So I finally bit the bullet and upgraded to the Panasonic S5II last week. Absolutely loving the phase detect autofocus so far, it is a massive step up from my old micro four thirds setup. The problem is, the body basically wiped out my savings and now I am left with a very sad looking wallet. I have about $350, maybe $400 max to spend on a decent prime lens before I head to New York for a family trip next month. I mostly want to do street photography at night and some quick portraits.
I have been doing a lot of research online and I keep seeing the Lumix 50mm f1.8 pop up as the default budget choice. People say the autofocus is fast and it matches the other f1.8 primes. But then I also ran across the Sigma 45mm f2.8 Contemporary. The Sigma is really appealing because it is so tiny and has that aperture ring which I kinda love.
This is where I am getting stuck though. The Panasonic is f1.8 which is obviously better for low light, but the Sigma is just so compact for travel. I also read some conflicting reports about the Sigma autofocus on the S5II. Some folks say it hunts a bit in low light compared to native glass, and since the whole reason I got the S5II was for the new AF system, I dont want to compromise on that.
Should I just stick to the safe bet with the Lumix 50mm f1.8, or is the Sigma 45mm f2.8 actually good enough on this body? Are there other cheap primes I should look at?
Building on the earlier suggestion, I've used the cheap Sigma 24mm f3.5 DG DN Contemporary for street and Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f1.8 for portraits. Both outperform the 45mm.
> Should I just stick to the safe bet with the Lumix 50mm f1.8, or is the Sigma 45mm f2.8 actually good enough on this body? Honestly, in my experience shooting L-mount over the years, you should definitely grab the native Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f/1.8. I've tried both of these on the S5II. The Sigma is built like a tank, but that f/2.8 aperture is gonna frustrate you for night street photography in New York. You really want that extra stop and a half of light. Also, you hit the nail on the head regarding autofocus. While the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary is okay, the native Panasonic linear motor in the 50mm is noticeably faster and stickier, especially when tracking people in dim light. Go with the 50mm, it's definitely the smarter buy for what you wanna do.
I actually went through this exact dilemma when I first got into L-mount. I ended up picking up the Sigma 45mm f2.8 DG DN Contemporary because I really wanted that tiny setup for travel. Honestly, the build is incredible and the manual aperture ring is super fun to use. But when I took it out for night street shots, that f2.8 aperture felt pretty limiting. I had to push the ISO quite a bit, and the autofocus hunted a little in the shadows. Since then, I also tried the Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f1.8. It's definitely bigger than the Sigma, but it still balances nicely and the low light performance is a massive step up. The autofocus is basically instant. If you can find a used copy, it might be the sweet spot for a New York trip.
Honestly, if you are heading to NYC, you need something that just works when the sun goes down! I tried experimenting with third party glass early on, but I had a couple of focus misses that ruined some killer shots. It made me super paranoid about my gear. Since you are worried about AF performance on your new body, you should really look at the Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8. It is wider than a 50mm which makes it perfect for street work and those tight city alleyways. It is honestly amazing how fast it locks onto eyes even in dim light. I took it out for a test run last weekend and the focus consistency was just night and day compared to some other lenses I have tried. For that price point, it feels so solid and reliable. You really wont regret having that extra bit of width for your trip!
