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A 50mm lens is ideal for various photographers. Not only does it produce great portraits, but it can also be helpful for other genres, such as street, documentary, wedding, or event photography. While there are multiple 50mm lenses for digital cameras, the first-party lenses are somewhat expensive. And so, third-party makers have to step in. In this regard, one company makes one of the best lenses in this range, and no, it’s not a Sigma lens.
The Rokinon 50mm f1.4 AF FE was launched in 2018 and is designed for Sony cameras. While it lacked a weather seal, the 50mm had other features that stood out. The third-party lens has 9 elements in 8 groups, a 0.15x magnification ratio, and measures 3.85 inches. There is also a minimum magnification of 1.48feet, and it weighed 1.29lb.
The 50mm is exceptional in terms of its build. It features a metal body, a large focusing ring, and an ergonomic grip. The lens hood comes off, and if you want extra protection, then do go for it. Additionally, the grip is comfortable, and the focusing ring operates smoothly. This is also the easiest and most pleasant lens to use.
As for the performance, the autofocus is quite quick. There was also the Eye AF, but with a third-party lens, one often has challenges with it. The lens also works for subjects such as portraits, landscapes, cityscapes, but you will have to refrain from shooting fast-paced environments.
Like the focus, the image quality of the Rokinon 50mm f1.4 AF FE is just as great. The images are sharp, have good contrast, and do not exhibit any major aberrations. There is also a bit of lens character with flare, but it is not too pronounced. At the same time, you get gorgeous bokeh, thanks to the 9 aperture blades. As we said in our review, “The bokeh here is creamy and fantastic for portraits. In fact, I think the Rokinon 50mm f1.4 AF FE is a great portrait lens, partially for the fact that the bokeh will really help separate your subject from the rest of the scene.”
What also makes a lens exceptional is the color rendition, which this lens can achieve with ease. The saturation is close to a Sigme lens, the colors are vivid, and you will love the JPEG qualty of the lens. As we reiterated, ” when it comes to color, Rokinon has created a color that rivals even Zeiss.” Like this, the sharpness is great. Even at 1SO 6400, the portraits look crsipy. And when you stop down to f5.6, the result only gets better.
In many ways, the company nailed multiplr things. From a metal extrior to quality, the lens was truly a Rokinon, and not a copy of any other lens. One can excuse the weather sealing, give it costs under $700. Plus the autofocus just makes it an ideal choice. So, if you are looking to buy an inexpensive lens, do go for this.
