Last updated on December 7th, 2023
Sony shooters always look for the best lens options to capture amazing photos and videos.
It can be hard to figure out the best 50mm lens for your needs when there are so many options. Not all lenses are created equal; some will suit your needs better than others.
We’ve researched for you and have compiled a list of the seven best 50mm lenses for Sony e-mount cameras. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, we have a lens that will fit your needs.
Overall Best 50mm Lens for Sony E-Mount
Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM
For many photographers, the Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM is a must-have lens. Why? Simply put, it’s one of the best lenses on the market, delivering fantastic image quality and beautiful bokeh.
The Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM is a fast prime lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.2. This allows for extremely shallow depth of field and beautiful bokeh effects, making it ideal for portrait photography. The lens is also surprisingly compact for its class, weighing just over 1 pound. Despite its relatively small size, the FE 50mm F1.2 GM is packed with features that make it a worthy addition to any photographer’s kit.
First and foremost, the lens is incredibly sharp, even when shot wide open at f/1.2. This is thanks partly to its 11-blade circular aperture, which helps minimize distortions and aberrations. The autofocus system is also fast and accurate, making it easy to keep your subject in focus even when shooting at high speeds.
What We Like/Dislike About the Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM
Like:
- Exceptional optics
- Quick, accurate autofocus
- Dust, splash, and fluorine protection
- Silent aperture control
- Dual function buttons
Dislike:
- Expensive
- Weighs 1.7 lb
What Consumers Are Saying
“The Sony FE 50mm, F1.2 GM lens, is superb, delivering excellent sharpness and contrast from edge to edge, with minimal distortion.”
“This lens is a beauty! The images are tack sharp with beautiful color and contrast. It has quickly become one of my favorite lenses.”
“The Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM is one of the best lenses I’ve ever used. The optics are stunning, and the build quality is excellent. If you’re looking for a high-quality 50mm lens for your Sony camera, you can’t go wrong with the Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM.”
Best Budget 50mm Lens for Sony E-Mount
Sony FE 50mm F1.8
The Sony FE 50mm F1.8 is an excellent option for those on a budget. The Sony FE 50mm F1.8 produces sharp images with excellent color rendition. The lens is also very good at minimizing chromatic aberration and distortions. When shooting wide open at F1.8, there is some vignetting, but it’s not severe, and you can quickly correct it in post-processing.
The build quality of the Sony FE 50mm F1.8 is very good for a budget lens. The lens is made mainly of plastic, but it feels solid. The mount is metal, and the lens has a nice weight to it.
The autofocus on the Sony FE 50mm F1.8 is fast and accurate. There is no hunting, even in low light conditions. The silent autofocus motor is also a nice touch. The Sony FE 50mm F1.8 is an excellent value for a budget lens.
What We Like/Dislike About the Sony FE 50mm F1.8
Like:
- Crisp from edge to edge when stopped down
- Light and compact
- Minimal distortion
- Solid construction
Dislike:
- Some chromatic aberration
- Edge softness and dimmed corners at wide apertures
What Consumers Are Saying
“The Sony FE 50mm F1.8 lens is a great little lens that is perfect for portraits and other types of photography.”
“The Sony FE 50mm F1.8 lens is a great choice for anyone looking for an affordable prime lens.”
“The Sony FE 50mm F1.8 lens is a great addition to any photographer’s kit, regardless of their experience level.”
Runner Up Best 50mm Lens for Sony E-Mount
Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM
The first thing to note about the Sigma 50mm F1.4 is that it’s a fast lens. With a maximum aperture of f/1.4, it can let in a lot of light, which is excellent for low-light situations. It’s also great for creating shallow depth-of-field effects—just for portraits or other shots where you want the background nicely blurred out.
Another plus is that the Sigma 50mm F1.4 is a very sharp lens. It’s been designed with SIGMA’s “Floating Internal Focus” system, which means that the elements within the lens move independently, resulting in less distortion and better overall image quality.
And speaking of image quality, the Sigma 50mm F1.4 produces beautiful, natural-looking images with excellent color reproduction. Part of this is due to the use of SIGMA’s Super Multi-Layer Coating, which reduces ghosting and Flare—something that can be a problem with cheaper lenses.
What We Like/Dislike About the Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM
Like:
- Extremely Sharp
- Good Contrast
- Very High Build Quality
- Quick and Accurate AF
- Price
Dislike:
- Slight Vignetting at F/1.4
- Slight CA/Color Fringing
- No Weather Sealing
What Consumers Are Saying
“I’m absolutely in love with this lens! The sharpness and clarity are incredible.”
“The Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM is by far the best lens I’ve ever used.”
“I love this Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM lens!”
Honorable Mentions
Sony FE 50mm F1.4 ZA
The Sony FE 50mm F1.4 ZA is an excellent lens for anyone looking to get into photography or expand their current lens collection. The Sony FE 50mm F1.4 ZA is incredibly sharp, especially for a 50mm lens. When wide open at F1.4, it’s one of the sharpest 50mm lenses available. That makes it great for portraits, as you can capture all the intricate details of your subject’s face without sacrificing sharpness.
Bokeh is the term used to describe the out-of-focus areas in an image. The Sony FE 50mm F1.4 ZA produces beautiful bokeh with smooth, natural-looking blur circles and no harsh edges. That makes it great for portrait and event photography, where you want the background to be blurred to help your subject stand out from the crowd.
The Sony FE 50mm F1.4 ZA renders colors beautifully. It handles high contrast situations well without blowing out the highlights or losing details in the shadows. That makes it an excellent choice for landscape and travel photography, where you want to capture all the beautiful colors of your surroundings without losing any important details.
The Sony FE 50mm F1.4 ZA is built like a tank. It’s made entirely of metal, with a weather-sealed design that protects against Dust and Moisture—that means you can take it out in all kinds of weather conditions without worrying about damaging your lens. And because it’s designed for use with Sony’s E-mount mirrorless cameras, it’s compact and lightweight—perfect for travel photography or just throwing in your bag when you don’t want to lug around a heavy DSLR camera body and lenses.
What We Like/Dislike About the Sony FE 50mm F1.4 ZA
Like:
- Superb sharpness
- No distortion
- Solid, weather-sealed build
- Physical aperture control
- Bright f/1.4 aperture
Dislike:
- Pricey
- Omits optical stabilization
- Dim corners at wide apertures
- Heavy
What Consumers Are Saying
“The Sony FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens is an amazing piece of glass that delivers stunning image quality.”
“This lens is worth the investment if you’re looking for a high-quality 50mm prime lens.”
“The Sony FE 50mm F1.4 ZA is one of my favorite lenses, and I know you’ll love it too!”
Sony FE 55mm F1.8
The Sony FE 55mm F1.8 produces exceptionally sharp images thanks to its Zeiss construction, advanced Aspherical element, and Zeiss T* anti-reflective coating. This lens can also resolve a lot of detail, making it an excellent choice for landscape and architectural photography.
The Sony FE 55mm F1.8 has a fast aperture of f/1.8, which is excellent for shooting in low light or isolating your subject from the background with a shallow depth of field. The autofocus on the Sony FE 55mm F1.8 is fast, precise, and silent, making it a great choice for video and still photography.
The size is the other great advantage of this lens. It’s not too big or bulky, so it’s easy to carry around. But despite its smaller size, it still produces high-quality images.
What We Like/Dislike About the Sony FE 55mm F1.8
Like:
- Extremely sharp from edge to edge
- Negligible distortion
- Wide f/1.8 aperture
- Excellent build quality
- Zeiss Glass
- Weight
Dislike:
- No aperture ring
What Consumers Are Saying
“This lens is amazing! The clarity is incredible, and the color is just perfect.”
“I can’t believe how sharp this lens is, and it’s like looking through a window!”
“The Sony FE 55mm F1.8 is one of my favorite lenses. It’s perfect for portraits!”
Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro
One of the best things about the Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro is that it’s great for taking close-up shots. This is the perfect lens for you if you love taking photos of flowers, insects, or other small objects. The macro feature lets you get up close and personal with your subject matter, resulting in some beautiful photos.
Another great thing about the Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro is that it’s compatible with all Sony E-mount cameras, including full-frame and APS-C sensor cameras. So no matter what camera you have, this lens can work great with it.
The Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro is a great lens for macro photography, as you would expect, given the name. But it’s also great for portraits and general photography thanks to the sharpness and clarity of its images. The bokeh (the blurriness of the background) is also lovely and creamy, making your subject stand out.
Another great thing about the Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro is that it’s very affordable for a prime lens (a lens with a fixed focal length). Prime lenses are more expensive than zoom lenses because they require more glass elements to produce their images. However, the Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro keeps its price down while delivering excellent image quality.
What We Like/Dislike About the Sony zv-1
Like:
- Excellent edge-to-edge sharpness
- Minimal distortion
- 1:1 magnification
- Weather-sealed design
- Focus limiter function
Dislike:
- Omits optical stabilization
- Short working distance
What Consumers Are Saying
“The Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro lens is a superb macro lens that delivers stunning results.”
“This lens is incredibly sharp and provides great detail.”
“The Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro lens is a must-have for any macro photographer.”
Samyang 50mm F1.4 AS UMC
The Samyang 50mm F1.4 AS UMC is an excellent lens for Sony. First and foremost, the Samyang 50mm F1.4 AS UMC is a well-built lens. All lens elements are housed within a metal chassis, giving the lens a solid feel. The focus ring is buttery smooth, making it a pleasure to use. The Samyang 50mm F1.4 AS UMC is weather-sealed so you can shoot in inclement weather without worry.
The Samyang 50mm F1.4 AS UMC is an extremely sharp lens. At a wide open aperture, the lens produces tack-sharp images from edge to edge—stopping down slightly to f/2 results in even sharper images. This makes the Samyang 50mm F1..4 AS UMC an excellent choice for shooting landscapes, portraits, and general street photography.
The Samyang 50mm F1..4 AS UMC has a fast maximum aperture of f/1..4. This allows you to shoot in low light conditions without bumping your ISO too high. The fast aperture allows you to create images with a shallow depth of field, which can be great for portraits or other close-up work.
What We Like/Dislike About the Samyang 50mm F1.4 AS UMC
Like:
- Decent sharpness, especially when stopped down
- Smooth manual focus action
- Great build
Dislike:
- Lower contrast than in other models
- Only Manual
What Consumers Are Saying
“This lens is a great value for the money. The optics are excellent, and the build quality is good.”
“I love this lens! The image quality is fantastic, and the build quality is superb.”
“This is a great lens! The image quality is unbeatable, and the build quality is fantastic.”
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a remarkable 50mm lens for your Sony camera, any of the seven lenses on this list will serve you well. Whether you’re a professional photographer or just starting, these 50mm lenses offer excellent image quality and value. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start capturing some fantastic photos!
FAQ
What is the Sony 50mm lens good for?
The Sony 50mm lens is a versatile piece of equipment that you can use for various applications. For instance, it is often used for portrait photography thanks to its ability to produce sharp images with a shallow depth of field. This makes it ideal for capturing close-up shots of people’s faces. In addition, the Sony 50mm lens is also well-suited for landscape photography and astrophotography. When used for these types of applications, the lens helps to capture a wide field of view while still allowing for a high level of detail. The Sony 50mm lens is an excellent choice for a versatile and powerful camera lens.
Do professionals use 50mm lenses?
Any photographer will tell you that the right lens is essential for capturing the perfect shot. But with so many different types and sizes of lenses on the market, it can take time to decide which one to choose. When it comes to 50mm lenses, there is no simple answer. Some professionals swear by them, while others prefer to use different types of lenses for different situations. However, there are a few things that all photographers agree on regarding 50mm lenses:
- They are versatile and can be used for various subjects, from portraits to landscapes.
- They are relatively inexpensive, making them an excellent option for budget-conscious photographers.
- They produce sharper images than many other types of lenses.
Ultimately, whether or not to use a 50mm lens is a personal decision that each photographer must make based on their preferences and style. However, there is no doubt that 50mm lenses have a lot to offer.
What is the fastest Sony E-mount lens?
The fastest Sony E mount lens is the Sony 50mm f/1.2 G-Master. This lens is designed for use with Sony’s mirrorless cameras and offers a fast maximum aperture of f/1.2. This makes it an excellent choice for low-light photography and creating images with shallow depth of field. In addition to its fast maximum aperture, the Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM also offers excellent image quality and value, making it a great option for anyone looking for a fast lens.
