A new lens – Photography, Images and Cameras

I bought this lens for a few reasons:

I came across some reviews on YouTube, all of which were favorable.
I wanted to see for myself if it was really as good as the reviews suggested.
Although I had a few vintage lenses, I didn’t have a modern 50mm lens for my Sony e-mount cameras.
It was inexpensive (less than $100).

So how did I like the lens:

A solid lens. Well made. Not in the least “plasticky”.
It’s manual focus. This is very subjective. Some people love manual focus, others not so much. I started out using manual focus lenses, so I don’t have a problem with this. Indeed, it can be good as it slows you down and makes you think more about your images. It can also be bad if you’re trying to photograph fast moving subjects.
It vignettes a lot. Again subjective. I rather like vignettes, and in any case the vignette is easy to fix in post-production.
It’s a little soft wide open but is clears up as you stop down.
I’ve read that the lens flares badly, but I was never in a situation where flare would be a problem, so I can’t really comment.
Average minimum focus distance (around two feet).
Pincushion distortion is noticeable but can be fixed in post-production.
Not a lens that will yield great bokeh in any situation, but in many situations, it yields appealing results.
Lateral chromatic aberration is OK except for around the edges and in the corners. Can be corrected in post-production. Longitudinal chromatic aberration is surprisingly good.

It’s a fun lens. I like the colors, it’s sharp enough for my needs and I also like some of its “flaws” (e.g. the vignetting). It has the character of a vintage lens but with superior performance. It’s inexpensive (approx $69), small, light, and provides a pleasant shooting experience akin to lenses from the film era. However, it costs less than a vintage 50mm on eBay and will be less bulky than a vintage lens and its adaptor.

I’m sure there will be those who complain about its inadequate sharpness; its tendency to flare; it’s vignetting; its distortion etc. That’s fine. Let them go for their huge, expensive, close to perfect optically, and, dare I say it, rather soulless lenses. For me I like a little character and for this price you really can’t go wrong.

I’m very pleased with my purchase.