Sony SAL-50F14 50mm F/1.4 Review and Unboxing Video

[dr4gon]

Video Unboxing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCPXoHSw14c

Review:

sharpness: 5
color: 5
build: 4
distortion: 5
flare control: 5
OVERALL: 4.8

Compared to:
Minolta 50mm F/1.7
Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8
Sony DT 18-70mm F/3.5-5.6

This lens has so many uses. It's such a great little lens. At F/1.4 you can get shots without bumping up the ISO when it's dark. At F/2.0, it's decently sharp and by F/2.8-F/5.6, it's incredibly sharp. This is a classic Minolta-designed lens from the film Maxxum days so it has the characteristic bokeh and color you'd expect from such lenses with the addition of multi-coatings which cut down on flare and CAs.

Despite the plastic body, it feels very solid. It features a metal mount, nice smooth rubber focus ring, and slightly recessed front element. The hood fits well and does a great job reducing flare (a hundred times better than the old Minolta pull-out hood).

The 55mm front filter thread is convenient with the Sony system (kit lens, 100mm macro, etc...).

The AF is fast, a bit noisy, but is spot on. The DOF can be quite small, but that's the beauty of such a lens. I wish it had SSM like the Canon 50mm F/1.4 USM and Nikon 50mm G F/1.4 AF-S, but Sony is still developing and adapting their Minolta line.

The first lens I got was back focusing so I returned it and got this from Amazon. I noticed that my front lens cap on the new lens was solid black with SONY on the front. The previous lens, which I suspect was newer just had the Sony a on the front (which I prefer).

In comparing this lens to the Minolta 50mm F/1.7 lens, I found this to be much sharper and usable (because of the extra 1/3 stop). I originally had the Minolta 50/1.7 but sold it since the Tamron was sharper and got this since it was new, had a brighter aperture, and the updated coatings. It is a little bit sharper than the Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8. Against the kit lens, it's miles ahead, obviously.

This is perfect for low light photography, walk around, portraits, and pretty bokeh.

[laydros]

Congrats! Looks like a real beauty.

[DonSchap]

Probably one of the most useful in the line-up ... short of the 35mm f/1.4 G (would like to have one of these, too)

f/1.4 shots are notoriously shallow DOF, so be careful. It's around 6 inches deep at 10 feet and only 2 inches at 5 feet.

Have fun with it ...