Sony 50mm F1.8 vs F2.5 G: Which lens fits your style?

[@paiman_]

*Advantages of 50mm f1.8:* - Cheaper $$$ - F1.8 (shallower depth of field) - a few grams lighter - Better in Low light (F1.8 vs F2.5) *Cons:* - Cheap build quality compared to G lens - Autofocus & sharpness not as good (but still work/ok) - A little bigger (but still compact nontheless) - No buttons, switches or aperture control - Doesn't look as nice/fancy *Advantages of 50mm f2.5 G:* 1) Smaller 2) Way better build quality (metal) 3) Much better sharpness/autofocus 4) Looks really nice 5) All the buttons & switches you need that are Customizable. 6) Comes in different focal lengths (G series have 24mm and 40mm for the same price too). 7) overall, a more quality lens. *Cons:* - More expensive - F2.5 is not as shallow as F1.8 - Not as good as F1.8 in Low light (but still very good). I recommend 50mm f1.8 for beginners or people on a budget who don't care much about super sharpness or speedy autofocus & shoot mainly in lower light scenarios. And I recommend the 50mm F2.5 G for more advanced photographers who don't care for the super shallow depth of field but want a small & light lens that still gives them plenty of "bokeh" when needed. These photographers are past the "bokehlicious" phase & use their composition, colour grading & story telling skills instead of just obliterating the background. Either way, go for the one you feel is most suitable for you based on your skills & budget. I got myself the 40mm F2.5 G lens. Should arrive in a couple of days.

[@OliverWiehe]

WOW - GREAT comment - sounds like you should start a KZbin channel - Thx for taking the time with the pros and cons!!

[@jarrydjackson361]

Great breakdown!

[@damzkii]

How you been liking the 40mm? I was thinking of getting that one as well but can't decide between 40mm f2.5 and 35 f1.8. I've mainly been shooting with the nifty fifty

[@paiman_]

@@damzkii The lens is incredible! I love this little lens so much. The build quality is still unbeatable for the price. And I love the aperture ring. Its nice & small & weighs next to nothing. Super sharp lens, fast autofocus (c'mon, it's Sony). However, if you're coming from the nifty fifty, and want something wider, then the 40mm is not that much wider than 50mm. 40mm is the middle ground between 35mm & 50mm. It has a very neutral field of view, very similar to what you see with your eyes. 35mm is too wide for me personally, and I like 50mm a lot, but sometimes I would want to go wider. So I went with 40mm. It depends on what focal length you need. If you have 50mm, don't get 40mm. It's very similar, just a little wider. If you want a smaller & more compact lens however, go for the 50mm F2.5 of this lens and sell your other 50mm. Sure, you're losing F stops, but it's the price you gotta pay for small & compact lenses. Overall, I found myself using this lens more often on my A7 IV than my other bigger, heavier lenses. Because of its size & weight and versatility. Sometimes I wish I went with the 50mm F2.5 instead but then remember that this 40mm has grown on me so much & how handy the 40mm has come when travelling. Just get 35mm f1.8 if you want wider, especially if you're used to 50mm. You'll see a bigger difference. Or you could just get an F2.8 zoom lens (I recommend Tamron 28-75mm G2 which I also own).

[@damzkii]

@@paiman_ Wow! First of all thank you for the very fast and thorough reply! The thing is I've always I've always been a one compact lens user so basically I've always gone everywhere with only a 50mm prime lens and just dealt with it. I love the focal length and never have tried anything wider than that. But recently especially when traveling it sometimes feels a bit too tight :D(and the AF is a bit slow on the Sony nifty fifty f.18) That's why I was considering the 40mm since from what I read from everywhere its basically like 50mm but a bit wider while the 35mm gives a bit distortion for portraits. But what is bothering me is that I don't have any experience of neither these focal lengths and the 35mm is so popular compared to the 40mm that its making me unsure if 40mm is the right choice or not :D I think from what you wrote I might be pretty similar like you. There is a reason why I've never used anything wider than a 50mm since I've never liked shooting with wide lenses and that is why I'm leaning more for the 40mm since its more compact, a bit wider focal length size and more closer to the 50mm which I'm used to so much. As a prime lens user of many years I've actually never been interested on zoom lenses until just recently :D So thank you for the suggestion! I will look into it and it might be my future 2nd lens. But as a prime lens user I need to decide my one everyday can do all lens first between the 40mm and 35mm.

[@riorinaldi7606]

Thank you for sharing the comparison, it is very helpful for me to decide which lens to buy

[@OliverWiehe]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thelyric2333]

Such a great video🤓. I learned so much from it. You make everything look so effortless yet so thoughtful. I recently got the A7Cii with the 24mm F2.8 but it's too wide for my street photography. Now i think i'll get the 50mm F2.5.

[@OliverWiehe]

Thx for the great comment - so cool you got the a7cii! Enjoy the 50mm f2.5 it's a fun lens!

[@d30gaijin]

Thing about the 50mm f/1.8 is auto focus is a bit sucky and noisy. But then again, it's hard to beat the price.

[@OliverWiehe]

So true - having both f1.8 and f2.5 the 2.5s autofocus is fast but.... I do love the shallow depth of field in the f1.8 - thx for the comment

[@ismagine]

I really wanted to watch the video but couldn’t keep it up with the volume of your voice. Low down the ambient noise and background music 😊

[@JWS218]

Great video. Love the production and choice of music, especially since it goes with the story of you dropping your son off for his freshman year. I had the 50mm 1.8 and exchanged for the macro but saw the 2.8 and got curious. Might just go for the 2.8 this time around. Also, I wanted to say, keep doing what you're doing and ignore the unnecessary comments about your choice of music as well as how it blends with your voice. I heard you just fine, and the info was well received. People are just unhappy with themselves and think that things were created with their insecurities in mind. The bottom line is if you dont like something about the video, dont watch or build a bridge and get over it. Hope to see more videos. From you and thanks for this one.

[@OliverWiehe]

Wow - your comment is great - Thx you and thx YOU! So funny "build a bridge and get over it" had me in tears (never heard that one before and I work in a middle). I think for Christmas I will ask for the 2.8 - I just enjoyed its size and the image plus the price - worth it! Thx again!!!

[@thechappist]

I still like my NEX-5T! I held onto it as for whatever reason no affordable Sony cameras had a touch screen.. finally got a newer A7IV that had it. I dig that the lenses can still be used between the two.

[@BrianCatalano]

Fantastic video...and wow, seems bittersweet to send your boy off to school but also to have a nice family road trip! As far as the 50, I couldn't tell which one is better which makes me lean towards the cheaper one. I'm also still deciding what lens I'm going to rent but you're right, Lens Rentals couldn't make it any easier! Great video as always!!

[@OliverWiehe]

Thx for watching - yeah, tough to drop off because he is 3 of 4 and only one is left a home. The house is quiet. Both 50mm are great, fun to shoot with them back to back!

[@BrianCatalano]

@@OliverWiehe 3 out of 4 is a feat... I congratulate you and feel for you!

[@jaxoncairns]

Love the 2.5

[@DefenderJake]

Great video Mr. Wiehe!

[@sundaypro]

Thanks. I will buy the F2.5. Buy cheap and you buy twice.

[@jb-xc4oh]

The 2.5G is defintively sharper with better fast autofocus.

[@OliverWiehe]

agree!

[@FarithJamli]

For family portrait, what is the best Sony FE lens for beginner? Currently I am using Sony A7C with Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM, but mainly for videos.

[@OliverWiehe]

Thx for the question - I love the a7c keep the camera for a long time. Use a 50mm lens for a 85 mm lens. The Sony f1.8 is a great lens for a beginner and the price is even better. Thx for watching!

[@FarithJamli]

Thank you for the response!@@OliverWiehe

[@teacherburt]

Thanks for this beautiful and unique video.

[@OliverWiehe]

Thxs so much! glad you liked it!

[@thebeachoflife]

what are you shooting this on? the vignetting and soft background is wild

[@OliverWiehe]

Great observation - used a travel teleprompter with Tamron 17-28 and it created a lot of vignetting because the lens "caught" the corner of the teleprompter! Which 50mm do you like?

[@PasqwhalePhotos]

great video but just blur your address in the video to protect you at 11:13

[@fotosvond_]

The only thing this 2.5 G is useful for is its compact size. Yes, AF and IQ are great, but a standard zoom does gives you both, too. This lens is 700€. That is ridiculous. On the 1.8, the AF is outdated, however you get at least a considerable amount of more light. The winner in this comparison is ... Samyang 50/1.4 II. It's cheaper than the 50/2.5 G and even brighter than the 50/1.8, combined with an AF that is surely a lot better than the 50/1.8 while not being in the same league as the G lens. On the whole, this Samyang is a much better "deal", even though it is bigger.

[@OliverWiehe]

Solid insight - thx for the comment - now I want to try the Samyang 50mm !

[@fotosvond_]

@@OliverWiehe it depends what you consider more valuable. The samyang isn’t that sharp below f2 (at least my copy), but it combines a faster aperture with usable AF, so it has got what the other to either have or don’t have. If you use these 50s for photos only, I would stick to the 1.8, because AF isn’t such a crucial factor then. If you do video too, I‘d rather go with the Samyang because it’s cheaper than the 50 G and has a faster aperture in case you need it. Its 560€ in my area vs 650-700 for the Sony G. Last 7 months we have rarely seen any light so a 2.5 aperture isn’t really a win and a lens with more reserves as the Samyang is very welcome. The Samyang is the lens with the least amount of focus breathing, too. Significantly better than both of the GMs too. And while it’s bigger, it is very solid to hold. I like shooting with it.

[@berndpape407]

nice report !

[@OliverWiehe]

Thx - glad you liked it!

[@johndennis5233]

f/22 is the smallest - not the largest aperture!

[@magmaestudios3889]

Me Gustó mucho tu camisa #sonya7c ✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻

[@andivoelp]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@spl4t1]

Another music fail.

[@theodoremolebatsi6383]

Can we be friends bro!? Good review, thanks

[@josebrivera1716]

What’s with the rap music? It’s distracting and you are too old for that . Please, just shoot the video minsus the music.

[@pr9047]

👎🏻

[@theyluvauga]

GET OUTA HERE STOP BULLYING MY TEACHER

[@theyluvauga]

HE'S NOT TOO OLD HE'S IN HIS 20'S

[@Amateurprotographer]

Music preferences aren't defined by a governing body. The feedback you intended to deliver is that it may have been overpowering over his Speech, which is fair constructive criticism, however, you shouldn't denounce his video because You don't like his music tastes.

[@duvalpenny100]

Foh