50mm is one of the most popular focal lengths in photography. In this guide, we are going to help you choose the best 50mm lens for Sony cameras.
You can never go wrong with a 50mm lens. It has a “standard” yet versatile focal length that you can use for a lot of situations. It is slightly narrower and therefore, not good for landscapes. Similarly, it is not long enough to capture telephoto shots. However, it delivers good results every time no matter whatever use you put it to.
What 50mm Lens is Best For?
50mm is a great focal length for most things. However, it is more suitable for certain situations such as portrait photography, street photography, and exceptional close-ups. It is also perfect for low light and night photography because most 50mm lenses have very larger apertures. It allows you to take beautiful shots in the dark without increasing ISO too much. Similarly, you can minimize the motion blur by shooting faster.
You can even use 50mm for landscapes or architecture but have to be content with little quality loss. However, the focal length is just too short, even on an APS-C sensor, to capture wildlife images.
The performance of a 50mm lens, just like all lenses, also depends on the sensor size. 50mm will be equivalent to 75mm on an APS-C camera, offering you a slightly longer focal length for telephoto images. You will get classic 50mm on a full-frame camera, however.
Our Number One Pick for Quick Action
Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM is our number one pick for the following reasons.
- Very easy to handle
- Amazing bokeh
- Superb low light performance
- Superfast autofocus
- Brilliant sharpness even at F1.2
- Matchless build quality
- Shallow depth of field
- Weather sealing
- Excellent image quaity
The following is a video review of Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM by Gordon Laing.
Best Sony 50mm Lenses
We are going to share our experience of pairing 50mm lenses with our Sony cameras in this article. The guide will also help you choose the best Sony 50mm lens for your camera. We strive to provide authentic, accurate, and latest information and independent sources for you to take the right buying decision.
Here is the comparison table of the lenses for your convinience.
| Image | Model Name | Comparativ Features | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Sony FE 50mm F1.2 |
| Check Price |
 | Sony – FE 50mm F1.8 Standard |
| Check Price |
 | Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G |
| Check Price |
 | Sony Zeiss Planar 50mm F1.4 |
| Check Price |
 | Sigma Art 18-35mm F1.8 |
| Check Price |
 | Samyang AF 50mm F1.4 FE II |
| Check Price |
 | Sony - E 50mm F1.8 OSS |
| Check Price |
 | Rokinon 50mm F1.4 AF |
| Check Price |
 | Zeiss Loxia 50mm F2 Planar |
| Check Price |
 | Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro |
| Check Price |
So, let us start with our list.
1. Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM: Best 50mm Lens for Sony
Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM is a new and wonderful addition to the standard 50mm series of lenses. It is quite expensive but worth its price for the fantastic features and functions it offers.
Features
Before the arrival of Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM, the two most popular 50mm F1.2 lenses were Canon EF 50mm F1.2 for DSLRs and Canon RF 50mm F1.2 for its mirrorless cameras. Its other main competitor is NIKKOR Z 50mm F1.2 S. However, the Sony’s lens is cheaper than both Canon’s and Nikon’s lenses and it is more lightweight as well.
The full-frame lens delivers exceptional performance in low light thanks to the extremely wide F1.2 aperture. It also allows fast shutter speed, enabling you to shoot beautiful handheld shots without massively increasing the ISO. Not to mention, fast apertures also result in a shallower depth of field.
The lens creates a sumptuous background blur using the 11-blade circular diaphragm and F1.2 aperture. Keep in mind that the competing Nikon and Canon lenses have 9 and 10 blades respectively.
The lens offers mind-blowing sharpness across the board due to minimal spherical aberration. The images are super sharp even at F1.2 again beating both Nikon and Canon lenses. No other lens offers such image sharpness at wider apertures.
With all the above features, especially the tight depth of field, you need to have fast autofocus. The lens has four autofocus (extreme dynamics) linear motors. The autofocus is fast and extremely accurate. There is also an electronically coupled focus ring for manual focus.
Drawbacks
The lens is too expensive, especially if you don’t need an F1.2 aperture. There is heavy vignetting at F1.2 but you can remove it using in-camera corrections.
Our Verdict
Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM is the best 50mm lens for Sony if you can splash some $2000 on it. It offers supreme sharpness combined with beautiful bokeh, excellent handling, and superfast autofocus.
Users’ Reviews
Here is what users say about this lens.
That being said, 1.2 is VERY shallow. Eyes-sharp-nose-out-of-focus shallow. I use it between 1.4 and 2.0 where it delivers VERY sharp photos with a creamy background.
Pros
- Great handling
- Brilliant sharpness even at F1.2
- Robust construction
- Weather sealing
- Superfast autofocus
- Beautiful bokeh
- Excellent performance in low light
- Shallow depth of field
Cons
- Heavy vignetting at F1.2
- Undoubtedly expensive
2. Sony – FE 50mm F1.8 Standard Lens: Most Affordable 50mm Lens for Sony
Secondely, we have a cheap lens on our list for people with a tight budget. You will have to compromise on built quality and sharpness. Still, it is a very capable lens and can deliver impressive performance considering its price.
Features
The lens has a large aperture ideal for low-light photography and creating a beautiful background blur. Similarly, it has a 7-blade circular diaphragm for a beautiful defocused effect.
The lens is lightweight and compact and you can easily carry it during photoshoots or events such as weddings and birthdays.
EF 50mm comes with aspherical elements to counter coma and spherical aberration. However, the corners are slightly hazy and soft. But – most people will marvel at the beauty of the background blur rather than closely observing the corners.
The lens also decreases image distortion and field curvature using a double-glass configuration.
The autofocus is also superfast but up to F4 only. It needs more time to track objects at wider apertures.
Drawbacks
The built quality is not as good as its more expensive counterparts. Similarly, corners are soft and obscure at wider apertures.
Our Verdict
Sony – FE 50mm F1.8 is one of the cheapest Sony E mount lenses 50mm. It can’t compete with premier lenses in terms of image and build quality but it is a great little lens for beginners and people having budget constraints.
Users’ Reviews
Here is what users say about this lens.
This lens is amazing!!! I own the holy Trinity of lenses from Tamron and they are great. But THIS is going to be favorite lens for a long time.
Pros
- Beautiful background blur
- Excellent performance in low light
- Fast autofocus up to F4
- Best for beginners
- Lightweight and compact
- Very cheap native lens
Cons
- Low build quality
- Soft and hazy corners at wider apertures
3. Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G Full-Frame: Best Sony 50mm Lens for Portability
Sony released both Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G Full-Frame and Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM lenses within a very short period. You may want to skip the former lens and go for the latter. Let me tell you what, Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G has a lot more to offer than you can think of.
Features
First of all, it is an extremely lightweight and small lens. You can take it to the places where Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM simply cannot go. Similarly, you can use it on cameras like Sony a7 and a7iii all day long without aching your arm. It does not imbalance the camera like other heavy E-mount lenses for Sony.
The aperture ring is also very positive and firm but extremely smooth when you have to delick it for video. The lens does not have a focus distance scale unfortunately and therefore, you are not able to work with depth of field.
The lens is just terrific when it comes to performance. It featured dual linear autofocus motors that work quickly, smoothly, and silently.
The image quality is as good as Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM and Sony FE 40mm F/2.5 G in real world-shooting. Just like the other two lenses, both uncorrected RAWs and JPEGs are devoid of distortion. However, it cannot match the edge sharpness of FE 40mm D/2.5 G at wider apertures in lab results. But – the difference is too negligible for viewers to notice.
Drawbacks
The lens does not have image stabilization. However, it is not a big deal because Sony a7 series cameras have built-in image stabilization. Similarly, it is a full two stops slower than FE 50mm F1.2 GM and doesn’t offer as good performance in low light.
Our Verdict
Sony FE 50mm F2.5 G is a lightweight and compact lens which also means it is considerably slower than Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM. Therefore, you have to decide between portability and light gathering prowess. You must go for the later lens if you need an excellent performance in low light and the former lens if you are looking for matchless portability and affordability.
Users’ Reviews
Here is what users say about this lens.
It is perfect for gimbal use. I have the 24mm as well and no need to re balance changing lens. Both extremely sharp and 2,5 is ok with. No need more blurry background : )
Pros
- Lightweight and compact
- Excellent optical performance
- Superb image quality
- Fast and silent autofocus
- Declickable aperture ring
Cons
- Not as fast as its competitors
- No focus distance scale
4. Sony Zeiss Planar 50mm F1.4 ZA: Best In-class 50mm Lens for Sony
Sony Zeiss Planar 50mm F1.4 ZA is known for its superb autofocus and speed. It is the lens for you if you need amazing sharpness and rich colors.
Features
First of all, the lens delivers sharpness from center to edges even at wide apertures. The colors are extremely rich with very high contrast. It also corrects axial colors much better than other fast lenses.
Sony Zeiss Planner 50mm F1.4 is much better than its only major competitor that is Samyang 50mm F1.4 in all respects. It has faster and more accurate autofocus even though it is not the fastest. Sony’s lens is also more reliable with a better build quality. Similarly, it offers superior image quality than that of Samyang’s lens.
The low light performance is also terrific thanks to the F1.4 wide aperture. The wide aperture and 12 blades result in a decent defocused bokeh effect as well.
The overall build quality is better than other lenses in the ZA series. The aperture ring is also nice and damped.
Drawbacks
The first drawback of the lens is its massive size and weight. Secondly, it is quite expensive as compared to most of its competitors.
Our Verdict
Sony Zeiss Planner is the best 50mm lens for Sony E-mount cameras in its class. It has a fast aperture with accurate autofocus. Similarly, the image quality is second to none and no other lens can deliver such rich colors.
Users’ Reviews
Here is what users say about this lens.
This is the best quality lens I’ve ever purchased hands down. Images are astonishing, build quality is top tier.
Pros
- Amazing image sharpness from center to edges
- Rich colors with very high contrast
- Excellent bokeh
- Superb low light performance
- Fast and accurate autofocus
- Excellent build quality
- Fairly low distortion
Cons
- Slightly expensive
- Fairly big and heavy
5. Sigma Art 50mm F1.4 DG: Best 50mm Lens for Sony DSLRs
Sigma Art 50mm F1.4 DG is one of the heaviest 50mm lenses on the market. However, you need this lens if you prefer imager sharpness over everything else.
Features
The best feature of the lens is amazing image quality and sharpness across the board. The CA correction is also excellent besides very good coma correction and low vignetting.
As you can imagine, the F1.4 aperture is ideal for producing a splendid bokeh. Similarly, the lens is perfect for low light and astrophotography because of its exceptional light gathering abilities.
The 50mm focal length becomes 75mm when used on APS-C cameras. Therefore, you can also use it for medium telephoto shots.
The autofocus performance is also satisfactory. The lens has an easily reachable manual focus ring. The focal point sharpness is incredible even when wide open.
Drawbacks
The major drawback is of course the massive weight/size of the lens. Other than that it is a pretty good lens for Sony DSLR cameras.
Our Verdict
Sigma Art 50mm F1.4 offers a decent price to performance ratio. The lens is quite heavy but delivers pristine image quality and incredible image sharpness, something most people long for.
Users’ Reviews
Here is what users say about this lens.
Everything I want in a 50 mm. I’ve shot weddings and other events. Super keeper rate. I hope they make an RF version soon.
Pros
- Amazing image quality
- Incredible sharpness across the board
- Excellent low light performance
- Beautiful bokeh
- Great for astrophotography
- Low vignetting
- Good price to performance ratio
Cons
- Very big and heavy
6. Samyang AF 50mm F1.4 FE II: Best Sony 50mm Lens for Video
Samyang released its first ever autofocus lens, the AF 50mm F1.4, on its 50th anniversary. A few years later, they introduced the much improved Samyang AF 50mm F1.4 FE II.
Features
What makes Mark II better than Mark I is the new and improved autofocus system. It features a more accurate and consistent as well as faster autofocus. The autofocus works well for the Face and Eye detection autofocus system by Sony. Similarly, the tracking is highly effective and AF is lightning fast for stills as well.
Another nice thing about the autofocus is smooth transitioning for videos, also making it a great lens for videos. The focus point does not change when you adjust the aperture while shooting videos thanks to minimal focus breathing.
Needless to mention, the F1.4 aperture is ideal for creating beautiful bokeh and superb performance in low light. 11 elements divided into 8 groups ensure maximum optimum resolution.
The lens is also quite lightweight and small, unlike most modern F1.4 lenses.
Drawbacks
It is slightly slower than Sony 50mm F1.2 lens. The lack of a dedicated aperture control ring can also be a problem for some photographers.
Our Verdict
Samyang AF 50mm F1.4 FE II is a great little lens if you need superfast, accurate, and quiet autofocus. It is also a nice option for video shooting.
Users’ Reviews
Here is what users say about this lens.
This lens is quieter than the Mk1 but the build is not the best. Feels like a nifty fifty, i.e. plasticy.
Pros
- Very fast, accurate, and quiet autofocus
- Beautiful bokeh
- Good performance in low light
- Lightweight and compact
- Excellent image quality
Cons
- Slower than Sony’s F1.2 lens
- No dedicated aperture control ring
7. Sony – E 50mm F1.8 OSS: Best Budget 50mm Lens for Sony
Sony – E 50mm F1.8 OSS is another great native 50mm lens for Sony and worth consideration. It is a cheap and extremely lightweight lens just like Samyang F1.4 but slightly slower as well.
Features
Despite being cheap, the lens comes with built-in image stabilization, a rarity for 50mm lenses. Therefore, it is a great option for people who like handheld shooting.
The F1.8 aperture, although slower than Sigma and Samyang F1.4 lenses, is still wide enough to create beautiful bokeh and deliver good performance in low light. However, it is not as sharp as both of its competitors. You ought to buy either Sigma or Samyang F1.4 lenses if you want amazing image sharpness.
The images are fairly good at F1.8 but only in the center while the edges are quite hazy. Quality improves at F2.8 but it is at F4-5.6 where you would get the uniform images.
The lens has a good build quality and is sold with a lens hood as well.
Drawbacks
The lens has highly visible vignetting and pronounced chromatic aberration at full aperture. However, you can correct both these problems in post-processing.
Our Verdict
Sony – E 50mm F1.8 OSS is the best 50mm lens for Sony in its price bracket. But – I would recommend buying either Sigma or Samyang F1.4 if you need sharper images and budget is not a problem.
Users’ Reviews
Here is what users say about this lens.
I’m just starting to use my A6100 sony camera and this is the first lens I’ve added to my kit lens and I’m really enjoying it. It takes great pictures and is easy to use.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact
- Very cheap lens
- Built-in image stabilization
- Beautiful bokeh and low light performance
- Good build quality
- Sold with a lens hood
Cons
- Highly visible vignetting and chromatic aberration at F1.8
8. Rokinon 50mm F1.4 AF: Best 50mm Lens for Sony A7iii
Rokinon is no Sigma, Samyang, or Tamron but the company makes some really good lenses for Sony including the Rokinon 50mm F1.4 AF. From superb build quality to top-notch optics, this lens has everything a photographer needs.
Features
Robust construction with a metal exterior is one of the biggest plus points of the lens. Similarly, it is very ergonomic and easy to hold. It looks uniquely Rokinon, unlike some other company’s lenses that are copies of Sigma, Tamron, or even Sony lenses.
The lens delivers excellent colors with high saturation and contrast. The images in general are of the highest quality and extremely sharp which is also the hallmark of all the Rokinon lenses. It also has 3 aspherical elements to minimize distortion and aberrations.
The F1.4 and nine-blade aperture mean the bokeh is beautiful and the low light performance is terrific. It also provides a very shallow depth of field.
The autofocus of the lens cannot match the performance of Sony’s lenses but it is not terrible at all. It offers snappy results using its phase and contrast detection features, also the first for Rokinon. It is also very quick and accurate.
Drawbacks
The lens is pretty big and heavy. Similarly, it does not have weather sealing but its price tag does not all that either.
Our Verdict
Rokinon 50mm F1.4 AF is the best third-party 50mm lens for Sony if you want gorgeous bokeh and outstanding image quality and sharpness. It is also quite cheap but offers a host of excellent features.
Users’ Reviews
Here is what users say about this lens.
Excellent 1.4 dof lens, sharp photos, good for Sony full frame mirrorless. Fast autofocus and outstanding image quality
Sample image taken by the lens.
Pros
- High contrast images
- High color saturation
- Gorgeous bokeh
- Excellent image quality
- Amazing image sharpness
- Very fast autofocus
- Good build quality
Cons
- Very big and heavy
- No weather sealing
9. Zeiss Loxia 50mm F2 Planar: Good Image Quality and Sharpness
Zeiss Loxia 50mm F2 Planar is the best 50mm lens for Sony 2022 in the Zeiss Planar family. It is much more affordable than its 35mm counterpart but offers almost all of its features.
Features
Unlike Zeiss 35mm F2 Loxia which is known for its incredible image quality, the 50mm Loxia offers the brilliant contrast and colors for which Zeiss lenses are also famous. However, the image quality and sharpness are also exceptional. In our tests, it offered sharper images than even 35mm F2 Loxia.
The ergonomics of the lens are also good with a metal exterior. The lens is small and compact as compared to other lenses.
The lens doesn’t have autofocus and you have to content on manual autofocus. However, the manual focus ring is quite smooth and easy to work with. The depth of field scale has the zone focusing system for focusing as well. Similarly, Sony cameras can also use focus peaking. Therefore, you have multiple focusing options.
Drawbacks
The lens only has an F2 aperture which means the bokeh is a bit too hazy. Similarly, the low light performance is not as good as faster F1.8 or F.14 lenses deliver. The lens only has weather sealing on the base as well.
Our Verdict
Zeiss Loxia 50mm is an ideal lens for image sharpness, contrasty colors, and ease of use. It is the lens for if you can live with average bokeh and low light performance.
Users’ Reviews
Here is what users say about this lens.
My favorite lens. This and the 21mm share wonderful colors and contrast. Very sharp.
Pros
- Excellent colors and contrast
- Incredible image quality and sharpness
- Easy to use
- Good build quality
- Small and compact
Cons
- Only F2 aperture
- Weather sealing only on the base
10. Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro: Best Cheap 50mm Macro Lens for Sony
Finally, we have Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro lens on our list. It is not only affordable but also among the best 50mm macro lenses you can currently buy.
Features
The lens is easy to use with a smooth manual focus ring. It also has focus limiters as well as pretty loud autofocus motors. However, the autofocus is quite fast and the autofocus ring is quite close, perfect for macro shots and close-ups.
The images are sharp but you cannot compare them to more expensive 50mm lenses from Sony. If sharp images and amazing image quality are your priorities, you need to go for other 50mm models.
One area where the lens excels is color rendition. The colors are excellent with a movie-like feel.
The bokeh is nice and creamy. However, an F2.8 aperture cannot create as gorgeous bokeh as F1.8 or F1.4 aperture.
The best thing about the lens is negligible chromatic aberration, unlike other macro lenses.
Drawbacks
Apart from average bokeh, the lens has loud focusing motors and thus, cannot be used for videos.
Our Verdict
Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro is a good lens for anyone who does not want to spend a fortune on a lens. It has its problems but it is more than enough for an amateur or beginner photographer. Professional or experienced photographers should look for other more capable lenses though.
Users’ Reviews
Here is what users say about this lens.
My first macro lens, I love it! Could be sharper when maginified, but for this price it’s a pretty versatile lens with a wide focus range. Weightless as well, my lightest lens.
Pros
- Small and compact
- Very affordable
- Good image quality
- Reasonable image sharpness
- Very close focusing range
- Good macro shots and close-ups
Cons
- Average bokeh
- Noisy autofocus motors
How to Buy the Best 50mm Lens for Sony?
You have to consider many factors while buying a 50mm lens for Sony just like any other lens.
Maximum Aperture
Since we are talking about a prime lens here, we will not delve into the importance of focal length. Instead, we will start our guide with maximum aperture. You can choose from a maximum aperture of F1.2 to F2.8 when it comes to 50mm lenses for Sony. Of course, an F1.2 lens is far brighter and faster than an F2.8 lens.
The choice of the aperture depends on your requirement and the type of photos you take. If you love gorgeous bokeh and want excellent low-light performance, you must go for a faster aperture such as F1.2, F1.4, and F1.8. However, images tend to lose sharpness at such fast apertures. Therefore, pick a lens with narrower apertures such as F2 or 2.8 if you prefer overall image quality over bokeh or shallow depth of field.
Keep in mind that most lenses have a versatile aperture range such as F1.8 to F16. Therefore, you can use the same lens for creating creamy bokeh and taking sharp images just by adjusting the aperture.
Weight and Size
Another important consideration is the weight and size. Most 50mm lenses for Sony are quite big and heavy with a few exceptions. However, they still differ in weight and size and even a 100g difference can matter a lot depending on your photographic needs. For example, you need a lighter and smaller lens if you wander outdoors and have to carry your gear for weeks.
Image Stabilization
Image stabilization is necessary for minimizing motion blur. Unfortunately, most 50mm lenses lack image stabilization but you need not worry. You can easily decrease blurs by using built-in image stabilization in Sony cameras as well as large lens apertures.
Auto or Manual Focus
Lenses with manual focus are still available but they have almost gone out of fashion. Furthermore, it is not worth using manual focus in the case of 50mm lenses, especially if you have to shoot portraits and other dynamic subjects.
Weather Sealing
The best 50mm lens for Sony usually has weather sealing, allowing the lens to withstand harsh weather and be serviceable in all conditions. It is particularly beneficial if you are shooting in the rain, snow, fog, or sand, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Sony 50mm lens good for?
50mm lenses are versatile lenses that you can use for any situation. For example, they are suitable for street photography, portraits, and close-ups. Since most 50mm lenses have faster apertures, you can use them for creating beautiful bokeh, shallow depth of field, and excellent low-light performance.
- Can I shoot macro with 50mm?
You can shoot marco shots with any lens you want. However, 50mm offers a true macro scale or 1:1 image. It offers extremely long magnification which longer lenses cannot.
- What type of photos do you take with a 50mm lens?
50mm lenses are ideal for portraits, candid photography, street photography, and gorgeous close-up shots.
- Is 50mm the best focal length?
50mm is the most versatile focal length in my opinion. You can apply it to almost any situation, allowing you to keep only one lens with you. Similarly, the pictures taken with a 50mm lens are quite similar to what a human eye sees due to the smaller distortion.
Final Words
Concluding, we have to say that 50mm is the best focal length you would ever use. It applies to almost any situation and delivers exceptional results every time. Similarly, you can choose from a myriad of 50mm lenses for Sony. We have only scratched the surface in this article and tried to include only the best 50mm lenses you can use with Sony full-frame and APS-C cameras.