I just picked up a used S5 and I'm really loving the colors so far but I've only got the 20-60 kit lens and it's just not doing it for portraits. My best friend asked me to shoot her small backyard wedding next month here in Portland and I'm stressing a bit about the gear. I need something with decent bokeh that wont break the bank because my budget is pretty much capped at $500 for this.
I've been looking at these three:
- Panasonic 85mm f1.8: Seems like the safest bet and people say the AF is fast on the S5.
- Sigma 90mm f2.8 Contemporary: I love how tiny this thing is but I'm worried f2.8 isnt gonna give me that really blurry background for the bride and groom shots.
- Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN: I found one used for $650 which is over budget but I could maybe make it work if it's way better than the others.
I'm mostly worried about the S5 autofocus since it's not the Mark II and I dont want it hunting all day while they're walking down the aisle. Is the f1.8 Lumix lens good enough or should I really try to stretch for the Sigma 1.4 for that extra pop? Or is the 90mm Sigma better just because of the build? I'm kind of leaning toward the Panasonic just to keep it all native but the Sigma 1.4 looks so good in samples...
Honestly, play it safe for a wedding. The S5 autofocus is tricky with third-party glass, so stick to native lenses. I suggest the Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f1.8:
- Native communication means way less focus hunting
- Sharp wide open and fits your budget Be careful with the Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art on the S5. The contrast AF can struggle with that heavy glass, and you might miss critical shots.
