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  Test # 365 
 
Lens Distortion Test

Sony 50mm F1.8 Distortion Test

Distortion at 50mm.
 
Test by Sinan Ozturk   
PhotoAgainst Photo Editor's Comment: Barrel Distortion is optical flaw of a lens which causes straight lines in the photo look slightly curved outwards. Its much more apparent in wider focal lengths and zoom lenses and gets worse in the bottom or top of the photo, rather than center. It becomes apparent when skyline is photographed so we do barrel distortion tests with a clear skyline shot.

In the first comparison, skyline in the very bottom of the photo because this is where barrel distortion is worse for any lens.

In the second shot skyline is in the very center of the image where barrel distortion's effect is the least apparent.

In the third shot, skyline is in the 1/3 or 2/3 of the photo (golden rule) where distortion is same for both.

Red line in the photos are added in post production to show where skyline would suppose to be if lens were flawless with no distortion. The closer the real skyline to the red line, the better the lens and more apart the skyline from the red line, worse distortion the lens has.

For more information about this distortion tests, please read our distortion test guidelines.

After reviewing the test, scroll to the bottom of the page to compare Sony 50mm F1.8's Barrel Distortion with other lenses.
  
  
  Test Photo # 1  
Photo_805Sony 50mm F1.8 SAM DT  
F:8.0, S:1/1000, ISO:100    
Photo by Sinan Ozturk 
    EXIF    
Sony A55     Camera    
Sony 50mm F1.8 SAM DT     Lens    
8.0     Aperture    
1/1000     Shutter    
100     ISO    
176     Brightness    
0     Contrast    
0     Saturation    
0     Sharpness    
50 mm.     Focal Length    
75 mm.     Foc.Len.FF eq    
50 mm.     Foc.Len.APS-C    
Standard     Scene Mode    
Auto     White Balance    
0.19 Mb.   Filesize    
1626 x 1080 [1 MP.]   Dimensions    
 
  Test Photo # 2  
Photo_803Sony 50mm F1.8 SAM DT  
F:8.0, S:1/1000, ISO:100    
Photo by Sinan Ozturk 
    EXIF    
Sony A55     Camera    
Sony 50mm F1.8 SAM DT     Lens    
8.0     Aperture    
1/1000     Shutter    
100     ISO    
159     Brightness    
0     Contrast    
0     Saturation    
0     Sharpness    
50 mm.     Focal Length    
75 mm.     Foc.Len.FF eq    
50 mm.     Foc.Len.APS-C    
Standard     Scene Mode    
Auto     White Balance    
0.36 Mb.   Filesize    
1634 x 1080 [1 MP.]   Dimensions    
 
  Test Photo # 3  
Photo_804Sony 50mm F1.8 SAM DT  
F:8.0, S:1/640, ISO:100    
Photo by Sinan Ozturk 
    EXIF    
Sony A55     Camera    
Sony 50mm F1.8 SAM DT     Lens    
8.0     Aperture    
1/640     Shutter    
100     ISO    
163     Brightness    
0     Contrast    
0     Saturation    
0     Sharpness    
50 mm.     Focal Length    
75 mm.     Foc.Len.FF eq    
50 mm.     Foc.Len.APS-C    
Standard     Scene Mode    
Auto     White Balance    
0.48 Mb.   Filesize    
1633 x 1080 [1 MP.]   Dimensions    
 
Barrel Distortion Comparison
You can select 2 lens to compare their barrel distortions side by side:
against

 

 

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  Other Sony 50mm F1.8 SAM DT vs. Comparisons  
Sony 50mm 1.8 Sharpness Test at 50mm.
at 50mm.
Tested Apertures Between F1.8 to F13.0
Sony 50mm F1.8 Video Auto Focus Performance
at 50mm.
Auto Focus Noise (Sound), AF Speed and Focus Hunting Test (in Silent Enviroment)
Sony 50mm F1.8 Video AF Performance
at 50mm.
Auto Focus Speed and Noise
  Other Comparisons of Sony 50mm F1.8 SAM DT  
Sony 50mm 1.8 vs. Sony E.16-50
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F5.6, F2/F5.6, F2.2/F5.6, F2.8/F5.6, F3.5/F5.6, F4/F5.6, F4.5/F5.6, F5/F5.6, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F10
Sony 50mm 1.8 vs. Samsung 18-55
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F5.6, F2/F5.6, F2.2/F5.6, F2.8/F5.6, F3.5/F5.6, F4/F5.6, F4.5/F5.6, F5/F5.6, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F10
Sony 50mm 1.8 vs. Tamron 17-50
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F2.8, F2/F2.8, F2.2/F2.8, F2.8, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F10
Sony 50mm 1.8 vs. Tamron 18-200
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F4.5, F2/F4.5, F2.2/F4.5, F2.8/F4.5, F3.5/F4.5, F4/F4.5, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F10
Sony 50mm 1.8 vs. Tokina 28-70 2.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F2.8, F2/F2.8, F2.2/F2.8, F2.8, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F10
Sony 50mm 1.8 vs. Sony 16-105
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F5, F2/F5, F2.2/F5, F2.8/F5, F3.5/F5, F4/F5, F4.5/F5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1/F8, F8, F10
Sony 50mm 1.8 vs. Sony 18-200
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F4.5, F2/F4.5, F2.2/F4.5, F2.8/F4.5, F3.5/F4.5, F4/F4.5, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F10
Sony 50mm 1.8 vs. Sony 18-55
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F5.6, F2/F5.6, F2.2/F5.6, F2.8/F5.6, F3.5/F5.6, F4/F5.6, F4.5/F5.6, F5/F5.6, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F10
Sony 50mm 1.8 vs. Sony 16-50
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F2.8, F2/F2.8, F2.2/F2.8, F2.8, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F10
Sony 50mm 1.8 vs. Minolta 50mm 1.4
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.4/F1.8, F1.6/F1.8, F1.7/F1.8, F2, F2.8, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F10
Sigma 50mm 2.8 vs. Sony 50mm 1.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F2.8, F2/F2.8, F2.2/F2.8, F2.8, F3.5, F4, F4.5, F5, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8, F10
Minolta 50mm 1.4 vs. Sony 50mm 1.8
Color Rendering at 50mm.
Vivid shot with Saturation+2 to display color rendering of Minolta & Sony 50mm.
Sony 50mm 1.8 vs. Minolta 50mm 1.4
at 50mm.
Daylight WB, Landscape photo at F6.3, F8 and F16
Minolta 50mm 1.4 vs. Sony 50mm 1.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.4/F1.8, F1.7/F1.8, F2, F2.8, F4
Sigma 50mm 2.8 vs. Sony 50mm 1.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F2.8, F2.8, F5.6, F8
CZ Jena Pancolar 50mm 1.8 vs. Sony 50mm 1.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.7/F1.8, F2.8, F5.6, F8
Minolta 35-80 vs. Sony 50mm 1.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F5, F2.8/F5, F5.6, F8
Sony 18-55 vs. Sony 50mm 1.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F5.6, F2.8/F5.6, F5.6, F8
Sony 16-105 vs. Sony 50mm 1.8
Sharpness at 50mm.
Tested Apertures F1.8/F5, F2.8/F5, F5.6, F8