The Sony 55mm F/1.8 Lens Review

Honest Thoughts

Over the years, Sony has released plenty of great lenses for FE mount. Among the first was the Sony 55mm f/1.8, released in 2013. Despite its age, the Sony 55mm f/1.8 has proven to be the most reliable lens in my video kit. It's compact, lightweight, and extraordinarily sharp. It's a true workhorse that consistently delivers stunning results. In this review, I'll focus on using this lens for videography rather than photography.

First off, I love how small and compact this lens is. The build quality feels robust due to its all-metal exterior. Although this lens is made of metal, it weighs a little under 10 oz and is relatively short at 2.78" long. It's small but certainly packs a punch. Perfect for those on-the-go shoots when you need gear that can keep up without weighing you down. This lens is so easy to travel with because of its size and weight; I can always find room to take it with me in my camera bag. It's also dust and moisture-resistant, which makes me feel better about taking it traveling or using it on outdoor shoots.

Insane Sharpness

This lens features a ribbed metal focus ring on the barrel, allowing you to focus by wire. I don't recommend this lens to those primarily shooting using manual focus. Like other focus-by-wire lenses, the Sony 55mm can be challenging because the focus ring doesn't directly correspond to the focusing distance. I personally don't use manual focus much in my videography due to the nature of my videos, so this isn't an issue for me. If anything, this lens works very well paired with my Sony a7siii, and the autofocus has always been accurate.

One of this lens's most robust features is its sharpness. It's impressively sharp, even wide open at f/1.8, and only gets better as you stop down. I'm not much of a pixel peeper, but in my experience, there isn't a noticeable loss of sharpness as you look toward the edges of the frame.

I love using this lens for interviews. This focal length is flattering on faces, and the lens's speed allows for good subject separation. You'll need an ND filter to shoot you wide open at f/1.8. I find Variable ND filters, like the Moment 6-9 stop filter, to be beneficial on shoots, as they cut out enough light that I can still shoot wide open in bright sunlight.

Perfect Bokeh

This lens's unique feature is its buttery bokeh, which is why it's my favorite lens to use in tandem with my Moment 1.33x anamorphic adapter. When the adapter is attached to this lens, it becomes the equivalent of a 41.35mm lens. This unique combination allows for a wider field of view while maintaining the same compression you get from the 55mm lens, adding a distinct visual element to your videography.

This lens holds a special spot in my camera bag. It's not just small and lightweight, but it also offers excellent image quality. Its versatility is a standout feature, making it a perfect fit for any videographer's kit, regardless of their shooting style or subject matter.