Creators utilizing the Sony mirrorless digital camera system have a wealth of 50mm prime lenses from which to choose. The FE 50mm F1.4 GM ($1,299.99) joins the household as probably the most reasonably priced within the lux G Grasp collection. Its optics are elegant and also you get snappy linear focus, all-weather building, and sturdy on-barrel controls. However whereas the FE 50mm F1.4 GM affords distinctive efficiency and film high quality, it competes with a price possibility that’s practically nearly as good and considerably less expensive. Discerning photographers might discover cause to spend extra on the Sony mannequin, however most will likely be completely happy with the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN Artwork for simply $849.
A Host of Commonplace Primes
The FE 50mm F1.4 GM joins a lens library that is already rife with vibrant normal primes, however does some issues to face out from the pack. Kind issue is one: The 50mm F1.4 GM is sized very a lot in step with Sony’s 24mm and 35mm F1.4, one thing videographers who make use of gimbal stabilization will respect.
Photographers will even come to understand the carry-friendly kind. The 50mm F1.4 measures 3.8 by 3.2 inches (HD), weighs 1.1 kilos, and helps 67mm entrance filters. It is a lighter lens than each the budget-line Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN Artwork (4.3 by 3.1 inches, 1.5 kilos) and the broader aperture Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM (4.3 by 3.4 inches, 1.7 kilos).
Sony additionally has some older normal primes which are nonetheless a part of its catalog. The FE 50mm F1.4 ZA and FE 55mm F1.8 ZA provide extra characterful Zeiss optical formulation. Light-weight choices that collect much less mild just like the Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN Modern and Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G provide glorious image high quality, too. That is to say nothing of true finances choices just like the Rokinon 50mm F1.4 AF; suffice to say, if you happen to use a Sony digital camera, you’ve got bought a number of normal primes from which to decide on.
FE 50mm F1.4 GM Development and Controls
The GM collection stands above the others in fit-and-finish, in addition to optics. The FE 50mm F1.4 is housed in a polycarbonate barrel with the mud and splash safety you count on in a premium lens. The entrance glass consists of anti-smudge fluorine, in addition to normal anti-reflective coating.
Sony places a number of controls on-barrel, together with the f-stop. The aperture management ring helps f/1.4-16 changes with both third-stop detents or de-clicked silent operation. An A place can also be included to maneuver f-stop management to the digital camera physique, and a corresponding Iris Lock change retains the lens set in A or in its handbook vary.
The FE 50mm F1.4 GM additionally features a pair of configurable buttons; you’ll be able to remap their operate by way of the digital camera physique, however each buttons are all the time tied to the identical operate. They’re spaced 90 levels aside. An AF/MF toggle rounds issues out. The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN Artwork has the same management scheme, right down to the aperture ring, however solely consists of one management button.
The handbook focus ring behaves as you’d think about. It turns simply, however with sufficient resistance to stop it from slipping by itself or with a glancing contact. The main target system delivers a linear response, a plus for repeatable focus pulls for constant take-to-take outcomes when making narrative video content material.
Focus respiration is obvious, however since it is a Sony lens it’s suitable with the respiration compensation characteristic included in newer fashions—one thing you aren’t getting with the Sigma different. The a7R IV we use for testing doesn’t assist this operate, so I wasn’t capable of strive it. But it surely’s solely a difficulty when you’ve got an older digital camera.
Autofocus is expectedly zippy. The FE 50mm F1.4 GM makes use of twin linear motors to drive focus and performs as rapidly as any lens does on the a7R IV. Should you’re utilizing the lens with a Sony a1 you will additionally take pleasure in full velocity 30fps drive, whilst you’re restricted to 15fps with third-party lenses. That stated, the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN Artwork additionally makes use of a linear motor to drive focus, and is simply as fast to seek out its goal.
Removed from a macro specialist, the 50mm F1.4 locks focus to 16.1 inches for so-so 1:6.3 life-size replica. The FE 50mm F1.2 GM does just a bit bit higher (1:5.8), however actually if you would like a close-focusing 50mm you will need to swap to at least one with a narrower aperture. The FE 50mm F2.8 Macro is one to take a look at on this focal size, it focuses shut sufficient for 1:1 magnification.
FE 50mm F1.4 GM: Within the Lab
I matched the FE 50mm F1.4 GM with the 60MP a7R IV to test its optical efficiency. It aces lab assessments. Imatest exhibits glorious marks broad open (4,300 traces) with clear element from heart to edge. The rating improves at narrower apertures, and on the settings you will use for landscapes (f/4-11) we see excellent outcomes, nearly as good as you’ll be able to count on from the a 60MP sensor (5,000 traces).
The lens attracts handsome sunstars at f/11, whereas sidestepping a number of the diffraction results that include slender apertures and digital sensors. The 22-point sunstars are barely extra outlined at f/16, however photos present much less element total, and ghosting is extra seemingly when incorporating the solar into your composition.
Decision is on par with the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN Artwork, however the Sony does a few issues higher that do not present up in lab assessments. The FE 50mm F1.4 GM does a implausible job suppressing flare, even when pointing it proper into the solar, so give it desire if you happen to love making backlit photographs. We additionally observed much less false colour (LoCA) in background blur and specular highlights than with the Sigma.
Sony leans on in-camera lens corrections to squash a few potential points. The optics present seen pincushion distortion, in addition to dimmed corners at brighter apertures. Should you’re recording video or snapping JPG photographs, in-camera corrections compensate for these negative effects, however Uncooked information require a correction profile. We’re reviewing the lens forward of its on-sale date so we do not have entry to at least one, however count on Adobe so as to add a profile for the lens to Lightroom Basic earlier than it ships to clients in Might.
A delightful defocused character, or bokeh, is a trademark of the GM collection. The FE 50mm F1.4 lives as much as its promise right here. Defocused highlights are usually soft-edged with no indicators of onion pores and skin or onerous cleaning soap bubble edges. There’s some signal of a cat’s eye impact towards the perimeters when utilizing the lens broad open, however rounded aperture blades make for round highlights when stopped down a bit. That is one space the place the FE 50mm F1.2 GM has an edge for shallow depth of subject portraits; it exhibits some cat’s eye shapes broad open, however you should use it at f/1.4 and luxuriate in completely round highlights.
An Obtainable G Grasp
A 50mm prime is a favourite lens for a lot of photographers, particularly these sufficiently old to recollect when it was the de facto SLR starter lens. The FE 50mm F1.4 GM joins an already wholesome library of lenses at or across the focal size within the Sony system. It is the lowest-priced entry within the G Grasp collection (thus far), and whereas it is nonetheless a stretch for a lot of budgets, it is extra obtainable than the FE 50mm F1.2 GM, obtainable for round $2,000. Optical character and efficiency are very a lot in step with the F1.2; the aperture is the distinction maker.
And the FE 50mm F1.4 GM lives as much as its repute, with great-looking photographs, soft-defocused backgrounds, and lighting-quick focus. The one actual knock in opposition to it’s that the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN Artwork delivers image high quality that is practically nearly as good and focus that is simply as snappy for fairly a bit much less (round $850). It is robust to argue with Sigma’s worth proposition.
So whereas we proceed to advocate the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN Artwork as our Editors’ Selection, there are causes to stretch your finances and get the Sony as a substitute. Creators who wish to make backlit portraits will respect Sony’s superior flare management, and videographers will respect its gimbal-friendly kind and compatibility with focus respiration correction.
