Blog - Sony Unveils 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens Masterpiece - Available Mid May - Looking Glass Photo & Camera

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Sony Unveils 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens Masterpiece - Available Mid May

Sony Unveils 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens Masterpiece - Available Mid May

By: Jon Freel Comments: 0

Coming Mid-May and Priced at $1,999 - Sony's 1st f/1.2 GM Lens
Preorder Now: 510-548-6888

TOP FEATURE OVERVIEW:

THE LENS - AT A GLANCE

  • Compact F1.2 prime lens w/ awe-inspiring G Master resolution and bokeh
  • F1.2 max aperture for extraordinary shallow depth of field
  • Three (XA) Extreme Aspheric elements for stunning resolution
  • 11-blade circular aperture contributes to gorgeous bokeh
  • Nano AR coating II suppresses reflections, flare and ghosting
  • Four XD Extreme Dynamic Linear motors for fast, precise autofocus
  • Linear response MF for precise manual focus control
  • 15.75” min. focus distance up to 0.17x magnification
  • Built for both worlds: Ideal for still and video creators
  • Compact, lightweight design: Ideal for both full-frame and APS-C2
  • Instant auto/manual focus selection via AF/MF switch
  • Manual aperture ring w/ selectable on/off click for stills or movie
  • Two programmable focus-hold buttons for multiple custom functions
  • Dust and moisture resistant for robust reliability
  • Fluorine front-element coating helps repel dirt and fingerprints
  • 1st F1.2, 5th anniversary G Master, 40th FE, 60th E-mount lens

THE LENS STORY - FULL DETAIL

Compact F1.2 prime lens w/ awe-inspiring G Master resolution and bokeh

The FE 50mm F1.2 GM uses Sony’s latest techniques including advanced optical simulation and manufacturing technology to deliver awe-inspiring G Master resolution and bokeh with a wide F1.2 aperture in a surprisingly compact and lightweight design. Three XA (extreme aspherical) elements and Nano AR coating II contribute to high-contrast, high-resolution results with corner-to-corner sharpness and dramatically reduced chromatic and spherical aberration, flare and ghosting. A floating focus mechanism ensures that full resolution is maintained throughout the image area from infinity to close focus. Despite its compact size and light weight, the FE 50mm F1.2 GM delivers incredible resolution and contrast from the image center right out to the corners.

F1.2 max aperture for extraordinary brightness and depth of field

The F1.2 max aperture provides extraordinary brightness and shallow depth of field, allowing you to isolate your subject from the foreground and background with amazing light gathering capabilities when shooting wide open. The unique combination of wide F1.2 aperture with 11 circular aperture blades and three XA (extreme aspherical) lens elements deliver on the G Master promise of ultra-sharp in-focus areas of your image with beautifully soft defocused bokeh. The fast F1.2 aperture is  not only good for shallow depth of field, but ideal for situations that require more light gathering capabilities like indoor, night and astral photography, making this lens perfect for any occasion.

Three (XA) Extreme Aspheric elements for stunning resolution

The FE 50mm F1.2 GM incorporates three extremely precise XA (extreme aspherical) elements - manufactured to 0.01-micron surface precision - in an innovative optical design that achieves awe-inspiring G Master resolution throughout the image area, while delivering smooth, creamy bokeh in out-of-focus areas. Three XA elements compensate for coma, field curvature, and astigmatism, that can be problems with large-aperture optics. These elements also enable closer focusing distance and contribute to the compact and lightweight design.

Beautiful, natural-looking bokeh

While three XA elements effectively suppress onion ring bokeh, the 11-blade circular aperture maximizes the beauty of this large-aperture prime-lens, contributing to impressive images in which the subject stands out against a smoothly defocused foreground and background, as well as perfectly round points of defocused light. Conventional aperture blades have flat sides that create unappealing, polygonal-shaped defocused points of light. This lens overcome this problem through a unique design that keeps the aperture almost perfectly circular from its wide-open setting to when it is closed by 2 stops. Smoother, more natural defocusing can be obtained as a result.

Nano AR coating II enhances clarity

Sony’s advanced Nano AR (anti-reflective) Coating II has been developed for large and highly curved lens element surfaces to suppress internal reflections and minimize flare and ghosting for clear, well-defined images. This advanced coating is evenly applied to entire element surfaces; despite the lens's wide aperture, the Nano AR Coating II maintains high clarity and contrast throughout the entire image, even in difficult backlit situations.

Four XD Extreme Dynamic Linear motors for fast, precise autofocus

The FE 50mm F1.2 G Master lens incorporates a precision internal focus mechanism consisting of two focus groups and four XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors that easily keep up with the high-speed capabilities of today’s most demanding continuous shooting and high frame rate video. They take advantage of their full autofocus speed, precision, and tracking potential to capture the most dynamic subjects. A state-of-the-art control algorithm make it possible to drive the lens’s focus group smoothly and without delays for responsive, silent, precise and continuous autofocus in both still and video modes. XD Linear motors not only contribute to AF precision and performance, close-focusing distance, but also help reduce the overall size and weight of the lens and, due to their efficiency, reduce power consumption for longer battery life.

Linear response MF for precise manual focus control

Linear Response MF (manual focus) ensures that the focus ring responds directly and linearly to subtle control when focusing manually. Focus ring rotation translates directly to a corresponding change in focus, so control feels immediate and precise in both still and movie modes.

Compact, lightweight design: ideal for both full-frame and APS-C2

This lens weighs just 1.715 lb. (778g) and measures in at only Φ3.425” x 4.25“ (Φ87 x 108 mm). Its small size and light weight enhance mobility when used with compact E-mount Full-frame or APS-C bodies and make up a well-balanced system that is ideal for use on gimbals or accessory grips. When on an APS-C camera, it provides a very useful focal length of 75mm (full-frame format equivalent) which is great for taking portrait shots with a  pleasing perspective, especially when combined with the wide F1.2 aperture.

Close-ups with stunning bokeh

The three XA lens elements in two groups, plus innovative mechanical, optical and control technology, achieve a minimum focusing distance of just 15.75” (0,4m) with a maximum magnification of 0.17x, making it possible to shoot impressive close-ups with smooth, creamy background bokeh. The combination of F1.2 maximum aperture and the flexibility to choose your shooting distance affords plenty of control for stills as well as movies. This compact 50mm lens can deliver spectacular images with an extremely wide variety of subjects.

Built for both worlds: Ideal for still and video creators

The FE 50mm F1.2 G Master lens has clear advantages for moviemaking. With a standard 50mm angle of view on full frame bodies and 75mm on APS-C bodies or Super-35 cameras. Three XD (Extreme Dynamic) Linear Motors for fast, precise autofocus and tracking, a bright F1.2 maximum aperture for beautifully defocused background bokeh, excellent close-up performance and a class leading compact and lightweight design makes this lens ideal for all types of content creators. In addition to the small size and light weight, its internal focus design makes it convenient for use on compact gimbals or grips for vlogging and other applications.

Instant auto/manual focus selection via AF/MF switch

Instantly and quickly switch between auto and manual focus via an AF/MF switch on the side of the lens. This makes operation faster and easier as you let the camera and lens focus for you or decide to take control and manually focus on the precise point you choose.

Manual aperture ring with switchable click stops

In addition to providing the fast, hands-on response required for still and moviemaking applications, the FE 50mm F1.2 G Master lens’s aperture ring includes a switch that turns its click stops on or off: ON for tactile feedback when shooting stills, or OFF for silent control when shooting movies. The combination of XD Linear Motors and the quiet operation available when the click stops are off is not only great for smooth, seamless aperture control when shooting movies, but also for shooting theater, concerts, and events where noise must be minimized.

Two focus hold buttons

Two customizable multi-function focus hold buttons are included so when going from landscape to portrait orientation, the second focus hold button is positioned exactly where you expect it for easy access. The focus hold button not only performs its primary function to lock focus when recomposing but can be customized via the camera body menu settings to a number of other functions depending on your needs. In addition to Focus Hold, these custom functions include: Eye AF, AF On, Aperture Preview, Shot Result Preview or Bright Monitoring. Note that only one selected custom feature will apply to both buttons.

Dust and moisture resistant for robust reliability

The dust and moisture resistant1 design make this lens appropriate for heavy-duty outdoor use, especially when combined with a camera that employs weather resistant measures.

Fluorine front-element coating helps repel dirt and fingerprints

The front lens element features a fluorine coating that repels water, oil, and other contaminants, while making it easier to wipe off any contaminants or fingerprints that do become attached to the lens surface.


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