Which lense to own

[millz]

Minolta AF50mm f/1.4 lens or the Sony 50mm f/1.4 Lens. I know this is hard to believe but dont take price into the equasion There is not enough difference to worry about it. So which one would you pick based on speed, performance and quality

And like usual I can still get the Sony before Christmas so that might make the decision for me But please be honest just tell me if they were both FREE which one would you rather shoot with.

[dr4gon]

People seem to like the Minolta better. But really, they're the same lens..... I think the Sony will be better just because it's new and has some warranty and has a nice 55mm front filter thread

[millz]

ty the other option i was thinking was going crazy and getting the 35mm f/1.4 G-Series Wide-Angle Lens or isnt it even fair to have this in the picture

I cant help myself i just want to buy some glass its addicting

[Peekayoh]

Two Minolta lenses. The RS has the 55mm filter.

[seanhoxx]

The Minolta 50mm 1.7 is a sweet lens, does a great job, just get one in as near mint cond. as you can. I am also a glass addict, just tray and be wise, and try to think it through before buying. make sure it is a good lens for your camera, that you buld your overall focal length, etc. If you don't use it the lens is just a paper weight. If it's a junk lens, you won't like the pictures and it becomes a paper weight. happy buying.

[dr4gon]

Oh, didn't know the RS was a 55mm. Thanks Peter.

I guess I'm the only who'd like a Sony lol...

[Rooz]

Minolta AF50mm f/1.4 lens or the Sony 50mm f/1.4 Lens. I know this is hard to believe but dont take price into the equasion There is not enough difference to worry about it. So which one would you pick based on speed, performance and quality

And like usual I can still get the Sony before Christmas so that might make the decision for me But please be honest just tell me if they were both FREE which one would you rather shoot with.

if price is no barrier, get the sony.
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sony_50_1p4_m15/

[millz]

i believe this would be a nice compliment for indoor shots etc seems like my next lens choice having the 18-250 already

[dr4gon]

if price is no barrier, get the sony.
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sony_50_1p4_m15/

A very good review. I'm not sure how much of that is due to manufacture variation between lenses.

[e_dawg]

I was going to say, between the two 50/1.4's get the Sony version for the ADI and improved coatings. Having read the dpreview test, there's even more reason to get it now (sharper).

However, I would recommend the Sony 50/2.8 macro over either, as it's a better performer in every way at every aperture. It doesn't have the faster f/1.4 max aperture, but as you can see from the tests, f/1.4 isn't very usable in terms of image quality (contrast, corner sharpness, longitudinal CA, irregular bokeh). If you have to use the lens above f/2 anyways, that's not much difference from using the 50/2.8 macro at f/2.8. The difference is that the 50 macro is usable wide-open and the 50/1.4 is not. And the 50 macro can do macro, while the 50/1.4, obviously, cannot.

BTW, check out a pic from the 50/2.8 macro. The first pic in the gallery was the actual shot. The second pic is a 100% crop from the central 1 MP of the original shot. Mouse-over the image to get a larger size (X2Large or X3Large should be good) as well as EXIF data.

http://scpublicgallery.smugmug.com/g...28839298_YPqSi


Another thing that may not be apparent from looking at MTF graphs and such from lens tests and reviews is that the 50 macro is likely to be less prone to flare and ghosting due to the recessed front element. With the large, exposed front element, it's no surprise that the 50/1.4 is prone to flare and ghosting. You absolutely need to use the lens hood outdoors, and even with it on, the lens will still be prone to flare and ghosting due to internal reflections from the massive amount of light that is being let in. Even without a lens hood, the 50 macro shouldn't have as much of a problem.