Sony AF 50mm F2.8 Macro A-mount lens review by QuietOC
 QuietOC#44286 date: May-11-2019 | |
|---|---|
| sharpness: 4 color: 5 build: 5 distortion: 5 flare control: 4 overall: 4.6 | tested on:
|
| ownership: | I used to own this lens |
| compared to: | Tamron 20 F2.8 OSD M1:2 Tamron 24 F2.8 OSD M1:2 Sony DT 30 F2.8 Macro SAM Tamron 35 F2.8 OSD M1:2 Sony FE 50mm F2.8 Macro Minolta AF 50 F2.8 Macro RS Minolta MD 50 F3.5 Macro Minolta AF 50 F3.5 Macro Tamron SP 60 F2 Macro Sigma EX 70 F2.8 DG Macro Tamron SP 90 F2.5 Macro Minolta AF 100 F2.8 Macro RS Vivitar 135 F2.8 Close Focusing |
| price paid: | 120 USD (used) |
| positive: | Modest size and weight Circular aperture Wide rubber focus grip Focus range limiter Focus distance encoder Lens Compensation |
| negative: | Chromatic aberration Field curvature Extends to focus close |
| comment: | The original Minolta AF version of this lens was $350 in 1985. The RS version added the circular aperture, the focus hold button, and the range limiter and was $300 when released in 1993. Minolta added a focus clutch and distance encoder in 2001. Sony's current list price is $600. This was a well used copy with a discolored focus grip and original caps purchased from an individual eBay seller. "JAPAN" The focus grip is much wider than the one on the Minolta RS and the focus hold button is slightly larger. The focus clutch keeps the grip from spinning during AF, but introduces some vagueness to the manual focus action. The range limiter and focus hold buttons are no longer aligned with the mounting indicator and each other. This lens extends almost as much as the 100 mm macro at 1:1. The focus scale looks to be nearly identical to the 50 F3.5. The amount of grip rotation and barrel extension at 1:2 is very similar to the smaller lens. The optical elements are barely any larger. The front elements of both are deeply inset. This lens reduces angle-of-view with close focus like most unit focus primes. It performs just like the earlier Minolta versions. The Sony FE 50 F2.8 Macro has much less optical aberrations especially at low magnification, but it has slightly higher distortion and loses more focal length at close focus. |
rating summary
- total reviews: 27
- sharpness: 4.87
- color: 4.93
- build: 4.22
- distortion: 4.93
- flare control: 4.70
- overall: 4.73