Ive been shooting on the S1H for about three years now, mostly sticking to the Sigma zooms and adapting my old EF glass. But I just signed onto a low-light indie doc shooting in Chicago next month and really need a fast, native 35mm prime.
I tried adapting my old Canon 35mm f/1.4 with the MC-21 but the AF is just hunting way too much in the dim venues we are scouting. I need something native L-mount that actually behaves with the S1H autofocus system. Budget is around 1200 bucks. Should I look at the Sigma 35mm f1.2 DN, or is it too heavy for handheld doc work? Or is the f1.4 version a better bet for this body...
I would strongly suggest staying away from the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art L-mount for handheld doc work. That lens is an absolute brick, weighing over two pounds. Pairing it with the S1H, which is already a heavy camera, is just asking for wrist fatigue during long shoots in Chicago. You need to be mobile, and that setup is gonna drag you down fast. Instead, you might want to consider the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG DN Art L-mount. Its way lighter and still gives you that fast aperture. But honestly, if autofocus reliability in dim venues is your main priority, you need to be careful. The Panasonic DFD autofocus system is notoriously picky. I would suggest looking at the native Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 L-mount instead. I know its a stop slower, but the native communication between the lens and the body makes a massive difference in preventing that focus hunting you experienced with the adapted EF lens. It is a much safer bet for a paid gig where you cant afford to miss shots.
You might want to consider this instead:
- Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG DN Art L-mount Just make sure to test the balance first, it still feels a bit heavy for long handheld shoots.
If you need reliable AF on the S1H, you should stick to native L-mount glass designed specifically for mirrorless.
- Go with Sigma DN series primes, their autofocus motors play way better with Panasonic DFD contrast detection than adapted EF glass
- Look for stepping motors (STM) or linear motors for the quietest tracking
- Keep weight under 700g if you are doing handheld doc work all day
> Just make sure to test the balance first, it still feels a bit heavy for long handheld shoots. Jumping in here to say that I have been super satisfied with Sigma primes on my S1H, they just work so well. Honestly, just get any of the newer primes from Sigma and you wont have any reliability issues. Actually, talking about Chicago reminds me of a crazy shoot I did in Minneapolis last winter. It was freezing, like sub-zero, and my hands were totally numb. But the gear had zero complaints and just kept locking focus. We actually got snowed in at this vintage bowling alley for nine hours. The owner was this old-school guy who used to play semi-pro, so we ended up filming a spontaneous mini-doc about him while waiting out the storm. Best coffee I have ever had too. Anyway, but yeah, Sigma is definitely the way to go for reliability.
