Prime Lens.... 35 or 50mm?

Cavallino · 5 Aug 2017 at 18:33

Hello folks.
So I finally got my Sony A6000 which is lovely.
I now want to get a second lens and considering something in a 35mm or 50 flavour.

The challenge I have? I'm just not sure which one to get so would once again welcome any insight or opinion.
Ive never had a fixed lens so I am not sure what to expect with a 50mm vs 35mm in terms of framing subjects.

The next events that I have are going to be Christening and beach holiday...

I guess getting something in 35mm guarantees you get more people into the same picture...

MichaelAwkward · 5 Aug 2017 at 18:40

Sony a6000 has an APS-C sized sensor, so there is a crop factor of 1.5x.

Therefore a 35mm lens becomes 52.5mm lens, and 50mm becomes 75mm lens. For general use I'd go with the 35mm or even a wider lens. 35mm equivalent would be ideal but Sony unfortunately only offers one 24mm lens which currently costs £799. I'd try out the Sigma 19mm F2.8 as it's gotten pretty good reviews and 28mm equiv is a nice FoV, and it's cheap as chips.

https://www.dpreview.com/articles/4606181052/field-test-sigma-dn-lenses/3

Raymond Lin · 5 Aug 2017 at 18:43

24mm or 25mm Batis for the Sony.

D.P. · 5 Aug 2017 at 19:37

Raymond Lin said:
24mm or 25mm Batis for the Sony.

This.

Cavallino · 5 Aug 2017 at 23:47

MichaelAwkward said:
Sony a6000 has an APS-C sized sensor, so there is a crop factor of 1.5x.

Therefore a 35mm lens becomes 52.5mm lens, and 50mm becomes 75mm lens. For general use I'd go with the 35mm or even a wider lens. 35mm equivalent would be ideal but Sony unfortunately only offers one 24mm lens which currently costs £799. I'd try out the Sigma 19mm F2.8 as it's gotten pretty good reviews and 28mm equiv is a nice FoV, and it's cheap as chips.

https://www.dpreview.com/articles/4606181052/field-test-sigma-dn-lenses/3

Cheers MA.

To be honest, does it matter what the crop factor is today (I assume you making the comparison to old style/true 35 mm right?)
There is a 35mm Sony lens but this is a macro lens.

Are the Sigmas that you reffering to E type lenses? Could you please link me to any of these?

Raymond Lin said:
24mm or 25mm Batis for the Sony.

Am I right in saying this is over a grand in price?

Raymond Lin · 6 Aug 2017 at 00:09

The Batis, yes. Not looked into the 24mm but i think that is a little less.

The reason being that gives you a 35mm or near enough focal length which is a much better focal length for general stuff than the 50mm. The 50mm is great but I find that this lens is actually quite difficult to use well.

Schizo · 6 Aug 2017 at 05:30

They also do the 28mm f2 which is good.

MichaelAwkward · 6 Aug 2017 at 07:06

Cavallino said:
Cheers MA.

To be honest, does it matter what the crop factor is today (I assume you making the comparison to old style/true 35 mm right?)
There is a 35mm Sony lens but this is a macro lens.

Are the Sigmas that you reffering to E type lenses? Could you please link me to any of these?

It does yes because lenses are still sold according to their 35mm focal length even if they're APS-C or m43 only.

Sony do a 35mm f1.8 OSS too but it's quite expensive for what it is.

Here's the sigma:

https://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=259

Need to make sure if you buy it that it is the e-mount version as they also sell it for m43 cameras.

Cavallino · 6 Aug 2017 at 10:56

Raymond Lin said:
The Batis, yes. Not looked into the 24mm but i think that is a little less.

The reason being that gives you a 35mm or near enough focal length which is a much better focal length for general stuff than the 50mm. The 50mm is great but I find that this lens is actually quite difficult to use well.

Thanks Raymond.

But the Batis is just too expensive for me unfortunately, I really cant shell out a grand for this lens.
Was looking circa £200 ish.

Schizo said:
They also do the 28mm f2 which is good.

A Batis one? or Sony?

MichaelAwkward said:
It does yes because lenses are still sold according to their 35mm focal length even if they're APS-C or m43 only.

Sony do a 35mm f1.8 OSS too but it's quite expensive for what it is.

Here's the sigma:

https://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=259

Need to make sure if you buy it that it is the e-mount version as they also sell it for m43 cameras.

Cheers MA.

Wouldn't the 19mm be too far back? (Almost fish eye like?)
I guess this is the Sigma 19mm E mount you are referring to?

As I said, I am looking to take family group photos and more closer up portrait photos of my daughter and wife.

And the Sony 35mm is this one I guess?

MichaelAwkward · 6 Aug 2017 at 11:04

You need to remove the links as competitors aren't allowed on here.

The Sigma you linked to is the 30mm, not the 19mm. Sony one is correct.

It wouldn't be fisheye as on your Sony, the 19mm lens becomes 28.5mm equivalent. A bit wider than 35mm but not that wide. Fisheyes are usually around 15mm equivalent.

You could buy the Sigma 19mm for your group shots and their 60mm for the portraits (90mm equivalent).

You say this would be your second lens - did your camera come with the 16-50 power zoom?

Cavallino · 6 Aug 2017 at 11:31

Removed, thanks MA.
Yes my Sony did come with a 16-50 kit lens.
Ill digest the above and consider what I will go for next, thanks again.

MichaelAwkward · 6 Aug 2017 at 11:37

Your 16-50 is 24-75mm equivalent so you can take some pictures at those focal lengths and see what kind of prime would be useful to you. Personally I'd just use the 16-50 stopped down for group shots. It isn't that bad and it's size makes it useful to keep.

A lens like the Sigma 60mm or Sony 50mm would be good for portraits as that's where you can play around with DoF and see better results.

Armageus · 6 Aug 2017 at 11:51

MichaelAwkward said:
You need to remove the links as competitors aren't allowed on here.

Just to clarify - there is no issue linking photography equipment from "that site" as OcUK do not stock cameras and lenses.

Cavallino · 6 Aug 2017 at 12:01

MichaelAwkward said:
Your 16-50 is 24-75mm equivalent so you can take some pictures at those focal lengths and see what kind of prime would be useful to you. Personally I'd just use the 16-50 stopped down for group shots. It isn't that bad and it's size makes it useful to keep.

A lens like the Sigma 60mm or Sony 50mm would be good for portraits as that's where you can play around with DoF and see better results.

Yes I think that's probably the way I may go. Just need decide on what I need for the portrait lense.

Thanks again.

Cavallino · 6 Aug 2017 at 12:02

Armageus said:
Just to clarify - there is no issue linking photography equipment from "that site" as OcUK do not stock cameras and lenses.

I honestly thought this too. But I m happy to oblige just to be on the safe side.
Appreciate the advice from all OCUK folks first and foremost.

Schizo · 6 Aug 2017 at 19:08

You can put the links back,its fine.

RSR · 6 Aug 2017 at 22:57

Sony 28mm f2 would get my vote, as its sharper than the 35mm & 50mm lens. However, the other recommendation is the Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8

Both of these are incredibly sharp and highly recommend.

Scam · 7 Aug 2017 at 11:52

50mm on a crop is pretty long. My nifty fifty was my favourite lens on Nikon but I struggled sometimes; not being able to get far enough away for the shot I wanted. So when I bought my Fuji I got the 35/f2. I think it's a much better middle ground. Having said that I recently bought the 14/f2.8 and now want the 23/f2 for the 'real' 35mm look

I'd imagine if you're doing 'serious' (staged) portraiture then 50+ is fine on a crop, but if most of your photography is spur of the moment, portraits of friends etc. or whilst out-and-about then the 50+ might be a bit restrictive and I'd plump for the 35mm.

Cavallino · 7 Aug 2017 at 12:34

Firstly, thank you all for your great advice and contributions. This is why I love OCUK.

So Ive done a complete 180....

Ive ended up returning the A6000 and instead picked up an RX100 Mark 3.
With a view that I will be purchasing a DSLR, purely because of the lens prices (I should have listened to many of you when you said this about the E mount lenses!).

The RX100 will serve the purpose for the next events that I have coming up (holiday and christening)
And for the wedding I hope to purchase a DSLR of some kind with a few lenses.

Ive pretty much done (or about to do) what Schizo did....

In the meantime thanks again, I still have learnt and take onboard everything that was said in this thread!

Schizo · 7 Aug 2017 at 18:19

Cavallino said:
Firstly, thank you all for your great advice and contributions. This is why I love OCUK.

So Ive done a complete 180....

Ive ended up returning the A6000 and instead picked up an RX100 Mark 3.
With a view that I will be purchasing a DSLR, purely because of the lens prices (I should have listened to many of you when you said this about the E mount lenses!).

The RX100 will serve the purpose for the next events that I have coming up (holiday and christening)
And for the wedding I hope to purchase a DSLR of some kind with a few lenses.

Ive pretty much done (or about to do) what Schizo did....

In the meantime thanks again, I still have learnt and take onboard everything that was said in this thread!

Great choice on compact, they do come highly regarded as the best compact out there.
Its a shame the lens for the A6000 are so expensive as I would have kept the camera.
I took my canon out yesterday properly for the first time to a car show in Ipswich,glorious sunny day and it was a joy to have a DSLR back again,took some cracking shots with the 70-200 2.8 and am super chuffed at my decision to go back to DSLR.