Sony has announced the FE 50mm F1.4 GM lens as its newest addition to its acclaimed G Master™ full-frame lens lineup. This e-mount lens expands the Sony offerings with a premium 50mm prime lens packed into a remarkably compact and lightweight design. Even at F1.4, the FE 50mm F1.4 GM delivers first-class image quality, including high-resolution and naturally rendered bokeh known to Sony’s top-tier G Master™ series. When paired with the latest Sony cameras, it is an ideal option for a wide variety of uses in both still and video including portraiture, landscape, travel, and wedding.
“With this announcement of the FE 50mm F1.4 GM lens, our family of G Master lenses has grown to seventeen (17) in total. It also extends the line-up to feature a trinity of F1.4 G Master lenses (SEL24F14GM, SEL35F14GM & SEL50F14GM), that share key traits in terms of filter diameter, size and weight, operability, and optical performance. I am sure photographers and videographers alike will love the familiarity and muscle memory benefits of switching between this trio of F1.4 lenses. The similar size and weight will also be ideal for obtaining balance when shooting on gimbals,” said Jun Yoon, Head of Digital Imaging, ANZ.
Sharp Imagery and Beautiful Bokeh
The advanced optical design and elements unique to Sony’s top-of-the-line G Master™ series brings outstanding image quality to FE 50mm F1.4 GM. Spherical aberration control at both the design and the manufacturing stages contributes to beautiful bokeh. The lens offers naturally rendered bokeh with an 11-blade circular aperture and sharp realism throughout the aperture range. Deep, creamy bokeh at F1.4 is ideal for a variety of shooting scenarios including making portrait subjects stand out from their surroundings.
The FE 50mm F1.4 GM has two XA (extreme aspherical) elements that effectively correct field curvature and most types of aberration. This lens is also designed with one ED (extra-low dispersion) glass element that suppresses chromatic aberration to maintain clear and sharp images without colour bleeding. The design combination of the XA and ED elements help achieve high-resolution throughout the entire frame. Sony’s original Nano AR Coating II on the lens suppresses reflections even in a backlit scene.
In addition, the minimum focusing distance of FE 50mm F1.4 GM is just 0.41 meters and the maximum magnification is 0.16x when autofocus is used[i]. This level of close-up performance provides extra flexibility when shooting both stills and videos.
Remarkably Compact Design for Maximum Versatility
The FE 50mm F1.4 GM has Sony’s most advanced optical design technology including precisely positioned XA elements, high-thrust XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors, and the latest compact circular aperture unit. These elements are critical for realising a large-aperture, high-resolution lens that is only 80.6 mm in diameter, 96.0 mm in length, and 516 grams in weight. These measurements allow for a lens that is 33% lighter and 15% less volume when compared to conventional models with the same specifications[ii].
The compact size of FE 50mm F1.4 GM paired with a Sony camera body makes this lens extremely versatile in both still and video shooting situations. With this type of mobility and low-light performance, this lens is a great choice for everything from portraits, landscapes, weddings, and travel. The compact size also makes it an ideal lens selection for gimbal and drone operation.
Fast, Precise, and Reliable Autofocus
The FE 50mm F1.4 GM's autofocus is extremely fast and precise, making it an ideal choice for reliable content creation. The autofocus is as much as 1.9x faster[iii] than conventional models with the same specifications[ii]. The lens’s focus group is driven by Sony’s high-thrust XD linear motors and incorporates an advanced control algorithm for smooth, responsive focus drive. When paired with the latest Sony’s Alpha cameras, this lens can quickly acquire focus and track subjects, even when using the shallow depth of field available at F1.4.
The XD linear motors and control algorithm optimise response to control signals so that focusing is precise, and vibration is minimised for refined, quiet AF operation. This is extremely advantageous when shooting movies allowing movie subjects to be smoothly captured and tracked even when shooting at 120 fps or other high frame rates. The ability to leave focusing to the camera when shooting solo or with a small team can dramatically enhance efficiency and creative flexibility. The FE 50mm F1.4 GM features the latest lens technology to reduce focus breathing to ensure that the highest quality images are captured. In addition, the FE 50mm F1.4 GM supports the breathing compensation[iv] function provided in compatible Sony’s Alpha cameras.
Intuitive Operability and Outstanding Reliability
The lens has been designed intuitively to help provide creators with maximum workflow efficiency while shooting. Linear Response MF ensures that the focus ring responds directly and repeatably to subtle control when focusing manually. As an exciting evolution to the premium G Master™ line-up, FE 50mm F1.4 GM also features an iris lock switch, which is the first ever to be offered on a Sony prime lens. Additionally, this lens features a 67 mm thread mount, allowing for a filter to be interchangeable with the FE 24mm F1.4 GM and FE 35mm F1.4 GM lenses.
Focus hold buttons and a focus mode switch provide extra shooting versatility for content creators. Customisable focus hold buttons are present in two locations, which can be further assigned to several other functions from the camera’s menus. The focus mode switch makes it possible to switch between autofocus and manual focus on the fly, to quickly adapt to changing shooting conditions.
The FE 50mm F1.4 GM’s front lens element features a fluorine coating that repels and allows for easy removal of fingerprints, dust, water, oil, and other contaminants. A dust and moisture-resistant design[v] provides extra reliability for outdoor use in challenging conditions. These additions allow creators to use the lens with confidence in almost any shooting environment.
Pricing and Availability
The FE 50mm F1.4 GM (SEL50F14GM) will be available in Australia and New Zealand from late March 2023.
SRP: $2,599.00 AUD and $2,999.95 NZD
Notes
[i] 0.38 meters and 0.18x when manual focus is used.
[ii] Such as the Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA.
[iii] Sony test conditions.
[iv] Compatibility info at: https://www.sony.net/dics/breathing/. Available in movie mode only. Angle of view and image quality may change slightly when this function is used. Compensation may not be able to cover all situations.
[v] Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture-proof.
