I'm in a bit of a panic because I have this wedding shoot in Seattle next weekend and my usual zoom just feels way too slow for the low light reception stuff. So I was thinking about finally grabbing a fast prime but the focus breathing on some of these FE lenses is honestly driving me crazy lately. My logic was the 35mm 1.4 GM but then I saw some reviews saying the 35mm 1.8 is actually better for video focus pulling?
I've been shooting for five years and never really cared about breathing until I started doing more gimbal work and now its all I see. I've got about 1200 bucks to spend before Friday. Should I just stick with the GM or is there a sleeper lens I'm missing that doesn't hunt so much in AF-C... I really dont want to ruin this footage because of focus pulsing.
Agreeing with what was said earlier, the breathing on the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM is rough without software compensation. You might want to consider the 1.8 version instead, its basically a video lens in disguise.
- Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 has way less breathing
- Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G is also a beast tho Be careful with the GM on older bodies. Id suggest the 1.8 to save cash.
I've spent way too many hours measuring focal length shifts on these primes, and your frustration is totally valid. I remember doing a low-light reception in a tight basement venue with the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM and every time the AF-C pulsed even a tiny bit, the background just wobbled like jelly. It was a nightmare in the edit. Tbh, if you dont have a body like the A7SIII that supports the internal breathing compensation software, the GM is gonna annoy you. The Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 is basically the gold standard for video work in this range because the optical design just doesnt shift as much when the focus group moves. It has those XD linear motors that are dead silent too. Id grab that and maybe use the leftover cash for a Tiffen 67mm Black Pro-Mist 1/4 or a solid ND filter since you'll be wide open at f/1.8. The f/1.4 is technically sharper for stills, but for a wedding where you're moving fast on a gimbal, the 1.8 is way more reliable and stays under your 1200 buck limit easily.
> I really dont want to ruin this footage because of focus pulsing. I totally get the panic!! There was this high-end gala last year where I almost dropped a fortune on the GM but went with the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 instead and it was a total game changer for my gimbal setup. Those linear motors are freaking amazing for smooth AF-C and the breathing is basically zero compared to the GM. Saving nearly 700 bucks by skipping the luxury option meant I could also grab a Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 for tight shots... talk about a win! If youre doing lots of rack focusing on a gimbal the lighter weight is gonna save your wrists during those long Seattle receptions. Its definitely the sleeper hit for video shooters who actually care about the budget.
Quick reply while I have a sec. honestly, in my experience, that pulsing you're worried about often comes down to the camera settings more than the glass itself. I've spent years thinking a lens was trash for video, only to realize my AF transition speed was way too aggressive for low light. The biggest mistake I've made over the years was bringing brand-new gear to a wedding without testing it in a similar environment first. I did that once with a fast prime in a dark venue and the AF-C just couldn't lock onto anything, basically hunting back and forth the whole night. It was a nightmare in the edit. Tbh, if you're hitting a deadline this Friday, you need to be careful. Reliability is everything when you're shooting a first dance. Dont get caught up in the specs and forget that you actually have to deliver usable footage. If the AF-C is gonna act up because the venue is a cave, you're better off with a slightly slower aperture or even a small on-camera light to help the sensors see. Weddings are just too chaotic for gear surprises.
