So I just got this Lumix S5 and honestly Im so lost with all the numbers and letters on lenses its making my head hurt. I tried taking pictures of my sister for her graduation announcement but they just look like normal phone photos?? I want that really blurry background look everyone talks about but the lens that came with the camera isnt doing it. I have about 500 bucks saved up and her graduation is in three weeks so I need to figure this out fast. Is there like one specific lens I should buy for portraits that isnt super expensive? I keep hearing about primes but I dont even know which one fits this camera or what millimeter thing I need. Sorry if this is a stupid question I just dont want to mess up her big day...
The kit lens is unfortunately a bit of a letdown for portraits because the aperture is just too small. I had issues with images looking flat. Honestly, its not as good as expected for those blurry backgrounds. You should grab the Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f/1.8. That f/1.8 aperture is huge. It lets in way more light, which creates that bokeh you're after. Stick with native glass for reliability so the autofocus dont fail you during graduation.
TL;DR: Sigma has some decent options under five hundred for L-mount... basically skip the kit lens for this. Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary works well for environmental shots. It has good sharpness but wont give as much blur as longer lenses. Sigma 90mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary is better for tight portraits. The focal length gives you nice background compression tho, even if f/2.8 is technically slower. Both are solid choices.
> I keep hearing about primes but I dont even know which one fits this camera or what millimeter thing I need. Just catching up on this thread... honestly, you dont need to spend a fortune to get that pro look. When I first switched to full frame, I was pretty overwhelmed by lens prices too. I eventually picked up the Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f/1.8 and I have been so satisfied with how it performs. Its super light and fits your S5 perfectly, plus the background blur is smooth as butter. For portraits, 50mm is basically the standard view. Since your budget is 500, you could actually grab this lens and still have money left over for a nice strap or something. Another option that works well is the Sigma 50mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary. I used it for a graduation shoot last year and had no complaints, it really delivers that sharp subject with a soft background you are looking for. Either one will make your sisters photos look way better than any phone, trust me.
