honestly im about to throw my 24-105 out the window at this point because i just cant get the look i want. i spent all this money on a lumix s5ii thinking i was gonna take these incredible professional portraits but everything looks so flat and boring. i thought the f4 would be enough if i zoomed in but the bokeh is just busy and distracting and my clients are starting to notice. its so frustrating when you have the gear but the images just dont pop like they should. i have a big outdoor shoot coming up in downtown seattle in about three weeks and i absolutely need a prime that actually delivers that creamy background everyone talks about.
im looking for something that just works without me having to fight the autofocus or spend five hours in lightroom trying to fix the background. i looked at the panasonic 85mm 1.8 but some people say its too clinical and i want something with a bit more character maybe? then there is the sigma 85mm 1.4 art which everyone raves about but its huge and i dont know if its worth the extra weight if im walking around the city all day. i just need a lens that makes people look good without looking like a plastic doll.
here is what i need to stick to:
- budget is strictly under 1100 i cant go over that or my wife will kill me
- must be l-mount native because i dont want to mess with adapters anymore they always wiggle
- fast autofocus is a must because i do a lot of candid stuff where people are moving
- focal length between 50mm and 105mm i think 85 is the sweet spot but i could be swayed
does anyone actually use the sigma 90mm f2.8? it seems small but is the aperture wide enough for decent separation? or should i just suck it up and get the heavy art series? i feel like im going in circles looking at reviews and everyone says something different and im just tired of wasting money on gear that doesnt give me the wow factor. what are you guys actually using for your portrait work on the l-mount system that doesnt break the bank or your back? i really need to make a decision by friday so i can get it shipped in time...
> then there is the sigma 85mm 1.4 art which everyone raves about but its huge and i dont know if its worth the extra weight I think you might be looking at the specs for the older DSLR version of that lens. The Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art L-Mount was redesigned specifically for mirrorless and its actually pretty manageable. Its definitely not the heavy brick people make it out to be. If you want that wow factor and creamy backgrounds, this is the lens. The autofocus is snappy on the S5II and it stays way under your 1100 budget if you find a decent sale or shop around. The Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f1.8 is also decent if you want to save weight, but since you mentioned your clients are noticing the flat look, the extra stop on the Sigma makes a huge difference. I wouldnt go for the 90mm f2.8 for portraits... f2.8 just wont give you that deep separation you need in a busy city. Stick to the Sigma 1.4 and you'll be fine.
