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Archive 2021 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM

  
 
j4nu
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p.5 #1 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


Unfortunately (for my peace of mind and wallet ), from what I've been able to see until now I get the opposite impression. Even leaving all the other stuff aside, GM's IQ seems better to me (both sharper and smoother at the same time).

Grenache wrote:
While I love the 50mm focal length and have several in that range, the ZA is great, and I see no need to upgrade to the GM. The new lens seems incremental in all but the price tag. It does not seem to be the breakout lens that the 135 and 24 GMs were in resetting the bar.

Besides, I really like the rendering and colors of the ZA...un pushed by post-processing...
Jim

https://live.staticflickr.com/8289/29329384915_762b563246_o.jpgHooplah by Jim, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/8708/28912434321_e3a384342f_o.jpgTarte citron by Jim, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/3717/33363244256_b83fff57cf_o.jpgColor conflagration by Jim, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/4229/35418007726_8579c272d5_o.jpgRiver Master by Jim, on Flickr





May 15, 2021 at 01:54 PM
MrTMan
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p.5 #2 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


I just got mine. It does feel like a more incremental upgrade than was the case for the 35 ZA -> 35GM.

I do need to compare them a lot more, though what I'm really noticing so far is the AF speed and the bokeh. Bokeh is quite a bit creamier when focusing them identically at f/1.4. I think it balances just a tad better on the camera, even though the weight and size are the same. Less CA on the GM, but the ZA seems pretty good to me in that regard so I think it's a minor difference.

Of course the GM is very sharp -- you can practically shoot landscapes at f/1.2 -- but the 50 ZA was sharp enough for my purposes. Color rendering and contrast seem very similar, just from the initial shots I've taken.

To me, 35 ZA to 35 GM is a no-brainer. 50 ZA to 50 GM is a tougher call. I have young kids so the faster AF certainly makes it worthwhile for me.



May 15, 2021 at 02:00 PM
swldstn
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p.5 #3 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


patotts wrote:
The Zony 50/1.4 ZA is still a great lens, perhaps even a great value (used) by now, but if you want f/1.2...

Personally, I compare the 50/1.2GM more against the Canon RF 50/1.2 - I'm the idiot that could buy a new camera system just to be able to used a stellar 50mm prime. In the case of the 50GM - it is 200 grams lighter, more compact and $300 cheaper than the Canon RF 50/1.2 - all with similar or better performance by most variables. And silent internal focusing to boot.

I'm sold. Hopefully my AD gets one tomorrow for me.
...Show more

So did you actually compare the 50/1.2 GM to the RF 50/1.2L head to head? I currently shoot both Sony and Canon and was looking for a lightly used RF 50/1.2L when Sony announced the new FE 50/1.2 GM. Decided to wait for the Sony and pre-ordered. I do that often and while waiting for it to arrive and for reviews to come out decide if I will keep my order in. In this case I did and now have it in my hands. Very happy with it.

Back to the original question. If you ignore the price difference (lots of very lightly used RF 50/1.2L at $1900) I am still wondering how they optically compare. Maybe you need both an R5 and A1 to put comparable size sensors on them (~45-50 Mpixels). For my Sony FE 50/1.2 GM I am using an A7R IV.



May 15, 2021 at 03:23 PM
j4nu
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p.5 #4 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


I know it's note the same as actual user's experience, but this test tries to tackle the recent super-fast 50s:
https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/its-official-sony-now-has-the-best-50mm-lens-for-full-frame-mirrorless-cameras

swldstn wrote:
So did you actually compare the 50/1.2 GM to the RF 50/1.2L head to head? I currently shoot both Sony and Canon and was looking for a lightly used RF 50/1.2L when Sony announced the new FE 50/1.2 GM. Decided to wait for the Sony and pre-ordered. I do that often and while waiting for it to arrive and for reviews to come out decide if I will keep my order in. In this case I did and now have it in my hands. Very happy with it.

Back to the original question. If you ignore the price difference (lots
...Show more




May 15, 2021 at 03:55 PM
philip_pj
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p.5 #5 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


The hairy guy did a decent intro and a real world AF test for those who have not seen it. Side by sides shows sizes with both Canon and Nikon's f1.2 50mm lenses. AF will be the big gain over the others. Apparently, it is silent and has no feedback. Personal view, the colour palette is more vibrant than the wishy washy Canon lens, its likely to be a winner out of the box. YT title:

EVERYONE WAS WRONG! SONY 50mm f1.2 GM Lens Review (Better than Nikon & Canon?)



May 15, 2021 at 05:08 PM
mudlake
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p.5 #6 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


“The hairy guy”. That cracked me up! 😂


May 15, 2021 at 06:03 PM
patotts
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p.5 #7 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


swldstn wrote:
So did you actually compare the 50/1.2 GM to the RF 50/1.2L head to head? I currently shoot both Sony and Canon and was looking for a lightly used RF 50/1.2L when Sony announced the new FE 50/1.2 GM. Decided to wait for the Sony and pre-ordered. I do that often and while waiting for it to arrive and for reviews to come out decide if I will keep my order in. In this case I did and now have it in my hands. Very happy with it.

Back to the original question. If you ignore the price difference (lots
...Show more

I'm still waiting on my 50GM lens, it should be here by mid-next week, so I didn't compare the two cameras with their top 50's side-by-side. The RF 50/1.2 was a big reason I bought the R5 in the first place, I tried it on a R early on but didn't like that camera. Tried it again with the R5 for 4-6 months, bought a slew of other Canon glass (still kept some Sony glass waiting on a new Sony body). Once I got over the initial sticker shock of the A1, I picked one up and shot it together with the R5. I found the AF system to be fast and more accurate on A1, especially for sports like soccer. Overall, once I customized the A1, I found it to be faster and easier operationally speaking, and photos were sharper generally speaking. I know a lot of my experience can probably be attributed to user error or lack of experience - whatever you want to call it - but I soon decided to sell off my entire Canon system. Great system, but I prefer the Sony one (actually, being an old Nikon shooter, I prefer their design/handling, but they are just not competitive for how I shoot and the lenses I want)

I can't wait to get the 50GM. I wished I had it earlier today on a senior prom portrait session I shot, but I should have it for next week's round.




May 15, 2021 at 07:54 PM
MrTMan
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p.5 #8 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


I took some more shots. The 50 GM is definitely a keeper. It's perfect -- truly gorgeous rendering, very sharp at f/1.2 across the frame, snappy AF. The worst thing I can say about it is that there's a smidge of CA at f/1.2, but it's quite minor and less than the ZA.

You guys who are still waiting for yours won't be disappointed.



May 15, 2021 at 08:07 PM
princeharbinger
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p.5 #9 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


Upon seeing this video I'm a bit concerned. Can anyone that has the lens confirm if they are having the same issue with the aperture ring?



Read his description.



May 19, 2021 at 10:17 PM
rambalmur
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p.5 #10 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


Don't see this on my 50 1.2.


May 20, 2021 at 12:08 AM
chiron
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p.5 #11 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


princeharbinger wrote:
Upon seeing this video I'm a bit concerned. Can anyone that has the lens confirm if they are having the same issue with the aperture ring?



Read his description.


Mine works perfectly.

Another nice feature of the aperture rig on the GM is that there is a bit of a detent when moving from "A" into the range of specific apertures. Makes it unlikely to come off "A" accidentally, but only when you want it to.

A beautifully made lens.



May 20, 2021 at 08:11 AM
Fred Miranda
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p.5 #12 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


princeharbinger wrote:
Upon seeing this video I'm a bit concerned. Can anyone that has the lens confirm if they are having the same issue with the aperture ring?



Read his description.


A copy with electronic issues.



May 20, 2021 at 08:18 AM
Hodie
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p.5 #13 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


princeharbinger wrote:
Upon seeing this video I'm a bit concerned. Can anyone that has the lens confirm if they are having the same issue with the aperture ring?



Read his description.


This one is defective and should be returned/exchanged. If you're in a market that allows easy returns/exchanges, this type of issue should be a non-issue. Annoying, yes, but nothing to be concerned about. Sometimes things happen.



May 20, 2021 at 11:24 AM
wittyphrase
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p.5 #14 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


princeharbinger wrote:
Upon seeing this video I'm a bit concerned. Can anyone that has the lens confirm if they are having the same issue with the aperture ring?



Read his description.


Mine does not do this.



May 20, 2021 at 12:10 PM
princeharbinger
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p.5 #15 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


Glad to hear the feedback. I was worried it might be a widespread issue that would warrant a recall. I should be getting my copy soon as Adorama just took $2,130.37 from my account.


May 20, 2021 at 01:23 PM
princeharbinger
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p.5 #16 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


Has anyone figured out the right distortion correction yet in Lightroom? Would it be -6 or more?

Also has anyone noticed that the AF speed in video isn't that good? I saw a recent honest review that concerns me about that. Not sure if it's his AF settings in Camera or the lens. Looks like he is using the A7RIV. I also was a little disappointed to find out that diffraction sets in at F/11. I use that aperture for studio work and landscape. Oh well I'll be using this lens wide open 80% of the time. Here's the review.






May 20, 2021 at 01:48 PM
princeharbinger
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p.5 #17 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


Kind of odd that you can't control the aperture with one of the dial wheels on the camera body.🤔 There's also no lock for the aperture ring. The focusing ring moves a bit too fast. When compared to my Sigma 85mm DG DN Art F/1.4 that has a more damp feel for MF.


May 23, 2021 at 11:00 PM
j4nu
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p.5 #18 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


You can -> "A".
The lock is not needed imho, because there is a significant resistance betwen "A" and other values.
And yes, I agree MF ring is too touchy (the same as 35GM unfortunately).

Getting back to the original topic of the thread, I think the difference between the ZA and the GM is significant enough to warrant a switch .



May 24, 2021 at 01:52 AM
philip_pj
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p.5 #19 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM


You'll get used to it. The images are worth it, in this case. YT title (8:26 long)

' Is the new Sony 50mm 1.2GM the KING of F1.2 glass? Better than Nikon and Canon? '

Manny Ortiz does a good job here. He is a fun guy and is straight up. It seems Sony has the combo A1 plus new era GM portrait lenses aimed at persuading pros who want the technical aspect they increasingly see as a must have - of course it's AF performance: increasingly, video is becoming a very significant part of the business, plus speedy acquisition and tracking accuracy.

Sony just needed to obtain parity in the optical features and client acceptance here. They did better than that. It has no real CA, no real drawbacks, vignette also good, smooth. I feel their more lively colour is excellent for open daylight too and regular people imagery too, for broader appeal. But as a business tool, it will find a lot of favour. Small mount issue, eh? Send more small mounts!

' Sony 50/1.2 GM vs Canon RF 50/1.2L - the best lens for portraits? '

This above is a YT 12:30 video, pretty good side-by-sides at 9:30

The Sony looks kinder to skin imperfections, CA is very well-controlled. Quite a lens. They can follow up with an 85/1.2, an easier lens to do. Canon's RF 85/1.2 is $2700 and all of 1200 grams..on an R5 that's just short of 2000 grams. Sony might be able to do 400-500 grams off that combo, on an A1.



May 24, 2021 at 02:03 AM
Sundial
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p.5 #20 · Zony 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZA VS Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM




princeharbinger wrote:
Upon seeing this video I'm a bit concerned. Can anyone that has the lens confirm if they are having the same issue with the aperture ring?



Read his description.


I have noticed this behavior on my copy. It reads F4 when it’s actually set to 3.2.

I don’t plan to send it back though as I am extremely happy with its optical performance.



May 24, 2021 at 06:43 AM
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