BEST Sony 50mm lens comparison!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ก.ค. 2024
- Get the best prices with a warranty at SDP.io/BUY + 5% coupon TNC
Spreadsheet with scores: sdp.io/50data
Test images download: sdp.io/50pics
Chelsea & Tony Northrup review EVERY 50mm lens for Sony full-frame cameras (those with autofocus, at least). They compare every lens for Price, Design & Size, Center sharpness, Edge sharpness, Closeup/Macro, Contrast, Low-light, Bokeh (size and quality), Starburst, and Sports AF tracking.
0:00 Introduction
0:09 Fast prime bokeh
0:43 Fast prime low-light
1:13 Test methodology
2:21 Sony Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA ($1,500)
3:23 Yongnuo 50mm F1.8 DF ($320)
4:13 Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA ($1,000)
5:26 Samyang 45mm F1.8 ($300-400)
6:09 Rokinon/Samyang 50mm f/1.4 FE II ($540)
6:58 Sony FE 50mm F1.8 ($250)
7:40 KEH promo
8:22 Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG & DG DN HSM Art ($850)
9:40 Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G ($600)
10:39: Sony 50mm f/1.4GM ($1,300) & Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM ($2000) - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
![อยู่ได้แล้ว - LIPTA feat. Mirrr [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-9-hpntNym4/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you for this, a lot of work went into the information and the video and this is the best comprehensive review on the 50mm lenses I've been able ot find. Thanks again, you both are awesome!
Putting the Zeiss 55mm f1.8 in 9th place completely calls this ranking into question. Zeiss' optical design produces beautiful images with great microcontrast and depth. Color reproduction is great, it's sharp enough wide open and nice and sharp stopped down one notch, produces beautiful bokeh/separation, and the only real flaw is that CA can be bad in certain lighting conditions.
Agreed. An all-time favorite lens with great performance, character, and just a little off-beat focal length that suited me.
9th place is a joke.
Yes, that's outright silly.
Love the video . Wow you've now given yourselves a lot of future videos I.e. comparison of the 24s , 85s, 135s . Etc , but I will look forward to seeing them . Good luck.
such a well done video, you two are true masters of the craft. I don't even shoot Sony and I still watched all the way through!
I have the 50mm1.2 G-Master and i am blown away by it since the Beginning. Great Video. Thanks for making it.
You guys are just great to watch. Makes a bad day a good for me...another great video.
I was waiting for something like that for long long time, thank you!
Thanjs for your hard work testing these
Great information. I like the format!
I tend to shoot more macro and extreme telephoto than the normal focal length lenses, but I'm in the market for a nifty fifty for video on Sony full-frame. This video is a great primer in the available options. Thanks Tony & Chelsea!
You guys are so great...awesome reviews...very helpful
This really helped, I'm actually goin for Sony 50mm F1.8..🙏
I switched from the 24 mm F1.4 GM and the 85 mm F1.8 to the 50 mm F1.2 GM and never looked back. I love the 50 mm focal length and paired with the A7C it's my perfect camera setup that I literally bring everywhere. I'm not bothered about the weight so I take it with me on Hikes, Travels, Holidays etc. That background separation is just so perfect with the F1.2 model and I love the feel and hefty weight of it. Plus that autofocus for fast shots of dogs and sharpness is really nice when cropping
Great video. Very helpful!
I am currently agonizing over whether I want a 50mm prime, and which one to get. This is very clear and helpful! Thanks!
Thanks for the tips. You guys are legendary. The Northrups, the Bonnie and Clyde of photography tutorials.
thank you so much. It's really helpful for a new guy like me. Cant wait to see 35mm sony list
thanks as always - such a detailed review ❤
I am just a hobbyist and a dad. I own 50 1.2 but my go to lens is the 55 1.8, i like the pop and color contrast that it brings out.
Thank you, T&C for sharing wisdom.
As always, extremely helpful information and very useful, thank you. I'm currently shooting an A1. I have the 50mm 2.5 and took it to Italy last spring. I think your combined final thoughts are spot on. I'm debating whether to invest in the new 50 1.4, but leaning toward not. The results I achieved with the 50 2.5 in Italy were amazing. The light kit, especially when walking for days, literally, made a huge difference. I don't recall more than a couple of shots where I might have wished for 1.4 - but the end, didn't need it. You probably just saved me $1,298. For now :)
Samyang 45mm 1.8 may be slower than the Sony 50mm f1.8, but sharpness and character for portraits, not sports, Is wayyy better, a consistent point on these reviews is to ALWAYS favor native, more expensive lenses, thanks for the review, just my 2 cents 😊
If you're a pro, the 1.2/1.4 will have its place but otherwise avoidddddddd. The 1.4 isn't that bad but the moment you put it on, you will miss the tiny 2.5 lol
THAT's such a value adding video for anyone considering a 45-55mm 👨🎓👍
PLEASE do that with all common focal lengths😍
What about next: common portrait primes ~85mm (75-90mm)?
And after that, all common wider angle primes? as time permits😉
The 55/FE is still an all-time favorite lens.
Thanks for sharing another wonderful video like always 👌👏
Awesome review! I agree if I was to have two 50mm Sony lenses it would the f1.2 GM and the f2.5 G Compact. I have the 40mm f2.5 and absolutely love the little gem, it performs so well, and is very versatile. I hope Sony releases an updated (new) 85mm f1.2 GM this year
If they released 50 mm 1.4 85mm 1.2 is a must for them to release
+1 for the 85 1.2 and also the 85 1.4, who needs replacement ASAP (even the half priced Sigma 85 1.4 beats it lol)
I'm new to Sony and tempted to get the 50mm 1.4 GM and the 40mm 2.5, but wondering if they're too similar. The 40mm would be more of a walkaround lens.
Great review!) It will be cool to watch the same comparison with all the 24-70 that are made for SONY
Perfect timing! I am traveling to Europe in the next few weeks and do not want to take my heavier cameras/lenses as this isn't that kind of trip. I can't possibly travel without some kind of camera so I picked up a gently used Sony A7C and am now looking for a lightweight but decent 50mm lens to plant on it. I have heard/read such great things about the 55mm, and now that you give the 50mm 2.5 such high marks, I may look into that. Thanks, Chelsea and Tony, for a great overview of the "50's"!
My first Sony lens was the 50 mm 1.8 and it was a good option to start with, now I have the Sony 50mm 1.4 GM and I am happy with the result, that lens is amazing
Thank you for an awesome comparison. You are the best! I had a used Sony za 55 and I didn’t get the results people are talking about. Many images were slightly blurrred or misfocused. Recently I bought Sony 50 2.5 and the focus is fast and precise, micro contrast is excellent, it has very good colors and it has character. Plus it’s small and light. Button and aperture ring are a bonus. Dustin Abbott review of this lens is spot on.
SO cool to share the spreadsheet!
Definitely in love with the f/1.2 GM. Depth of field is a compositional element. Love shooting portraits with it, shooting through foreground flowers and foliage, and at the same time, blurring out distracting backgrounds. Creates really 3 dimensional images
I have both the 1.2 and the 2.5, I use the 2.5 way more. Its such a fun and pleasant experience, also cute. The 1.2 is a photoshoot machine, but I wish I had the 1.4GM personally as maybe then I'd take it out more often.
I'm new to Sony and torn between the 50mm 1.4 GM and the 50mm 2.5 G. Is the 2.5 good enough for portraits?
@@WS-bk7uu uhhh the 1.4 is a better dedicated portrait lens but the 2.5 is, to me, a better all around lens. Yes the 2.5 is more than good enough for portrait work but your depth of field won't be as shallow and have less of that so called 'dreamy' look to it. Personally I think it's an overplayed look anyway but up to you
Such a pity you couldn't include the Sigma 50mm F/2 DG DN Contemporary in the comparison. Maybe in a future update of this ranking? :)
This was an awesome review. I wonder if you got a bad copy or a damaged copy of the size 55 because compared to the Sony 50 1.8 it's leaps and bounds ahead after using an working shooting situations.
Great vid! Although tbh I preferred the separation at f/5.6 to the f/1.2 at the beginning.
Love the extensive video, though I'm surprised (shocked!) by you're rating of the famous 55/1.8... my copy was outstandingly sharp, and I used it extensively the first 2 years of my career.... Oh, and by the way, Tony, your look at the camera when Chelsea was saying 'it's-so-cute, it's-so-cute!' was classic LOL
I own, not the 50mm, but the 40mm f/2.5 and it hasn't disappointed me once - so sharp, incredibly fast af, love it 〜
lots of effort. thank you 🙏🏼
What’s the best reasonably priced zoom lens for the Sony ZV-e10 that gets as wide as 15-18mm and zooms to 60 or more mm? Or do you all have a video you could direct me to? I’m in the market and trying to do some research.
Thanks!
HI Tony,
i got a sony a7iv a year ago, and went on a trip to capture northern lights, after learning it for a 10 months.
i suprosed to see SNQ mode does not let me go down below 1/50 shutter sheepd, but if i put camera on picture mode, turn on the imaging edge app and then change to snq mode, it lets me do 4 seconds or even 2 second videop capture.
it works h as hit and miss.
not sure when it owuld work and when its not, did you observe this on your camera ?
One your best videos. I love you two. Thank you.
For this to be the ultimate ultimate test you need to include: Rokinon mark 1, the sigma 45 f2.8, viltrox f1.8 and the sony f2.8 macro. At least in the spreadsheet if you can
Yeah surprised the 50mm macro isn’t on here. Especially since it’s a Sony lens
@@EricRamz Maybe it's because it isn't faster than a f2.8 zoom lens so for many it would't be worth carrying this lens extra
@@benjamin5126 Its a lot cheaper, but otherwise its outclassed by the 2.5 completely
@@benjamin5126 2.5 is effectively the same, so if the 2.5 is there, the macro 2.8 should be as well. Especially considering, sometimes macro lenses do provide excellent optical quality. Dont know about the 50, but hey, if it were in the video, i would now. But alas.
@@kaimelis I agree, that‘s true. Maybe the f2.5 was included because it‘s so small, but idk.
thank for the video.
please make all 85mm sony lenses comparison next.
Thank your for your great work
I have the rokinon 35mm 1.8 (and the 18f2.8) and love em. Haven't noticed any problems with either.
Yeah the 50ZA is a much better lens than your compromised copy led you to believe. It’s a very sharp lens, has very good contrast and rendering. I know it well, because I used it before the 50/1.2GM came around, which was an even better lens. But in your field i would only pick the two GM 50s over the 50ZA. Maybe the 50/2.5G for travel. But the ZA is easily in the top 5 when it comes to AF 50mm lenses for e-mount.
Well when I saw the za 50/1.4 I thought that they would go as down as testing the first Sony (Minolta revamped) 50/1.4
It's not especially sharp at 1.4 but from 1.8 it blows the yongnuo and even being the bang for bucks 2nd hand at less than 100usd.
I bought myself a copy of this one to use with the 99ii that's cool to have the 399 AF points with this thing.
A few thoughts - My experience with the 55 1.8 was that it was at least as sharp - very sharp, and much better than the 50 1.8 in other ways. The 50 1.8 was my first FE lens, it was the next and first I got rid of. It was Noisy and Slow. I loved my 55mm, which was sharp and light. I used it for astro. It was sharp enough. I sold it to a friend and I miss it! Last year I bought the 50mm 1.4 Sony Zeiss because I couldn’t justify the 50 1.2. My version of the 50mm 1.4 Sony Zeiss is sharp and pretty amazing. Astrophotographers use it because it is sharp (enough) across the frame. I picked mine up from keh around 800. I have an observation after buying and selling through KEH over the years: lenses that were beat up and cheaper (bargain to excellent) can be a fantastic value - they may have been used by a pro, and kept and used because they are sharp. My wish list - I love the idea of that 50mm 2.5 for a walk around travel lens, so with an unlimited budget I’d get that and the 1.2 as well. Great suggestion. Thank you for your review - I always enjoy and appreciate your perspectives!
You chose the best without even knowing it. The 1.8/55 Sony-Zeiss and the 2/50 APO ASPH from Voigtlander are the two best lenses you can buy on E mount. There are currently no better lenses for Sony E mount. Both are much better than even most of the GM lenses. You pick up the Zeiss if you want/need autofocus and you pick up the Voigtlander if you want slightly better image quality. Almost everyone who primarily shoots Hasselblad or PhaseOne and owns a Full Frame Sony body, including myself, will always pick up either the 1.8/55ZA or the 2/50 APO ASPH Voigtlander, along with the ''new'' 1.8/135GM almost as a rule - because these three lenses make your work look like you shot the images with a MF sensor and a MF lens. First thing I did after buying Sonys ''new'' a1, was order the 1.8/55ZA and the 1.8/135GM lenses. Images I take with the a1 and these lenses are almost identical to the images from my hasselblads (x1d ll and my new x2d) - minus the detail in shadows and the softer color transitions - but that's just because of the bigger sensor.
What I've always liked about 55 is the metal construction. Not the plastic that every big MFR is using these days and charging $1000s for, but a real cold to the touch metal. There are not many of these metal lenses being released these days... two come to mind are Fuji X mount Viltrox 23/1.4 and 75/1.2.
I got the 40mm F2.5g to my 55mm f1.8. Both are sharper than the 50mm F2.5g I testet. The 40mm with lenshood is not really smaller than the 55mm without lenshood. But it's a superb and fun lens, and you can use it with gloves in the winter.
@nelo maratone I bought the FE55mm f1.8 on it's release. It's excellent at smaller apertures but at 1.8 the CA is very bad. Bought the 50mm f1.2. Unbelievable. And so it should be for the money. But make no mistake, it's leagues ahead of the 55mm.
@@nogerboher5266 Agree 100% Not sure if Tony got a dropped abused old copy or what, but my ZA55 1.8 is just an awesome little lens, and this is coming from someone who sprung for the 70-200 2.8 GM OSS II, so it's not about the money... I just like the thing and think it's small size and sturdy build, along with stellar sharpness even into the corners on my copy, make it one of my favorite go-to lenses. There is always room in my bag for the 55mm 1.8, and that also makes it a winner. Sure it can get a little CA in extreme lighting, but that is what shooting RAW is for. The bokeh on mine is smooth, if he's getting crunchy bokeh like some people say, I think it has a lot more to do with their over sharpening habits in their PP software, not the lens itself.
Thanks guys! How about a video on the best lens collection? Is the holy trinity still the best option? I always use a 2 body set up so I'm toying with the idea of replacing my 24-70 & 70-200 with the Tamron 35-150. Or maybe 3-4 prime lenses (I had a last minute job and I only had a 24mm, 50mm and 85mm on me - really enjoyed it).
I have the 50/1.2GM and I love it for the images it creates, but less happy about the form and weigth factors, hence I tend to reach to my Voigtlander 50/2 APO when subject movement is not a concern. Of course I know I have to optimise the choice for the purrpose, nevertheless, I tend to use the much smaller and lighter APO more often without sacrificing image quality for a moment.
Thanksk for being inclusive, many reviews we see on internet is just for the top of the line always and you usually include options for budgets. Would be interesting to see entry and mid range bodies too like the Nikon Z5 ...
I'm a Canon shooter so I'm biased, but a comparison between all EF and RF 85mm (Canon/Sigma/Tamron/etc) or even 50mm lenses would be nice! I'm personally quite happy with my EF 85mm F1.8 USM right now, but more light or closer and faster focusing and IS would all be great for portraits or product photography and especially for doubling as a night time wildlife lens
I have the 50 1.2 GM and I love this lens.
Could you please put samyang 45mm f-av on the menu? What ranking would it be?
I know it would have lost on autofocus, but would have been nice to know where the 50mm macro Sony lens would've fallen.
Great job!
This is a great comparison!
THANK YOU FOR THE COMPARISON!!!
I am most interested in the autofocus tracking between my current 55 1.8 and either the Sigma or the Rokinon (budget)... There's a major distance in focal plane size also to take into account, I ran some quick numbers on a DOF calculator and it's roughly 20% less from 1.8 to 1.4, and I haven't checked the 1.2 change yet.
The Sony 50 1.8 I had was absolutely terrible, sharpness / fringing / loss of contrast. I actually shot my Canon 50 1.8 through an adapter instead lol.
Also, the sample sizes in your tests are much different, so it's hard to draw a strong conclusion... I imagine this was a VERY tedious thing to test though lol maybe I'll just rent them both or buy and return one lol
@1.8
2' - 0.05' = 0.6"
4' - 0.20' = 2.4"
6' - 0.46' = 5.52"
8' - 0.82' = 9.84"
10' - 1.29' = 15.48"
15' - 2.93' = 35.16"
@1.4
2' - 0.04' = 0.48"
4' - 0.16' = 1.92"
6' - 0.36' = 4.32"
8' - 0.65' = 7.8"
10' - 1.02' = 12.24"
15' - 2.32' = 27.84
Focal Plane Size Differences:
2' = 25%
4' = 20%
6' = 21.74%
8' = 20.73%
10' = 26.47%
15' = 26.29%
Final selections are exactly what I had in my mind :) 1.2 for Work and 2.5G for Travel!
I traded my kit lens for the 35 f1.8 DX (50mm FX equivalent) and it’s on my camera most of the time. Only comes off when I use the telephoto or wide angle lens, which isn’t very often.
I'm very curious to understand what kind of sports and at what distance from the subject a 50mm can be used for?
Even indoors 135 is for me way too short. Now obviously if the idea is to shoot a skater jumping from beneath him, then even a 15-30 will do, but that's not common situation at all...
6:30 A T-stop comparisson would be interesting in terms of low light ability, but kind of deep into detailes. Thanks again!
The low-light score is a relative measurement of the real T-stops of the lens. I don't have the equipment to give an absolute T-stop measurement (almost nobody does!), but I shot the same scene on all lenses, compared the brightness of the resulting image by adjusting the exposure of the raw files until they were equivalent, and used that data to create the low-light score.
The sony 1.4 gm and 1.2 gm which one would you pick?
I got the 500mm f/1.2 back in December! I don’t regret that purchase, however I would probably have gone for either the new Sigma f/1.4 or even the new Sony f/1.4 if I was buying today, purely based on the cost
This is awesome review. Any chance of a review in another focal length like 35mm or 24 ish mm?
thankute professors! I am going to buy my first fullframe fifty soon
That 50 2.5G is definitely the travel lens choice from Sony. Hmm, but I currently own an APSC 50mm F1.8 from Sony and sometimes I use it for make-shift portrait lens when I just need a shot or a 50mm backup lens. I am still kinda waiting for Sigma F/2 if it will come out at a later time. I have been using sigma 35mm f/2 C but ya, it will be so great if Sigma C series lens for the 50mm can have a iris click lock all-in-one-switch with a string bolt insertable for the magnet lens cap and comes with a tri-switch design and a body slightly bigger or around same size of the 35mm C then I would just grab that future lens.
will you be updating the list with the sigma 50 1.2?
Rokinon 50 1.4 II is amazing, its my favorite 50 for the sony should had been higher up imo but great video otherwise! And one thing that rokinon has over the sony is that Rokinon has pretty much no focus breathing while the sony ones breathe heavily, so its great for video.
I keep ALMOST pulling the trigger on the new Sigma DG DN. But I’m tempted by the new GM. I just wish the Sigma was a bit smaller, with a bit less CA. In some reviews I’ve watched, it can be pretty intense.
Could you use a camera as a dash cam as a lot of the dash cams qualities are not very good and at what price would you need to go how could you mount it and what would be the settings.
Hello Chelsea & Tony, thanks for this info, great presentation. One question though; as an old fashioned analog shooter i' am still used to focus manually. Please also make a comparision between the AF & MF 50 mm. lenses available for Sony full frame (macro lenses included) to mainly compare picture quality??
NB. Perhaps you could also throw in the greatest vintage lenses from the main stream analog camera brands?
The zeiss 55 1.8 is one of the sharpest lens ever made it should me number 3
About the sigma design 3/10 ? It feels actually as premium as the gm, at least they tell the image quality was as good as the Sony 1.4 gm.
It was also weird to see the 2.5 before the sigma and the zeiss 1.8 😅
Question... Is it worth shooting f4 for the OSS? or... more worth it if I shoot f2.8 or lower for better Image quality and low light performance? A7IV wedding videographer
Was there more CA on the GM 50 1.2 vs the 1.4? Looked like you were pointing that out at the end.
What about the Viltrox 50mm f1.8? That was one I was considering when I was shopping this focal length.
Great video thanks saludos Ibera
Thanks for the detailed comparison! Last week, I ordered a used 50mm f/1.2 using money I got from selling other lenses I didn't use as much, including my old 55mm f/1.8. I also had way too many 35mm lenses, so I sold all of them as well, except for the 35mm GM and the 16-35mm GM. I'm really excited to walk around at night with the 1.2!
I passed on all those lenses and went for a Sony FE 40mm F2.5 G. My only uses for this focal length is for street and landscape, so I wanted something small and with minimal distortion.
Nicevidro, thanks. You forgot the sony fe 50 mmf 2.8 macro...
Wanna know how good the Sony Planar 50mm F1.4 really is? Ask other TH-camrs: Dustin Abbott, Julia Trotti, Christopher Frost, Steve Huff Photo & HiFi, Felix Jaeger, Stewart Media Digital, Gerald Undone, Chris Turner Photograper, Matt Jackson, Georges CamerasTV, PM-R TV.
Even if Tony & Chelsea keep using the same bad copy I don't understand how its all metal and glass 'Zeiss Planar' build scores just 4/10 compared to some of these plastic lens in Design & Size. It also scored 100% (based on 37 photos) in their 'Sports test' but only got 5/10 score which doesn't make sense.
Interesting! I always thought that there might be slight sample variations as some other reviews place the 50mm f1.4GM ahead of the f1.2? The f1.4GM is on my 'buy soon' list - I'm just waiting for a good deal as it's currently almost the same cost as the f1.2 GM here in the UK. The reduced weight and heft (f1.4 vs f1.2) for just a slight loss of speed/bokeh are a good trade off IMO. I also heard that the edges were as good as the f1.2, but clearly not with your examples and tests? If/when I buy then I might retire/sell my 55mm f1.8. I may now need to look again at more tests between the f1.2 vs 1.4, but had thought the matter decided in my own mind.
I bought my 55mm Zeiss f1.8 5 years ago on switching to Sony. I like it a lot (compact size and always seemed sharp) but not used for 1-2 years now and from memory the close focus shooting range was disappointing and limiting. I passed on buying a GM 24-70 mk1 (heft, cost, perceived indifferent performance) and instead bought a 24-105 G (mainly travel/convenience) but typically packed the 55mm too, for low light capability. But, after buying a 35mm F1.4 GM (lovely sharp lens, esp. for environmental portraiture) I tended to use that or my 24mm f1.4 prime instead of the 55mm. After the 24-70 GM mk2 came out, I bought that as my 3rd 'trinity zoom' (excellent) sold my 24-105 and haven't used my55mm since. So now I'm looking for a really great 50mm and had thought the f1.4 GM a better choice, on balance, than the f1.2 GM. Absolute cost isn't an issue for me, although I won't just pay any old 'asking' price and try to 'buy smart'. I suspect if smaller/lighter then it might just get packed and together with my 35mm GM prime may mean I don't always travel with a 'default' 24-70 zoom. I guess I'm lucky to have choices.
Love this. Can you do this 50mm comparison for Canon?
Nice way to compare lenses. For the next comparison, I'd like to see more points assigned to the rendering itself, like the rendering of the transition area. Now there's "bokeh" but it's probably just the bokeh balls.
Sometimes Chelsea said that the bokeh balls are smaller than they should be => it can be 2 things: the lens might be a bit wider than 50mm, and it could also be more then f1.4, or a combination of both. I'm not sure I would subtract points for being a bit wider.
I got the Sony 50mm 2.5G, have had the 55mm some years ago. I have to say, its really sharp, its super fast, it's awesome! This videos helped me choose, I would have not gotten it if it was not for this video and I would most likely have gotten a slower lens which honestly wouldnt fit my needs as much as the 2.5G does.
Has the Sony 50mm 2.5 felt like a step down from the Zeiss 55mm 1.8? The build quality of the 2.5 is great, I just worry it might not be as good for portraits.
@@WS-bk7uu Haven't really been able to compare side by side but I like the 2.5 much more, smooth, quiet, great focus, sharpness etc. Would not get the 1.8 again vs the 2.5 for my use.
@@philipwiberg992 Thanks Phillip! I tried one today and loved the build quality, just unsure about it's use for portraits.
But these are NOT all the AF 50-ish lenses for Sony? What about Viltrox AF 50 f/1.8, Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro, Sigma 45mm F2.8 DN DG (since you included the 45mm Samyang)?
I have the 1.8 and admittedly it is on an a7 mark one, but one problem I am always had with it focus hunting. It can be excruciatingly slow if you find focus.
I shoot wedding ceremonies in harsh sunlight… I’m talking harsh beach sunlight in CA that I cannot help. My Sony GM and Sigma glasses are trash in harsh lighting. My go-to is the Sony Zeiss 1.4 ZA Planar. I’m surprised it’s last place on your list lol. Would love to have you both cover subjects in harsh sunlight as a category.
I already have the 1.2. And I bought it used from a fellow Sony photographer at a bargain price close to the price of the 1.4 GM. But if I didn’t already have the 1.2, I’d definitely buy a 1.4.
Same, bought mine at Christmas when there were a lot of sales going on, bought it almost at the price of the now new 50 1.4, prolly would have bought this one instead too…
What about the 350 dollar OSS 1.8? Is that the same as the one thats 250 but with stabilization added?
Thanks for the comparison Tony. We are just finalizing our own review of the Samyang 50mm f/1.4 MKII and our corner sharpness looks way better. I suspect you got a bad copy because our sample is very sharp even at f/1.4 (we were kind of surprised actually by how good it was wide open especially compared to the old 55mm Sony Zeiss in the corners...).
It's entirely possible! If so that speaks to poor quality control... Which is really scary because it means our reviews don't necessarily reflect what the consumer will receive. I purchased that lens brand new for this test.
Also, focus distance affects sharpness a lot. T&C test lenses at pretty close focus distance which is often not related to sharpness at farther distances. Best example is the old A-mount ZA 50mm, which is way better at infinity than close focus. And for corner sharpness field curvature matters a lot. I don't know if T&C refocus their corner tests
@@TonyAndChelsea I agree. 3'rd party lenses can have huge differences in QC. We will publish our look at the Samyang in a few hours - have a look at the corner sharpness test (I'll ping this post when its up) - the difference from what you showed is really night and day (if it was the other way around and I would get bad results and you would get good ones I would re-check my results but when you get really sharp results it's hard to argue).
@@MegaWeitzel Oh - I didn't know this. Tony - at what distance did you check the sharpness of the lenses? In our test, we separate close focus sharpness and "normal" distance sharpness (close distance is as close as the lens can focus manually, and normal is what fits our huge Imatest chart - its 1.5m wide so especially with normal or tele lenses we are talking at least 1.5 or 2 meters away if not more).
The Samyang is a very bad close-up but much much better at normal work distances - so this can explain the results Tony got. Just watch our review (this makes more sense than QC - thanks MegaWizel!).
@@LensVid you see their test shots at some points during the video. It is basically three books wide. Their book is 20cm wide, so the scene is 60cm wide? So the focus distance is 80-90cm? But there is a lot of guessing here
As important price is as a factor (THE factor for many), it gets in the way during comparisons. Comparison ratings should be decided on the fictive assumption of "you can have either one of theses lenses one year for free, but you have to give it back at the end, cannot sell it and cannot have one of the others during this period. What would be your rating or choice then?" rather than ending every column with "but it's xyz bucks more expensive" or "not sure if this bokeh is worth zyx extra dollars". Otherwise price becomes THE only factor and you may omit the rest of the comparison. Consider price only after you found your top three liked lenses without looking at price. OR - you consider a probable reselling value after three years and compare costs rather than initial buying price.
Thanks for the interesting comparison, I agree with the conclusions. For a manual focus 50mm, I really like the Voigtlander 50mm f2 Apo Lanthar, incredible lens.
Sony 50 1.2 GM is my go to prime. Super sharp, super fast and it produces super images in the studio and in natural light!! I also love my 35 1.4 GM. However, I did return my 85 1.4 GM to B&H. It sounded like a chain saw when the ridiculously slow focus motors churned away. Also had a horrible time getting it to lock focus in only moderately low light :( I am wondering if I got a bad copy of the 85?
nope, trust me, the 85 1.4 is BAD ! I tested all the 85s lenses a few months ago and the Sigma 85 is much better ! The 85 1.4 gm is the worst GM lens by far and badly needs replacement !
Great Vide. Can you do this for Canon? Plus i think a great video whuld be the all common lens's photographers get, Like a wide the 50 or 85 and something like the 70-200. Its a pretty good tughrohl video and not much kind of videos like this out there.
Do a 35mm Sony comparison video like this please!
The 50mm f1.2 is a magical lens. Sharpness, micro contast, tonality and colour. It has it all. I picked up mine in the UK for £1500. Considerably cheaper than the £2000 RRP
I love the f1.2 GM. But, if I didn't already have that lens, I would buy the f1.4 GM.
Can you elaborate? Is it the size?
@@Deathignator Not much difference between 1.2 and 1.4 for me. But, buy the one that suits you.
Would the new Sigma 50 f1.2 take first place?
I have the Zeiss Planar 1.4 and Samyang/Rokinon 45mm f1.8. The first blows away the plastic FE 50mm 1.8 any day, no doubt… It is a lemon Zeiss for sure. The Planar is little softer than GMs but a vastly superior optics than the others. The Samyang 45 is better optically and much faster in AF departament than the clunky FE 50mm f1.8, specially with the last Samyang firmware update. While I enjoy travel with size and weight of Samyang 45, the Zeiss much better optically.
I am surprised to not see the Sigma 50mm f2 DG DN Contemporary in your lineup, can you share why you did not pick that lens which usually has good reviews, I am in fact very interested in this one?