Ive been staring at lens reviews for three hours now and my head is spinning honestly. I finally upgraded to a Sony a7C because I wanted something smaller for when Im walking around Chicago with my kids but now Im stuck on the glass. I have about 600 bucks left in my budget and I need to buy something before we head out for a family trip next Saturday so the clock is ticking.

I did some digging and everyone keeps saying the Sony 35mm f/1.8 is the gold standard for street stuff but then I see other people swearing that the 55mm Zeiss is the only way to go if you want that 3D pop or whatever. But the Zeiss is way over my budget unless I find a beat up used one and Im scared of getting scammed on eBay. I just want one lens that can handle taking quick shots of my toddlers running around but also look decent if Im trying to get some nice architecture shots downtown. Some reviews say the 35mm is too wide and distorts faces but then others say the 50mm is too tight for narrow sidewalks. Its so annoying how one person says one thing and the next guy says the complete opposite.

Is there a middle ground or a specific prime that actually works for both without costing a fortune? Which one should I actually buy for the E-mount?