It's my first post after many years on OzBargain.
I believe this is one of the lowest prices for this good quality prime lens after Sony cashback. You can either pick it up in the store or pay $9.95 delivery fee.
Some other good deals:
| Model | Price | After Cashback |
|---|---|---|
| Sony FE 85mm/F1.8 Lens | $625 | $575 |
| Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens | $2,114 | $1,764 |
| Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G Lens | $1,490 | $1,290 |
| Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM Lens | $2,378 | $2,028 |
Which Tamron 24-105? The FE one? I could only find 28-75 F2.8.
Jimothy is on drugs. Tamron doesn't make a 24-105 for Sony E Mount.
I think it's F4? Sounds like a totally different lens…
28-200 lmfao sorry
I legit bought one in Feb and have only used it once. Was thinking it was going to be really slack performer as its an all in one for sub $1500. Surprisingly responsive, light and decent performance.
I’ve also got the Tamron. I often use it the most as it’s so versatile. The F5.6 at 200mm is a bit poop but it’s awesome for the price. Great travel lens which is why I bought it.
@trappy76: Yeah I think nothing beats this lens if you're traveling and only want to bring 1 lens. During my last trip to Europe, I found myself wanting more range as I was limited to 75mm at the furthest (Tamron 28-75mm F2.8).
Are all these L platters trying to get their night hours up ? 3 of the Recent deals are L people.
Good on them for contributing
Yep the more people contribute good deals the better
that's great price for 85 F1.8!
Bargain. It’s such a great lens for portrait shots. So sharp!
Tempting price for the 85mm!
I paid more for a used 85mm a while back! Great price.
That's the problem with Sony lenses at the moment - people want 90% of the retail price for a used item. Try finding a fast normal zoom (eg 24-70 2.8) for under $800 used, and yet they're $1000 new (Tamron 28-75, grey market).
Keep an eye on local shops that do second hand gear. I managed to snag a Tamron 28-75 for $799 from Diamonds in Adelaide (discounted from $949). Was as-new condition even with a UV filter. Gumtree and Marketplace people are out of their mind though.
What, like put on pants and go out? That's too much effort.
The premium lenses have a tendency to retain their value.
I paid $2600 for my 24-70 f2.8 GM back when the usual price was around $3300 a few years back. At under $2000 after Cashback, I think it's a great price!!
Isnt that a good thing? When I was with Canon I can sell most of the L lens with only like 20% lost.
Unlike the body, good glass retain value!
It's fine for a new lens to hold its price, but I think it's strange that the used price is so close to the retail price. What incentive is there to buy used? Who is actually buying these used lenses for only a 10% discount? If I'm dropping $1k on something then I want more than a 10% discount to forego a warranty.
If a lens is excellent, they tend to hold their value if the ecosystem is still active. It's usually the sign of a great lens.
The 85mm is a fantastic lens, I think I shoot with it the most. Great price!
Picked up an 85mm a few weeks back on marketplace for 500 but this is a great price for those who want to buy new. Great lens.
Agree with everyone regarding the 85 F1.8; the 24-105 isn't bad either but I think I'd rather go the Tamron's still but if you really want to stick with Sony this is a pretty good price and what it goes for 2nd hand.
Is the 85mm good for video?
I have used it for video a fair bit. A little bit of focus breathing but nothing horrific, otherwise smooth silent AF and a very pleasing image. At $575 I would honestly buy now think later, as I paid about $100 more and I still think it is the best value lens purchase I have made for the Sony.
The 85 should be an instant buy at that price for anyone without an 85 prime. I have an 85 1.8, 55 1.8, Sigma 35 F2 and Tamron 28-75, and whilst I am happy with them all for the most part, the 85 was my cheapest lens, and the one that I am consistently happiest with the image from.
What if someone has a 55mm and 105mm prime? Probably don't need an 85mm then.
I would say that you still can get a lot out of having an 85 unless you have something else that can reach 85, as the gap between 55 and 105 is pretty big. But it all depends what focal lengths you like. I really enjoy shooting at 85 and for the circumstances I use it I would find 105 too tight and 55 too wide.
So what you're telling me is that I need to buy a 70-200? Sweet, will tell the wife the good news.
@dust: I will admit that my argument there convinced myself to start researching 135mm primes, so definitely just a justification for more gear more than anything else.
Love my 85. For traveling, the 16-35 (or a 24, if I want a prime) and 85 are my go-to lenses. I barely ever use the 55 (not my preferred FL) and 70-200 (too bulky).
Bulky you say? Canon's 70-200 is tiny (when collapsed), but the f/4 cost similar to the sony f/2.8
The Tamron 70-180mm 2.8 isn't too large?
I've been pondering about buying the Tamron telephoto but really I'm happy with the 85mm. I get so many keeper with this lens it's hard to justify purchasing another lens.
Contentment and satisfaction is the thief of gear accumulation.
@dust: Upvoted. Underrated comment. 😁
I will certainly look into buying lenses once international travel is back on the card.
I have the 16-35 and it's a nice lens, but it's not my preferred focal length so I'm probably going to sell it off. When I think about it, I rarely used the 17-40 on my Canon either.
Make sure you check stock levels and ETA times when ordering. They do not tell if the item is in stock or not online.
FWIW Sony price match, and "Purchases made through Sony Store Online and Sony Kiosks (Castle Hill, Chatswood and Parramatta locations) will be automatically validated and you will not be required to submit a claim to receive the bonus cashback amount." All for supporting bricks & mortar (I bought my A7 from Georges) so I'd suggest them first but it's another option in particular if you aren't in Sydney given that shipping is free.
Yeah, looks like they don't have stock when I ordered. They are waiting for more supply from Sony. Not entirely bad given I am not in a hurry.
$2388 after cash back is a good price for the 200-600 too.
Thanks OP. Bought the 85mm. In my film days I used to have a Tamron adaptall 90mm SP f2.5 which is still one of my favourite lenses ever. I've missed the dedicated prime portrait lens so am really looking forward to being able to use this!
Ooh I also had that Tamron 90mm lens, was excellent! Sadly sold it some time ago.
I'm sure the 85/1.8 is a great lens, but when I was shooting Nikon I rarely used it and had always reached out to the 70-200/2.8 instead. It's 1 stop slower but way more versatile with better isolation at the long end.
Now with Sony I opted for 24-105/4, 2 stops slower, maybe I need the 85/1.8 after all (or 55/1.8).
When on Nikon, was that full frame or aps-c? If the latter, then the 70-200 would be equivalent to 105-300 so I would understand why you would normally not have bothered with the 85mm. On full frame, 85 or 90 is a sweet spot for portrait lenses which is really why you would want this lens. Minimal distortion, razer sharp images, wide aperture enabling you to blur the background to make the subject stand out. Some people swear by 110 to maybe 120, but personally I find that too long. The 55 is great for portability, and is very flexible. Definitely can use that for portraits although generally I'd avoid using it for head shots.
Cheers! I got the 85 even though I already have the Tamron 28-200.
Going to be interesting to see how this lens stacks up against the versatile Tamron at that focal length.
Might end up just taking out my Sony 35 1.8 and this 85 for walks. Hoping it's the killer combo.
Thanks OP for posting this! I wasn't prepared for this extra expenditure but at this price, I had to autobuy it.
85mm delivered yesterday, no word on the 16-35mm yet. Can someone update if they receive their order please.
My 85mm is not delivered yet. Stuck in processing. Their customer service said they had to order with Sony. Damn….
Does anyone remember when the sony/amex deals are historically? ie the spend 600/get 100 etc
Gosh that would be incredible to stack offers (if you price match the sony store…)
Thank you for posting this, Had $50 JBhifi gift card sitting there for months, Went to JBHIFI for price match and will get additional $50 cashback from Sony so ended up costing me $525.
Guys did anyone have issues with Georges camera….I recently purchased a camera and just went by their google reviews which looked overall positive. And I wanted to buy the camera from a local Australian shop.
The money was deducted on Wednesday, but all I got was a generic transaction approved email and no formal receipt, which I am used to when purchasing other products.
When I asked the customer service in chat, he said the payment went through find and they would update me with the tracking ID. And I checked their reviews on productreview site and its now just messing my head lol. A lot of people complaining about delays and run arounds. Maybe I am panicking, but just wanted to see if anyone has recently bought stuff and their experience.
If I wasn't so darn happy with the Tammy 24-105 I would totally grab the 85 too