The big new 50mm lens battle: Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 FE versus Samyang 50mm f/1.4 FE (with a surprising conclusion!)

New Zeiss 50mm FE versus the new Samyang-Rokinon 50mm FE autofocus lens. Image by Bruno Labarbère

LesNumeriques (Click here) posted a comparison review between the new Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 Planar and the Samyang-Rokinon 50mm f/1.4 FE autofocus lens. And the result seems to be quite strange as according to their tests the Samyang has a better sharpness performance:

and…

The google translated text from the original French article says:

“From the outset, hot, first finding emerges: in all openings, the Samyang leading the debate, with a center always has a better resolving power. The maximum dive is for both goals achieved at f / 8, but again, be it in the center, on the outskirts or in the corners, the Sony lets himself be dominated. Also, on our first tests, vignetting of Planar seems more marked us, which is not necessarily aesthetically unpleasant. Intuition specify when our field tests.”

I am not sure but I think they maybe got a wrong calibrated lens sample from Sony? I find it almost impossible the Samyang can be better than the new Zeiss! Also because just recently Lensrentals said about the Zeiss 50mm FE that “the center sharpness in particular is unheard of in a 50mm lens“. So please take the Lesnumeriques test results with a grain of salt….

Samyang 50mm f/1.4 FE autofocus lens is now available for preorder through BHphoto.
Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 FE Planar preorders at BHphoto, Amazon, Focuscamera. Calumet.de. Cyberport.de. PhotoPorst. Jessops. WexUK.

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All new Sony FE lenses and wireless products are now listed on one single page at BHphoto (Click here).

USA:
Sony Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA Lens at BHphoto, Amazon, Focuscamera.
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, Focuscamera.
Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, Focuscamera.
Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter at BHphoto, Amazon, Adorama, Focuscamera.
Sony FA-WRC1M Wireless Radio Commander at BHphoto, Focuscamera.
Sony FA-WRR1 Wireless Radio Receiver at BHphoto, Focuscamera.
Sony VMC-MM1 Multi Terminal Cable at BHphoto, Focuscamera.
Europe:
Sony Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA Lens at Calumet.de. Cyberport.de. PhotoPorst. Jessops. WexUK.
Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens at Calumet.de. Amazon Germany. Cyberport.de. PhotoPorst. Jessops. WexUK.
Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter at PhotoPorst. Jessops.
Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter at PhotoPorst. Jessops.