Our verdict

WITH the AF 50mm F1.4 FE, Samyang has provided an interesting alternative to Sony’s own options. Compared to the FE 50mm f/2.8 macro, FE 50mm f/1.8 and FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA it’s much larger and heavier, but in return it gathers more light and gives extra scope for experimenting with shallow depth of field. Indeed in this respect it matches the FE 50mm f/1.4 GM for a third of the price, and while it can’t quite compete with that lens’s near-flawless optics, it’s still more than capable of producing very attractive images.

Indeed aside from its bulk, my only real concern about the Samyang is its slightly slow and occasionally unreliable autofocus, which means that users needing fast responses would likely be better off with the Sony FE 55mm f/1.4 ZA. That aside, the Samyang AF 50mm F1.4 FE is a great choice for Alpha 7-series users who want a modern fast autofocus prime but can’t justify the price of Sony’s equivalent.