Pergear’s Small Manual Focus 50mm f/1.4 Lens Is Absurdly Affordable

Pergear has announced a new ultra-affordable and very compact 50mm f/1.4 prime lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. The catch? It’s manual focus only.

The Pergear 50mm f/1.4 manual focus lens is available for full-frame Sony E, Nikon Z, L-Mount, and Canon RF cameras for just $116.10, which is very cheap for a new 50mm f/1.4 prime lens for mirrorless cameras.

The lens is also impressively lightweight and small for a modern 50mm f/1.4 prime lens. The all-metal lens weighs just 255 grams (approximately nine ounces) and is a mere 43.5 millimeters (1.7 inches) long. The lens accepts 52mm front filters.

While obviously the omission of autofocus capabilities explains the reduced cost and size, at least in part, it is still worth considering just how small Pergear’s new 50mm f/1.4 lens is. Compared to Nikon’s budget-friendly Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.4 lens ($546.95), Pergear’s new lens is 167 grams (5.9 ounces) lighter and 45.4 millimeters (1.8 inches) shorter. Consider also Canon’s $1,499 RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM, which is 99.1 millimeters (3.9 inches) long and weighs 580 grams (1.3 pounds), or Sony’s $1,298 FE 50mm f/1.4 GM lens that weighs 516 grams (18.2 ounces) and is 96 millimeters (3.8 inches) long.

Now, make no mistake, Pergear’s new lens is not directly competing against lenses like that. Someone considering Canon, Nikon, or Sony’s top-of-the-line 50mm primes is not seriously weighing it against Pergear’s manual focus 50mm f/1.4 prime. However, what Pergear’s new lens offers is a chance for photographers to get their hands on a fast portrait prime lens that doesn’t break the bank or add much size or weight to their kit. It’s an attractive and very low-risk proposition that puts fast glass in more people’s hands.

Pergear’s new 50mm prime features six lens elements arranged across six groups in front of a 12-bladed aperture diaphragm. The focusing range is 0.6 meters (23.6 inches) to infinity.

It promises circular bokeh, good sunstars, and reasonably strong optical performance. Pergear even specifically promises a warm, “film-like” color palette, presumably the result of distinct coatings. While the lens is unlikely to deliver high-end, professional-grade sharpness, it will certainly deliver the silky-smooth depth of field that any 50mm f/1.4 lens should. As expected, Pergear’s marketing seems to celebrate some level of optical imperfection as “character.” This is par for the course for very affordable lenses.

Pricing and Availability

The Pergear 50mm f/1.4 manual focus lens is available now for E, Z, L, and RF-mount mirrorless cameras. It is $116.10 for a limited time thanks to a launch discount, but the eventual retail price is still affordable at $129.

Image creditsPergear