I finally bit the bullet and grabbed an a7C for my trip to Tokyo next month because I'm sick of hauling my heavy zoom gear around. Everyone online says the 35mm f/1.8 is the absolute gold standard for a first prime but then I keep seeing people obsessing over the 55mm Zeiss saying it has better colors or whatever. My budget is capped at $600 so I'm stuck between them and honestly I'm just confused if the 55mm is even worth it in 2024 since its such an old design. I mainly do street photography and some occasional portraits of my wife. If you could only bring one must-have prime lens for a whole trip which one is actually the winner?
Look, in my experience traveling through places like Tokyo, you really want a lens that wont fail you when the weather turns or the crowds get tight. I've tried many different setups over the years, and for the a7C, the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 is the one you want in your bag. Tbh, I carried the Sony Sonnar T* FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA for a long time, but I found myself constantly backing into walls in Shinjuku trying to get the whole scene in the frame. The 35mm is basically the safe choice for a reason. Here is why I stick with it:
- It has better weather sealing than the Zeiss, which matters because Tokyo rain is no joke.
- The close-focusing distance is way better for food shots at those tiny Izakaya counters.
- It fits the compact vibe of the a7C perfectly without being front-heavy. That 55mm Zeiss is a classic, dont get me wrong. The colors are beautiful, but it lacks a custom button and the autofocus is just a tiny bit slower than the newer 35mm. When you're trying to capture a quick moment of your wife crossing a street, you need that reliability. I've missed too many shots overthinking my gear, so just stick with the 35mm. You can find it for around $550 to $600 if you look for deals, fitting right in your budget. Its the workhorse that wont let you down.
