Shortest Test Ever: So… the SongRaw 50mm f/1.2 AF MS Lens.

Less than three minutes.

Disclaimer:

I am sure this is a fine lens and others will do just fine with it. I am certain my experience is an anomaly. I wish other customers and SongRaw all the best.

Background:

I have had this spec of lens before.

Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM… Dang it Sony…

One of the best lenses I have ever used.

And one could argue that at this price point…

…it had better be.

So why do I no longer have it?

I am glad I imagined that you asked.

It was not what I really wanted. This was explained in painful detail in this post.

Lens I Had Was Fine Until It Wasn’t: FUJIFILM GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR Preview.

The short version? I wanted medium format. Having both the GM and a fast GF lens was not an option, especially when I could (and did) trade the GM 50mm f/1.2 and TTArtisan 90mm f/1.25 mentioned in that article towards the GF 80mm f/1.7 I really wanted.

So… SongRaw.

While I cannot justify keeping the GM at over $2,000.000 convincing myself to get a similarly spec’d and well reviewed lens at less than $1,000 is easy work.

There are two versions, one with an aperture ring and once without. I chose the version without.

Shortest Test Ever - SongRaw 50mm f/1.2 AF MS Lens

The why is easy.

The non aperture one was $400 less.
I do not need an aperture ring on this lens.
- I bought it to use at f/1.2. In situations that require stopping down there are plenty of other lenses I could use.
Thought silver would look nice on my two tone Sony.
- What? That matters.

Was on backorder so I put in an order and waited.

It arrived today.

Here is a run down on the first three minutes.

Looked fine before I put it on the camera. Took a picture. I immediately noticed at haze around the outside, even though it was sharp in the middle.

My first thought was:

I did not think this was a haze or mist character lens but a pretty straightforward one.

Then I looked through the front element with the aperture wise open thought I saw cellophane. I thought there was some errant shrink wrap or protective plastic film I missed over the back element. So I removed the lens from the camera and this is what greeted me.

Yikes.

All damage was internal. I feared that some free moving glass debris could have gotten into the camera body, but the back element was intact thank goodness.

The lens arrived fully packaged in a padded case and shrink wrapped in a padded box which was then placed in another padded box. Body and the front and rear elements are pristine.

I briefly considered getting another copy, but I could not trust the lens again. What if another lens shattered and ruined the camera? What if the lens broke after the warranty was over?

So I decided that a refund made the most sense.

I was a bit bummed that it did not work out, but I am also glad that:

No glass shards made it in to my camera since it was all internal to the lens.
- A broken newly purchased lens is bad, but easily remedired. Dumping glass inside my A7C II would have been a much larger problem.
It broke immediately rather than me falling for it and then realizing it was a dud.
- Was easy to fight the urge to get a replacement since I had not grown attached to it.
I bought it from a reputable dealer.
- B&H already sent me the return label and RMA and it I already shipped it back.

So it has already been shipped back.

But there is good news.

There is another lens that will fill the gap nicely.