Sony’s new lens, to be known as the SEL50F14Z, employs 12 elements in nine groups, including one advanced aspheric element promising sharper images from centre to corner. It has one additional conventional aspheric element and one ED glass element for superior contrast and dramatically reduced chromatic aberration. Zeiss’s signature T* coating reduces flare and ghosting, and autofocus is driven by a ring-drive SSM. The 11-blade circular aperture aims to give attractively defocused backgrounds, and the lens has an aperture ring with a switch to set clicked or clickless operation.

To see our gallery of sample shots taken with the lens and a Sony A7R II on What Digital Camera, click here.

Press Release
11 July, 2016

Sony today introduced a new full-frame lens for their E-mount camera system, the Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA (model SEL50F14Z).

This 50mm prime lens features a large F1.4 maximum aperture that offers impressive contrast and outstanding resolution that are hallmarks of the ZEISS® brand. It produces these consistently strong qualities throughout the entirety of the frame – from centre to corner – and at all aperture settings, even while shooting wide open at F1.4. The cutting-edge optical structure includes high-precision AA (Advanced Aspherical) and ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements that reduce spherical and chromatic aberration, as well as a ZEISS® T* Coating that minimises flare and ghosting, creating the classic ZEISS® clarity. Additionally, its Planar design ensures minimal distortion.

The large F1.4 maximum aperture of the FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens provides a level of brightness and speed that are advantageous for dimly lit indoor shots, night scenes and portraits, while its 11-bladed circular aperture allows for stunning ‘bokeh’, or background defocus, in images. The lens also features an aperture ring with an adjustable ON/OFF switch, an AF/MF focus mode switch, and a dust and moisture resistant design (i), further increasing its functionality.

The new lens is also equipped with a ring drive SSM (Super Sonic wave Motor) system, which allows it to efficiently lock focus with speed, precision and in near silence, making it particularly useful for shooting movies.

Pricing and availability
The new FE 50mm F1.4 ZA lens will ship this July and will be available across Europe for approximately €1,800.

(i) Although the design is dust and moisture resistant, absolute protection from dust and moisture is not guaranteed.