AGeoJO wrote:
Alright, Fred and please let us know what you think later on. Personally, I love the rendition of this lens. The size and weight less so but I put up with those physical factors because of its IQ.
When I first tested it I thought it was the best FE lens every made. The LoCA correction and contrast wide open are very impressive.
GMPhotography wrote:
Since I sold my GM 85 I would like to buy this back now. It's to good a lens not to have. It will compliment the new Sony 85
I bot bk the 85gm on the recent Sony trade in deal.
I figured 28,50,85,135 are ~1.65x steps (AoV) and 50 to 135 was too much of a gap. Now I just need a 28GM and I'm all set (unlikely, but we can dream).
Using the Batis 25 for now, but the 16-35/2.8 might be the solution this yr, although I'm leery of going back to zooms (im still a pudknocker when it comes to composition and I think primes help me slow down and think first, I'm worried the zoom would make me lazy again).
Had real problems in the studio with it and AF it focuses too slow in low light and could not keep up with movement. The new 85 opens up to focus to like 2.8 so I went with that but I also lost maybe some look like bokeh so I'm thinking of getting the 50 1.4 back. I like the new 85 though so that's good. Getting money to get the 50 again is the tough part.
Jochenb wrote:
Guy, you now even sold your 85 GM? Why?
having been through 3 yrs of 'reverse auctions' on these new sony lenses is the biggest reason i am gun-shy about buying the new batis 135 out of the gate:
i sold my batis 25 last fall for 1250, bought it back this spring for 950;
and the lens we're discussing here (50/1.4) - i bought new for $1500 - it has seen a lot of trades in the past 3 months and its price is trending towards $1000 !! It's not even been out a year. Thankfully, via the sony trade-in, i was able to get a new 85gm this spring for what i sold mine last Fall for - nothing worse than buying a lens a 2nd time and 'raising' your 'avg cost'.
Eric,
I wasn't too interested in this lens although it was optically a superb performer due to its size and weight. When the used priced for a mint one crossed that 1G "barrier" less than a year later, I went for it. That's the reason for me not to go for the Batis 135 right away.
Fred, I went through the first several pages of this thread and from reading your edited posts this is my understanding what to expect from the lens and some questions related to that:
1. The sweet "spot" (aperture} for the best bokeh is f/1.7, which seems to be smoother than f/1.4.
2. If the EFCS is turned off, the bokeh is smoother than with the EFCS on. Does this apply only to high shutter speeds or any speed? From what speed on is that considered high?
AGeoJO wrote:
Eric,
I wasn't too interested in this lens although it was optically a superb performer due to its size and weight. When the used priced for a mint one crossed that 1G "barrier" less than a year later, I went for it. That's the reason for me not to go for the Batis 135 right away.
Fred, I went through the first several pages of this thread and from reading your edited posts this is my understanding what to expect from the lens and some questions related to that:
1. The sweet "spot" (aperture} for the best bokeh is f/1.7, which seems to be smoother than f/1.4.
2. If the EFCS is turned off, the bokeh is smoother than with the EFCS on. Does this apply only to high shutter speeds or any speed? From what speed on is that considered high?
Joshua,
From what I remember, the EFCS = Off is for shutter speeds faster than 1/1000
--> it would be really nice to have a setting for EFCS to 'auto off' at some shutter speed that could be set. It's a real pain with certain lenses, like this one, to have to always be paying attn 'am i +/- 1000th' and turn it on/off.
unfortunately the financial considerations of these FE mount lenses (until the system is built out) needs to include a factor for 'what is the time value of the FIRST year' because the drop on the lenses for this system is huge - I never experienced anything like that when i was using Nikon (in fact, there were a few really expensive lenses that i bought new and sold at a premium because they were hard to find and the $/YEN had moved in my favor and the new prices had actually gone up).
AGeoJO wrote:
Fred, I went through the first several pages of this thread and from reading your edited posts this is my understanding what to expect from the lens and some questions related to that:
1. The sweet "spot" (aperture} for the best bokeh is f/1.7, which seems to be smoother than f/1.4.
2. If the EFCS is turned off, the bokeh is smoother than with the EFCS on. Does this apply only to high shutter speeds or any speed? From what speed on is that considered high?
Thanks!
From my experience with the lens, the smoothest bokeh is at f/1.4 but you must have EFCS "off" when shutter speeds are at or above 1/2000s.
At pixel level, there are slight differences after 1/1000s but noticeable differences can only be detected above 1/2000s (Especially 1/4000 and 1/8000s)
The lens is sharp at f/1.4 but at f/1.7 is blinding sharp while keeping a nice smooth bokeh. At this aperture, it's sharper with much more contrast than the 55/1.8 even at f/2.2.
ecarlino wrote:
Joshua,
From what I remember, the EFCS = Off is for shutter speeds faster than 1/1000
--> it would be really nice to have a setting for EFCS to 'auto off' at some shutter speed that could be set. It's a real pain with certain lenses, like this one, to have to always be paying attn 'am i +/- 1000th' and turn it on/off.
unfortunately the financial considerations of these FE mount lenses (until the system is built out) needs to include a factor for 'what is the time value of the FIRST year' because the drop on the lenses for this system is huge - I never experienced anything like that when i was using Nikon (in fact, there were a few really expensive lenses that i bought new and sold at a premium because they were hard to find and the $/YEN had moved in my favor and the new prices had actually gone up)....Show more →
Thanks, Eric! As far as the depreciation value concerned, it has to do with the perception of what folks consider as lens or lenses that tick a lot of boxes or not. The only thing that speaks for this lens is its IQ but its smaller brother, the FE 55mm f/1.8 is not a slouch in that department either, it is way smaller/lighter and it is less expensive. To be honest, it is not Sony's finest marketing moment and I am shying away from calling it a marketing blunder, pricing that lens at $1,500. The used market value is a valid indicator how well this lens is received and that's a huge drop less than a year later. As I mentioned earlier, I am "afraid" (hoping ) that the new Batis will experience a similar fate . Sorry for keep on coming back to that....
GMPhotography wrote:
I'll buy one for 1k for sure
For a used but mint one, yes, you can buy it at that price.
Fred Miranda wrote:
From my experience with the lens, the smoothest bokeh is at f/1.4 but you must have EFCS "off" when shutter speeds are at or above 1/2000s.
At pixel level, there are slight differences after 1/1000s but noticeable differences can only be detected above 1/2000s (Especially 1/4000 and 1/8000s)
The lens is sharp at f/1.4 but at f/1.7 is blinding sharp while keeping a nice smooth bokeh. At this aperture, it's sharper with much more contrast than the 55/1.8 even at f/2.2.
Fred Miranda wrote:
Mint copies are being sold for around $1,000-$1,150 on the Buy and Sell. (After some bargaining)
I just grabbed one and will have it tomorrow.
I will keep an eye for another one. I see one every week. Joshua broke the record at ~1K. I paid a little bit more than that.
The good news is that variation is much lower than the FE 35/1.4ZA.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I will keep an eye for another one. I see one every week. Joshua broke the record at ~1K. I paid a little bit more than that.
The good news is that variation is much lower than the FE 35/1.4ZA.
Just a smidgen below that threshold, I don't remember exactly by $5 or even by $1 but including shipping. I got the hunch that the guy I bought it from was not the first/original owner. So, after 2-3 ownerships and each owner was willing to loose a little, it ended up at that price. I could not imagine how hard for the original owner that paid the full retail price to sell it that low and to incur that much loss in approximately a year though. BTW, that lens is still selling at the original price, even now.
I'm surprised that so many people are apparently selling their 50/1.4. Really, other than the size/weight (and, perhaps, the bokeh not being sufficiently creamy for some tastes) this is a spectacular lens. I can't imagine parting with mine.
It's also not hard to find used 55/1.8 lenses as well. Maybe some people pick up a 50 or 55 and then realize that they'd rather shoot 35/85?
This thread I helped with review in the beginning and sold it( like a bloody idiot) and now I can say I'M BACK. It's in hand bought from a great forum member for a good price. I'm back in Love 😍.
I picked up an excellent copy at a ridiculous price and I'm absolutely loving it. I previously shot with the 55/1.8 and I did not love that lens as much as I enjoy this new planar 50/1.4. The image output is just such a beast.
The size and weight does not bother me at all.
My favorite thing about this Lens is.... Near none chromatic aberration/people fringing wide opened. This one is definitely a keeper!
I agree with all the above. Thought about selling, but couldn't. This lens is my absolute fav EVER!
It's super sharp, even wide open corner to corner, has barely any CA, and is super bokehliscious
Andnin crop mode is even better for up close shots or portraits. And all this WITH af...
Gregg
) that the new Batis will experience a similar fate 
but including shipping. I got the hunch that the guy I bought it from was not the first/original owner. So, after 2-3 ownerships and each owner was willing to loose a little, it ended up at that price. I could not imagine how hard for the original owner that paid the full retail price to sell it that low and to incur that much loss in approximately a year though. BTW, that lens is still selling at the original price, even now.
