Sony 50mm f/1.2

Full Frame FE GM

Sample Images   Introduction  

New   Good   Bad   Missing   Format   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM (72mm filters, 27.5 oz./778g, 1⅓'/0.4m close focus, $1,998). bigger.

I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Sony does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used lens — and all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new lens. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

 

September 2021   Better Pictures   Sony   Sony Lenses   Canon  Nikon   Fuji   Zeiss   LEICA   All Reviews

All Sony Cameras Compared

Sony vs. Nikon vs. Canon Full-Frame

Why Fixed Lenses Take Better Pictures

 

Sample Images       top

Sample Images   Introduction  

New   Good   Bad   Missing   Format   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

More samples throughout this review at Bokeh, Macro, Sharpness, Spherochromatism and Sunstars.

These are just snapshots; my real work is in my Gallery.

These are all shot hand-held as STANDARD JPGs; no tripods, no FINE or EXTRA FINE JPGs or RAW files were used or needed.

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sample Image File

Sewer Cover, 9:09 AM, 01 September 2021. A7R IV, FE 50/1/2 GM at f/8 at 1/100 at Auto ISO 100, +0.7 stops exposure compensation (a mistake; LV 12.6), Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

 

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sample Image File

Tile Staircase, 9:10 AM, 01 September 2021. A7R IV, FE 50/1/2 GM at f/11 at 1/160 at Auto ISO 100, +0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 14¼), as shot. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

 

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sample Image File

Sam's Place, 7:36 PM, 02 September 2021. A7R IV, FE 50/1/2 GM wide-open at f/1.2 hand-held at 1/60 with in-camera stabilization ON at Auto ISO 250 (LV 5.1), Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

 

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sample Image File

Welwood Murray Library, 7:39 PM, 02 September 2021. A7R IV, FE 50/1/2 GM wide-open at f/1.2 hand-held at 1/60 with in-camera stabilization ON at Auto ISO 100 (LV 3¾ IPS), Perfectly Clear, perspective correction in Photoshop CS6. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

Please help KenRockwell.com

Introduction       top

Sample Images   Introduction  

New   Good   Bad   Missing   Format   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

Adorama Pays Top Dollar for Used Gear

Amazon

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

Crutchfield

I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below.

This Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 ultraspeed lens is especially good for night and low-light action photography, as well as for throwing backgrounds way out of focus.

Even if you don't need to shoot wide-open at f/1.2, its extra speed is extremely useful for fast, precise and clear magnified manual focussing, especially in dim light where this f/1.2 lens is five-times faster than f/4 zooms and makes Live View much cleaner, clearer and precise. With this 50mm f/1.2 it's amazing how clear and sharp is the magnified manual-focussing image in my Sony A7R IV, especially for night shots. Manual focus pops right-in, even in near pitch-black night conditions. I focus at f/1.2 and then stop down for depth-of-field for time exposures.

I got my 50/1.2 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

New     Introduction         top

blue ball icon © KenRockwell.com Sony's first f/1.2 lens. It's about time; Nikon had a 50mm f/1.1 in 1956, LEICA had a 50mm f/1.2 ASPH in 1966, and Canon had a 50mm f/0.95 in 1961 — all for mirrorless (rangefinder) cameras!

 

Good     Introduction         top

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Supersharp, even wide-open at f/1.2.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Great bokeh, which is unusual for aspherical lens like this. Sony's secret new "Extreme aspherical" manufacturing process gives us both the advantages of ultra-sharpness and great bokeh. (Aspherical lenses usually have awful bokeh.)

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Programmable function button, set as Focus Lock by default.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Dedicated aperture ring.

green ball icon © KenRockwell.com Dust and moisture resistant.

 

Bad     Introduction         top

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Big and expensive.

red ball icon © KenRockwell.com Production offshored to Thailand, not made domestically in Japan.

 

Missing     Introduction         top

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No Image Stabilization.

gray ball icon © KenRockwell.com No full-time instant manual-focus override; the lens, like most Sony lenses, only responds to its electronic focus ring in some modes.

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2. bigger.

 

Format       top

Sample Images   Introduction  

New   Good   Bad   Missing   Format   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

I got my 50/1.2 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This is a full frame lens and I'm reviewing it as such.

It also works great on APS-C cameras, on which you may make the usual inferences.

 

Compatibility       top

Sample Images   Introduction  

New   Good   Bad   Missing   Format   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

I got my 50/1.2 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This works on all Sony E-mount cameras, full-frame and crop-sensor. This includes all the variations of NEX, A9-, A7-, A6xxx and A5xxx series cameras.

It will not work on any Sony A-mount DSLR or any Minolta MAXXUM 35mm SLR of any kind. Those use the old A mount which was actually the Minolta MAXXUM mount from 1987.

 

Specifications       top

Sample Images   Introduction  

New   Good   Bad   Missing   Format   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

 

I got my 50/1.2 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Name       specifications       top

Sony calls this the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM:

    FE: Full-frame coverage, E-mount.

    GM: means Sony's best.

Sony's model number: SEL50F12GM.

 

Optics       specifications       top

Sony 50mm f/1.8 construction

Sony 50/1.2 internal construction. Extreme Aspherical elements.

14 elements in 10 groups.

3 "Extreme" aspherical elements, which really are: Sony has a magic way to make these that give much more accurate and smooth surfaces so they beget much smoother bokeh than other brands of aspherical lenses.

Nano AR Coating II anti reflection coating on the inside of the first element.

Front fluorine coating to resist dirt, dust and fingerprints.

 

Diaphragm       specifications       top

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM (diaphragm not seen). bigger.

11 rounded blades.

Electronically actuated.

Stops down to f/16:

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Dedicated Aperture Ring. bigger
Defeatable Clicks. bigger.

 

Filters       specifications       top

72 mm filter thread.

 

Coverage       specifications       top

FE Full-Frame (24 × 36mm) and E APS-C (16 × 24mm).

 

Focal Length       specifications       top

50 mm.

When used on an APS-C camera, it sees the same angle of view as a 75mm lens sees when used on a full-frame or 35mm camera.

 

Angle of View       specifications       top

47º diagonal on full-frame.

32º diagonal on APS-C.

 

Autofocus       specifications       top

Four linear XD motors:

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM. bigger.

Internal focussing.

No external movement as focussed, so no air or dust is sucked in.

 

Focus Scale       specifications       top

Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.

 

Infinity Focus Stop       specifications       top

No.

 

Depth of Field Scale       specifications       top

No.

 

Infrared Focus Index       specifications       top

No.

 

Close Focus       specifications       top

1⅓ feet (0.4 meters).

 

Maximum Reproduction Ratio       specifications       top

1:5.9 (0.17 ×).

 

Reproduction Ratio Scale       specifications       top

No.

 

Image Stabilizer       specifications       top

None; use the one in your camera if it has it.

 

Caps       specifications       top

ALC-F72S front and ALC-R1EM rear cap included.

 

Hood       specifications       top

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Included ALC-SH163 Locking Hood. bigger.

 

Sony ALC-SH162 Hood for FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

ALC-SH163 Hood and FE 50mm f/1.2 GM. bigger.

ALC-SH163 hood included.

It has a solid locking pawl so it won't fall off your lens, and has a sturdy rubber bumper on the front.

Good job, Sony.

 

Case       specifications       top

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Included Case. bigger.

Case included.

 

Size       specifications       top

3.43" ø maximum diameter × 4.25" extension from flange.

87 mm ø maximum diameter × 108 mm extension from flange.

 

Weight       specifications       top

27.5 oz. (778g).

 

Quality       specifications       top

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM. bigger.

Made in Thailand, not made domestically in Japan.

 

Announced       specifications       top

Tuesday, 16 March 2021 at 1:02 AM NYC time (7:02 AM PDT).

 

Promised for       specifications       top

13 May 2021.

 

Included       specifications       top

ALC-F72S front cap.

ALC-R1EM rear cap.

ALC-SH163 hood.

Case and strap.

 

Sony's Model Number       specifications       top

SEL50F12GM.

 

Price, U. S. A.       specifications       top

March ~ September 2021

$1,998.

 

Performance       top

Sample Images   Introduction  

New   Good   Bad   Missing   Format   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

 

Overall   Autofocus   Manual Focus   Breathing

Distortion   Ergonomics   Falloff   Filters

Flare & Ghosts   Lateral Color Fringes

Lens Corrections   Macro   Mechanics

Sharpness   Spherochromatism

Stabilization   Sunstars 

 

I got my 50/1.2 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Overall       performance       top

This is a big, heavy, solid lens with equally solid performance if you don't mind the size, weight and price.

 

Autofocus       performance       top

Autofocus is always dead-on, but only moderately fast.

Of course it varies with lighting and camera settings, but it takes a moment to rack in and out; it doesn't snap instantly in and out of focus.

 

Manual Focus       performance       top

Manual focusing is entirely electronic; the manual focus ring isn't connected to anything other than a digital encoder.

Thanks goodness there is a dedicated AF/MF switch:

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM. bigger.

 

Focus Breathing       performance       top

Focus breathing is the image changing size as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers that the image not breathe because it looks funny if the image changes size as focus gets pulled back and forth between actors. If the lens does this, the image "breathes" by growing and contracting slightly as the dialog goes back and forth.

The image from this lens grows as focussed more closely.

 

Bokeh       performance       top

Bokeh, the feel, character or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is excellent. Out-of-focus backgrounds just melt away, except at small apertures where bokeh isn't as important and becomes worse because the blur circles have emphasized edges — but at large apertures where it matters, bokeh is great.

Here are photos from headshot distance wide-open. I'm focused on the owl's eye. Click any for the © camera-original file:

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Bokeh Sample Image

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Bokeh Sample Image

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Bokeh Sample Image

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Bokeh Sample Image

Scarecrow Owl, 01 September 2021. A7R IV at 1/8,000,1/1,600,1/500 and 1/100 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 13.5, 13.6, 13.9 and 13.6).

Click any for the © camera-original file.

As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at f/1.2 and get as close as possible.

 

Distortion       performance       top

The 50/1.2 has moderately strong pincushion distortion, which completely goes away with in-camera correction.

Be careful if you shoot raw. Many kinds of software won't know Sony's secret sauce to correct this, so if this is important and you shoot raw, test your workflow first.

JPGs are always corrected if you set your camera that way.

If uncorrected, it corrects with a value of -2.5 in Photoshop's lens correction filter, but it's complex distortion so there is some waviness left after Photoshops's simple correction. Just use the camera's own correction for the best results.

 

Ergonomics       performance       top

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM. bigger.
Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM. bigger.

The focus ring only works in some modes. It sadly isn't an always-active instant manual-focus override as it is on Nikon Z.

The aperture ring is a great way to set apertures, but sadly doesn't have deeper detents at the full stops to aid setting by feel.

The A setting on the ring is misleading; it's not AUTO. It oddly means that you're handing the aperture selection back to the control rings on your camera rather than the ring on the lens.

It has defeatable third-stop clicks, but sadly the full stops are not more deeply detented.

 

Falloff       performance       top

Falloff on full-frame with "Shading Correction" ON is insignificant.

I've greatly exaggerated the falloff by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background; it will not look this bad in actual photos of real things:

 

Falloff on full-frame, correction ON.

 

f/1.2
f/1.4
Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM falloff
Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM falloff
Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM falloff
Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM falloff
f/2
f/2.8

© 2021 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

If you're silly enough to turn the correction OFF, then it can be strong at the largest apertures:

 

Falloff on full-frame, correction OFF.

 

f/1.2
f/1.4
Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM falloff
Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM falloff
Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM falloff
Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM falloff
f/2
f/2.8

© 2021 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

Filters, use with       performance       top

There's no need for thin filters. The filter ring is much bigger than the front element and I can stack quite a few regular 72mm filters with no vignetting on full frame.

Go ahead and use your standard rotating polarizer and grad filters.

 

Flare & Ghosts       performance       top

Ghosts and flare are minimal as you can see at Sunstars, which is shot without any filters over the lens.

As with most lenses, there can be some ghosts if you're using a filter from light reflecting off the sensor and then off the back of the filter back onto to the sensor. I had that happen to me with my shot of the Welwood Murray Library at the top. Look at the original file and you will see a couple of ghosts that I spotted-out in the final image.

 

Lateral Color Fringes       performance       top

There are none, with camera corrections either ON or OFF.

This is superb! I can't see any fringes regardless of the corrections - or not.

Bravo, Sony!

There is some spherochromatism, which can cause color fringes on things that aren't in perfect focus. Spherochromatism is a completely different aberration in a different dimension than lateral color fringes.

 

Lens Corrections       performance       top

My Sony A7 IV corrects for any or all of Falloff ("Shading"), Lateral Color ("Chromatic Aberratio…") and Distortion.

At least on my A7 IV, I can turn any of these ON or OFF individually.

 

Macro Performance       performance       top

Macro gets about as close as other lenses. It's extremely sharp, even wide-open at f/1.2 and has great bokeh on top of it.

 

Wide-open at f/1.2

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Macro Performance Sample Image File

Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance, 01 September 2021. A7R IV, wide-open at f/1.2 at 1/5,000 at ISO 50, +0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 13.8). bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

In a vapor-thin plane of focus it is super sharp, but only where it's 100% in focus. This is superb.

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Macro Performance Sample Image File

1,200 × 900 pixel (7.9× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

The slight green and magenta color fringes are from spherochromatism on things that aren't in perfect focus.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 16 × 24" (1.3 × 2 feet or 40 × 60 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 32 × 47½" (2.6 × 4 feet or 0.75 × 1.2 meters).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 63 × 95" (5.3 × 7.9 feet or 1.6 × 2.4 meters).

 

At f/8

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Macro Performance Sample Image File

Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance, 01 September 2021. A7R IV, wide-open at f/1.2 at 1/5,000 at ISO 50, +0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 13.8). bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

 

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Macro Performance Sample Image File

1,200 × 900 pixel (7.9× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 16 × 24" (1.3 × 2 feet or 40 × 60 cm).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 32 × 47½" (2.6 × 4 feet or 0.75 × 1.2 meters).

If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 63 × 95" (5.3 × 7.9 feet or 1.6 × 2.4 meters).

 

Mechanical Quality       performance       top

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM. bigger.

 

Finish

Sputtered black plastic.

 

Hood

Plastic, with spring-loaded locking pawl.

 

Front Bumper

Rubber.

 

Filter Threads

Plastic.

 

Front Vanity Ring in front of Focus Ring

Metal.

 

Focus Ring

Rubber-covered plastic.

 

Mid Barrel Exterior

Section with button and switches: plastic.

 

Button & Slide Switches

Plastic.

 

Aperture Ring

Metal.

 

Rear Barrel Exterior

Plastic.

 

Identity

Metal-look plastic plate on top of barrel.

Printed on bottom of barrel, near mount.

 

Internals

Hard to tell, probably both plastic and metal.

 

Dust Gasket at Mount

Yes.

 

Mount

Chromed metal.

 

Date Code

None found.

 

Noises When Shaken

Strong clunking from the focus groups flopping around uncaged.

 

Markings

Paint.

Aperture ring engraved and filled with paint.

 

Serial Number

Laser engraved in black-on-black on bottom of barrel:

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Serial Number. bigger.

 

Made in

Made in Thailand.

 

Sharpness       performance       top

Lens sharpness has nothing to do with picture sharpness; every lens made in the past 100 years is more than sharp enough to make super-sharp pictures if you know what you're doing. The only limitation to picture sharpness is your skill as a photographer. It's the least talented who spend the most time worrying about lens sharpness and blame crummy pictures on their equipment rather than themselves. Skilled photographers make great images with whatever camera is in their hands; I've made some of my best images of all time with an irreparably broken camera! Most pixels are thrown away before you see them, but camera makers don't want you to know that.

If you're not getting ultra-sharp pictures with this, be sure not to shoot at f/11 or smaller where all lenses are softer due to diffraction, always shoot at ISO 100 or below because cameras become softer at ISO 200 and above, avoid shooting across long distances over land which can lead to atmospheric heat shimmer, be sure everything is in perfect focus, set your camera's sharpening as you want it (I set mine to the maximum) and be sure nothing is moving, either camera or subject. If you want to ensure a soft image with any lens, shoot at f/16 at ISO 1,600 at default sharpening in daylight of subjects at differing distances in the same image.

These warnings aside, yes, this is a super-sharp lens, especially wide-open at f/1.2 where most other lenses are softer:

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sample Image File

Spanish Tile, 1:46 PM, 01 September 2021. A7R IV, FE 50/1/2 GM wide-open at f/1.2 at 1/2,500 at Auto ISO 100, +1 stop exposure compensation (LV 11.8), Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

I'm merely hand-holding so I doubt I have perfect focus on the sides, and even then it's very sharp wide-open in the far corners at f/1.2, which is where lenses like this are their very softest. The fact that it's this sharp wide-open is superb.

My tile was partially in shade; the dark top corners are from my tree, not lens falloff.

Sony's claimed MTF charts at 10 cyc/mm and 30 cyc/mm, radial (solid) and tangential (dotted). I don't believe them; they look like fairyland calculated MTFs ignoring flare and diffraction rather than actual measured results:

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM MTF

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM MTF

MTF at f/1.2
MTF at f/8

 

Spherochromatism       performance       top

Spherochromatism, also called secondary spherical chromatic aberration or "color bokeh," is an advanced form of spherical and chromatic aberration in a different dimension than lateral chromatic aberration. It happens mostly in fast normal and tele lenses when spherical aberration at the ends of the color spectrum are corrected differently than in the middle of the spectrum. Spherochromatism can cause colored fringes on out-of-focus highlights, usually seen as green fringes on backgrounds and magenta fringes on foregrounds. Spherochromatism is common in fast lenses of moderate focal length when shooting contrasty items at full aperture. It goes away as stopped down.

It has the usual amount of spherochromatism I see in lenses like this today. It actually can help with bokeh if your background is green foliage:

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 Spherochromatism Sample Image File

Mondaine A132.30348.11SBB at close-focus distance at f/1.2, 01 September 2021. A7R IV, wide-open at f/1.2 at 1/8,000 at ISO 50 (LV 14.5). bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

 

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 Spherochromatism Sample Image File

1,200 × 900 pixel (7.9× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.

 

Image Stabilization       performance       top

This lens has no Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) or OSS (Optical Steady Shot), but does work with whatever in-body sensor-shift stabilization your camera may or may not have.

Let's see how well the stabilizer built-in to my A7R IV works.

"Percent Perfectly Sharp Shots" are the percentage of frames with 100% perfect tripod-equivalent sharpness I get when I'm shooting hand-held while free-standing with no support or bracing. This is a very strict test; in actual shooting at typical print sizes I get acceptable sharpness at much slower speeds, but for the purposes of seeing how much improvement an IS system gives, this is the most precise method.

Hand tremor is a random occurrence, so at marginal speeds some frames will be perfectly sharp while others will be in various stages of blur — all at the same shutter speed. This rates what percentage of shots are perfectly sharp, not how sharp are all the frames:

% Perfectly Sharp Shots
1/2
1/4
1/8
1/15
1/30
1/60
1/125
1/250
1/500
Stabilization ON
0
0
67
100
83
83
100
100
100
Stabilization OFF
0
0
0
0
33
42
17
100
100

I see about a 4½-stop real-world improvement, which is superb.

 

Sunstars       performance       top

With an 11-bladed rounded diaphragm, I get softer 22-pointed sunstars on brilliant points of light at about f/8 and smaller.

Ignore the the slight vertical smear at large apertures, this is a sensor artifact called interline transfer smear and not a lens defect.

Likewise ignore the crazy rainbow effect at small apertures; these are sensor artifacts caused by taking a picture directly of the sun and exposing for the dark underside of a huge palm tree, and using that same palm tree to hide the sky to accentuate the stars.

Click any to enlarge:

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sunstar Sample Image

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sunstar Sample Image

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sunstar Sample Image

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sunstar Sample Image

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sunstar Sample Image

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sunstar Sample Image

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sunstar Sample Image

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sunstar Sample Image

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Sunstar Sample Image

 

Compared       top

Sample Images   Introduction  

New   Good   Bad   Missing   Format   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

 

I got my 50/1.2 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Versus the ZEISS FE 50mm f/1.4

ZEISS SONY FE 50mm f/1.4

ZEISS SONY FE 50mm f/1.4.

This new Sony GM 50/1.2 is exactly the same length and weight, but a third stop faster and a little fatter around than the old ZEISS.

Oh, and this new lens is $500 more expensive.

 

Versus the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8

Sony FE 50mm f/1.8

Sony FE 50mm f/1.8.

The Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 feels like a cheap mostly-plastic lens because it is, however Sony doesn't want you to know that when shot at the normal apertures used most often (f/2.8 and smaller) its results are indistinguishable from this FE 50mm f/1.2 GM, for one-tenth the price!

If you don't really need f/1.2, this Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 is a much smaller and more practical choice, and takes the same pictures most of the time.

 

Versus Canon, Nikon ünd LEICA

Who cares? Only a non-photographer armchair hobbyist would care, since each camera works properly (or at all) with only its own brand of lenses. You can't use a Nikon Z lens on a Sony, for instance, so it's NO good for Sony regardless of how good it may be on Nikon.

It doesn't matter if any of these lenses was better or worse on an optical bench or made properly in Japan if it doesn't fit your camera.

You may as well compare this lens to Volkswagen, Porsche ünd Mercedes automobiles or Barrett, Henry and McMillan rifles — regardless of their relative merits, none of them will fit your Sony.

See Sony vs. Nikon vs. Canon Full-Frame to compare systems.

But since you asked, the Canon 50/1.2L (77mm filters, 33.4 oz./947g, 1.3'/0.4m close focus) and Nikon Z 50/1.2 (82mm filters, 38.4 oz./1,090g, 1.5'/0.45m close-focus) all have equally near-perfect optics. Any visible difference is more from how you have your sharpening set in-camera than any difference among these optical gems.

The Canon 50/1.2L is bigger and heavier (77mm filters, 33.4 oz./947g, 1.3'/0.4m close focus) and the Nikon Z 50/1.2 is laughable huge (82mm filters, 38.4 oz./1,090g, 1.5'/0.45m close-focus). This Sony lens is the smallest of the bunch (72mm filters, 27.5 oz./778g, 1⅓'/0.4m close focus).

 

User's Guide       top

Sample Images   Introduction  

New   Good   Bad   Missing   Format   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

 

I got my 50/1.2 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

 

Unmarked "Focus Lock" Button below "G"

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM. bigger.

This button is the Focus Lock by default, or may be programmed to do just about anything. In my A7R IV, set this at

MENU > CAMERA 2 > page 9/12 > Custom Key > page 4/4 where you have 27 pages of options!

Bravo Sony!

 

AF - MF Switch

AF: Auto Focus.

MF: Manual Focus only.

 

CLICK ON - OFF Switch

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM

Aperture-ring click-defeat switch. bigger.

This activates or deactivates the aperture-ring clicks.

I leave it at ON; OFF is for people making movies who want smooth, silent manual adjustments.

 

Aperture Ring

While the A setting of the aperture dial implies that you'll get Program or Shutter-preferred exposure mode at that setting, what it really does is move the aperture setting to the camera's front control ring rather than at the lens.

Sadly the aperture ring settings are ignored in Program and Shutter-preferred modes rather than shifting the exposure mode to Aperture-preferred or Manual.

 

Recommendations       top

Sample Images   Introduction  

New   Good   Bad   Missing   Format   Compatibility

Specifications   Performance   Compared

User's Guide   Recommendations

I got my 50/1.2 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This is a big, fat lens for people who need speed, or lots of defocus.

If all you want is defocus for delicious portraits, a longer lens like the inexpensive FE 85mm f/1.8 or spectacular FE 135mm f/1.8 GM work as well or better, because focal length is twice as important to defocus as f/stop.

If you don't need to shoot at f/1.2, all the other Sony 50mm lenses are just as sharp when shot at normal apertures. Save your money and enjoy the lightweight FE 50mm f/1.8 for normal shooting at normal apertures; the pictures will be the same from f/2.8 and smaller, for one-tenth the price!!!

I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap so I'm always ready to shoot instantly. I only use a cap when I throw this in a bag with other gear without padding — which is never. The UV filter never gets in the way, and never gets lost, either.

The very best protective filter is the 72mm Hoya multicoated HD3 UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints.

For less money, the B+W 72mm 010 is an excellent filter, as are the multicoated version and the basic multicoated Hoya filters, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best.

Filters last a lifetime, so you may as well get the best. The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt

All these filters are just as sharp and take the same pictures, the difference is how much abuse they'll take and stay clean and stay in one piece. Since filters last a lifetime or more, there's no reason not to buy the best as it will last you for the next 40 years. Filters aren't throwaways like digital cameras which we replace every few years, like it or not. I'm still using filters I bought back in the 1970s!

I got my 50/1.2 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.

This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Sony does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used lens — and all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new lens. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

Thanks for helping me help you!

Ken.

 

© Ken Rockwell. All rights reserved. Tous droits réservés. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

 

Help Me Help You

I support my growing family through this website, as crazy as it might seem.

The biggest help is when you use any of these links when you get anything. It costs you nothing, and is this site's, and thus my family's, biggest source of support. These places always have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally.

If you find this page as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone.

If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks!

If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00.

As this page is copyrighted and formally registered, it is unlawful to make copies, especially in the form of printouts for personal use. If you wish to make a printout for personal use, you are granted one-time permission only if you PayPal me $5.00 per printout or part thereof. Thank you!

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

Ken.

 

 

 

01, 04-07 Sep 2021, 16 March 2021