Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 G Master announced: We go hands-on with Sony’s new fast prime lens
posted Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 10:00 AM EDT
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Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Hands-on Preview
Sony has just announced the FE 50mm f/1.2 G Master lens. It is the company's 13th G Master lens since Sony launched the G Master series just over five years ago. The new f/1.2 prime is also the 60th lens in Sony's E-mount lineup. Sony has pulled out all the stops with the new 50mm f/1.2 GM, promising superb sharpness (even at f/1.2), excellent bokeh and high-end build quality. Sony has also given considerable attention to making the 50mm f/1.2 GM lightweight and compact relative to other full-frame 50mm f/1.2 lenses on the market.
At 27.4 ounces (778 grams), the FE 50mm f/1.2 GM weighs the same amount as Sony's earlier T* Planar 50mm f/1.4 ZA lens despite being half a stop faster. It's also the same length, 4.25" (108mm), without the included lens hood attached. The Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM, by comparison, is roughly the same size as Sony's new GM lens, although the Canon optic does weigh a bit more (950g versus 778g). Nikon's Z 50mm f/1.2 S, on the other hand, is much larger, at 5.9" (150mm) long. It also weighs a fair bit more, at 1,090g.
The Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM includes a dedicated aperture ring, which can be toggled from clicked to smooth using a switch on the lens barrel. There are also lens function buttons on the barrel and an AF/MF switch. All buttons and rings are weather-sealed, making the lens water and dust-resistant, much like other G Master lenses. The front element includes fluorine coating as well.
Autofocus is driven by four linear XD motors. The XD motors provide the required thrust to quickly move the two large focus groups inside the lens, which are part of a floating focus mechanism. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 0.4m, resulting in maximum magnification of 0.17x.
Optically, the lens includes a total of 14 elements across 10 groups. Of these 14 elements, there are 3 XA lens elements. The XA elements play a role in sharpness across the frame, but the XA elements also contribute to very smooth bokeh due to the precisely shaped surfaces.
The Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM lens will be available this May for a suggested retail price between $2,000 and $2,200 USD.