LensTip.com

Autofocus

The producer boasts of the fact that four linear extreme dynamic (XD) motors and floating focus system in the lens are supposed to ensure a silent and responsive performance. What's more, this system is supposed to be in accordance with the Sony α9 III allowing you to shoot photos as fast as up to 120 fps with full tracking.

During our test the autofocus of the Sony lens joined with both the Sony A7R IIIa and the Sony A7R V cameras was completely noiseless. Its speed was a tad higher at the 50 mm focal length than at the 150 mm and it's an interesting thing because at the shorter end of the focal spectrum the mechanism has a greater range to cover. At 50 mm running through the whole distance range and confirming the focus takes typically 0.3-0.5 of a second and at 150 mm this time extends to 0.4-0.7 of a second. These are sensible values, allowing you very comfortable work.

When it comes to accuracy, both in our studio and outside, the Sony FE 50-150 mm f/2 GM performed as it befits a premium journalistic lens, practically without any misses and waverings. In this area the lens's performance we find blameless.

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We also didn't notice any distinct front or back focus tendencies.

A7R IIIa, 50 mm, f/2.0

A7R IIIa, 100 mm, f/2.0

A7R IIIa, 150 mm, f/2.0

A7R V, 50 mm, f/2.0

A7R V, 100 mm, f/2.0

A7R V, 150 mm, f/2.0

Focus breathing

Focus breathing tests show reframing images as you oversharp them. We conduct the test by manually passing from the minimum focusing distance to infinity with the aperture stopped down; then we check how the field of view of the lens changed as a result.

A frame change ranging from 0 to 5% we consider to be low. Between 5 and 10% you can speak about medium levels. Usually such values constitute also the maximum efficiency level of any breathing compensation algorithms, present in some bodies. Between 10 and 15% focus breathing is high, above 15% its level can be called very high.

The test video of the Sony lens is shown below:

On the basis of the recording above, comparing freeze-frames before and after oversharpening, we can estimate that the breathing of the tested lens amounts to about 1.5 % and is, within the margin of error, zero at 50 mm. This aberration is corrected in a very good way and shouldn't be a problem for the prospective users of this zoom.