Most photographers, your author included, will admit to a nagging case of lens lust. Fast primes, ultra sharp zooms, and monster telephotos are marketed as must have. No doubt, the modern professional lens is required equipment for demanding client work, but do we always need the biggest and fastest to get the job done? A promise of mirrorless has always been a smaller piece of equipment, and the new line of G primes from Sony (24mm f/2.8, 40mm f/2.5 and 50mm f/2.5) were designed to make good on that pledge.

I recently received my copy of the 50mm G and have spent enough time with it to put some thoughts to Internet. I was curious if this “baby GM” could do the work of the larger fast 50mm primes in situations that don’t depend on low light, ultra-fast aperture performance, and specifically, would this compact everyday 50mm satisfy for portraiture?