Well I did the Big Bronco test against 4 lenses. We will start with the corner test first than onto center test and than vignetting, rendering and bokeh. I will load these up in a series . Lets start with corners
lens tested
New 50mm 1.4
Loxia 50mm
GM 24-70- at 49mm
GM 85mm at the proper distance back for full frame 50 view
Well, the new 50 is super sharp in the corners and has excellent sharpness even from f/1.4. The Loxia catches up but not fully until f/5.6 and maybe not even then. The GM lenses have great resolution but not quite as much wide open until f/2.8 or so and they never have the contrast of the Zeiss lenses, so to my eye the Zeiss lenses win for apparent sharpness. All they lenses are excellent really. I can see for people who don't care about size that the 85 GM for portraits and the 50 ZA for everything else would lead to pretty hard to beat IQ all around.
Steve Spencer wrote:
I can see for people who don't care about size that the 85 GM for portraits and the 50 ZA for everything else would lead to pretty hard to beat IQ all around.
Steve Spencer wrote:
Well, the new 50 is super sharp in the corners and has excellent sharpness even from f/1.4. The Loxia catches up but not fully until f/5.6 and maybe not even then. The GM lenses have great resolution but not quite as much wide open until f/2.8 or so and they never have the contrast of the Zeiss lenses, so to my eye the Zeiss lenses win for apparent sharpness. All they lenses are excellent really. I can see for people who don't care about size that the 85 GM for portraits and the 50 ZA for everything else would lead to pretty hard to beat IQ all around....Show more →
Well said. These are all 4 really good lenses. The question you have to ask yourself is how fast you need to be for the corners. Like the 85 and 50 they are extremely good wide open or stopped down a bit and the GM zoom is hitting it at F4 and 5.6 and the Loxia is really F8. Now they all render very closely too. The 50 has no CA at all that I can see the 85 its there until F2. How important is that for folks. Making a case for the 50, 85 and zoom and sell the Loxia it has become redundant to me. The 50 from my seat is the sharpest lens in the Sony/Zeiss or whatever lens t=you want to throw at it. Its a keeper for me
Guy,
The 50/1.4 ZA is superb center and extreme edges starting at f/2 at infinity as well. It's similar to what I see with the 85GM. The difference is higher micro-contrast for the 50/1.4 ZA which gives it an edge on sharpness perception.
However I see some mid-field weakness when comparing it to the 55/1.8 and Loxia 50/2. Did you check the mid-field? I will dig some crops from my infinity tests.
The Loxia can't really compete wide-open, except for the center area. It's strength is after f/6.3 for sharpness across the field.
