What is the sharpest, best 50 mm lens for the Sony a9 mirrorless camera? Why do you think/ feel that is the case? Thanks
folkus wrote:
What is the sharpest, best 50 mm lens for the Sony a9 mirrorless camera? Why do you think/ feel that is the case? Thanks
Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA Lens .
A perfect pairing for your A9 the Sonnar T* FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA Lens offers excellent resolution and a fast f/1.8 aperture for photographers looking for a high-performing normal-length prime. By using three aspherical elements and Zeiss's legendary T* anti-reflective coating, this lens exhibits an absolute minimum of aberrations and flare. It also has a linear autofocus motor and internal focus design for fast, responsive AF and achieving a minimum focus distance of 1.6'. Additionally, the lens is dust and moisture resistant and uses a nine-blade circular diaphragm for smooth, rounded bokeh.
You will pay for what you call best...$1000
Thanks so much for the great suggestion and advice!
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
folkus wrote:
What is the sharpest, best 50 mm lens for the Sony a9 mirrorless camera? Why do you think/ feel that is the case? Thanks
The sharpest 50 mm lens on a a9 Sony mirrorless is the one that is currently on it. Only amateur's concern themselves with sharpness, when what they should be obsessed about is proper shooting techniques.
That said I would shoot with the Zeiss 50 for e mount Sony camera's. I shoot Zeiss on my Nikon's but I admire that Zeiss makes auto focus for Sony. I do have a Zeiss 24-70 2.8 auto focus for my Sony A99 and it is very, very sharp.
To sum up, a very sharp Zeiss auto focus lens for your Sony a9 should produce very sharp images, but it all depends on technique and the shooters experience. NOT THE LENS.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=Zeiss%2050%20mm%201.4%20for%20sony%20e%20mount&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=But, IMHO, the f2 is also very, very, very, sharp. BUT IT'S THE PHOTOGRAPHER THAT MAKES THE LENS.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=Zeiss%2050%20mm%201.4%20for%20sony%20e%20mount&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=
Thanks. Of coarse bad technique will always lessen the chances of a great shot, but I am not interested in making good technique overcome a less than best lens. I am interested in what great technique coupled with great glass can deliver. Thanks sgain for your post.
zug55
Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas
billnikon wrote:
The sharpest 50 mm lens on a a9 Sony mirrorless is the one that is currently on it. Only amateur's concern themselves with sharpness. [...]
To sum up, a very sharp Zeiss auto focus lens for your Sony a9 should produce very sharp images.
I am glad that you come around to say that sharpness matters. To be sure, otter qualities matter as well. But it is hard to fix an image in post that is not sharp.
I personally like the Sony/Zeiss 55mm because it is sharp, has great color rendition, good contrast, etc. It also is a lot smaller and lighter than all the other prime lenses in the 50/55 mm range, with the exception of the nifty fifty. It weighs a mere 281 grams, while the Sony/Zeiss or the Sigma Art 50mm weigh almost three times as much. If you use your lens for studio work this may not matter. But if you travel and carry your camera and lenses around all day it does.
Thanks for you helpful comments. Just so we are all on the same page - which specific nifty fifty were you referring to? (at my age, weight of lenses makes a big difference!)
zug55
Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas
folkus wrote:
Thanks for you helpful comments. Just so we are all on the same page - which specific nifty fifty were you referring to? (at my age, weight of lenses makes a big difference!)
My "nifty fifty" reference was for the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8. It lists for $248 and weighs 186 grams. I have no first-hand experience with this lens. (I own the Sony/Zeiss 55mm which I like and recommend, as mentioned before.) You may want to check out reviews, or perhaps someone here has used this lens.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1242613-REG/sony_sel50f18f_fe_50mm_f_1_8_lens.htmlI am linking the B&H web site because their web site is searchable, so you will be able to find every 50mm or 55mm lens that works on a full-frame Sony camera. They also give a lot of information on lenses, including weight. I research the weight of every lens I consider buying it because weight matters to me as well.
Tamron 45/1.8 with IF and IS.
Got two, in Nikon and Canon.
The Canon mt is for my a7-II.
Knocks your sox off like a $1K+
lens for $400, and massages
your feet as well :-) Appears to
be a Distagon type. Who really
cares, as long as it sculptures
light like some photon scalpel ?
The AF is good with the version
4.X camera FW but sux at 1.X,
so keep that in mind. If you've
got 4.X running, just order one
and return it if it disappoints.
I got the Nikon first, cuz Nikons
don't have IBIS, nor OIS in any
50mm lenses. Then I was very
impressed and ordered a Canon
version for my Sonys.
I also have Canons but choose
to use the Nikons when using a
Tamron 45/1.8 ... cuz the Nikons
render better, and if I'm gonna
carry this largish lens on a large
SLR, I'll favor the body that best
does justice by these lenses.
I wanted to get the Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA Lens because of its reputation for its sharpness. Then the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 went on sale for $200 and I felt it was too good a bargain to pass up. Focus is slow and noisy but it is more than adequate for anything I need a 50mm for. Other than its price and lightness it is not a lens to get excited about.
Thanks for the cautionary note. I wonder if Metabones and a Leica, Canon 50mm would outweigh the adapter disadvantages? Again, thanks for sharing your experiences.
folkus wrote:
Thanks for the cautionary note. I wonder if Metabones and a Leica, Canon 50mm would outweigh the adapter disadvantages? Again, thanks for sharing your experiences.
Anything with an adapter is a crap shoot ....
..
zug55
Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas
I would only use an adapter if you already own good lenses you would like to use on your Sony A9. I would not buy a lens for the A9 that is not native--that is a lens with an E-mount produced by Sony or another company, like Zeiss, Sigma, Voigtlander, etc. If you use an adapter, your autofocus may not work properly--it may be slow, hunting, or not work at all. The A9 is all about speed. You have a superb camera. I would use only quality native lenses to get the most out of that camera. That is what I have done for my A7 III, and shooting with that camera with good native lenses gives me great pleasure.
Thanks for the sound advice.
"Sharpness is a bourgeois concept" - Henri Cartier-Bresson
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