Rokinon 50mm F1.4 Lens for Sony E

I've tested this on my 5D and it's great there, definitely better than Canon's 50mm F1.4 USM - IF you can take the time for manual focus. That said, I don't like manual focus on that camera as much as I used to. My eyes just can't see like they used to :DSo I use this lens with a focal reducer on my Panasonic G9 - a micro four-thirds camera. With a focal reducer, the lens assembly acts as a 35mm F1.0. This makes this a VERY high-quality ultra-fast lens, that's not too long on m43's 2x crop factor.I've uploaded some images.The first is a comparison I did with this lens vs several other manual 50mm F1.4s. It was a basic test. It's sharper and more contrasty than the other 50s. What you don't see is how smooth the bokeh was. How well it resists flare.Next is this 50mm F1.4 on a focal reducer adapter, mounted to my Panasonic G9. On the G9 the hand grip is big, and the balance is great. The other cameras there are smaller micro four-thirds cameras to give you an idea of the size of this lens.Finally a couple of pictures of models for a little real-world performance. Bunnies. These were shot wide open indoors. For a 35mm F1.0 (on focal reducer), it's blissfully sharp.If using with a focal reducer, I'd recommend a pixco (excellent for the price), or metabones (if you get lucky).

Super sharp even at 1.4.

I've shot with Rokinon lenses on a Sony A6000 for the past 2 years and own a 12mm, an 85mm, and now this 50mm and this is by far my favorite. While the 12mm is excellent for landscape and the 85mm is great for portrait, this lens is a wonderful combination of the two. This lens is easy to pick-up and I highly recommend it for beginners. It is a fixed lens, so keep in mind that this does not have the capability of zoom. But it is excellent for mid-range portrait and landscape pictures. The bokeh (the blur around the center subject of the photo) is superb and it picks up colors and depth wonderfully. Additionally, the focus is manual, so it picks up on the subject much quicker than an auto-focus. I'll admit, sometimes it is tough to ensure your subject is in focus but as you become more familiar with the settings and functionality, this is not an issue. If you're looking for an all-around, easy-to-use lens, this is your answer.

First of all, this is a ~$400 lens so do not expect miracles. However, it’s a beautiful lens if your final output is to the internet. The depth of field at 1.4 can’t be beat, it’s just gorgeous. I use mine on a Sony A7R and despite having NO automatic features it’s very easy to use. The color rendition seems a bit flat and can get a little blocky in the shadows and darker transition areas. Also there’s some color shift and artifacts around sharp outlines that contrast their background. Not noticeable AT ALL on phone screens and even at reasonable size on a computer screen. I would’nt print very large though.I bought this lens to shoot video on my Sony and it’s great for all the reasons above when using for video. Creates a very cinematic feel.

The lens was not as advertised.

Meh sums it up. Is it terrible? No. Is it great? Definitely not. It's not incredibly soft nor is it a sharp lens. It lacks punch and depth like other lenses I own. The image quality is just kinda bland. Chromatic aberration is bad all the way up to F8. Anything over F11 is too soft and unusable. Shooting wide open at F1.4 produces very soft, washed out images in all lighting conditions. It is also difficult to focus as the focus ring is VERY touchy. I shoot on a Sony A7R II for reference. I'm not one to buy the most expensive lenses. I usually buy mid range ones, from Sigma, Tamron, and Venus Optics and I've been very happy. I thought this may be the way to go as I usually shoot landscape in full manual mode and very seldom shoot in AF, so why waste the money on an AF lens? I've heard Rokinon is hit or miss on quality control. Maybe I could exchange it and get a better copy, I don't know and I haven't decided if I'm going to order another one or not yet. Right now, this one is being returned.

really nice lense at a good price

Great lens that fulfils most photography needs. However, does not contain a computer connection to make use of the A7 series' great auto focus, thus doesn't use several of the A7's key features