SonySEL50F14Z Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA Lens

First - I'm a hobbyist, so this is by no means a professional review and I may re-adjust my rating as time goes on. Second - the closest lens I have a comparison to is the GM 85 1.4, and unfortunately it was for a limited time (I rented it) and I also used an A7II so I think this lens is not being used to its full potential. That aside, so far from the pictures I've taken my initial impression is that this lens is awesome . The bokeh (you bought it for this) is circular and creamy (no "onion" effect on my copy) and the center sharpness is SHARP. Low light performance is average to above average (this is probably due to my A7II, it'll most likely preform better on a A7rII) but both pictures in this review were taken in low light and no flash (a church and a backyard wall during night). I've noticed that in comparing bokeh between the 50 and 85 (I know 2 different functions for these focal lengths), I much prefer 50's bokeh but this is due to personal preference (I think the zeiss glass has something to do with I just can't put my finger on it).I fell in love with the 1.4 bokeh on the 85 so when I heard this lens was coming out, I opted to wait since I've been in the market for a "nifty-fifty". So far this lens has been fun to work with and it is truly a versatile lens for the sony e-mount due to its 1.4 stop and its focal length.

There are a couple issues that made me consider giving this 4 stars instead of 5 that I want to get out of the way.First, this is expensive and is by far the most I've spent on a lens. I saved a little to ease the burden of the excessive cost but it still stings a bit. The main thing after you get over the sting a bit is that you have a good return on investment and I feel strongly that the return on your investment regarding this lens is great and I will get to that later.My second issue is the size and weight. For pros using big and expensive lenses on their more expensive full frame cameras, these probably aren't issues for them. I'm using this on an A6300 and I understand that it in ways defeats the purpose of a small aps-c camera but I couldn't resist this fast prime, even if was going to be a 76mm on my camera. This lens is big and it is heavy but not big or heavy enough to deduct a star considering what big and heavy means with this lens.The lens may be big and heavy but it is amazingly sturdy and well made. The metal construction feels strong and it mounts very snug and sturdy. The focus ring is smooth and offers what I feel is the perfect amount of resistance. It is similar to other Zeiss lenses I have used such as the 24 1.8 Zeiss aps-c lens. The grooves or knurling on the focus is tight but appropriately grippy. The aperture ring also feels good and I appreciate the option to remove the clicks between f-stops with a switch.Considering I am not a pro photographer I don't want to attempt an in depth review of the image quality considering many smarter people regarding cameras and lenses are already doing that. Also, this review is applicable to full frame cameras but I am using this on an A6300 until I step up to full frame one day in the future. The image quality is amazing and sharper than any other lens I have had the pleasure of using. Even at f1.4 it has great corner to corner clarity and sharpness and stopping down just a few stops makes it even sharper. The image quality and color is what you would expect from Zeiss glass.The bokeh on this lens is very smooth and creamy as it melts the background. The 1.4 shots just look great and the bokeh balls are nice and rounded. I can't imagine better bokeh from a lens unless you are paying significantly more for it like the GM Series or Canon L. In my limited experience with it so far it does show a bit of purple fringing in high contrast areas but far less than I'm used to with other lenses and nothing that isn't easily corrected in post.The focus on the A6300 is fast and accurate. It runs into trouble in less than ideal lighting conditions but once you've played around with it you quickly understand how to get it to hit focus better in lower light and what to look for. The lack of image stabilization will diminish the use slightly on camera bodies like the A6300 that don't have image stabilization but with 1.4 you still have great opportunities for good looking low light shots.Overall it seems to work great with the A6300. Of course you get 75mm focal length which puts it in the 85mm portrait range where it is great. It is not as versatile as a true 50mm focal length but it is still usable in a good variety of situations. Of course with the f1.4 it makes it great for low light shooting but you might have your back against the wall for indoor shooting. I'm sure the lens is far more capable than what the aps-c sensor of the A6300 can handle but it has to be one of the finest lenses you can get for the system if the money isn't too much of a concern for you.If you can get over the price and the size/weight, this is a fantastic high quality lens with weatherproofing that produces amazing images. Whether or not this is the fast prime you need will be up to you but if you know what you're getting I can say this definitely returns on the investment.I don't like to use personal pictures for my reviews so no portraits but I will post a few to give an idea of clarity and bokeh despite the limitations of posting pictures on Amazon.

I'm sure the lens itself is amazing, but who the hell ships a camera lens in a plastic bag? Lens cap broken, af/mf button broken, weatherproof seal is loose. Don't get your used lens through amazon warehouse, lesson learned.

A little heavy but consider the camera weighs so little I'm aight with the lens being a little beefier. Honestly, it still feels fine, and the pictures it takes are out of this world. Manually adjusting f stop feels really natural and the auto focus is good enough as well. Ultra crisp. Feels extremely sturdy and well engineered. Would recommend. I am traveling with this on my a7 rii as the only lens for 3 weeks.

Upon holding the lens out of the box you already have a sense of the craftsmanship and build of this glass. And as soon as I placed my eye into that EVF I was immediately at awe at the clarity of what I am seeing. Clicked that shutter and viola - perfect picture in low light condition low ISO handheld! Certainly one of the BEST lenses I now own. Of course I have not shot extensively but one just knows.One tiny thing - I would have preferred a tab bit stiffer focus ring. But do not get me wrong, that is NOT a deal breaker at all.

Super sharp lens, great having an iris ring for manual exposure. I little on the large and heavy side, but I use it with a Sony FS7 video camera so it doesn't really matter to me, in fact it fits with the weight and balance of the camera quite well. Great interview lens with smooth bokeh background at larger f stops. The price is high but you do get what you pay for.

Great lens on A7sii!Things I love: very sharp, great for video, super quiet focusing, de-click switch, manual focus switch, auto/manual aperture ring, native e-mount (no more crappy Canon adapters), beautiful bokeh.Things that could better: price is pretty high for a 50 1.4, a little heavy and bulky, autofocus could be faster (it's good but seems like it could be a hair faster).Overall, you can't go wrong with this lens.

An excellent lens, but inferior to the Sony 55mm F1.8 Sonnar T* FE ZA Full Frame Prime Lens. Unless you have some specific need for the 5mm difference and the extra (yet unnoticeable) stop of light... save some money and buy the better 55mm lens.