Been shooting on Sony for years but just grabbed a Lumix S5II for a travel gig next month. Man, L-mount glass prices are wild compared to E-mount. Need some solid, budget-friendly lens recs under $500 that still have decent AF. Mostly shooting street. What are the best third-party options?
Re: "Honestly, you should definitely check out the Sigma..." - totally agree. Sigma is the way to go, but Panasonic also has some native budget options that work incredibly well. I am super satisfied with how these perform. Here are a couple of solid options that fit your budget:
- Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f/1.8
- This one is a no-brainer. You can usually find it around $350. The autofocus is silent, fast on the S5II phase detect, and the image quality is razor sharp. No complaints at all.
- Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary L-Mount
- You can grab this one for under $400. It is incredibly compact for street photography, has a physical aperture ring, and the rendering has a nice classic character. The AF works perfectly for quick snapshots. Both of these track beautifully on the S5II.
To add to the point above: if you want a zoom instead of primes, try:
- Panasonic Lumix S 20-60mm f3.5-5.6 (350g, 0.43x magnification) It is cheap and highly versatile for street.
Honestly, you should definitely check out the Sigma primes! I was super worried about autofocus issues and compatibility when transitioning, but their lenses are incredibly reliable and safe to use on Panasonic bodies. The autofocus is fantastic! Just grab any of the compact prime lenses from Sigma and you'll love it. The build quality is amazing and they are so reliable for travel.
+1
Yep, this is the way
