The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 50mm F1.8 and the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II is the longer of the two lenses at 89mm. The Sony FE 50mm F1.8 with a length of 60mm, is 29mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Sony FE 50mm F1.8's 69mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Sony FE 50mm F1.8 and Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sony FE 50mm F1.8 weighs 186g, which means it is 234g (55%) lighter than the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II which has a weight of 420g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Prime Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 50mm F1.8 has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 50mm F1.8:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony FE 50mm F1.8 and the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
50mm but while Sony FE 50mm F1.8 has the fastest aperture of
F1.8, the Samyang 50mm F1.4 FE II's widest aperture value is
F1.4.