I picked up an A1ii a couple weeks ago and took a dive into some learning about it through Mark Galer's website/downloadable book. I was a can shooter for a long time; going back to the 1V days and even before then a bit. I loved canon but just felt like I needed something a bit more manageable and never truly got along with the R3 when I purchased it a couple years ago.
This A1ii though so far fits like a glove. I don't know, I just seem to get it. I'm sure my experience with my R3 helped a lot in the learning curve, but for me it just works. The autofocus and tracking is incredible.
I dove in head first with a 35 GM 1.4 and a 300 2.8 GM OSS. I haven't been out with the 300 much but love the 35 for around the house and kids. I find myself using the in-camera crop mode a lot to get to a 50mm.
I'm looking for another lens to fit in the middle. WIth the in camera crop and already having the 300 (so light!!!!) I was thinking of either the 85 1.4 or the 135 1.8. I feel like if i'm using a 70-200 2.8, i'd be wishing I had the 300 on the camera but could be wrong. Any suggestions?
The original 85 GM and Sigma 85mm 1.4 are both well regarded. The AF motors on the original GM are a little slow though. But shouldn’t be too much a hinderance for portraits. Children can be an issue if they are young and don’t stay in one place very long though
I have the GM II. Which is excellent. Super sharp and has a nice fall off from focus to out of focus. Background can look a little busy in some situations though
The latest Viltrox 85mm 1.4 also looks excellent. Haven’t personally used it, but sample images and videos I’ve seen look very nice! And you can’t beat the price. Especially when it’s on sale
mattchu wrote:
I picked up an A1ii a couple weeks ago and took a dive into some learning about it through Mark Galer's website/downloadable book. I was a can shooter for a long time; going back to the 1V days and even before then a bit. I loved canon but just felt like I needed something a bit more manageable and never truly got along with the R3 when I purchased it a couple years ago.
This A1ii though so far fits like a glove. I don't know, I just seem to get it. I'm sure my experience with my R3 helped a lot in the learning curve, but for me it just works. The autofocus and tracking is incredible.
I dove in head first with a 35 GM 1.4 and a 300 2.8 GM OSS. I haven't been out with the 300 much but love the 35 for around the house and kids. I find myself using the in-camera crop mode a lot to get to a 50mm.
I'm looking for another lens to fit in the middle. WIth the in camera crop and already having the 300 (so light!!!!) I was thinking of either the 85 1.4 or the 135 1.8. I feel like if i'm using a 70-200 2.8, i'd be wishing I had the 300 on the camera but could be wrong. Any suggestions?
I can cover a great deal with a pair of 35 and 50 FL primes so maybe consider the GM50 F1.4 to pair with your GM35. Both as you know can keep up w/ A1 II AF and FPS. I do like 85FL, but I feel the 50 FL can be a bit more universal.
There are so many really good Emount lenses to consider for your system ( careful ha! ). *I don't own the GM 300 but had the chance to borrow one briefly out in the wetlands. Excellent lens in so many ways--good choice.
As far as a prime, the 135GM is one of my favorites. I often crop it up to 300mm. Seems fairly rare that 135 is too long and 85 is short enough. I often grab the 50/1.2 GM and 135GM.
You might also look at the 50-150/2 GM. That would provide nice coverage between the 35GM and 300GM.
mattchu wrote:
WIth the in camera crop and already having the 300 (so light!!!!) I was thinking of either the 85 1.4 or the 135 1.8. I feel like if i'm using a 70-200 2.8, i'd be wishing I had the 300 on the camera but could be wrong. Any suggestions?
See... when it comes to lenses, it is important to acquire all of them. Ignore the urge to examine your focal lengths and "identify gaps." It doesn't work: GAS will step in. GAS will create gaps. GAS will bend you over its knee no matter what you do. To achieve total and comprehensive victory, you must purchase everything. This may feel like an absurd idea, but only to the timid mind of a nonserious person who operates on a short time horizon. If you fall into this trap, you'll be endlessly buying lenses, getting divorced, buying more lenses, fighting deteriorating health, then buying some more lenses until you won't be able to subdue the pain and begin voting Democrat or, god forbid, acquire a cat, become a vegan, and start scouting a spot for your gender on a spectrum.
A wise man, on the other hand, skips the drama and simply buys all the lenses. That's how you kill GAS once and for all, by deploying the scorched-earth strategy. You don't even need to mount them onto your camera. In fact, I don't believe I even opened half the boxes. What you do is: you buy them all and wait. Once the last strain of GAS leaves your system, you can sell everything here on FM, or even return it to the store if you haven't opened the package.
And you'll ascend to a new enlightened state, where you'll realize that the only thing that matters about lenses is the presence of an aperture ring. And you'll be perfectly contempt with a lens, just one lens of some unimportant focal length, as long as it comes with that sacred property.
Sony 14 1.8
Sigma 85 1.2 when it comes out
Sigma 135 1.4
Sigma 200 F2
Sony 50-150 F2
Sony 600 F4 or Sigma 300-600 F4
Whoops sorry, that's my wish list!
I'd go Sony 85 1.4 mk2, or grab a used Sony 135 1.8 off here for around $900. If you don't care about native AF, Samyang and Viltrox both make a great 135.
I can understand wanting something between 35mm and 300mm. However, what do you want to shoot with it? Are you concerned about size/weight for this lens? Is price/value important? Are you OK with being limited to 15 FPS (third party lenses, and I think even some Sony lenses, are limited to that)? Do you care about focus breathing compensation (you will need a Sony lens for that)?
There are a huge number of options, but without knowing more about what you want do shoot and your other preferences, it is impossible to give any real recommendation.
FWIW here are just a few of the lenses which immediately spring to mind:
The 85mm options dsicussed in posts above.
The 135mm f/1.8 and f/1.4 options discussed above.
Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II, or Sigma equivalent.
Sony 28-70mm f/2 GM.
Sony 50-150mm f/2 GM.
Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 VXD.
Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM or Sony 50mm f/1.4 GM or Sigma equivalents - since you find yourself cropping the 35GM to something close to 50mm a lot anyway. On the other hand, if you are happy enough doing that, perhaps better to keep doinng that and go for a more different lens now (assuming you intend to keep the 35GM).
Sigma 65mm f/2 DG Contemporary. This is a bit of an outlier in this list but I got a good deal on one recently but it is small and light and I like it a lot, and I think it's a good companion to my 35 GM. (I have never been a huge fan of 50mm or even 85mm though.)
Sigma 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art. (This is an older lens, and large and heavy, so I almost left it out of this list. I am a fan of the images it can produce though, albeit I have never owned one.)
There is the 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II and similar options, of course, and personally I think I would find something like that more useful than a 300mm prime even if the 300mm prime produced spectacular images when I could make the focal length work, but it sounds like it might be different for you.
As I say though, there are a huge number of options. What is a good choice for you will depend on what you want to use the lens to shoot and your other preferences.
Are you comfortable cropping to 50 or would you rather have a 50? Sony makes one of the best with the 50/1.2. If you love 50, it's a joy according to my coworkers. Personally, I'd be happy with the 35 and learn to get closer.
Sony's 85GMII matches nicely with the 35GM, but I haven't touched anything else but Sigma's 85/1.4 DC DN. Other people will have to give you the rundown on the 1500 85mm lenses released since then. I will say I'd be tempted to give up the couple of stops and take on a little more length for the 100/2.8GM Macro. That lens is a really impressive all-around performer and you might re/discover a love of small things.
I'd suggest a different tact. Recently Tamron released its 25-200mm zoom. I've got one. It's a good modern zoom lens to have in your arsenal for general photography and travel when you don't want to carry and/or change multiple lenses.
You could buy it as a travel go-to, but use it initially at home to see what focal lengths you gravitate toward. For example, if you end up shooting a lot of images with it around 85mm, then maybe a dedicated 85mm lens could go on your wish list.
Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. Since some have asked, I shoot mostly my family/kids and wildlife/birds. The 300 2.8 will be my wildlife lens. With a converter and the crop mode, I don't see myself needing anything longer at the moment. I used to own a 600 f/4, 400 2.8, 200-400 f/4 lenses with Canon. All great, but just became heavy to lug around and cumbersome with a tripod. This sony 300 2.8 is so easy to carry, I love it.
I'm looking for a lens that would fit in the middle and would use it mostly for kids candid shots. My kids are in 4H and would look to photograph them showing their animals or doing projects. I live on a farm as well and having access to being outside from a distance shooting the kids in their element without me on top of them all the time is another reason for the shoot. I like the idea of the 50-150 f/2. I do wish it took a teleconverter though like the 70-200. I'd probably mostly be shooting at the long end of the zoom range of the 50-150 which has me leaning towards the 135 1.8 or 85 1.4. I love isolating my subjects and love the larger aperture.
I had not thought about the 100 2.8 Macro. Thank you again and always open to new ideas or suggestions!
mattchu wrote:
Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. Since some have asked, I shoot mostly my family/kids and wildlife/birds. The 300 2.8 will be my wildlife lens. With a converter and the crop mode, I don't see myself needing anything longer at the moment. I used to own a 600 f/4, 400 2.8, 200-400 f/4 lenses with Canon. All great, but just became heavy to lug around and cumbersome with a tripod. This sony 300 2.8 is so easy to carry, I love it.
I'm looking for a lens that would fit in the middle and would use it mostly for kids candid shots. My kids are in 4H and would look to photograph them showing their animals or doing projects. I live on a farm as well and having access to being outside from a distance shooting the kids in their element without me on top of them all the time is another reason for the shoot. I like the idea of the 50-150 f/2. I do wish it took a teleconverter though like the 70-200. I'd probably mostly be shooting at the long end of the zoom range of the 50-150 which has me leaning towards the 135 1.8 or 85 1.4. I love isolating my subjects and love the larger aperture.
I had not thought about the 100 2.8 Macro. Thank you again and always open to new ideas or suggestions!...Show more →
If you want spectacular IQ with incredible bokeh, and don't mind a little weight, there are two Sony mount Sigma 105mm f1.4 lenses currently for sale on FM Buy & Sell for around $900. For the need you describe, you will not do any better than this lens! The weight will be roughly the same as the GM 50-100mm f2.
mattchu wrote:
Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. Since some have asked, I shoot mostly my family/kids and wildlife/birds. The 300 2.8 will be my wildlife lens. With a converter and the crop mode, I don't see myself needing anything longer at the moment. I used to own a 600 f/4, 400 2.8, 200-400 f/4 lenses with Canon. All great, but just became heavy to lug around and cumbersome with a tripod. This sony 300 2.8 is so easy to carry, I love it.
I'm looking for a lens that would fit in the middle and would use it mostly for kids candid shots. My kids are in 4H and would look to photograph them showing their animals or doing projects. I live on a farm as well and having access to being outside from a distance shooting the kids in their element without me on top of them all the time is another reason for the shoot. I like the idea of the 50-150 f/2. I do wish it took a teleconverter though like the 70-200. I'd probably mostly be shooting at the long end of the zoom range of the 50-150 which has me leaning towards the 135 1.8 or 85 1.4. I love isolating my subjects and love the larger aperture.
I had not thought about the 100 2.8 Macro. Thank you again and always open to new ideas or suggestions!...Show more →
After reading your 2nd post I’d definitely recommend the 50-150. Shoot in crop mode if you need the extra reach - the A1 II has plenty of pixels for that.
Haven’t touched my 135 1.8 since getting the 50-150.
All that said - I personally use the 70-200 GM II far more often than the 300. It serves as a travel lens w TCs and we’re traveling quite often these days.
A lot of folks recommend lens or lenses that suit THEIR needs and understandably so. But, like @liggy above, after reading your 2nd post, and you need or would like to get a lens longer than 35mm that can generate superb image quality and shallow DOF, you either get short tele lens or lenses or better yes, the GM 50-150mm f/2 for more flexibility. Pricey though...
mattchu wrote:
I had not thought about the 100 2.8 Macro.
A perfect FL to manage the gap, but if you're interested in family candid and portrait then consider the 100/2.8 STF GM. I pair it with the Sigma 45/2.8 C for an easy carry.
