The cat eyes are due to the edge of the front element blocking part of the light. So you are in fact seeing the edge of your front element on the outer arc of the cat eyes. It's an optical trade off. To make a 50mm lens clear of all cat eyes, you would likely need a 95mm front element (like the front element size of sony 200-600G), which, obviously, no one will be willing to carry. When the aperture is stopped down, it removes the outer layer of the light rays, so the cat eyes are reduced.
Thanks for this video, Benj. I sold all my gear in 2019, just before the pandemic, and have been slowly wanting to get back into more professional photography. I've been looking at whether or not I go back to Canon or try the Sony system and the deciding factor is that the 50mm was my workhorse of a lens. So this video really helped!
This 50mm 1.4 GM is stellar! Using it on the Sony A7RV & A7IV for portrait work. I had a chance recently to purchase the GM 50mm 1.2, but opted for this instead, I could not justify the $700 price difference.
To satisfy my photo fix during the pandemic, I acquired all of the GM prime lenses from 14mm to 135mm. The 135 GM is the sharpest lens I've ever owned. The 50 1.2 GM is the second sharpest. But, as the pandemic eased, I began selling my GM primes until I only had the 50 1.2 remaining. Someone contacted me to see if I would be interested in trading my 50 1.2 GM for his 50 1.4 GM. At first I wasn't interested, but I agreed. While not as sharp as the 1.2, the 1.4 is very close and a lot lighter. And it is the only GM prime that I still own.
I own the 1.2., not tempted by the 1.4 but it's negatives are 2 things I actually enjoy. Flaring and Cats Eye Bokeh. Character and personality in a lens are becoming more important to me with time. Looks a stunner from Sony.
I really appreciate your review on this 50 mm F1.4 GM lens. When you talk about lens flare, I noticed when you were talking about that you had no hood on the lens. You do shoot with a hood on the lens correct? The lensflare is something the lens hood SHOULD diffuse, so you’re talking lens flare more than the lens hood can work to diffuse? Thanks again.
Thanks for this Benj. I am in the process of trying to decide on a new camera and I come from rangefinders and OVFs. Needless to say, not a fan of Sony EVFs or any really other than the SL ones. I never even considered Sony not being a cool kid and all but they are the only company making realistic AF, fast lenses I would be willing to carry and these new (to me) 1.4 35 and 50 are amazing. As you shoot M, what, IYO, is the best sony body EVF? Or do you just deal with 3.x cause its a work tool and you get use to it? cheers
I’ve literally just ordered the 1.2 😂, now I don’t know whether to cancel the order or not! I’m a wedding photographer, so a more compact lens is, as you said, very helpful! When will you be releasing the comparison video?
I'm using a A7iii with this lense and in low light conditions 1.4 it has very bad eye focus. Love the photos, it just doesnt catch the eye with the a7iii in low light.
Great review. I have been looking for an upgrade. In the meantime I have been reviewing many sample images: The majority of the reviewerd images are not very nice. Mainly sharp, clinical and then blant. There is hardly a charcter in transistion between the focused plane and the background. It does not represent a 50mm well. Sample images have been released indicating CA - mainly blue in the background situations. Someone else reported that resolution drops at F8 severely in the corners. The flaring is also a deal breaker. Here is Europe the lens is just too expensive at his this price point. It has too many flaws for what it represesnts. I would expect Otus level from Sony. It is a standard lens and only a standard lens.
Could you please tell me the specific plain leather neck (?) strap with Peak Design attachments that appears in this video? Could not see it on the Holdfast site but maybe I missed it.
Benj, a more fair comparison and excellent lens would be the SL 50mm... as the M is older design with a lot of character, which is dearly loved for that reason, but not a modern full size body type lens. Definitely worth mentioning. And it's tiny. Not apples to apples. Anyway, I surely agree and love the compactness of the Sony stuff, but like everything, there are some downsides at times, like focus breathing etc if doing video work. For photography, it's bliss.
@@wayanbarre It's definitely a Sonnar design. A vintage feel that isn't overly sharp, but with a nice character. I seem them pop up for as low as $400 on marketplace, and its definitely worth it.
@@idreaminsurfgreen5327 I have the 55. It's just that I don't know if I should switch ;) I kinda see what you mean. I also have the 35GM and noticed a few differences in terms of rendering even though I love my 35GM
@@namiryedid1390 Yeah I tried a few others from different brands. The 35GM is screwed on my camera 90% of the time. It's flawless, sturdy. I can count on it in any situation (I do documentary photography in sometimes difficult environments). Some say it lacks character but I didn't buy it for that anyway. If you can afford it, go for it. MPB might offer some good prices for used ones.
Regarding CA... Good Friends recently asked me to check out the portfolio of the photographer for their wedding and her pictures where full of awful CAs everywhere... It was almost the first thingmy pixel peeping UA-cam spoiled G.A.S. saw... My friends didn't see it and obviously didn't care. The pictures where great in regards of composition and framing. Pure emotions... It's amazing how the Leica performs, is this the one with the fiery flare? I'd love to try this once for a shoot with the TechArt Adapter
@@benjhaisch It's also funny what's now considered a 'small' 50 1.4. My first was on a Pentax LX when I started my so called career in the early 90's. Absolutely tiny. Even my Canon EF a few years later seems much smaller than that Sony one.
Can we normalize saying blur instead of bokeh? Why are we using a Japanese word in America? Never made sense to me. What other words do people say in the native language mixed with English?
If you’re excluding words that aren’t native to English you’re going to throw out probably half your vocabulary or more :) Borrowing words from other languages is incredibly common. Heck, I bet words like *language* itself is probably taken from Latin and I think *photo* is originally from Greek?
@benjhaisch I agree that integration of foreign words is completely normal, but a word of advice if I may, pick how you think it should be pronounced and stick with it. You would sound more confident and professional.
@@benjhaisch it is amazing. Just the overall sharp lens youtube idea about this lens is not it. This is an amazing lens but not sharp. It is sharp open which is what many people look for but when u stop down it looses lots of shapness. Opposite to the sigma 1.4
I do have Leica 50 1.4 limited brass version and Sony 50 1.2 . and I've compared them and other lenses ,all best in class (most expensive) . and I've gotta say Sony and Nikon do CHEAT. with their latest lenses they added updates to their cameras - THAT MESS WITH RAW FILES .cameras adding artificial sharpness(you can see it on 600% zoom) and taking care of CA . Yes I know ! and again to be able to see this you have got to have the cameras and lenses handy to compare those raw files side by side knowing the scene where those taken . and only leica gives absolutely unedited raw files (though nwith ugly magenta). again you can trust me on this one . I own the gear including leicas that cost 4-6 times more than china's cameras like canon Nikon Panasonic Sony etc - yet leicas lenses suck in comparison to top lenses of latter (which I hate ) even Hyped up Leica APO lenses 35 and 50 that sell for around 10k$ for 2.0f !! they suck big time @georges_angeles cheers
This is interesting. I also own some GM and SL/S Pro lenses. I find something looks weird about the sharpness with my 35mm and 135mm GM. Exactly like if subttle sharpening was backed in the raw files. I don't see anything like that on my S Pro and SL lenses. By exemple my 50mm S Pro (the sharpest lens I have) seems to have better resolution than my 35mm GM, but the GM seems to have some artifical sharpening. This does not mean the 35mm GM is a bad lens, on the contrary, the lens has extraordinary "pop". About the SL lenses, I agree they are good but they are not better than my 50mm S Pro, and they are only F2, the price is definitely crazy.
I think the point is that it is hard to go over details of a lens that you have had for such a short period of time and then make a video to review it. Its kinda like your trying to flex that you got it but then not really a flex when you say you have to return it tomorrow lol@@benjhaisch
The cat eyes are due to the edge of the front element blocking part of the light. So you are in fact seeing the edge of your front element on the outer arc of the cat eyes. It's an optical trade off. To make a 50mm lens clear of all cat eyes, you would likely need a 95mm front element (like the front element size of sony 200-600G), which, obviously, no one will be willing to carry.
When the aperture is stopped down, it removes the outer layer of the light rays, so the cat eyes are reduced.
Maybe not 95 but something like 77, 82
@@domantasbronusas Then you have cat eyes. The smaller the front element, the more cat eyes. It's the geometry angle.
Thanks for this video, Benj. I sold all my gear in 2019, just before the pandemic, and have been slowly wanting to get back into more professional photography. I've been looking at whether or not I go back to Canon or try the Sony system and the deciding factor is that the 50mm was my workhorse of a lens. So this video really helped!
This 50mm 1.4 GM is stellar! Using it on the Sony A7RV & A7IV for portrait work. I had a chance recently to purchase the GM 50mm 1.2, but opted for this instead, I could not justify the $700 price difference.
The exact same here. A7iv and 50mm 1.4. $700 is alot of money. I brought a ad400 with my savings
To satisfy my photo fix during the pandemic, I acquired all of the GM prime lenses from 14mm to 135mm. The 135 GM is the sharpest lens I've ever owned. The 50 1.2 GM is the second sharpest. But, as the pandemic eased, I began selling my GM primes until I only had the 50 1.2 remaining. Someone contacted me to see if I would be interested in trading my 50 1.2 GM for his 50 1.4 GM. At first I wasn't interested, but I agreed. While not as sharp as the 1.2, the 1.4 is very close and a lot lighter. And it is the only GM prime that I still own.
I own the 1.2., not tempted by the 1.4 but it's negatives are 2 things I actually enjoy. Flaring and Cats Eye Bokeh. Character and personality in a lens are becoming more important to me with time. Looks a stunner from Sony.
Same here, I’d prefer cat’s eye bokeh than a flat one now.
Embrace the Flare 😁
Just subscribed and I would definitely like to see the 50mm 1.2 vs 1.4 comparison video. Thanks!
Benj @8:34 I am totally getting Ansel “Clearing Winter Storm” vibes. Well done! Beautiful photograph.
I really appreciate your review on this 50 mm F1.4 GM lens.
When you talk about lens flare, I noticed when you were talking about that you had no hood on the lens.
You do shoot with a hood on the lens correct?
The lensflare is something the lens hood SHOULD diffuse, so you’re talking lens flare more than the lens hood can work to diffuse?
Thanks again.
Always love seeing your thoughts and examples.
I dislike my canon more every day 😅
Thanks for this Benj. I am in the process of trying to decide on a new camera and I come from rangefinders and OVFs. Needless to say, not a fan of Sony EVFs or any really other than the SL ones. I never even considered Sony not being a cool kid and all but they are the only company making realistic AF, fast lenses I would be willing to carry and these new (to me) 1.4 35 and 50 are amazing. As you shoot M, what, IYO, is the best sony body EVF? Or do you just deal with 3.x cause its a work tool and you get use to it? cheers
Great review. Thanks. Ps I love that flaring I feel that's a plus for me.
I’ve literally just ordered the 1.2 😂, now I don’t know whether to cancel the order or not! I’m a wedding photographer, so a more compact lens is, as you said, very helpful! When will you be releasing the comparison video?
Hopefully soon! Just have to edit :)
You’re not going to go wrong either way
The 50/1.2 is a dream come true. I don’t think the f1.2 GM is that huge and it is even better than this great 50/1.4 GM.
@@Kevon420 thanks, I’ve been putting off buying it for a year now, so excited to finally take the plunge!
I've you're budget tight/stingy cancel these are almost identical.
Was considering the Sigma but like the size of Sony. Just building out my kit for Sony A7RV
Happy embargo drop day; everyone!
I'm using a A7iii with this lense and in low light conditions 1.4 it has very bad eye focus. Love the photos, it just doesnt catch the eye with the a7iii in low light.
Lovely images, lovely review, thks
Nice video. Can you make a comparison for the flare with and without the lens hood? Also how does the 55mm 1.8 holds to these new 50mm GM lenses?
Chris Turner did a great comparison video on the 55 vs the 50. ✌️
Those are beautiful photos!
Great review. I have been looking for an upgrade.
In the meantime I have been reviewing many sample images:
The majority of the reviewerd images are not very nice. Mainly sharp, clinical and then blant. There is hardly a charcter in transistion between the focused plane and the background. It does not represent a 50mm well. Sample images have been released indicating CA - mainly blue in the background situations. Someone else reported that resolution drops at F8 severely in the corners.
The flaring is also a deal breaker.
Here is Europe the lens is just too expensive at his this price point. It has too many flaws for what it represesnts. I would expect Otus level from Sony. It is a standard lens and only a standard lens.
Loving that cascade presets. Do have it for Capture One?
Could you please tell me the specific plain leather neck (?) strap with Peak Design attachments that appears in this video? Could not see it on the Holdfast site but maybe I missed it.
benjhais.ch/clever :)
@@benjhaisch Much obliged, thanks!
Benj, a more fair comparison and excellent lens would be the SL 50mm... as the M is older design with a lot of character, which is dearly loved for that reason, but not a modern full size body type lens. Definitely worth mentioning. And it's tiny. Not apples to apples. Anyway, I surely agree and love the compactness of the Sony stuff, but like everything, there are some downsides at times, like focus breathing etc if doing video work. For photography, it's bliss.
For sure, but I don't have access to the SL version ;)
First video for this lens that i watched
Haha thanks!
I love the cats eye bokeh. its a normal thing on most of the lens when wide open. according to my experience.
Awesome review.
Bruh, how you render that famtastic colours?
Just convert in lightroom ? Maybe some color profiles?
my Cascade Presets in Lightroom :)
Hey, which version of your cascade presets did you use on the edits?
This is the type of lens that would get me to switch from Fuji
for me 1.2 is not worth to buy,i dont really see the different with 1.4,so i will get 1.4
The 1.2 is one of the best, but $700 more is insanity. My clients won’t even notice the 1.2!
I don't know that this would replace the 50 1.2 for me, especially since I still have and love the 55 1.8, but damn, I do love that rendering.
Rendering of the 55?
@@wayanbarre It's definitely a Sonnar design. A vintage feel that isn't overly sharp, but with a nice character. I seem them pop up for as low as $400 on marketplace, and its definitely worth it.
@@idreaminsurfgreen5327 I have the 55. It's just that I don't know if I should switch ;)
I kinda see what you mean. I also have the 35GM and noticed a few differences in terms of rendering even though I love my 35GM
@@wayanbarre Thinking about getting that 35GM. Did you try any other fast 35s before settling on that one?
@@namiryedid1390 Yeah I tried a few others from different brands. The 35GM is screwed on my camera 90% of the time. It's flawless, sturdy. I can count on it in any situation (I do documentary photography in sometimes difficult environments). Some say it lacks character but I didn't buy it for that anyway. If you can afford it, go for it. MPB might offer some good prices for used ones.
Will an UV FILTER HELP WITH THE SUN 🌞 PROBLEM?
If anything it’ll make it worse tbh.
Is the flare a problem with lenshood atteched also?
It reduces it for sure at certain angles, but not when the sun or a light source is visible in the frame
@@benjhaisch thank you! ♥️💪🏻
Regarding CA... Good Friends recently asked me to check out the portfolio of the photographer for their wedding and her pictures where full of awful CAs everywhere... It was almost the first thingmy pixel peeping UA-cam spoiled G.A.S. saw... My friends didn't see it and obviously didn't care. The pictures where great in regards of composition and framing. Pure emotions...
It's amazing how the Leica performs, is this the one with the fiery flare? I'd love to try this once for a shoot with the TechArt Adapter
There is also the Sony Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4 for 1000$...
I believe it is much larger and only has a stepping motor though, yeah?
@@benjhaisch Yes, and it’s less sharp. But i guess it’s more artistic. I would love to see a comparison side by side.
The summilux has more 3d pop
I wish this lens came out before the f1.2 . Great lens but it is a chunk.
add a filter
?
In my country its only 300 cheaper than 1.2 lmao
'Walking around Europe', spoken like a true North American
haha I mean, it was the last place my family and I went pre-covid
@@benjhaisch Not meant with any malice, more an observation.🙂
@@benjhaisch It's also funny what's now considered a 'small' 50 1.4. My first was on a Pentax LX when I started my so called career in the early 90's. Absolutely tiny. Even my Canon EF a few years later seems much smaller than that Sony one.
Can we normalize saying blur instead of bokeh? Why are we using a Japanese word in America? Never made sense to me. What other words do people say in the native language mixed with English?
If you’re excluding words that aren’t native to English you’re going to throw out probably half your vocabulary or more :) Borrowing words from other languages is incredibly common. Heck, I bet words like *language* itself is probably taken from Latin and I think *photo* is originally from Greek?
@benjhaisch I agree that integration of foreign words is completely normal, but a word of advice if I may, pick how you think it should be pronounced and stick with it. You would sound more confident and professional.
Its sharp at 1.4 but not closed. Sigma is sharper.
It’s still plenty sharp ;)
@@benjhaisch it is amazing. Just the overall sharp lens youtube idea about this lens is not it. This is an amazing lens but not sharp. It is sharp open which is what many people look for but when u stop down it looses lots of shapness. Opposite to the sigma 1.4
I do have Leica 50 1.4 limited brass version and Sony 50 1.2 . and I've compared them and other lenses ,all best in class (most expensive) . and I've gotta say Sony and Nikon do CHEAT. with their latest lenses they added updates to their cameras - THAT MESS WITH RAW FILES .cameras adding artificial sharpness(you can see it on 600% zoom) and taking care of CA . Yes I know ! and again to be able to see this you have got to have the cameras and lenses handy to compare those raw files side by side knowing the scene where those taken . and only leica gives absolutely unedited raw files (though nwith ugly magenta). again you can trust me on this one . I own the gear including leicas that cost 4-6 times more than china's cameras like canon Nikon Panasonic Sony etc - yet leicas lenses suck in comparison to top lenses of latter (which I hate ) even Hyped up Leica APO lenses 35 and 50 that sell for around 10k$ for 2.0f !! they suck big time
@georges_angeles cheers
This is interesting. I also own some GM and SL/S Pro lenses. I find something looks weird about the sharpness with my 35mm and 135mm GM. Exactly like if subttle sharpening was backed in the raw files. I don't see anything like that on my S Pro and SL lenses. By exemple my 50mm S Pro (the sharpest lens I have) seems to have better resolution than my 35mm GM, but the GM seems to have some artifical sharpening.
This does not mean the 35mm GM is a bad lens, on the contrary, the lens has extraordinary "pop".
About the SL lenses, I agree they are good but they are not better than my 50mm S Pro, and they are only F2, the price is definitely crazy.
Makes a full review of a lens that he has for 24 hours…. 😅😅😅😅
Ah I wish I could take variety of sample photos within 24 hours. Definitely had it for a few weeks. Currently have had it for almost a year now ;)
I think the point is that it is hard to go over details of a lens that you have had for such a short period of time and then make a video to review it. Its kinda like your trying to flex that you got it but then not really a flex when you say you have to return it tomorrow lol@@benjhaisch