Here I will be reviewing the Sony 50mm Macro lens. You can get this lens from Amazon
This lens was made way back in the Minolta days. Sony have redesigned this lens to match the style of Sony Alpha lenses lineup but on the inside, little has changed.
It is still a full frame macro lens that can be used with both cropped sensor and full frame DSLR camera.
In terms of sharpness, this lens is very sharp both on the center and on the borders. Distortion, Chromatic Aberration and Vignetting are all under good control.
However, the thing that is disappointing about this lens is the average build quality. I think Sony put way too much plastic on this lens to justify the price.
I would consider this lens a step up from the 30mm Macro lens though.
Bottom line is, this lens is for someone who wants to have a sharp picture, plan to move to full frame DSLR in the future and don’t mind paying the price for the average build quality.
See my full Sony 50mm macro review below.
Specs • Performance • Sample Image • Conclusion • Where to Buy
Sony 50mm Macro Specs
Back to: Menu • Introduction
Official Name:
Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro SAL-50M28
Focal Length Markings:
50mm
Features:
Macro – Special lens for close up shooting. This lens is a true macro lens with 1:1 magnification ratio.
Full Technical Specs (from Sony’s website):
| Technical Specifications | |
| Groups / Elements | 6 / 7 |
| Angle of View | 45 |
| Number of Blade Diaphragm | 7 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/32 |
| Minimum Focusing Distance | 7.8″ (20cm) |
| Filter Thread | 55mm |
| Weight | 10oz (295g) |
| Dimension (Diameter x Length) | 2 13/16 X 2 3/8″ (71 X 60mm) |
| Macro Magnification Ratio | 1:1 |
| Available at | Amazon, B&H Photo or Adorama |
Optical Performance
Back to: Menu • Introduction
Sony 50mm Macro Sharpness
This lens is very sharp both on the borders and on the center at any aperture.
The point of maximum sharpness is at f/4.
See the sharpness table test below to see the test result.
Sharpness Scale (from Best to Worst):
(5) Excellent
(4) Great
(3) Good
(2) Fair
(1) Poor
Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro SAL-50M28
Center Sharpness
| Focal Length / Aperture | f/2.8 | f/4 | f/5.6 | f/8 | f/11 | f/16 |
| 50mm | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Great | Great |
Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro SAL-50M28
Border Sharpness
| Focal Length / Aperture | f/2.8 | f/4 | f/5.6 | f/8 | f/11 | f/16 |
| 50mm | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Great | Great |
Distortion
Distortion is very well controlled on this lens. It is close to non-existent.
See the distortion test image grid below.
Sony 50mm Macro Distortion
Vignetting
Vignetting is slightly visible at the widest aperture of f/2.8 but it will not be a problem.
At the other focal lengths, it is non-existent.
See my vignetting test chart below.
Sony 50mm Macro Vignetting
Chromatic Aberration
There is a slight chromatic aberration at f/2.8 and f/4. At f/5.6 and above it can safely be ignored.
See my chromatic aberration test table below.
Chromatic Aberration Scale (from Best to Worst):
(5) Negligible
(4) Very Low
(3) Low
(2) High
(1) Very High
Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro SAL-50M28 Chromatic Aberration
| Focal Length / Aperture | f/2.8 | f/4 | f/5.6 | f/8 | f/11 | f/16 |
| 50mm | Low | Low | Very Low | Very Low | Very Low | Very Low |
Build Quality
Back to: Menu • Introduction
Materials
Plastic. A bit disappointing for lens at this price.
Focusing
The focus ring operates smoothly, but it’s a bit wobbly. The lens extends when you focus on closer distance which is quite common for macro lenses.
The autofocus speed is pretty fast, although you should definitely activate the focus limiter to prevent focus hunting when you are not shooting macro.
An interesting feature of this lens is the focus stop button, which might be useful sometimes.
Image Stabilization
In the Sony DSLR world, the Image Stabilization is built into the camera sensor, not on the lenses. Check your camera body to see if it has the Image Stabilization feature.
Compatibility
This lens is compatible with both cropped sensor and full frame DSLR camera.
Sample Image
Back to: Menu • Introduction
Below are some sample images taken with this lens. Click on any thumbnail to open the image.
Get the best price online from these sites: Amazon
Conclusion
Back to: Menu • Introduction
In this section, I will be summarizing this whole Sony 50mm Macro lens review.
In terms of optical performance this is a great lens. It is sharp both at the center and borders.
Distortion is negligible. It has excellent distortion control.
The vignetting is a bit visible at the widest aperture, but should not be a problem when stopped down further.
Chromatic aberration is slightly visible at f/2.8 and f/4. This can be easily corrected in post processing or if you want, you can stop down to f/5.6 to eliminate the problem altogether.
However, in terms of build quality, this lens is a bit disappointing for the price.
It has too much plastic material for a lens in this price range.
The autofocus is great, but there is a slight wobble (which might be due to the excessive plastic material used).
All in all, if you are looking for a sharp lens that is a step up from the Sony 30mm Macro, then this is the lens to get.
Drawbacks
- Average build quality for the price
- Slight wobble on autofocus
- Vignetting is slightly apparent on f/2.8
- Chromatic aberration is slightly apparent on f/2.8 and f/4
Positives
- Very sharp at any aperture, both on the center and borders
- Excellent distortion control
- Lightweight
Good For
- General purpose or beginner’s macro photography lens
- Normal lens for full frame DSLR camera
- Portrait lens for cropped sensor DSLR camera
Not So Good For
- Extreme macro photography or close up shooting (such as shooting insects or tiny, fast moving objects)
What Others Are Saying…
by “P. Pham”
SHARP, SHARP, SHARP! This is a MUST HAVE glass for your Alpha system! I shoot this on an A700 and a KM 5D. Beside the 1.5x factor (which really makes this lens more like a 75mm) it is TACK SHARP…
Click here to see the full review
by “Diego Raigoza”
The Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro lens is one of the best lenses you will ever put in your camera’s mount. I will provide the pros and cons of this lens along with my experience with it…
Click here to see the full review
Where to Buy
Support this site, buy the Sony 50mm Macro from these sites (best price online):
Amazon (Best Price + FREE Shipping)
Do check out the related lens review post below if you want to explore your options further.
Thanks for reading my Sony 50mm Macro review, hope you’ve enjoyed it and I will catch you in the next one!
| Lens Score | |
|---|---|
| Optical Quality | |
| Build Quality | |
| Value for Money | |
| Overall | |
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