Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA vs Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA
Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA vs Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA
When comparing Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA and Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA, which one is better?
1. Lens Weight Comparison
Regarding the weight of the lenses, Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA is the winner with a weight of 281 g compared to the 778 g that Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA weighs.
Winner: Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA
Regarding weight: The weight of a lens is something you need to consider, since you have to carry it around on the camera as long as you're shooting. It adds to the total weight of your camera and it's important to keep the weight low if you get tired in your arms when taking photographs or filming.
2. Lens Mount Comparison
These two lenses use the same lens mount, the Sony E. This means that both lenses are compatible with cameras that use this mount.
Winner: Tied
Regarding lens mount: Popular lens mounts are Canon RF and EF, Micro Four Thirds and Nikon Z. Different lens mounts lets you connect different lenses to camera bodies, but some might not be compatible. This can be helped by using an adapter, like a Canon EF to RF adapter.
3. Largest Aperture Comparison
The Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA has the largest aperture of the two lenses at 1.4 compared to the 1.8 aperture of Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA. This means that you get more light to your sensor using Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA wide open, and therefore it might be a better lens in dark situations.
Winner: Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA
Regarding largest aperture: A lower aperture number means that the widest aperture on the lens is larger. This means that more light will hit the sensor and also that the depth of field will be shallower, better separating your subject from the background.
4. Anamorphic Comparison
Neither Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA or Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA are anamorphic lenses.
Winner: Tied — Neither have this feature
Regarding anamorphic: Anamorphic lenses are usually used on cinema cameras and squeezes the image when its recorded, which gives the final, stretched out, image oval bokeh and a different angle of view. The most common lenses, however, are not anamorphic but spherical, which gives a spherical bokeh and is a much cheaper lens design.
5. Focus Distance Comparison
Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA features a minimum focus distance of 45 cm while Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA has a minimum focus distance of 50 cm. Depending on your shooting style, the Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA might be a better choice.
Winner: Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA
Regarding minimum focus distance: The minimum focus distance of a lens is the smallest distance from the lens to the subject you want to be in focus; subjects closer than the lens' minimum focus distance will not be in focus. Whether or not this is important to you is up for you to decide, but some want to take close photos and videos and in those cases it's important to have a lens with a low minimum focus distance.
6. Lens Type Comparison
Both lenses are Prime lenses, which means that you can choose both Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA or Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA if you're looking for that type of lens.
Winner: Tied
Regarding type: There are two types of lenses; zoom lenses and prime lenses. Prime lenses have a fixed focal length and cannot be zoomed, while zoom lenses have a focal length range and can be zoomed in to get closer to the subject. Prime lenses are usually lighter, cheaper and let in more light. Zoom lenses are more versatile but are more expensive since they require a more advanced lens design.
7. Aperture Blade Comparison
Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA has 11 aperture blades, which makes it possible to have smoother bokeh than with the Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA that has 9 aperture blades.
Winner: Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA
Regarding aperture blades: The number of aperture blades makes a difference because the bokeh is smoother the more aperture blades the lens has. Of course, this does not mean the lens is better in other regards, but it can be an interesting aspect when deciding of a lens.
Specifications
Full specifications table of Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA and Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA:
| Zeiss Sonnar T* E 55 mm f1,8 ZA | Zeiss Planar T* FE 50mm F1.4 ZA | |
 |  | |
| Brand | Zeiss | Zeiss |
| Weight | 281 g | 778 g |
| Lens Mount | Sony E | Sony E |
| Focal Length | 55 mm | 50 mm |
| Largest Aperture | 1.8 | 1.4 |
| Anamorphic | No | No |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 50 cm | 45 cm |
| Type | Prime | Prime |
| Aperture Range | Missing | 1.4 - 16 |
| Filter Thread Diameter | Missing | 72 |
| Lens Front Diameter (Not Filter Thread) | 49 mm | 83.5 mm |
| Aperture Blades | 9 | 11 |
| Lens Groups | Missing | 9 |
| Lens Elements | Missing | 12 |
| Image Stabilization | Missing | No |
| Autofocus | Missing | Evet |