SOAB9 SEL50F14Z
Delivering a classic widescreen look, this 50mm T2.1 anamorphic lens produces natural horizontal flares and signature oval bokeh on full-frame Sony E-mount cameras. Its ultralightweight, weather-sealed build and selectable autofocus make it practical for fast-paced gimbal and drone work where manual cine lenses are cumbersome. This lens is best for solo video shooters and cinematographers needing an affordable, compact anamorphic option for run-and-gun projects.
Snapshot
The 30-Second Version
Price shot up 56% while the score tanked to 53. Newer, cheaper competitors from Sigma, Tamron, and Nikon have left this lens in the dust. Don't buy it.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
- Massive 56% price increase with no performance gain
- Overall score dropped 20 points to 53
- Outclassed by newer Sigma and Tamron superzooms
- No longer competitive on value or image quality
What owners think
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
- Q4 2019100/100
Buyers praise this lens as a versatile 50mm prime with macro capability, excelling in portraits, street scenes, and weddings.
- Versatile 2-in-1 prime and macro lens
- Fast autofocus and subject tracking with a7rIV
- Excellent for street, portrait, and wedding photography
- Macro capability adds creative closeup shots
- Q2 201885/100
Buyers praised the lens for sharpness, macro performance, and portability, but noted slow macro autofocus and advised avoiding AF-C mode.
- Excellent sharpness and resolution for macro photography.
- Versatile as both a macro and standard lens.
- Macro autofocus is slow and hunts, especially in AF-C mode.
- Autofocus performance varies; phase-detect works, but contrast-detect is slow.
Based on 26 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | Prime |
| Focal Length Min | 50 |
| Focal Length Max | 50 |
| Elements | 14 |
| Groups | 11 |
| Aspherical Elements | 2 |
| ED Elements | 1 |
| Coating | Nano AR Coating II |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/16 |
| Min Aperture | f/1.4 |
| Constant | Yes |
| Diaphragm Blades | 11 |
Build
| Mount | Sony E |
| Format | full-frame |
| Weather Sealed | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 kg / 1.1 lbs |
| Filter Thread | 67 |
AF & Stabilization
| AF Type | XD Linear AF Motors |
| Stabilization | No |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 410 |
| Max Magnification | 0.16x |
vs Competition
The competitive landscape has shifted dramatically. The Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS now sets the standard for superzoom versatility with better stabilization and sharpness. Tamron's 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD delivers faster, quieter autofocus and superior weather sealing. Even Nikon's Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR, despite its slower aperture, offers a more useful range for wildlife and travel. The Panasonic Leica 50-200mm and Canon 18-135mm round out a top five that all outperform this lens in either sharpness, build, or value. This product has been pushed out of the conversation entirely.
| Spec | Sony G Master SEL50F14GM 50mm | Nikon NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8 | Tamron Di III 28-75mm f/2.8 VXD G2 | Sigma Contemporary 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN | Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12060 | Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 50mm | 17-28mm | 28-75mm | 10-18mm | 12-60mm | 28-70mm |
| Max Aperture | f/16 | f/2.8 | f/2.8 | f/2.8 | f/2.8 | f/22 |
| Mount | Sony E | Nikon Z | Sony E | Sony E | Micro Four Thirds | Canon RF |
| Stabilization | false | false | false | false | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weight (g) | 516 | 450 | 540 | 260 | 320 | 495 |
| AF Type | XD Linear AF Motors | Stepping Motor | VXD | Autofocus | linear motor | STM |
| Lens Type | prime | zoom | zoom | zoom | zoom | zoom |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | AF | Bokeh | Build | Macro | Optical | Aperture | User Sentiment | Versatility | Social Proof | Stabilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony G Master SEL50F14GM 50mm | 54.6 | 48.1 | 68.5 | 31.5 | 78.8 | 45.8 | 63.3 | 33.6 | 87.9 | 38 |
| Nikon NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Compare | 87 | 88.1 | 73.6 | 86.3 | 87 | 85.8 | 90.8 | 68.1 | 64.6 | 38 |
| Tamron Di III 28-75mm f/2.8 VXD G2 Compare | 54.6 | 88.1 | 67.2 | 87.3 | 87.8 | 85.8 | 80.4 | 78.2 | 83.1 | 38 |
| Sigma Contemporary 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN Compare | 54.6 | 83.5 | 87.3 | 93.3 | 81.6 | 85.8 | 80.4 | 69.1 | 68.8 | 38 |
| Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12060 Compare | 98 | 88.1 | 83.1 | 50.4 | 90.2 | 85.8 | 44.2 | 93.1 | 63.5 | 83.2 |
| Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM Compare | 87 | 25.9 | 70.2 | 80.4 | 85 | 22.6 | 98.1 | 77.2 | 87.9 | 98.5 |
Price
Value & Pricing
At $698 to $265,899, this lens has jumped into a pricing bracket that's tough to justify. The 56% price hike lands hard when the overall score has slipped to 53. You're now paying significantly more for a product that objectively performs worse against its peers. Unless you have a very specific, non-negotiable use case that only this lens solves, the value proposition has evaporated. There are sharper, more versatile options from Sigma and Tamron that deliver better results for less money.
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Verdict
A steep price increase paired with a 20-point score drop makes this a hard pass for most people. The new competitive field, led by the Sigma 16-300mm and Tamron 18-300mm, offers better optics and more practical zoom ranges at friendlier prices. This lens now feels like a relic that got more expensive instead of better. Skip it unless you're locked into a system with no alternatives.
