Ive been shooting with my a6400 for a few years now but my kit lens is finally starting to annoy me, specifically with how soft it gets at the edges. I mostly shoot street photography and candid portraits while traveling around Chicago, so I need something compact that wont break the bank. My budget is strictly under 400 bucks right now.
- Needs to be E-mount compatible
- Prime or zoom is fine, just needs better sharpness
- Autofocus performance is my priority
Im kind of leaning towards the Sigma 30mm but heard mixed things about focus hunting in low light? Does anyone have experience with that or should I just look at the Sony 35mm instead...
> Im kind of leaning towards the Sigma 30mm but heard mixed things about focus hunting in low light? Does anyone have experience with that or should I just look at the Sony 35mm instead... Honestly, I wouldnt worry too much about the focus hunting on the Sigma. Ive been using the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary on my a6400 for years now and the sharpness is just night and day compared to that kit lens. Sure, it might struggle for a millisecond in super dark bars, but for street stuff in Chicago? Itll be perfectly fine. If you really want something tiny and sharp, the Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS is great too because of the built-in stabilization, but you usually pay a premium for that. Tbh, save the cash and go for the Sigma. You can pick it up used for way under your budget.
> Im kind of leaning towards the Sigma 30mm but heard mixed things about focus hunting in low light? Building on the earlier suggestion, the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary is sharper and tracks better than the 30mm, honestly.
> I mostly shoot street photography and candid portraits while traveling around Chicago If you want something reliable, check out the Tamron 20mm F/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 instead. It is super sharp and way more weather-sealed for those windy days near the lake. Just be careful with dust when swapping lenses though, sensors are a pain to clean. Anyway, I think I left my spare battery at a cafe in Lincoln Park last week. But yeah, solid choice.