Sony FE SEL50F18F/2 50mm

★★★★★ 4.6 (8,140)

Delivering a 75mm equivalent portrait perspective on APS-C bodies, this compact 202g lens pairs a bright f/1.8 aperture with built-in Optical SteadyShot stabilization for 4 stops of shake reduction. Its lightweight build and smooth, quiet autofocus make it a discreet and affordable option for everyday shooting. This lens is best for travel and portrait photographers using Sony E-mount crop-sensor cameras who want sharp, stabilized images in a highly portable package.

Focal length 50mm
Aperture f/22
Mount Sony E
stabilization Yes
Weather Sealed Yes
Weight 202 g
af type Autofocus
lens type prime
Sony FE SEL50F18F/2 50mm lens
57 Overall Score
Also available in:

Snapshot

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Strong stabilization (92nd percentile) 92nd
  • Strong build (91st percentile) 91st
  • Strong social proof (83rd percentile) 83rd

Cons

  • Below average bokeh (16th percentile)
  • Below average aperture (24th percentile)
  • Below average macro (25th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

What owners think

How owner sentiment changed over time

Exclusive

Based on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.

Owner sentiment has held steady over time
1★2★3★4★5★Q1 '17: 5.0★ · 3 reviewsQ2 '17: 4.9★ · 8 reviewsQ3 '17: 4.8★ · 6 reviewsQ4 '17: 4.5★ · 4 reviewsQ1 '18: 5.0★ · 7 reviewsQ2 '18: 4.8★ · 4 reviewsQ3 '18: 4.7★ · 6 reviewsQ4 '18: 4.7★ · 6 reviewsQ1 '19: 4.8★ · 13 reviewsQ2 '19: 4.3★ · 16 reviewsQ3 '19: 4.3★ · 15 reviewsQ4 '19: 4.6★ · 7 reviewsQ1 '20: 4.4★ · 5 reviewsQ2 '20: 4.8★ · 4 reviewsQ3 '20: 4.9★ · 8 reviewsQ4 '20: 4.7★ · 9 reviewsQ1 '21: 4.6★ · 15 reviewsQ2 '21: 4.7★ · 9 reviewsQ3 '21: 5.0★ · 5 reviewsQ4 '21: 5.0★ · 7 reviewsQ1 '22: 4.8★ · 4 reviewsQ2 '22: 5.0★ · 2 reviewsQ3 '22: 5.0★ · 5 reviewsQ4 '22: 5.0★ · 3 reviewsQ1 '23: 4.7★ · 3 reviewsQ3 '23: 4.7★ · 8 reviewsQ4 '23: 5.0★ · 2 reviewsQ2 '24: 4.0★ · 1 reviewQ3 '24: 5.0★ · 3 reviewsQ1 '25: 5.0★ · 5 reviewsQ1 '26: 4.8★ · 16 reviewsQ2 '26: 5.0★ · 3 reviews3864746613161575489159574253382133524163Q1 '17Q4 '17Q3 '18Q2 '19Q1 '20Q4 '20Q3 '21Q2 '22Q1 '23Q2 '24Q1 '25Q1 '26Q2 '26
Avg ratingHappy (4-5★)Unhappy (1-2★)Bar height = number of reviews

Based on 221 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.

The proof

Performance

Performance Percentiles

AF 54.7
Bokeh 15.7
Build 90.7
Macro 25
Optical 38.7
Aperture 24.2
Versatility 34
Social Proof 83
Stabilization 92.2

Specifications

Full Specifications

Optics

Type Prime
Focal Length Min 50
Focal Length Max 50
Elements 9
Groups 8
Aspherical Elements 1

Aperture

Max Aperture f/22
Min Aperture f/1.8
Constant Yes
Diaphragm Blades 7

Build

Mount Sony E
Format full-frame
Weather Sealed Yes
Weight 0.2 kg / 0.4 lbs
Filter Thread 49

AF & Stabilization

AF Type Autofocus
Stabilization Yes
Stabilization Stops 4

Focus

Min Focus Distance 390
Max Magnification 0.16x

vs Competition

Spec Sony FE SEL50F18F/2 50mm Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM Panasonic LUMIX S S-R28200 Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
Focal Length 50mm 16-300mm 18-300mm 28-70mm 28-200mm 16-85mm
Max Aperture f/22 f/3.5 f/3.5 f/2.8 f/4 f/3.5
Mount Sony E Sony E Fujifilm X Canon RF L-Mount Nikon F
Stabilization true true true true true true
Weather Sealed true true false true true false
Weight (g) 202 615 92 495 413 59
AF Type Autofocus HLA VXD linear motor STM Autofocus AF-S
Lens Type prime zoom zoom zoom macro zoom
Compare Compare Compare Compare Compare
Product AFBokehBuildMacroOpticalApertureVersatilitySocial ProofStabilization
Sony FE SEL50F18F/2 50mm 54.715.790.72538.724.2348392.2
Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Compare 54.784.357.986.598.87799.68399.1
Tamron Di III 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD Compare 98.17596.388.473.57799.28380.5
Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM Compare 85.586.267.277.484.483.877.48898.2
Panasonic LUMIX S S-R28200 Compare 54.777.973.989.590.971.595.775.399.4
Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Compare 54.77598.459.864.17794.38892.2

Usage Scores

Macro (39.4)Overall (56.6)Budget (54.8)Street (52.6)Travel (64.9)Portrait (41.3)Landscape (53.3)Professional (52.4)Video Cinema (52.2)Wildlife Sports (58.1)

A full written review is coming soon. The specs, scores, prices and charts above are always up to date.

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