I just spent way too much on a used A7III and now I'm basically broke but I need a lens for my trip to Chicago next month. I keep seeing people recommend the Sony 50mm f1.8 since it's the cheapest but then I read a bunch of reviews saying the autofocus is super loud and slow as hell which sounds like a nightmare for street stuff. I looked at the Tamron 28-75 too but even used those are way over my 350 dollar limit right now. It's so annoying finally having the body but no glass. Are there any other hidden gems or maybe some third party stuff like Samyang that actually works well without breaking the bank...
TLDR: Buy the Samyang AF 35mm f2.8 FE. In my experience, the Sony 50mm f1.8 is way too unreliable for street photography because of the slow focus hunting. I have used this Samyang for years and it is plenty fast for Chicago. It easily fits your $350 budget and is a solid, reliable piece of glass.
> TLDR: Buy the Samyang AF 35mm f2.8 FE. Totally agree, that Samyang is a safe bet and super tiny. If you need more light for night shots tho, look for a used Samyang AF 45mm f1.8 FE. It usually hits that $250-300 mark and focus is way more reliable than that cheap Sony. Its a decent middle ground for price vs performance without feeling like a total toy... definitely worth a look.
Honestly i been really satisfied with some of the cheaper third party glass lately. It works well and i have no complaints about the build quality for the price. Staying on budget is definitely the smart move especially with a big trip coming up. Chicago is gonna be a blast though. I went there a few years ago and spent way too much time:
- trying to find the best deep dish spot (it is a struggle)
- walking around the loop till my feet basically fell off
- getting stuck in that crazy wind by the lake Actually i ended up losing my favorite hat near the bean because a gust just took it right off my head. It was this old corduroy thing i had since college and i was legit devastated for like half the day. Honestly felt naked without it for the rest of the vacation. Anyway lol sorry kinda went off topic there.
just catching up on this thread... honestly it is so frustrating when you finally get the camera but cant afford the glass to actually use it. unfortunately, ive had issues with some of these budget options where the build quality feels like a total toy. its super disappointing when they start hunting for focus or making weird noises right when you need the shot. you definitely dont want that happening while youre trying to enjoy chicago. re: 'honestly i been really satisfied with some of...' - i wish i shared that optimism, but im always worried about gear failing when im away from home. reliability is basically everything for me. have you checked out the phillipreeve site? they do really deep dives on glass for sony that are way more honest than most reviewers.
- what kind of stuff are you actually planning to shoot? like architecture or more street candids?
- how much do you care about weight? some of the older glass is built like a tank but itll kill your neck after a day of walking around the loop. anyway, you got this. even a cheap lens is better than no lens for a trip like that.
