Sony Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA

Reviewers rated it one of the best-resolving 50mm lenses of its time, with high centre sharpness wide open, good corners by f/2 and well-controlled longitudinal colour fringing. Bokeh is smooth and creamy in most situations, and contrast is high even at full aperture.

The drawbacks reviewers raised were the size, the price and autofocus that is precise but noticeably slower than newer Sony designs, with some audible focus noise in video. Once the FE 50mm F1.4 GM arrived in 2023, testers generally pointed buyers to it as smaller, lighter and faster to focus at a lower price.

Owners praise the rendering and say it is a dependable portrait and low-light lens on A7R and A1 bodies, with consistent results wide open. The aperture ring and solid build get frequent mentions.

The main complaints are weight on smaller bodies, AF that can hunt in dim light or feel slow for moving subjects, and the high price compared with the GM that replaced it in many markets. Some owners report a slight focus-motor noise picked up by on-camera microphones.