I am honestly so fed up with carrying three different primes for my S5II its making my life a nightmare. I have a wedding to shoot in Chicago in two weeks and I just realized my current setup is failing because the constant lens swapping makes me miss candid shots. I tried the kit 20-60mm but its just not fast enough for indoor receptions and the image quality is kinda meh when I zoom in.
I need one solid zoom lens that can stay on the body all day and handle low light decently. My budget is tight around $1200 max so what is the best all-around zoom lens for Lumix S5II that wont break the bank?
I totally get the prime struggle! I swapped lenses like crazy at a wedding last year and missed the first kiss, it was awful! You should look at these:
- Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN Art for L-Mount is my absolute favorite! f2.8 is a lifesaver for dark dance floors and it's super sharp.
- Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 DG DN Contemporary for L-Mount is amazing and way lighter if you're worried about weight. The 24-70 Art is definitely the winner for Chicago!
What is the maximum weight you can handle? The Samyang AF 35-150mm F2-2.8 L-mount is a decent option with a fast f2 aperture that stays within your $1200 budget.
In my experience, reliability is the biggest factor when shooting weddings. I've tried many setups and you really want native autofocus performance for those candid shots.
- Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 DG DN Contemporary is a great budget pick that wont break your back.
- Panasonic Lumix S PRO 24-70mm f2.8 is the best choice if you can find a used one for $1200. Stick to native glass to ensure the phase detect works perfectly...
