it’s still more in the UK and EU than the US… At least according to launch prices. So will I be getting one? I think yes, though it may have to wait until next year when they are beginning to appear on the used market, for financial reasons but I don’t think I am going to see a better option than this in my working lifetime. One & Done? Nope, but I have my Nikon Zf with 20-40mm f2.8 for the wider stuff and 40mm f2 for candid when I don’t want to be poking a white canon in peoples faces, plus if I ever decided to hop over fully to Nikon bodies, this new lens will work adapted on say a Z8 no problem.

I have been delivering in 14x9 (1.55:1) for a few years. With my new rig I will be narrowing that up a bit more, even, to 1.5:1 or 1.43:1 or maybe just 1.5:1. I'm liking the way 1.43:1 looks the most so far. Plus, Imax! The Panasonic frame masks are going to be really useful for this, particularly for my fisheye, where I will actually be cropping width and height. I just wish I could use the masks when reviewing footage.

Fortunately, I am a big Wes fan!