The new Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master II provides creators with a smaller, lighter and faster version of its beloved predecessor. This video takes us behind the scenes of the launch film for the lens, Stories From Within, directed and edited by Emmett Sparling (@emmett_sparling), starring Gabriela Gabrielaa (@gabrielagabrielaa), with cinematography by Zachary Moxley (@downtofilm), Elliot Grafton (@elliotgrafton), and Conor McCann (@conormccann). “The whole concept behind this film is capturing these candid, unplanned moments, and how that creates the best photographs,” explains Sparling. Watch as the team of creatives discuss the incredible opportunity to travel around the world doing what they love – capturing moments.

Embracing The Power Of Sony's f/1.4 Lenses

Throughout the team’s journey, they were on a cinematic endeavor to capture those candid, unplanned moments across diverse cultures and landscapes. Early in the planning stages, the team decided to rely exclusively on Sony's f/1.4 prime lens lineup. While this was initially seen as a potential challenge, the lenses quickly became instrumental in their creative process.

They used the Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master lens to capture the chaos of city streets and bustling markets, providing that wide perspective that shows the vibrancy of the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the new Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master II lens allowed for intimate portraits, to capture the characters throughout the culture while separating the subjects from their backgrounds thanks to the shallow depth of field. “The new Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master II lens is incredible,” says Sparling. “It’s such a fast autofocus with such a shallow depth of field. I think it’s like three times faster than the old version.”

A Journey Of Spontaneity & Discovery

To get the candid moments they were after, the crew had to embrace spontaneity as they raced around to capture moments authentically - whether it be on a busy street or from a high-flying helicopter. Portrait photographer Gabriela Gabrielaa chose to use the Sony Alpha 7R V with the new Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master II. She explains, “Using the Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master II paired with the Sony Alpha 7R V was really great for on-the-go portraits and all the candid street portraits that I wanted to take. So making the Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master II 20 percent lighter really helped not lose that interaction and personal moment with my subjects.”

Without a large film crew, the team needed to be agile and responsive, and they used the Sony BURANO camera for much of the run-and-gun shooting. The camera’s image stabilization (IBIS) proved invaluable for minimizing shakes during handheld shots on crowded streets where your camera is getting bumped. Paired with the new Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master II, the fast autofocus aligned perfectly to be able to capture those candid moments.

In the end, this film project proved to be a whirlwind of cultural exchange and natural beauty. While members of the crew might call it the most chaotic two weeks of their lives, from impromptu heli flights to the unexpected joy of connecting with locals, each moment added depth and richness to the story.

“Throughout shooting this film, it was really special to see these moments that transcended a language barrier,” Sparling says. “Where your camera became a tool for translation, and it allowed us to communicate through these shared emotions of joy and excitement with locals around the world. And it just gave us these really meaningful moments.”

Learn more about the new Sony 85mm f/1.4 G Master II HERE.

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