Sony G-Master FE 50mm f/1.4 Lens: Hands-On Review

Written by Sal D'Alia
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Published on February 21, 2023
Sal D'Alia
Adorama ALC

A new lens has be added to Sony’s already impressive G-Master series, which promises top-of-the-line image quality and cutting-edge technology. The brand-new Sony G-Master FE 50mm f/1.4 Lens is a prime lens at a popular focal distance in a very compact and lightweight lens body.

Key Features of the Sony 50mm Lens:

  • Popular 50mm focal distance
  • f/1.4 maximum aperture
  • G-master lens quality and resolution
  • 67mm filter diameter
  • Lightweight at just 18.2oz or 516g
  • Two XD linear motors for accurate auto-focus
  • Dust and moisture resistant design
  • 14 lens elements in 11 groups
  • 41m close-up performance
  • Nano AR Coating II to subdue flare and ghosting

Sony FE 50mm f1.4 GM Lens | Portrait Photography and Video with Sal D'Alia

What to Expect

Popular Focal Length and Aperture

The 50mm focal distance of this lens covers one of the most used and versatile focal distances for a wide range of photographers. 50mm is a range that every photographer needs to have covered in their kit. For portrait photographers, 50mm is commonly used to capture photos of subjects. Landscape and cityscape photographers will also appreciate an image that looks like what you can actually see with your eyes.

Photo by Adorama/Sal D’Alia

In addition to the great focal length, this lens stops down to a maximum aperture of just f/1.4. For both photographers and videographers, this means you can expect excellent and beautiful bokeh and incredibly sharp subjects. In addition to the nice bokeh, owning a lens that stops down all the way to f/1.4 is perfect for low light situations. Stopping all the way down to f/1.4 will allow more light. This means you can leave your ISO lower and receive a much cleaner video or photo.

Lightweight

Weighing in at just 18.2oz (516g), this lightweight lens will feel amazing on your already compact Sony mirrorless camera. The lens measures 3.1 inches by 3.7 inches, so both the weight and the size make this lens an excellent choice for photographers who carry their gear with them all day. You will hardly feel this lens on your back. Don’t be confused though — this small lens certainly packs a punch when we are talking about image quality.

Photo by Adorama/Sal D’Alia

G-Master Image Quality

Being the latest in Sony’s highly praised G-Master series, you can expect this lens to deliver the absolute highest quality images with the best bokeh and autofocus performance. Sony saves the G-Master distinction for its very highest quality and high-performance lenses. These lenses are made with the latest technology that capitalizes on the high performance of Sony’s mirrorless camera systems. No matter which Sony camera you use, you can be sure that the new G-Master FE 50mm f/1.4 Lens will perform to the highest standard. This lens marks the 72nd E-Mount lens made for Sony cameras.

Photo by Adorama/Sal D’Alia

Superb Autofocus

Finally, all kinds of creators should be excited about the high performing autofocus features in this new lens. Sony has used two XD linear motors with agile and tenacious tracking to offer the best autofocus possible. This new technology maximizes the advantages of the latest camera bodies to give you, the creator, some of the best auto-focus performance you can come to expect on the Sony G-Master lenses. Whether you are a photographer, videographer, or other kind of content creator, there is certainly a lot to be excited about on the new Sony G-Master FE 50mm f/1.4 Lens.

Who Should Buy the Sony 50mm Lens?

Photo by Adorama/Sal D’Alia

Portrait Photographers

The new Sony G-Master FE 50mm f/1.4 Lens is designed for the photographer, videographer, or content creator who wants to push their creativity and needs the very best from their lenses.  The 50mm focal length offers a very realistic view, similar to what you’d see with the naked eye. In addition, the maximum f/1.4 aperture is perfect for beautiful bokeh in portraits to make your subject stand out.

Photo by Adorama/Sal D’Alia

Night and Landscape Photographers

Even for night sky photography, which is traditionally done with a wide angle lens, this lens can capture amazing images. The f/1.4 aperture will help you to keep a ISO low, meaning you’ll have higher quality images with less noise.

Photo by Adorama/Sal D’Alia

Videographers

If you shoot video, or capture things like sports or wildlife, in continuous shooting mode, this lens is perfect for you. The tracking can be described as agile and tenacious, even at 30fps burst and 120fps movie shooting. If you’ve been shooting for long, you’ll know that all lenses are not made equal. Quick and accurate focusing is absolutely essential to capture the best photo and video.

Photo by Adorama/Sal D’Alia

Photo Printing

The build and image quality offered by the Sony G-Master FE 50mm f/1.4 Lens means that photographers, videographers, and content creators can produce the absolute best images for print. This brand-new G-Master lens gives you amazing autofocus that ensures you can spend your time thinking about the composition and your subject, rather than worrying about the focus point. The image quality will give you photos that are sharp from corner to corner, perfect for advanced cropping or large prints.

Comparable Products

Sony has a large lineup of G-Master lenses. This lens is very similar to the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 Lens. Although, it is slightly smaller and much lighter. The f/1.2 lens comes at a higher price point for creators who need the slightly larger maximum aperture.

If you’re looking to pair this lens with a few other G-Master lenses, the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 and the Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 would fit very well alongside the 50mm. Owning these three lenses would allow you to cover a wide range focal lengths for any scene that presents itself.

Conclusion

This is a lens that will help you capture mid-range scenes in a lightweight and compact lens body. The lens feels great on some of Sony’s newest cameras. You’ll love the way it feels and performs.

Finally, check out these photos taken with the lens:

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Salvatore D'Alia is a filmmaker, photographer and content creator. He is a pioneer of the original content for web, his work can be quantified with more than one billion views on YouTube spreading from music to sports and art. Sal is a Sony Alpha ambassador and one of the founding members of the Sony Alpha Collective.