LENS TEST
Sony’s latest fast standard prime is superb but pricey. Andy Westlake reports on how it performs
Over the past couple of years, Sony has been steadily updating many of its older full-frame E-mount lenses. Its new FE 50mm F1.4 GM is, in effect, a successor to the FE 50mm F1.4 ZA from 2016. In comparison, Sony says it provides higher image quality, better autofocus and improved usability, all in a smaller, lighter design. There is, of course, a premium: at £1,600, the GM optic costs £300 more.
Given its price point, this lens is aimed at professional and serious amateur photographers. Its 50mm focal length provides a natural-looking perspective, making it a general-purpose optic that’s useful for a wide range of subjects. The large aperture allows subjects to be effectively separated from out-of-focus backgrounds, while also enabling handheld shooting in low light.
Alongside the aforementioned FE 50mm F1.4 ZA, Sony makes several cheaper 50mm lenses, plus the premium FE 50mm F1.2 GM (£2,099). Third-party options include the Samyang AF 50mm F1.4 FE II, which delivers fine performance at an affordable price (£599), and the new Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG DN Art, which promises stiff competition for £850. So how does the GM lens fit into this crowded market?
Features
Compared to its Zeiss-badged predecessor, the FE 50mm F1.4 GM is an entirely new lens. Optically, it employs 14 elements in 11 groups, as opposed to 12 in 9. These include two extreme aspherical (XA) elements and one extra-low dispersion (ED) glass lens, to maintain corner-to-corner sharpness and minimise chromatic aberration. Sony says the optics have also been designed to deliver soft, smooth bokeh thanks to optimised control over spherical aberration, assisted by an 11-blade circular aperture diaphragm. Nano AR II coating has been applied to suppress flare and ghosting.
Sony has also revamped the autofocus system, which now employs two XD linear motors rather than the ZA lens’s older SuperSonic Motor (SSM). Not only does this promise 1.9x faster autofocus, it should also provide silent focusing during video recording. In addition, the lens is compatible with the focus breathing correction function on recent Sony cameras.
As usual for a GM optic, the barrel boasts dust- and moistureresistant construction, including a rubber seal around the mount. There’s also a fluorine coating on the front element to repel fingerprints and raindrops. The minimum focus distance is 38cm, and the lens accepts 67mm filters. Even the supplied hood boasts a comprehensive feature set, with a locking
