Ive been shooting on my A7IV for a few years now and mostly stuck to the 24-70mm GM II because it covers basically everything. But honestly I'm getting tired of lugging that brick around all day. I have a trip to Japan coming up in like three weeks and I really want to challenge myself to shoot with just one or maybe two primes for street and some night shots in Shinjuku.
I thought I knew what I wanted but then I started looking at the 35mm options and my head is spinning. Do I go for the 35mm GM because the glass is legendary or is the 35mm f1.8 plenty good enough for a fraction of the weight? I even looked at some Zeiss stuff but heard the AF can be a bit hunt-y compared to the newer linear motors. I want that nice creamy bokeh for portraits but I need it to be sharp wide open because I hate fixing soft eyes in post.
Budget is around 1200 bucks give or take. I'm leaning toward the 35mm or maybe a 50mm but I'm worried the 50 will be too tight for the narrow alleys over there. What are you guys actually keeping on your bodies lately? Is there a goldilocks prime I'm missing that isnt a total pain to carry or maybe something from Sigma I should look at...
> Do I go for the 35mm GM because the glass is legendary or is the 35mm f1.8 plenty good enough for a fraction of the weight? Honestly, i spent way too much money trying to find a cheaper middle ground and i really regret it. I used the Sony FE 35mm f1.8 SEL35F18F for a while but unfortunately it just didnt live up to the hype for night street work. Had some nasty chromatic aberration around neon signs and the corners were way softer than i expected. Not as good as people claim, tbh. If youre heading to Japan, dont settle. I eventually just got the Sony FE 35mm f1.4 GM. Its obviously heavier than the 1.8 but much lighter than your current zoom. The linear motors are the only thing i actually trust to nail focus in dark alleys. I tried the Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG DN Art but it still felt bulky and i had some annoying focus pulsing. Stick with the GM for the reliability.
Just saw this thread and wanted to share what I learned after years of making bad gear choices for travel.
- I used to lug my heavy zoom everywhere because of FOMO, but my neck was ruined by day three.
- I then bought a top-tier fast prime for a big trip, but honestly I spent the whole time paranoid about dropping it or getting it wet in the city.
- Swapped it for a cheap, compact option that cost a fraction of the price and weighed next to nothing.
- That cheaper lens survived rain, cramped subway crowds, and still delivered sharp shots without weighing me down. Tbh, for travel, safety and comfort matter way more than chasing that last 5% of bokeh quality.
Unfortunately, the Sony FE 35mm f1.8 has disappointing chromatic aberration wide open. Save some cash and grab the Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary for better center sharpness and build.
Honestly, I get why everyone is obsessing over the GM glass, but you're going to Japan and you should be enjoying the food and the sights, not stressing about pixel-peeping your files. JasonGom is totally right about the neck pain, that zoom is a beast. I honestly think people overcomplicate the night shots. You can get perfectly usable images without needing the absolute most expensive lens in the lineup. I have been using a smaller, lighter prime for my own travel and I am super satisfied with the results. Just grab something compact that you won't mind carrying for 12 hours a day, because reliability and comfort are gonna matter way more than having perfect corner sharpness when you're rushing to catch a train in Shinjuku. Just enjoy the trip!
