Im picking up a Lumix S5II next month for street photography in Chicago and cant decide on lenses. Budget is around 1500 bucks for the glass.
- Need something compact for travel
- Sharpness is priority
- Weather sealing matters
Is the Leica 35mm f/1.4 worth the massive price jump over the Sigma Contemporary or Art versions?
Honestly, skip the Leica glass for street work. In my experience, the price premium just isnt justified for a street setup where you might bump into things. Stick with the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary instead. It is built like a tank, incredibly sharp, and the size is perfect for the S5II.
- Weather sealed for Chicago winters
- Compact form factor
- Way better value for your budget
Been thinking about your setup and honestly, if you want that insane sharpness for street, get the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG DN Art. It is absolutely fantastic! The build quality is amazing and you get that pro look without draining your bank account like the Leica would. It feels solid and weather-sealed too, which is perfect for Chicago weather. You wont regret grabbing this instead!
Honestly, if you want something truly compact for street, you should look at the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary. It is way smaller than the Art series and perfect for street photography in Chicago. The sharpness is great and it fits easily within your budget. Leica glass is nice, but for an S5II, the Sigma primes are honestly just more practical for daily use.
> Stick with the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary instead. It is built like a tank, incredibly sharp, and the size is perfect for the S5II. Building on the earlier suggestion, I think the compact primes are honestly the way to go for street stuff. I havent personally used the Leica glass on the S5II, but people seem to think the premium is mostly for the badge and maybe some micro-contrast. Personally, I prefer the lighter weight when im walking around the city for hours. Not sure but I think the weather sealing on those smaller lenses is totally fine for the occasional Chicago drizzle, just dont go dunking the camera in the river or anything. IIRC the autofocus performance on the newer L-mount stuff is pretty consistent across the board too, so you wont feel like you're missing out on speed with the cheaper options. It really comes down to how much weight you want to lug around all day.