Last Updated on 02/21/2023 by Mark Beckenbach
If you’ve seen the report of the new Sony 50mm f1.4 G Master, then you’re surely curious to see how it does compared to some of Sony’s other lenses. If you’re an owner of the older Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8, let me tell you that you’re going to be very surprised. I own this lens, and I’m not getting rid of it any time soon, but I’m also amazed at how it still performs.
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Table of Contents
Ergonomics
These lenses are much different from one another. The Sony 50mm f1.4 G Master is a big lens made of plastic. The smaller 55mm f1.8 Sony Zeiss lens is made of metal. If I were to carry around a single lens all day, it would undoubtedly be the 55mm f1.8. It feels more like a classic lens because of the metal. I like classic lenses.
Build Quality
Both of these have weather resistance throughout. While the Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8 has metal on the outside, the Sony 50mm f1.4 is plastic and rubber. They’re both lightweight, but the Zeiss is lighter by far.
Focusing
In regards to autofocus, this is where I’m fascinated. The Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8 is every so slightly faster than the Sony 50mm f1.4 G Master. We tested them both in full and low lighting but found that the older lens wins out slightly. The new G Master has newer motors as well, but the thing here is that the 55mm probably still has lighter elements which make it focus faster. In real-life use, this may be noticeable only to a trained photographer.
Performance
We did an informal test in our office of both lenses on the Sony a7r V set on a tripod. Then we did TTL from the Profoto B10. From the same spot, here’s what we found.
ISO 1/250th at f1.8: G Master is sharper
ISO 400 1/100th at f2: G Master is sharper
ISO 400 1/50th at f2.8: G Master is sharper
ISO 400 1/13th at f5.6: Difference is negligible
Conclusions
Here’s what we found:
- 55mm f1.8 is great if you don’t want a sharper lens, which is what a lot of portrait photographers would want. Sony’s high megapixel count on the Sony a7r V can more than compensate for this. Sony’s lenses can sometimes be very sterile. The 55mm has more character for sure, though the 50mm f1.4 also really does have a nice look to it.
- If you want a lot of sharpness wide open, the G Master is the better lens.
- If you want a lighter lens, then the 55mm f1.8 is the clear winner (and for something smaller too). Additionally, the body is metal. Metal lenses are some of our favorites.
- The bokeh on both are strikingly similar. The G Master’s bokeh is slightly more contrasty, whereas the 55mm f1.8 is slightly more pastel-looking.
- The Autofocus performance of both lenses is on par with one another, with the 55mm being a little better.
- The Sony 50mm f1.4 G Master feels like the spiritual successor to the 55mm f1.8 because of how similar some things about the lenses are. The bokeh is similar, for example, and the f1.4 is a faster lens but bigger and more in line with what Sony would do these days vs. when they started.
- If you own the 55mm f1.8, I’d only buy the G Master if you truly care about pixel peeping, really need less than a stop of extra light, and also own the 35mm f1.4 and 24mm f1.4 to complete the trinity. Otherwise, the Sony 55mm f1.8 is difficult to beat, even after a decade.
If you’re interested in purchasing one or the other, check out the Sony 55mm f1.8 and the Sony 50mm f1.4 G Master on Amazon.