honestly im so over this 24-90mm beast i have right now. i love the image quality but oh my god its like carrying a literal brick around my neck all day and people stare at me like im some kind of paparazzi or something. i was out in shoreditch last weekend and i missed like three perfect shots because i was fumbling with the zoom or the autofocus just felt sluggish compared to what i need for fast movement. im ready to ditch the zoom life for a prime because i need to be more discreet and faster. i am actually super stoked to finally join the prime club though because ive seen the rendering on some of these lenses and it looks incredible and i want that look for myself.
i need something that fits these specific things:
- has to be L-mount obviously since im on the SL2
- light enough that i dont need a chiropractor after a 4 hour walk
- fast autofocus is a dealbreaker i cant be hunting while the moment passes
- looking for that 35mm or maybe 50mm focal length for that classic street vibe
- budget is around 2500 dollars maybe can stretch to 3k if its the absolute dream lens
- needs to handle low light well since i do a lot of blue hour shooting
ive been looking at the 35mm summicron-sl but then i see the sigma i-series and they are so much smaller and cheaper so now im just confused. is the leica glass really worth the extra three grand or whatever for just street stuff? im going to paris in three weeks for a photography trip and i really want this sorted before then so i can just focus on the art and not my gear failing me every time i try to be quick. do i go for the APO stuff or is that totally overkill for someone who isnt printing billboards? i just want that 3d pop without the massive weight. what are you guys actually using day to day that doesnt kill your shoulder? i need to make a decision like yesterday because i am itching to get out there with a setup that actually works with me instead of against me...
honestly i totally get the 24-90 pain. i lugged that beast through berlin years ago and it basically ruined my vibe by lunch. in my experience, over the years ive tried basically every l-mount prime for street and you really dont need the apo glass for what youre doing. its technically perfect but adds weight and costs a fortune. i found that being discreet is way more important than having the absolute sharpest corners. for your paris trip id look at these:
- Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary I-Series - this is my daily driver. its tiny, has a dedicated aperture ring for fast adjustments, and the af is snappy.
- Leica 35mm f/2 Summicron-SL ASPH - if you want the name, the non-apo version is fantastic. it still gives that 3d pop and stays under your 3k limit.
- Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 - dont sleep on this. its light and the af is basically instant on the sl2. id grab the sigma. the size difference makes you feel invisible compared to that zoom brick...
