Sony's full-frame FE lenses have received more attention in recent years from Sony than the APS-C E E family. However, there is still a lot of photography using Alpha 6000 cameras. When paired with the A6000, the E 50mm F1.8 OS ($299.99), covers a small telephoto field. It's a field of view that's a bit tight for everyday use—the E 35mm F1.8 OSS is a better choice if that's what you want—but it's a solid choice for portraiture. Although the lens is compact and sharp, it's also affordable. However, the lens lacks the full-frame design of FE lenses like the Zeiss Sonnar FE 55mm F1.8 ZA.
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Design
The E 50mm (Amazon: $348.00) measures 2.4x2.4 inches (HD), 7.8 ounces and supports 49mm front filters. The aluminum barrel can be ordered in silver or black. It comes with a reversible lens cover.
This lens project an image circle that is large enough to be used with an APS-C camera like the Alpha 6000 or 6300. The lens' field of view is roughly equal to that of a 75mm lens attached to a full frame camera. This makes it an excellent choice for portraits.
Mount the lens on a full frame Alpha 7 II camera. The default cropping of the image sensor to an APS C size will reduce image resolution. The Alpha 7 II can be set to auto-crop, however you will get strong circular vignette surrounding your image.
While autofocus can be quick and precise, manual focus is an alternative. The focus ring can be turned to activate the motor, which adjusts internal elements. This allows for compact design, but does not provide tactile feedback like a manual mechanical focus mechanism. It is possible to have difficulty judging which direction to go or the speed to which the ring should be turned to focus on a particular shot.
Sony photographers have the advantage of optical stabilization built-in. The Alpha 6500 is currently the only APSC model to have built-in stabilization. Stabilization allows for crisp handheld photos at higher shutter speeds and can also be used to stabilize handheld video.
Focuses to 1.28ft (0.39m) with the 50mm. This is a great distance to work with portraiture. However, if you prefer using a longer lens for daily driving, it will make you back up when you need them to focus.
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Image quality
The E 50mm F1.8 OSS was tested with the Alpha 6500 24MP. It scores 2,284 lines per picture on Imatest’s center-weighted testing at f/1.8. Image quality is strongest at the center of the frame, but falls off as you move away from the center—showing about 1,815 lines in the middle third. This is still better than 1,800 lines that we need, but it's not enough. Similar results are obtained at f/2.
The overall sharpness score rises to 2,482 lines at f/2.8. There is a strong center of around 2,800 lines. The average score for f/4 is 2,665 lines. Most of the frames are close to that mark.
At f/5.6 (3551 lines), and f/8 (3.034 lines), the lens performs at its peak. At narrow apertures, diffraction can reduce resolution to f/11 (2.827 lines), 2.002 lines, and 2.002 lines.
The lens displays virtually no distortion, so it is not a problem with distortion. However, illumination is an issue. The corners are slightly behind the center at f/1.8, f/2 respectively by -2.3EV or -2EV. This natural vignette may be appreciated by portrait photographers. However, if this is not your preference, you can use Lightroom CC or JPGs to fix the problem in Raw images. We consider the field condition negligible for narrower apertures.
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Conclusions
For photographers who have invested in the APS/C system, the Sony E 50mm F1.8 OSS camera is a great option. The Sony E 50mm F1.8 OSS's small telephoto field is great for portraiture, and general photography when not restricted. The wide aperture blurs background and the stabilization system allows for sharp images even in difficult light.
It's not a fantastic general purpose lens—the slightly wider E 35mm F1.8 OSS is a better choice if that's what you're looking for. The E 50m F1.8 OSS can be used to enhance a larger prime such as the Zeiss Sonnar T* E24mm F1.8 ZA or for portraiture.