Sony - FE 50mm f/1.4 GM vs Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Sony - FE 50mm f/1.4 GM | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 516 g | 414 g |
| Weather sealed | true | false |
| Min focal | 50 mm | 40 mm |
| Max focal | 50 mm | 40 mm |
Between the FE 50mm f/1.4 GM and Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE, the FE 50mm f/1.4 GM comes out ahead in weather sealed / min focal, while the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE wins on weight. Overall, the FE 50mm f/1.4 GM scores 69.5 and the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE scores 68.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (69.5 vs 68.5). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the FE 50mm f/1.4 GM if you care most about weather sealed / min focal. The biggest gaps in its favor are weather sealed, min focal, max focal. The single most decisive one: Has Weather sealed.
Pick the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight. The single most decisive one: Weight — 102.00 g less. 414 vs 516.
Both ship with comparable optical stabilization, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Sony - FE 50mm f/1.4 GM or Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE?
Sony - FE 50mm f/1.4 GM leads the current Mars Score by 1.0 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare min focal, max focal, weight against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Sony - FE 50mm f/1.4 GM if…
Sony - FE 50mm f/1.4 GM has the measurable edge on weather sealed, focal min mm, focal max mm.
Choose Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE if…
Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE has the measurable edge on weight g.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Sony - FE 50mm f/1.4 GM wins
- ▲Has Weather sealed.
- ▲Min focal: 50 (vs 40).
- ▲Max focal: 50 (vs 40).
Why Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE wins
- ▲Weight — 102.00 g less. 414 vs 516.
Spec comparison
Optics
| Spec | Sony - FE 50mm f/1.4 GM | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Min focal | 50 mmlead | 40 mm |
| Max focal | 50 mmlead | 40 mm |
| Max aperture | f/1.4 | f/1.2 |
| Min aperture | f/16 | f/16 |
Build
| Spec | Sony - FE 50mm f/1.4 GM | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 516 g | 414 glead |
| Weather sealedⓘ | truelead | false |
| Optical stabilizationⓘ | false | false |
Mount
| Spec | Sony - FE 50mm f/1.4 GM | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Lens mount | Sony E | Sony E |