When it comes to affordable prime lenses, Meike has been steadily refining its offerings. The new Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro is the latest in their lineup, and it aims to challenge not only budget-friendly competitors like the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 but even premium, older options like the Zeiss 55mm f/1.8. With an attractive price tag, competent autofocus capabilities, and image quality not often found in lenses at this price point, does it live up to the "Pro" designation?
Build Quality and Design
The Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro feels like a substantial upgrade compared to budget prime lenses. It primarily uses high-quality polymer construction, and the materials resemble those used in Sony’s first-party lenses. Those choices, along with the use of a gasketed metal lens mount, give it a durable and lightweight feel at under 375 grams total.
One of the more premium features is the inclusion of an aperture ring, which adds an option for enhanced manual control often missing from budget-friendly autofocus lenses. The ring has clicks at each 1/3 of a stop, which will be appreciated by photographers but may be a minor inconvenience for video shooters looking for smooth aperture changes. The ring can’t be “de-clicked,” unlike some other lenses (including many of Sony's primes). An AF/MF switch on the side provides quick toggling between focusing modes.
This lens has a USB-C port on the mount that allows for firmware updates. That’s something rarely seen in lenses at this price but should go a long way in ensuring compatibility with future camera updates or upgrades to the lens’s AF performance and firmware. The manufacturer’s website lists a number of updates for various lens models they’ve released but doesn’t provide a specific guarantee of future updates.
The mount itself is well-machined, mounting with a firm touch. A rear rubber gasket provides some level of dust and dirt resistance, although the lens is not fully weather-sealed.
Inside the lens is a surprisingly complex optical formula for a mid-length prime lens, with 11 elements in 8 groups. The concave front element is a bit of a unique option, and while it is multilayer-coated, it might be more difficult to clean compared to a flat element. Deeper in the lens are two ED elements, two high-refraction elements, and an “ultra-high refraction” element, which speaks to a greater degree of lens design complexity than other primes at this price point.
Autofocus Performance
One of the most significant improvements Meike has made with this lens relative to competitors like the Sony 50mm f/1.8 is in its autofocus capabilities. The autofocus is fast, quiet, and accurate, making it viable for both photography and videography. It performs well in single-shot and continuous autofocus modes, and video shooters will appreciate the almost nonexistent focus breathing. Autofocus is also far quieter than my Sony 50mm.
Unlike the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8, which has downright sluggish and noisy autofocus, the Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro locks on quickly and reliably in most lighting conditions on both my a7R V and FX30, in both photo and video modes. While not possessing 100% of the speed of the G or GM primes from Sony, it’s still a marked improvement in the budget 50mm space.
The biggest issue with focus is the relatively restrictive 55 cm close focus limit. For the closest portrait and product shots, this can feel a bit frustrating, requiring you to back up and crop in—I noticed once or twice with product photos where I was shooting a normal-feeling composition but had to move the camera back an inch or two to ensure focus lock.
Sharpness and Image Quality
Optical performance is another strength of this lens for the price. Center sharpness is impressive even at f/1.8, outperforming other budget third-party 50mm lenses and clearly beating my Sony 50mm f/1.8. Stopping down to f/2.8 further improves contrast and sharpness, while f/5.6 delivers the best results.
Wide-open corner sharpness isn’t perfect, requiring stopping down to at least f/4 for good detail and showing the best performance at f/5.6. To be clear, it’s still better than my Sony 50mm at each aperture pairing, but a step down from the strong center-of-frame performance offered by the Meike when shot wide open.
Chromatic aberration is manageable, and it’s noticeably better than the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 in handling lateral CA. There is still some minor aberration visible when shooting high-contrast subjects, but it’s far from a deal-breaker.
Flare and ghosting are minimal, thanks to effective coatings, making it a solid choice for backlit shooting scenarios. Vignetting is present at f/1.8 but becomes negligible by f/2.8. Lightroom does pick up a built-in lens profile for this lens, although toggling "Enable Profile Corrections" didn’t produce notable changes. The default result in Lightroom shows good vignetting characteristics and, yet again, is better than the Sony 50mm f/1.8 I was running it against.
Bokeh and Rendering
The Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro offers excellent subject isolation, with smooth and natural-looking bokeh overall. Background separation is good, making it an excellent choice for budget portrait photography. My only criticism here is the bokeh balls themselves. They can be somewhat imperfect, displaying minor onion-ring artifacts, and their shape isn’t always perfectly round, although better performance in this regard in a 50mm lens would require stepping up to a far more expensive option like the Sony 50mm f/1.4.
One less quantifiable aspect of the lens is the color and micro-contrast. Having tried a lot of lenses over the years, some just have a good “look,” with pleasing, accurate colors and a nice crispness to the in-focus areas. The Meike, compared to some of the other inexpensive 50mm options I’ve tried, has that good look.
In Comparison
The Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro is positioned very well compared to the budget-friendly Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 and even some of the mid-range 50mm options. Compared to the Sony, it offers far superior autofocus performance, better sharpness, and improved chromatic aberration control. While it is slightly more expensive, the better optical and autofocus performance make it a worthwhile step up for all but the most budget-constrained photographers.
It’s also a strong entry compared to just about any sub-$1,000 50mm lens, offering excellent sharpness, good overall image quality, and great build quality. Unless you need the ultimate in bokeh and image quality, along with an f/1.4 or f/1.2 aperture from something like the Sony 50mm f/1.4, the Meike could save you a lot of money while still providing a great 50mm experience.
The Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro is an impressive entry into this part of the market from Meike, delivering sharp optics, excellent autofocus, and valuable features like an aperture ring and the potential for firmware updates. It’s a fantastic option for hybrid shooters who need a well-rounded lens for both photography and video without spending a fortune. It’s also a clear upgrade over the aging Sony 50mm f/1.8. While Sony shooters are spoiled for options at 50mm, with more than 60 items available from B&H, the Meike is a great lens that has something to offer in this crowded niche.
While I tested the 55mm on Sony E mount, it is also available in Nikon Z and Fuji X mounts. For Nikon Z mount photographers, this lens could present a great value compared to Nikon's expensive 50mm f/1.8. While Nikon's 50mm is well regarded, it's nearly twice the MSRP of the Meike.
Lastly, APS-C photographers should pay special attention to this lens. The only real weakness relative to some more expensive options is the far corners, which are cropped anyway on the APS-C frame. As a result, this could be a great option for APS-C photographers looking for a short portrait lens at a great price.
While the "Pro" moniker might be a bit of a stretch, the Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro certainly outperforms its price point. For those looking for an affordable yet high-performing 55mm prime, this lens is a great option and is available now from B&H.
Pros:
- Good build quality, with a gasket and premium materials
- Excellent optical performance for the price, particularly in the center and mid-frame
- Fast autofocus and very little focus breathing
- An aperture ring
Cons:
- The aperture ring can’t be de-clicked
- Corners aren’t at the same level as the center at wide apertures
- Minimum focus distance of 55cm is limiting for the closest compositions
