The Japanese blog Egami found a new Sony patent that describes the characteristics for two new standard lenses. A new 50mm f/1.2 and a new 50mm f/1.4 fullframe lens. Those are the specs:
- Patent Publication No. 2011-107450
- Published 2011.6.2
- Filled 2009.11.18
- Embodiment 1
- Focal distance f=49.98mm
- Fno=1.442
- Half angle of view 23.73 deg.
- Asph. 1
- Embodiment 2
- Focal distance f=51.54mm
- Fno=1.443
- Half angle of view 23.17 deg.
- Asph. 0
- Embodiment 4
- Focal distance f=51.55mm
- Fno=1.233
- Half angle of view 23.02 deg.
- Asph. 1
I guess that those would be welcomed updated of the current 50mm f/1.4 from Sony. Check the specs and price of that lens by clicking those direct links: [shopcountry 7134]. A new and well praised alternative is the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 which you can get at [shopcountry 6765].
64 Responses
Ahhh finally…. Let’s hope so. Now all I would want is a 17mm tilt-shit. Then there’s no need to switch any longer.
Y’know, Canon do a 17mm T/S 😉
Hell.. If it turns true it means Sony is aiming at the big guys.. 😀
Yeah!
C’mon Sony! Kick an a*** of my beloved Canon (who rested on his past laurels…)
50mm f/1.2?
HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!
C’mon, Go SONY, BUILD THIS!!!!
And 50mm could go for the e-mount as someone suggested – this would be very very good move from Sony, especially after seeing the Samsung lens roadmap for their NX system.
Though seeing both of these next to each other I guess that they both are made for the A-mount.
One will replace current 50mm f/1.4 (mid-range lens) and another will be new, high-end 50mm lens. Which is very good idea from Sony side IMO – that’s right now what Sony is missing most, the complete, 3-level system with cheap plastics (SAM, small f-number), average lenses(missing! good f-number (constant aperture zooms, etc.), good build) and high-end (G/Zeiss: SSM, very good build, very good f-number, very expensive).
thats good news for sony users. nikon had there 50/1.2 patent for a while, yet nth ever came out…
25mm f0.95 pls!
it’ll be wasted effort without ssm. 35mm 1.4 ssm please.
These are 50mm lenses.
yep i know. i’m hoping for a 35mm replacement too.
You don’t like the minolta/Sony 35/1.4 ? :S
minolta 35/1.4 not production anymore while they are really hard to find it 🙂
These ones really have to be SSM. It must be like that 😀
Seeing as the last higher end prime they did (24/2) was SSM I think it’s safe to assume atleast one of these will be SSM. However, as one is 1.4 and one is 1.2 I speculate that one could be (1.4) a cheaper ‘easy choice’/SAM lens again, but I could easily be wrong. If it’s a new 1.2 and it’s Zeiss or G, it’s autofocus AND SSM… that’s going to cost a good amount of money, most probably well out of my range, so hopefully neither will be ‘easy choice’.
Yep, I guess f/1.4 will be or SSM or screwdrive, through looking at recent events: Sony won’t release screwdrive average-class lens… likely they’ll put SAM crap in it :/
If so than I hope at least it’s gonna be build well. Not like other SAM lenses.
Sony, I only have one request: DO NOT MAKE IT SAM.
I think it’s only right that the new 50mms of Sony have an Asph element. Nikon just released a 50mm with one.
Why you’d care any if it’ll have Asph element or not if the corner quality of the lens is fine? You use these if you can’t handle the corner sharpness in other ways, not because it gives you any additional “scores”.
Besides that – Sony 18-70mm kit lens got both: Aspheric and ED glass – did the lens was superb because of this? Not really.
ERGO: I don’t care if they’ll put Aspherical glass in it or not.
So assume that the corners will be fine. What about improving them?
An aspheric and ED glass is not the be all end all of lens quality, duh. But I think we can agree that it should help if it is there.
I respect the fact that you don’t care, but respect the fact that others do care.
Nice, 50/1.4 needs replacement, it’s too old design.
Yes it is old design, yet it has a new coating which make it overall best on its class.
Sharp enough where it matters for a 50mm portrait lens and the best bokhe of the 1.4 lenses.
Tons of coma, though.
Yes, I own both Minolta 50mm f1.4 and the Sony rebadge of it.
Both sharp as a tack on-center and good for a cropped body but not FF
Both of the old 50mm are not useable at f1.4 and soft in corners on my FF a850
Sony needs two 50mm f1.4 lenses in thier catalog as someone that struggles to afford to purchase a A55 is not interested in spending $1,300 for a lens. Others, who can or need pro consumer or professional camera like a A77 and aqbove do need and are willing to spend over a thousand dollars for a fast, sharp prime lens to get the most from the sensor on the better camera.
Of course, if Sony can make one 50mm f1.4 or faster that is sharper corner-to-corner than anyone else and sell it for only $500.00 please do!
that is what the 50mm f/1.8 is for 🙂 though a 50mm f/1.4 would sell so they probably won’t let it go, and they might add the 50mm f/1.2 which should have bewitching bokeh or don’t even bother with it, sharpness at f/1.2 would be as important if bokeh is nice.
Maybe zeiss 1.2 AF and the zeiss 1.4mf?
for E-mount or A-mount ??
50/1.4 G SSM for $449.00 and for the faint of heart with thick(er) wallets even after the A77 + VG + Batteries + New CF Card damages, the 50/1.2 CZ SSM for $1399.00
There is no way that Sony would re-release the 50mm 1.4 as a “G” or “Zeiss” without an SSM AF motor…pure foolishness if they don’t. Imagine the extreme low-light capability of the high ISO A77 with the 50mm/1.2 up front!!! Add that to the quieter shooting/focus you would attain and I’m quite excited.
Sony is top-notch patenting optical technology but hasn’t proven to be interested in shipping lenses.
Let’s just hope somehow these drawings show-up on soon on retailers’ shelves and the speed and sharpness of these lenses are such that people purchase a Sony camera instead of Canon or Nikon
It’s these sales, and the momentum of the product that will then keep Sony interested and we will continue to get the photographic gear we all want
I love the rumors, they keep me hopeful that I didn’t make a mistake not jumping ship several years back after several decades working on and off as a professional photographer shooting with Minolta gear.
Rather unusual double gauss variants there. Normally fast gauss lenses for SLRs will use additional condensing lenses near the exit pupil to increase light transmission, but these have additional objective elements instead, having more in common with a fast medium wide angle. I’m not sure why they chose to do that…perhaps to bring the rear nodal point forward to reduce vignetting? It will likely come at the cost of more barrel distortion, though, and the field curvature graphs aren’t exactly class leading.
The lenses are both optimised for infinity, and the f1.2 design looks like it won’t be the greatest at macro distances. Impressive spherical aberration correction from the 1.4 design wide open (although I personally don’t mind a little bit of SA, as it gives the picture an appealing ‘glow’, the 1.2 looks more to my liking). Centre acuity at wide apertures should be good near infinity, so it’s well suited to available light photography. Usage as an APS portrait lens is harder to call.
Sadly, they didn’t include the astigmatism graphs, so I can’t make any predictions about bokeh.
Anyway, they look like nice lenses overall, but will have optical characteristics more like a slightly wider lens than a typical 50mm design. I’d expect achieving good corner sharpness will be harder with a design like this than a more symmetrical design, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible by any stretch.
If the 50/1.2 makes it to market and lives up to it’s promises, my SAL50F14 will be for sale. Ball’s in your court, Sony.
Yes Carl but you know what we will be giving up, giving up literally keeping a 50mm f1.4 in a coat pocket.
My Minolta (1986) has 49mm filter threads and is unbelievably light weight.
I would expect this new lens if it ever ships to use a 72 or 77mm filter and be much heavier and not as easy to carry in a pocket. Although I have been known to have my CZ 24-70 f2.8 on my camera and my CZ 135 f1.8 in my coat pocket 🙂
You could of course keep using your Minolta. Until the day Sony stops putting a screw drive into its cameras, it’ll keep on delivering the goods.
Better corrected lenses tend to be bigger, but I can’t see Sony making a 50mm lens of similar dimensions to the Sigma somehow. I’d expect a 50/1.4 to have 55mm threads (but an objective element more in line with the Minolta 35/1.4’s, rather than the tiny one in the Minoltas and current Sony), and assumedly a 50/1.2 would be bigger with 62mm or 72mm threads, and heavier with primarily metal construction.
Tiny 50/1.2s can be done, though. Olympus made one for their OM system that had 49mm filter threads.
Lets hope there will be a 50/1.4 for eMount. Would be cool for portraits on the NEX and lets not forget Sonys video-cams in eMount!
Hope your correct about Sony not doing a Sigma with a big front element. Would like to replace my Minolta 50mm f1.4 with Something I really feel confident using wide open.
Right now, I only use my 50mm f1.4 on a bright sunny day shooting street were corners are not as important.
I look much less like a professional photographer with a small front element and attract less suspicion.
Maybe I’ll pickup the NEX-7 when it ships
We want The Lens, not patents…
damm shit, i just buy sigma 50mm f1.4 yesterday n don’t know about this news rumour.. n the bad thing is my new lens have a shift focus n i would return it again to get repair.. if i have a passion to wait sony new lens 50mm prime it would be great.. T________T
Don’t worry, these are just drawings… a long time before you’ll be able to buy one off the shelf.
Yes Sony!! They’re finally going after Nikon and Canon with more than a damp towel! A77 and later A99 iso performance and a stabalised 1.2 prime, that combo doesn’t even exist in the Canikon camp!
Hello shooting in the dark!!
Patent was Filled 2009.11.18 and I would bet that the Sony design team was ready with this well before then.
It’s now 2011, more than enough time to be ready for production.
Maybe one of the fives new lenses rumored to be announced this year.
The 500/4 was designed in 2005, wasn’t it? Lenses take several years to come to market.
According to a vid i saw FROM Zeiss(sorry I cant seem to find) it takes on AVERAGE 2 years from concept to design to production.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlM9_Ff8j3M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlM9_Ff8j3M
i think this new 50mm cz will pair perfectly on new FF a9x as a ‘kit’ lens to delivery high image quality from that FF camera 😀 i really can’t wait for that, after this lens appear i will buy it for sure 😀
1.2 and 1.4?? seems the different is not that big.. how about 1.0? :p
the difference between 1.2 and 1.4 is HALF stop
f1.0 can be done, but it wont be sharp. Even Noctilux isnt exactly sharp at 1.0 and thats Leica. I think that 1.2 is good compromise and if you look at Canon lens (or old Nikons) it works quite well.
I agree, 1.2 is the perfect compromise in speed, and as fast as you want to go really. The Rokkor 58/1.2 actually gives great detail at 1.2 so certainly doesn’t give up much, although it’s clearly larger/heavier than a regular 50!
I’ve seen quite a number of shots taken with the Canon 50/1.0 that I’ve found to look wonderful.
I think the reason a lot of Noctilux shots are lacking is that Leica’s rangefinder baselength isn’t long enough to properly focus such fast lenses. That, and people who buy Leica’s as status symbols, rather than because they’re skilled photographers.
So these lenses have concave front elements? Wasn’t there another Sony patent for a 30mm e-mount lens that also had a concave front element?
Both lenses seem to have the same nmbr of elements and groups.
In that sense is is hard to understande the rationale for these to.
Costwise the should be nore or less equal
Also if the set up is the same, why does the performance figures differ?
It doesn’t make complete sense.
/E
The designs are not the same, just based on a similar concept. The 1.2 design will require tighter tolerances and higher index glass, so will be more expensive.
These may be nex lenses
That will be impressive
hello gals&guys, pls remember filed patent documents never ever show a realizeable product. The shown construction looks like a moderate wide angle as Carl posted beforehand. That are not real 50mm constructions! They will have characteristics similar to the 35/1.4G: sharp in the center, but ugly field curvature and low mid field or corner performance. Without the aspherical element corner sharpness will be very low, and with it other problems arise. Ok, the 35/1.4G is a very old design from the early days of aspherical elements, but is is still hard to get this done.
The 35G actually has very good corner sharpness (better than the Minolta and Sony 50s) once stopped down to about f/3.5, but my understanding is that it’s not a cheap lens to manufacture so probably has expensive glass and tight tolerances to achieve its results.
Nor was the 35G an especially early aspheric, both Canon and Nikon were experimenting with them in the late 60s. Minolta’s development was in mass producing them using molding and plastic hybrids, which is what gives the 35G and other contemporarous aspherical designs (eg. 28-70G) that ‘onion ring’ effect to their bokeh.
The new optical design is very much cut from the same cloth as the 35G (compare: http://www.dyxum.com/images/Lenses/304/304_2.jpg – take off the first and last elements and it’s very similar), but I can’t see Sony releasing a new 2011/2012 lens with such low contrast wide open. In fact, the 50/1.4 design has very little spherical aberration wide open, so won’t have the 35G’s trademark look, which will appeal to the haters out there, but not to people who think the 35G was one of Minolta’s moments of genius. The 1.2 design seems somewhat more Minolta-like in its properties, but how much so remains to be seen.
A CD-AF “Smooth Trans Focus” lens for NEX would be nice. Start with a physical aperture of f/1.2 and you can afford to lose one stop of light to the apodization element. Please, Sony, please?
For an APS sensor wouldn’t something like 60 or 65mm 1.4 make for a far more useful portrait lens?
I keep saying this. 57mm = ~85mm. 67mm = ~100mm. I dislike using 50’s on APS-C for portraits as they give too much unflattering distortion when you get close. Sigh.
Even on full frame 50mm isn’t the most exciting focal length.
I much prefer 43mm, which has more natural framing in my opinion. That said, I’m not going to buy a Pentax to get it.
An 85 STF would be the ultimate portrait lens on APS-C in my opinion albeit in manual focus.
🙂
Sure, but looking at these diagrams–the register depth doesn’t look deep enough to allow a mirror, which says “E-mount” to me.
The patent looks like it’s more about stacking a wide-angle converter on a medium-telephoto lens (i.e. an 85mm lens?) to realize a fast 50mm design. NEX already has similar stacking accessory elements for NEX in the form of the wide-angle and fish-eye adapters for the SEL-16F28.
The is enough room for the mirror box if the lens is reasonably large. The clearance is about the same length as the sensor is wide, so it’s just a question of whether the lens was designed for full frame or APS, and I’m inclined to go with the former.
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The base lens looks to be a new 85mm design incorporating six elements in five groups and a maximum aperture of f/2.0. A 0.6X wide-angle adapter, using two elements in front of the lens increases the angle of view but preserves the physical size of the aperture (approximately 42mm) in relation to that focal length. Thus, an 85/2 becomes a 50/1.2.
The great thing about a 50mm lens on aps-c is, if you crop to 4:5 ratio for portraiture, it becomes close to an 85mm equivalent.