Production
-
Country
Japan
Optical
-
Updated
Jul 18, 2026
Mamiya Mamiya-Sekor E 50mm f2
Mamiya E electronic bayonet (ZE) mount · 50mm · f/2
Compiled from 4 real reviews · AI-assisted · accuracy-checked · Updated 18 Jul 2026
Overview
The Mamiya-Sekor E 50mm f/1.7 was the fast normal lens for Mamiya's E system — documented as Mamiya's last 35mm SLR system and, notably, the first Japanese SLR system to adopt an electronic bayonet (the ZE mount), which passed data between body and lens for electronic aperture control. That electronic heritage placed it at an interesting hinge point in camera history: mechanical craftsmanship married to early automation, with four EF-series lenses added in 1981 for the ZE-X body and its distance-priority flash exposure. Optically it is a compact, solidly built normal lens built on a classic 6-element/5-group double-Gauss layout carrying Mamiya's multi-coating. It has earned quiet affection not through hype but through its look: reviewers describe it as rendering in a soft, analog style with creamy bokeh, flattering skin tones, and an unforced, non-modern color palette that makes it a natural portrait lens. No established nicknames are used by the sources — this is a lens loved for how its frames feel rather than for any legend attached to its name.
Verdict: Buy this lens if you want a soft, analog rendering for portraits — creamy bokeh, flattering skin tones, and a muted, non-modern color palette that modern clinical lenses can't fake. It rewards the photographer who shoots wide open for mood and stops down to f/4–f/5.6 when they want crispness. Do not buy it if you need edge-to-edge sharpness at maximum aperture or consistently perfect corners: it is soft toward the edges wide open, its faster f/1.4 sibling is sharper open, and sample-to-sample quality control varies, so the corner-hunting pixel-peeper will be happier elsewhere.
Community Insights
What people love
- Creamy bokeh with genuinely pleasing subject separation that lifts portraits off the background.
- A subtle analog color palette and flattering skin tones instead of punchy, modern over-saturation.
- The way flare and bokeh combine for atmospheric, backlit storytelling frames.
- A compact, solidly built body that feels dependable in the hand.
- Its dual personality: soft and dreamy wide open, then sharp with excellent corners by f/4–f/5.6.
What people dislike
- Slight softness and lower contrast toward the edges when shot wide open at f/1.7.
- Sample-to-sample quality-control variation that can affect corner sharpness — two copies may not perform alike.
- It is not the sharpest wide open; a comparison test found the faster f/1.4 sibling sharper at its maximum aperture.
Pro Tips
- Shoot it wide open at f/1.7 for portraits — that soft, lower-contrast core with creamy fall-off is exactly what this lens is for, and skin tones reward you.
- When you want bite and excellent corners, stop down to f/4–f/5.6; the center sharpens noticeably while the background stays smooth.
- Lean into backlight — let a light source flare into the frame and let it mingle with the bokeh for atmospheric, storytelling shots rather than fighting the glare.
- Nail focus on the eyes; wide open the edges go soft, so your sharp center is where the whole frame's impact lives.
Sample Photos
openverse · Credit: Matthew Paul Argall · License: CC BY
openverse · Credit: Matthew Paul Argall · License: CC BY
openverse · Credit: Matthew Paul Argall · License: CC BY
openverse · Credit: Matthew Paul Argall · License: CC BY
openverse · Credit: Matthew Paul Argall · License: CC BY
openverse · Credit: Matthew Paul Argall · License: CC BY
Sources (4)
Rediscovering the Mamiya-Sekor E 50mm f/1.7 for Modern Cameras – Dutch|Thrift
TEST: Mamiya Sekor E 1.4/50 1.7/50 1.7/50S 2/50S — MFlenses forum
Mamiya E system | LENS-DB.COM
Web research
Buy this lens if you want a soft, analog rendering for portraits — creamy bokeh, flattering skin tones, and a muted, non-modern color palette that modern clinical lenses can't fake. It rewards the photographer who shoots wide open for mood and stops down to f/4–f/5.6 when they want crispness. Do not buy it if you need edge-to-edge sharpness at maximum aperture or consistently perfect corners: it is soft toward the edges wide open, its faster f/1.4 sibling is sharper open, and sample-to-sample quality control varies, so the corner-hunting pixel-peeper will be happier elsewhere.
https://dutchthrift.com/blogs/gear/rediscovering-the-mamiya-sekor-e-50mm-f-1-7-for-modern-camerashttps://forum.mflenses.com/test-mamiya-sekor-e-1-4-50-1-7-50-1-7-50s-2-50s-t84781.htmlhttps://lens-db.com/system/mamiya-e/