I finally pulled the trigger on an A7IV and I'm so stoked for my trip to Tokyo next month! I've been looking at lenses and everyone says the Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM is the gold standard but then I saw some reviews for the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 Art and now I'm second guessing everything. The Sigma looks incredible for portraits but it's such a brick and I'm gonna be walking like 20k steps a day lol. I have about $1400 saved up for this.
Some people say the GM has better autofocus but others swear by the Sigma look so I'm honestly just lost. What do you guys think is the absolute top rated prime for a Sony setup if you can only bring one?
I've been shooting Sony for years and honestly, the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM is the winner here. Im so happy with how light it is compared to that Sigma brick... walking around Tokyo with a massive lens is a total nightmare. The GM just works well without the bulk and the AF is way snappier. You wont have any complaints.
Building on the earlier suggestion, unfortunately those heavy primes are just not worth the back pain. Grab the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 instead. It is light and saves serious cash.
> I saw some reviews for the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 Art and now I'm second guessing everything. Stumbled on this and gotta say... I tried going the third party route once with a similar lens and unfortunately it just wasnt as good as expected. Had some real issues with the autofocus hunting and it basically missed half my shots during a family trip... super disappointing when you cant redo the moment. Before you drop the cash, are you planning on mostly shooting street stuff at night or are you doing more organized portrait sessions? If you want absolute reliability for a big trip like Tokyo, native glass is the way to go imo. The Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM is usually the top pick but if you want something that feels a bit more modern for your A7IV, maybe look at the Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM. It fits your $1400 budget and the build quality is way more consistent than the Sigma bricks. I just dont trust those massive third party lenses to not have mount wiggle after a few days of heavy walking... kinda scary thinking about it.
Great info, saved!
> I saw some reviews for the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 Art and now I'm second guessing everything. Regarding that Sigma... unfortunately those massive third-party lenses are often not as good as expected when you're actually walking around. I had issues with the weight and slower focus tracking on my old Sigma setup and it was just a drag. For a trip to Tokyo, you really want something you can trust 100% of the time. Quick tips:
- Buy the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM. Native lenses are the only way to guarantee the A7IV eye-autofocus performs perfectly every single time.
- Don't chase the f/1.2 dream. The weight will genuinely ruin your day after 20k steps and the f/1.4 looks basically identical anyway... your back will thank you.
- You might want to be careful about only looking at MTF charts and center sharpness because the physical weight distribution on these E-mount bodies is a total nightmare for your wrists.
- I remember obsessively comparing the linear actuator specs and T-stop ratings on my gear for weeks before a trip to Kyoto a while back.
- Honestly the whole thing turned into a disaster because the airline changed their weight limits and I had to wear three layers of clothes just to hide my extra batteries and chargers at check-in so they wouldnt charge me extra.
- Then when I got to the airport I realized I forgot my universal power adapter and had to pay like triple the price at a tiny gift shop.
- It was raining when I landed and the train was so packed I could barely move with that heavy bag on my shoulder.
- I spent half my trip just worrying about my gear getting wet or my back giving out instead of actually shooting anything. Travel logistics are just such a mess these days... anyway sorry kinda went off on a tangent there lol
Solid advice 👍
