FIRST LOOK! The SLR Magic 50 1.1 For E-Mount at $349!
I have been checking out a new lens from SLR Magic and it is a 50 1.1 for the Sony FE Mount, and yes, this is a full frame 50 1.1 for $349. It’s metal construction, rangefinder like lens build and smooth manual focus ring make this a pretty great buy at $349. It is not going to be a “perfect” lens wide open but gives a unique character for sure. I have been shooting with one for a few days but I had Andrew at SLR Magic convert mine to Leica M mount. This way I can use it on Leica or Sony (via adapters) but the lens is the same through and through and for the FE mount you are getting a unique lens to add to your kit with gobs of character wide open, and sharpness and snap stopped down to f/2-2.8.
The lens feels great, looks nice and is small. Very well made for the price point for sure. I will have more of this lens in my upcoming Leica SL review..soon!
You can buy the lens at B&H Photo HERE and take a look at a couple sample shots below 😉
Wide open at 1.1 with very careful focusing! Click it for larger.
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Stopped down to f/1.4
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Again at 1.4
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f/2.8 – it sharpens up dramatically here, focusing was on the trees in the mirror
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Here is one at 1.4…
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and now at f/2.8
Steve, when can we expect a full review of this lens? I’d love to see it compared to the voightlander 1.1.
Thank you
Jason
Please, Steve, now you’ve got over the SL review (!), can you give answers to questions and comments here. Would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Just did! Thank you!
Love SLR Magic and their vision of offering quality that outweighs cost.
Another great value quality lens it appears.
In review, comment on if (1) the SLR Magic Anamorphic adapter fits this
Lens. (2) I hate Purple pitch… (3) Shoot in low light movie mode – Please.
Needs to see on a GH4 & Sony full frame. Just sayn what will be greatest
demand & or interest reading review.
Hi Steve, I’m a hobbyist photographer on a budget, I currently own the a6000 with the Zeiss Planar 32 1.8 (got it for 950$, that pair is the best performance for the money), and while I absolutely like it I’m looking for lens that will let me shoot portraits with nice bokeh. I want to see some portraits in the final review (would prefer if you can shoot some at APS-C mode since many people who are looking at this lens have a limited budget and can’t afford a full frame camera), as well as your opinion about how easy it is to nail focus wide open or at f/1.4 Thanks for your hard work and inspiration
I will use it on the A6000, A7RII and Leica SL 😉 I will also have portraits for sure. Thanks for teh suggestions!
Aaron Ashley, of all the words you spent who knows how long typing…the only decent point you made was about how it might be nice to see the emount version on a Sony..that’s it !…
This does not look like a full review nor an infomercial but rather a nice heads up with a few quick shots in Steve’s normal process of reviewing a new piece of equipment for folks who enjoy this web site….
Steve, clearly people who would be interested in a lens like this are pursuing it almost exclusively for wide open performance. Someone looking for a razor sharp 50mm at f2 would be pursuing the 55 1.8, or any number of sharp 50mm for not even much more money. People will be buying a 1.1 lens for one reason – to shoot it at 1.1.
Yet your photos are primarily of it stopped down where every lens ever made is sharp. The single photo you shoot wide open is ambiguous. Is it sharp? it looks moderately sharp, though it also appears that clarity has been boosted a lot which will contribute to an illusion of greater sharpness. What about bokeh quality, or sharpness in centre vs edges. Like even some hints would be of interest to your readership.
How does it compare wide open to the mitakon 50 0.95, or the noctilux or the voight 50 1.1? Yes I know this is a first look with a cheap lens but you could still spend 5 minutes talking about your impression of its quality relative to its hyperprime peers.
I mean I get this is a teaser, but why wouldn’t you focus on the aspects of the lens as people would use it? Personally this article strikes me as an infomercial, focusing on the characteristics that are not a priority in order to put the lens in a better light. Characteristics, 95% of photographer’s don’t care about because its the wide open performance that counts, it is a fact that if that is good by the time you stop down performance will be great. If it sucks wide open stopped down it will still be good.
I get that companies want those initial reviews to be positive to increase pre-release sales figures but ultimately if they didn’t produce a quality lens it will be revealed soon enough, and given that you seem to be tactfully dodging the wide open performance I suspect this lens will be a disappointment, meriting its 350$ price tag.
Given that you converted the lens, it suggests that they gave you a copy as it can’t be purchased yet. To then review it on a leica instead of using it as it was designed really makes me question the veracity and quality of this review.
I will be reviewing this on the Sony A7RII and Leica SL, both bodies that it can be used on easily. This is not a review, not even a hint of a review. Just the lens announcement.
And BTW, this is the same lens as the E mount. Exactly. Just an M mount. That is all.
I’m guessing Steve will find this more of a cut price Speedmaster 50mm f0.95 than a competitor for the Voigt, which is a really excellent optic.
Exactly.
The Voigtlander 50 f1.5 would slay this for overall quality I would suspect.
Yes but it is $800 more as well. This I see more as a Character lens, like a Jupiter on steroids being much better made and with a sharper rendering 🙂
great rendering!
I’ve just compared the lamp shot with the lamp shots in your Sony vs Leica comparison. Pretty interesting, I should say.
Wow. I’m impressed with the sharpness – even wide open. And the OOF rendering looks very nice. I wish there was a non-cine version but, at that price, this lens may be making it’s way into my camera bag. Looking forward to the SL review with this lens!
difficult to have an opinion with these pics, sorry steve
And you shouldn’t! This is not a review at all, just the announcement of the lens and a few quick snaps to show character. I will be reviewing it soon. Thank you!
photo with the lamp: what is this yellowish area on the wall? Photo in the car: the red lights are pink?
FYI this is the big deal part for me (taken from the specs)
“a 13 bladed Iris for a rounded aperture and pleasing Bokeh.”
That looks incredible for $349! Is Andrew willing to convert more to the Leica M mount? (and how much?..)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Not sure but will ask if he will do this for others and let everyone know in my review! Thank you!
Is the modified M-Mount version Rangefinder coupled Steve? I don’t know why manufacturers like Samyang don’t default to a ‘mirrorless universal’ mount by making a M-Mount version. Samyang’s mirrorless lenses would be awesome for this especially those of us who use multiple systems / formats.
It is RF coupled 🙂
Oh most excellent news! I just wasn’t sure if you were talking the SL when you said Leica or LV or something. I will have to wait to check out your review.
this is amazing ! Which one between this little marvel and a Voigtlander Nokton F/1.5 would you take for a Sony A7 II ? of course the Notation is much more expensive, but still, I’m asking the question because this lens seems to be fantastic !
Well, the Voigtlander is a much better lens and competes with a Summilux 50 ASPH. The SLR Magic is more like a souped up Jupiter lens. This lens is tricky but WELL WORTH the $349…and the Voigtlander is well worth the cost that it goes for.
That’s impressive!
Very fascinating wide open actually, though of course I take the point about sharpness. If I understand it rightly an e.mount is an e-mount whether FF or APS.C? So this could work as a 75mm on a NEX6? Or have I misunderstood?