L0n3Gr3yW0lf
Hall of Famer
- Location
- Somerset, UK
- Name
- Ovi
This is my very first experience with my brand new Sony FE 50mm f 1.8. It was not my first or second choice as a lens, but I had the chance to buy it without affecting me financially right now (finally was in stock on Argos with 6 months pay later interest-free). I picked it up yesterday from the store and I had a spin with it in the park and on my way home, so my usage is about 2-3 hours with it so far.
The first image I made ... love the rendition. The ducks are about 4-5 meters away and still got a bit of blurry background. The lens did have some really nasty purple and green fringing, LoCA, but I wasn't surprised given that it's one of the cheapest lenses you can get.
I was very surprised that the centre sharpness hold up to pretty strong overexposure and the chromatic aberrations were not significantly bad, only 4-6 pixels deep to correct. PS. I framed the gull in the middle because it is as intrusive and noticeable in the frame as they are in our lives.
The centre sharpness, once again, is actually quite good (though I have never used a 1.000-2.000 £ prime before to be able to say yeah that's so much better).
For some reason the SooC output of this lens reminds me a lot of my Yashica ML 50mm f 2 and not in a bad way, it has similar flaws/limitations but it has AF and it's a bit bigger. And I love my Yashica ML 50mm f 2.
Now, this is one of the cutest pictures I have ever made of my little Yorky-Jack Russel Nuggie ... barking at the people on the bridge as if she's the biggest dog in the world (in her imagination).
At f 5.6 the lens is very very sharp and I would have no issue using it for landscapes or architecture.
The minimum focus distance is okayu but not amazing, at f 5.6 the bokeh turns quite hexagonal shaped so not particularly ideal for specular highlights/bokeh squares.
Originally I wanted the Samyang AF 45mm f 1.8 because of the interesting rendition and review from Dustin Abbott but I can trade in this one at a later date when I have more cash flow to swap the lenses.
Now THIS, this was the money shot for me. The separation between the background, Nuggie and the foreground is just ... magically is the only way I can describe it. Yes, it's only f 1.8 and I am sure that f 1.4 or even f 1.2 can make it even better but for me, at least, this is the first time I have used a 50mm at f 1.8 with AF on 35mm FF. This image will absolutely go on a large print on my living room wall.
Now, this is where my first and biggest disappointment with this lens hit me. The autofocus, while I know that my Sony a7R II is/was never the greatest camera for AF speed even when it came out, of this lens is very very painful, at least on the first try. The camera was in AF-C with spot AF at the centre and for some reason, the camera thought that that fly is more interesting than my dog. Well, congrats on seeing a flying fly that I didn't even notice but it's not what I wanted it to track and focus on. I had the camera in the, limiting, 5 FPS burst with AF-C and, to be honest, I struggled to get even one image in focus out of 2-3 burst sequences. I am really hoping it's the lens more at fault than the almost 10-year-old camera.
Pretty heavy crop because this was the 2nd image in the burst and past this image as she got closer all the images were out of focus, not slightly, not a little, the focus was always on her butt/tail and not because they are big but because the combo was always lagging behind the action.
I do wonder if my previously owned Sony a7C would drive this lens better but I don't think I can give up on high resolution for 24 MegaPickleRicks anymore (yus, there's the Sony a7R IV but I would prefer the Sony a1 instead if it wasn't for the price). Dustin Abbott mentioned that the alternative Samyang AF 45mm f 1.8 seems to be very fast (and faster than the Sony FE 50mmf 1.8) lens for Eye AF and Tracking.
This lens is sharp enough at f 5.6 to have moire issues on the waves on the river and the railing on the bridge, it is fixable though.
I wasn't sure if I was a fan of nifty fifty for street photography but I am liking it so far. Not sure about the edit on this image because all the trees end up on the same brightness with the shadows boosted and it looks pretty flat and one-dimensional. Probably because of the flat light of a cloudy English day.
Whether I am shooting at f 1.8 or f 2.8 or f 5.6 I am not disappointed with the sharpness of the lens, Sony a7Rs can be quite demanding on lenses but so far I'm quitting Mikey D's more than the clown himself:
(Upsy ... wrong clown Georgi)
I am also getting excited about trying out some cheap macro extension rings, with AF, to get a bit closer.
With the fixed Daylight WB on the camera, the images do seem to aim towards a bit cooler side, I usually change the tint from 4.250 K to 5.000 K (personal preference) but I am happy with the colour accuracy and rendition.
Using the APS-C crop mode on the camera got me a bit "closer" to the framing that I wanted (output but as well as easier to frame) as I waited for the gentleman to come out of the bushes on the right side.
The Urban Beauty, f 5.6 is easier to use up close if the background is more solid to avoid the hexagonal bokeh.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
The first image I made ... love the rendition. The ducks are about 4-5 meters away and still got a bit of blurry background. The lens did have some really nasty purple and green fringing, LoCA, but I wasn't surprised given that it's one of the cheapest lenses you can get.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I was very surprised that the centre sharpness hold up to pretty strong overexposure and the chromatic aberrations were not significantly bad, only 4-6 pixels deep to correct. PS. I framed the gull in the middle because it is as intrusive and noticeable in the frame as they are in our lives.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
The centre sharpness, once again, is actually quite good (though I have never used a 1.000-2.000 £ prime before to be able to say yeah that's so much better).
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
For some reason the SooC output of this lens reminds me a lot of my Yashica ML 50mm f 2 and not in a bad way, it has similar flaws/limitations but it has AF and it's a bit bigger. And I love my Yashica ML 50mm f 2.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Now, this is one of the cutest pictures I have ever made of my little Yorky-Jack Russel Nuggie ... barking at the people on the bridge as if she's the biggest dog in the world (in her imagination).
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
At f 5.6 the lens is very very sharp and I would have no issue using it for landscapes or architecture.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
The minimum focus distance is okayu but not amazing, at f 5.6 the bokeh turns quite hexagonal shaped so not particularly ideal for specular highlights/bokeh squares.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Originally I wanted the Samyang AF 45mm f 1.8 because of the interesting rendition and review from Dustin Abbott but I can trade in this one at a later date when I have more cash flow to swap the lenses.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Now THIS, this was the money shot for me. The separation between the background, Nuggie and the foreground is just ... magically is the only way I can describe it. Yes, it's only f 1.8 and I am sure that f 1.4 or even f 1.2 can make it even better but for me, at least, this is the first time I have used a 50mm at f 1.8 with AF on 35mm FF. This image will absolutely go on a large print on my living room wall.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Now, this is where my first and biggest disappointment with this lens hit me. The autofocus, while I know that my Sony a7R II is/was never the greatest camera for AF speed even when it came out, of this lens is very very painful, at least on the first try. The camera was in AF-C with spot AF at the centre and for some reason, the camera thought that that fly is more interesting than my dog. Well, congrats on seeing a flying fly that I didn't even notice but it's not what I wanted it to track and focus on. I had the camera in the, limiting, 5 FPS burst with AF-C and, to be honest, I struggled to get even one image in focus out of 2-3 burst sequences. I am really hoping it's the lens more at fault than the almost 10-year-old camera.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Pretty heavy crop because this was the 2nd image in the burst and past this image as she got closer all the images were out of focus, not slightly, not a little, the focus was always on her butt/tail and not because they are big but because the combo was always lagging behind the action.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I do wonder if my previously owned Sony a7C would drive this lens better but I don't think I can give up on high resolution for 24 MegaPickleRicks anymore (yus, there's the Sony a7R IV but I would prefer the Sony a1 instead if it wasn't for the price). Dustin Abbott mentioned that the alternative Samyang AF 45mm f 1.8 seems to be very fast (and faster than the Sony FE 50mmf 1.8) lens for Eye AF and Tracking.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
This lens is sharp enough at f 5.6 to have moire issues on the waves on the river and the railing on the bridge, it is fixable though.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I wasn't sure if I was a fan of nifty fifty for street photography but I am liking it so far. Not sure about the edit on this image because all the trees end up on the same brightness with the shadows boosted and it looks pretty flat and one-dimensional. Probably because of the flat light of a cloudy English day.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Whether I am shooting at f 1.8 or f 2.8 or f 5.6 I am not disappointed with the sharpness of the lens, Sony a7Rs can be quite demanding on lenses but so far I'm quitting Mikey D's more than the clown himself:
(Upsy ... wrong clown Georgi)
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I am also getting excited about trying out some cheap macro extension rings, with AF, to get a bit closer.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
With the fixed Daylight WB on the camera, the images do seem to aim towards a bit cooler side, I usually change the tint from 4.250 K to 5.000 K (personal preference) but I am happy with the colour accuracy and rendition.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Using the APS-C crop mode on the camera got me a bit "closer" to the framing that I wanted (output but as well as easier to frame) as I waited for the gentleman to come out of the bushes on the right side.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
The Urban Beauty, f 5.6 is easier to use up close if the background is more solid to avoid the hexagonal bokeh.