So I recently picked up the Panasonic S5II and I'm absolutely loving the autofocus upgrade. But now I need a solid everyday walkaround zoom. I've been doing a ton of research and I'm honestly stuck.
I read that the kit 20-60mm is surprisingly sharp and super wide, but that f/5.6 aperture at the long end makes me nervous for indoor family shots. Then I looked at the Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 which is nice and light, but apparently it lacks weather sealing. I live in Seattle and it rains constantly so that kinda scares me.
Here is what I am looking for:
- Weather sealed for rainy Pacific Northwest days
- Fast enough for indoor low light (ideally f2.8)
- Budget is around $1000 to $1200 max
- Autofocus needs to keep up with my toddler
Is the Lumix 24-70mm f2.8 the only real answer here? It just seems so massive and heavy for casual everyday shooting. Or should I just suck it up and get the Sigma 24-70 Art even though it's a brick? What are you guys using?
- I had issues with rain ruining my gear.
- Unfortunately, the heavy Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art L-Mount is the only safe option.
Grab the new Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II Art! It fits your budget and fixes the weight.
- Lighter by 10% than mark one
- Blazing fast HLA autofocus motor
Been thinking about your dilemma and honestly, the L-mount zoom situation for lightweight weather-sealed f2.8 is pretty disappointing right now. Before suggesting a workaround, how set are you on that f2.8 aperture? Are you shooting in pitch black rooms, or could you get away with f4 and just bump the ISO on the S5II? If you absolutely need f2.8, your options are pretty limited and unfortunately they all have compromises:
- Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary L-Mount: Super light and cheap (around $800), but like you said, the sealing is basically nonexistent. I had rain get into mine and it was a nightmare to dry out.
- Panasonic Lumix S PRO 24-70mm f/2.8: Optically amazing but it is a massive, heavy brick and way over your budget brand new.
- Panasonic Lumix S 24-105mm f/4 Macro O.I.S.: This is what I ended up switching to. It is only f4, but the dual stabilization is insane for low light video, and the weather sealing is top-tier for rainy days. If you can live with f4 and push the S5II dual native ISO, the 24-105 is probably your best bet. Otherwise, you might have to look at primes for your low light needs and keep the kit lens for outdoors.
