im seriously about to throw this kit lens out the window. i bought my sony a7iii a few months ago thinking it would change my life but honestly every photo i take with the 28-70mm looks so flat and boring and just... muddy? especially lately because im in seattle and its always gray and dark out and this lens just cant handle it. the aperture is so high that i have to crank the iso and everything looks like a grainy mess. i need that pro look with the blurry background everyone talks about but i am drowning in options and i dont know what to do.
my logic was originally to get a 50mm because thats what everyone says is the nifty fifty but then i started looking at reviews and now im second guessing everything. some people say 35mm is better if you want to get more of the scene in but then others say 85mm is the king of bokeh for portraits and now my head is spinning. i have a friends outdoor wedding coming up in like two weeks and i promised i would take some nice shots of them but at this rate im gonna show up with this garbage kit lens and let them down.
ive got maybe $550 or $600 tops to spend which i know isnt a ton for pro gear but there has to be something better than what i have right? i looked at the sony 50mm 1.8 because its cheap but then i read the autofocus is slow and loud and that scares me for a wedding. then there is sigma and tamron and it just feels like every time i think i have a choice i find a forum post saying dont buy that buy this instead and im back at square one. should i just go with a 35mm so i dont have to stand ten feet back from everyone? or is the 85mm gonna be too tight for casual stuff? i just want one lens that stays on the camera and actually makes me feel like the money i spent on the body was worth it...
Regarding what #1 said about "Honestly, grab the Sony FE 85mm f1.8 instead.fits..." - i totally agree that primes are a game changer, but 85mm is just too tight for a walk-around lens. i have been really satisfied with the Samyang AF 45mm f/1.8 FE. it is super light, fast, and handles dark seattle days way better than your kit lens. quick tip: the 45mm is great for weddings because you can get portraits and groups without swapping.
Re: "Honestly, grab the Sony FE 85mm f1.8 instead.fits..."
- I actually tried going that route early on, but unfortunately, an 85mm focal length felt way too cramped for everyday life. I had issues with being constantly backed into walls trying to fit my friends into the frame. I really regret wasting money on the Sony FE 50mm f1.8 too. It was not as good as expected, honestly. The autofocus is just ancient... it sounds like a tiny buzzy motor and hunts forever in low light. I tried using it for a rainy evening shoot downtown and it was a total disaster. Half my shots were blurry because it just couldn't lock on in the Seattle gloom. If youre doing a wedding, that lens will drive you crazy. Quick tips for your budget:
- Look at the Samyang AF 35mm f1.8 FE. Its light, cheap, and the AF is way snappier than the Sony 50mm.
- The Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary is also killer if you want something that feels like a real piece of pro gear. I really think a 35mm is the way to go for your first prime. It stays on the camera for everything from street stuff to weddings without making you feel trapped. Just stay away from that cheap Sony 50... itll just break your heart when you see the missed focus on the wedding photos.
Honestly, grab the Sony FE 85mm f1.8 instead.
- fits your budget
- great bokeh
- silent AF Itll make those wedding shots look way more professional than that kit lens.
Good to know!
Yep, this is the way
