Sony FE 14 mm f/1.8 GM
11. Summary
Pros:
- solid and weather-sealed mechanical construction,
- moderate dimensions and low weight for offered parameters,
- excellent image quality in the frame centre up from the maximum relative aperture,
- good image quality on the edge of the APS-C sensor,
- very good correction of longitudinal chromatic aberration,
- slight lateral chromatic aberration,
- sensible correction of distortion,
- moderate vignetting on the APS-C sensor,
- fast, silent, and accurate autofocus.
Cons:
- resolution on the edge of full frame could have been a tad better,
- high vignetting on full frame,
- too high coma,
- significant astigmatism,
- you cannot attach classic filters.
Of course it doesn't mean we are going to carp only. Optics specialists who constructed the Sony FE 14 mm f/1.8 GM tried to combine unique parameters, relatively small dimensions, and low weight – the result is, I admit, very impressive.
To be honest, during the Sony press conference I just couldn't get over the fact that the organizers were comparing a lens weighing just 460 grams and the huge Sigma. The weight and physical dimensions of the Sony wouldn't be anything surprising if they concerned an f/2.8 lens. Still the Sony is as fast as f/1.8.
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It's nothing strange that lens had to feature some compromises so a cons list consisting of more than one point doesn't bother us at all. After all images in the frame centre are excellent, they remain good on the edge of the APS-C sensor, and on the edge of full frame they present themselves better than similar images produced by the much heavier and bigger Sigma. The Sony should be praised just for achieving that much because it's no mean feat.
I admit that, for me personally, the coma slip-up was the most painful one. Hearing the announcements concerning coma during the press conference I expected a very good performance in that category. However, even taking that flaw into account, we still assess the Sony very highly indeed.
