The Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM OSS is a lovely lens for shooting portraits. In a studio or daylight the limited light-gathering capability isn't a liability, but at f/5.6 you're going to need to push your ISO or use a flash for most indoor environments.

Apodization filter for smooth backgrounds; Optical image stabilization; Designed for high-resolution image sensors; Dust and moisture resistant

Expensive; Apodization filter limits light-gathering capability

Do you like your image backgrounds to be rendered with high quality You should - backgrounds (and foregrounds) typically comprise a significant percentage of an image. Especially in this regard, the Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS Lens is special.

There are now a handful of STF (Smooth Transition Focus) lenses on the market, using Apodization filters in the optical formula to offer the possibility of sublimely smooth bokeh.

I didn't want this lens. I didn't need this lens. I figured it would be a bit redundant with my (much loved!) 85/1.4 GM. Then I happened to try one for a few minutes at a demo. Game over. This is a wonderful lens; really fun to shoot with!

This lens is fantastic ..... sharp as a tack - wide open (f5.6). I can live with the slower f stop because of the great bokeh.

The Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS is a new short telephoto prime lens for the Sony A7 full-frame E-mount compact system camera. It's the first Sony lens to incorporate a unique optical apodization lens element.

I like the 100mm/105mm focal length, personally I prefer it to 85mm. This lens is wonderful in every respect except the f/5.6 widest aperture can be limiting. If using natural light and it's cloudy you have to plan ahead a bit and if it's plain dull you have to decide whether to use the lens with...

After having reviewed several hundred of lenses, there aren't too many new lenses that make me truly excited to be honest. However, the Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS is surely one of them.

This lens has a unique combination of extreme sharpness and good, usable depth of field at the focal plane distance, yet produces extreme blur and dreamy bokeh as the distance between the subject and background increases, giving rise to a 3-D micro-contrast effect that no other lens will provide

Sony's G Master lens family has a new member in the form of the FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM OSS ($1,499.99). Like other GM lenses, it's designed for the high-resolution image sensors of today and tomorrow, but the 100mm F2.8 STF has a special trick up its sleeve. An integral apodization element cuts incoming light, smoothing out-of-focus highlights for a more pleasant background. Add in a close-focus mode that delivers 1:4 magnification and you get a versatile, albeit expensive, prime lens. It delivers extremely sharp images, but its light-gathering capability is compromised by the apodization element. It's a powerful tool for portraiture, but not the best choice to use in dim light. Design The 100mm F2.8 STF ($1,498.00 at Amazon) measures 4.7 by 3.4 inches (HD), weighs 1.5 pounds, and supports 72mm front filters. It's large compared with other lenses of this focal length, but balances well on full-frame Sony mirrorless bodies. Its barrel is tough polycarbonate, with a matching lens hood...

The Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM OSS lens features an APD element to smooth out-of-focus highlights, and is certain to appeal to serious portrait photographers.

Apodization filter for smooth backgrounds; Optical image stabilization; Designed for high-resolution image sensors; Dust and moisture resistant

Expensive; Apodization filter limits light-gathering capability