I'm heading out to the Dolomites in June and really need to settle on a wide zoom for my Lumix S5. I've been obsessing over the Panasonic 16-35mm f4 because it's super light for those long hikes and takes 77mm filters easily, but then I keep looking at the Sigma 14-24mm f2.8. Everyone says the Sigma is sharper but it's such a heavy beast and I cant easily use my current circular filters on it. My budget is capped at $1300 so I'm stuck deciding between the portability of the Lumix or the raw power of the Sigma for those sunrise shots. Does the extra 2mm on the Sigma actually make a huge difference for mountain vistas or am I overthinking the weight...
Building on the earlier suggestion, I think sticking with something that takes standard filters is just practical for hiking. I have been really satisfied with the Panasonic Lumix S 14-28mm f/4-5.6 Macro for my landscape shots lately. It is way lighter than that Sigma beast and honestly much easier on the wallet too.
- It only weighs around 345g so it wont kill your back.
- Uses 77mm filters so you dont need a whole new adapter kit.
- Gets you that 14mm wide look if you really want it. Since you are probably gonna be stopped down to f/8 for those mountain peaks anyway, the slower aperture really isnt an issue. I would just grab that and spend the leftover money on a high-quality circular polarizer like the Hoya 77mm NXT Plus CIR-PL to really make those Alpine lakes pop.
Honestly, I've been down this road before. A few years back I hiked through some pretty rough terrain with a heavy wide-angle setup because I was obsessed with that extra 2mm and f/2.8 aperture. Big mistake... My back was wrecked by day two and I barely noticed the sharpness difference while I was gasping for air. You might want to consider sticking with the Panasonic Lumix S PRO 16-35mm f/4 for the Dolomites. The weight difference is huge when you're climbing 1000 meters of elevation. Plus, the bulbous front element on the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art is basically a magnet for scratches and rain drops, which is a nightmare in unpredictable mountain weather. I would suggest prioritizing those 77mm filters too because stacking CPLs and NDs is way easier than messing with bulky rear filters or expensive 150mm systems when the light starts changing fast.
> Does the extra 2mm on the Sigma actually make a huge difference @Reply #1 - good point! Weight is everything on a hike. In my experience, 14mm is often overkill and you just end up with messy foregrounds. Look at the Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary. Its way lighter than the Art and takes 72mm filters easily. While the Panasonic Lumix S PRO 16-35mm f/4 is great, the Sigma is a total bargain for those sunrise shots.
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