Review of 50mm lenses for Sony system

2024-01-22

There are those who consider the 50mm prime lens suitable for everything and... for nothing. There are also those who are convinced that a 35mm lens is a much better and more versatile choice than a 50mm. But there are also those (like the author of this article) who would happily never take a 50mm off their camera. Whatever your preference, I believe every self-respecting photographer or filmmaker should have a fast 50mm in their arsenal. In the article below we explain why. At our rental you will find a wide range of 50mm options for the Sony system, and this article will help you choose the right one.

Why is a fast 50mm lens worth having?

The 50mm focal length is very natural and close to the human field of vision — portraits look very natural through such a lens, unlike a 35mm which, if you get too close to the subject, causes significant distortion. Longer focal lengths such as 85mm, on the other hand, produce unnatural background compression.
50mm lenses are optically relatively simple and therefore compact — this is not always true as some 50mm lenses are quite large, but 50mm (and 35mm) lenses are generally smaller than their much wider and much longer counterparts, and certainly much smaller than zoom lenses of similar aperture. For those who prefer not to draw attention with their equipment, the 50mm is the ideal choice. Simple construction also often goes hand in hand with optical quality.
Versatility — the 50mm focal length is a very versatile choice. It allows you to shoot beautiful portraits with very pleasing background blur as well as wider shots where subjects are fully visible in frame while the background remains gently out of focus.
Bokeh — beautiful background blur. Fast 50mm lenses typically deliver beautiful background blur, most useful for portrait shots.
Background master — this is written about relatively rarely, but cinematographers very often choose a 50mm for the field of view it gives of the background behind the subject: not so wide that background details become insignificant, and not so narrow that the background disappears from the frame entirely.

50mm lenses for the Sony FE system

We have tried to illustrate each lens with appropriate footage shot on our Sony FX9 and Sony FX6 cameras. Enjoy the comparison!

SONY 50MM F/1.2 GM — a very compact and fast lens for the Sony system, with beautiful bokeh and excellent autofocus. The f/1.2 aperture makes a surprisingly significant difference in background blur compared to a standard f/1.4. On the downside, the rendering is perhaps too clinical. We like more character in our lenses :)
ZEISS PLANAR 50MM F/1.4 — noticeably larger than the Sony 50mm f/1.2 and with slightly slower autofocus, but for me this is one of the best 50mm lenses we have worked with. It is optically excellent while delivering a very classic image character. We prefer it to the Sony :)
LEICA 50MM F/1.4 SUMMILUX-M ASPH — although this is a lens adapted for the Sony system (requiring a Leica M to Sony FE adapter), we often use it on Sony. The lens has a remarkable, instantly recognisable character — soft at the edges and pin-sharp in the centre of the frame. Beautiful background blur. It is a manual-focus lens, so nailing focus at f/1.4 is very difficult, but when you do... Interestingly: despite its f/1.4 rating it transmits less light than the Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4.
SIGMA 50MM F/1.4 ART — this lens has a Canon EF mount but we often use it on Sony via the Sigma MC11 adapter. It is optically outstanding with a very modern, clinical rendering that some love and others do not. For that reason we often pair it with the Black Mist Pro 1/8 filter to soften the image slightly and give it a more classic look. Either way, nothing better is available at this price. If your budget is tight, this is an excellent choice.
IRIX CINE 45MM T1.5 — like the Sigma, this lens in our rental has a Canon EF mount. We use it on Sony via the MC11 adapter, but a Sony-mount version of the lens also exists. It is a cine lens — manual focus and heavy — that delivers extraordinary results at a reasonable price. The rendering has a modern/classic character. We tend to stop it down slightly to minimise minor wide-open aberrations. If manual focus does not put you off, this is an excellent choice at a sensible price.

Review of 50mm lenses for Sony system

Related products available for rent

Leica 50mm f/1.4 SUMMILUX-M ASPH

Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4 - Sony FE

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 ART - Canon EF

Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM - Sony FE

Irix Cine 45 mm T1.5 - Canon EF