Sony FE 50mm F/1.2 GM Lens Announced

Lens News

by Jeff LochMarch 16^th, 2021

Sony has just announced a new 50mm prime lens: the Sony FE 50mm F/1.2 GM. This G-Master lens naturally comes with a Sony E mount, covers full-frame sensors, and with a maximum aperture of F/1.2, it is the brightest lens in Sony’s lineup of lenses. Let’s take a closer look at it!

Sony continues to expand its lineup of G-Master lenses launched a couple of years ago. Indeed, in 2017 the company launched the Sony FE 135mm F/1.8 GM and FE 100mm F/2.8 GM, as well as a wide-angle lens, the Sony 16-35mm F/2.8 GM.

This year, Sony also released the Sony FE 35mm F/1.4 GM during the virtual CES show. Today, the company launched a classic prime lens and its brightest lens ever: the Sony FE 50mm F/1.2 GM (codename: SEL50F12GM).

Sony FE 50mm F/1.2 GM – Features

Everybody should have a 50mm lens in their camera bag, and this FE 50mm F/1.2 GM fills a gap in the G-Master lineup. Also, with a diameter of 87mm and a length of 108mm for a weight of 778g/27.5oz, the FE 50mm F/1.2 GM won’t take that much space inside your bag.

The FE 50mm F/1.2 GM is an E-Mount prime lens that covers full-frame sensors. It has a maximum aperture of F/1.2, which makes it perfect for low-light situations and shooting portraits.

Usually, such fast prime lenses are slow to autofocus. To solve that problem, Sony put four XD (Extreme Dynamic) Linear Motors inside for fast and accurate autofocus performances. Also, according to Sony, the internal focusing ensures the angle of view is stable during focusing, so focus breathing is minimized.

Lens Design

The lens design of the FE 50mm F/1.2 GM consists of 14 elements in 10 groups. There are three XA (extreme aspherical) elements for maximum sharpness, even wide open. The element surfaces have Sony’s new Nano AR Coating II to minimize internal reflections, which means it’ll be less prone to flare and ghosting artifacts.

The aperture diaphragm consists of 11 rounded blades, it has a minimum focusing distance of 0.4m/1.32ft, and the filter diameter is 72mm. There is a switch on the lens to make the aperture clickless, which is handy for filmmakers.

Last but not least, the lens is dust and moisture resistant, so you should be fine even under tough shooting conditions.

Price and availability

The new FE 50mm F/1.2 GM prime lens will be available in early May, and it will retail for around €2,000 (plus VAT). In the box, you’ll find the lens, a lens hood, and a soft case with a case strap.

What do you think about this new lens? What is your go-to 50mm prime lens in your kit? Share your thoughts in the comments below!