ruthenium wrote:
I have four primes with their equivalent focal length at or close to full-frame 35mm.
The 35mm F1.4 GM lens is a prized jewel in this small collection and don't think I can part with this lens.
Having said this, admittedly it spends most time in a drawer and rarely sees the light of day.
The reason for this is that I typically use a camera for travel photography, and as a walk-around system that at 35mm almost never needs good background separation for this intended use.
The low-light performance is always a concern when travelling. Thus, f/1.4 is an asset compared to the f/2.2 equivalent aperture of the GF lens. I have seen your examples of city-scapes at f/1.4 in a different thread. Thus, I understand that f/1.4 can be used in some cases for landscapes or city. In my practice, I tend to stay at FF equivalent f/2 - f/2.8 apertures in low light in most cases. It is only in exceptionally rare cases that I have used the 35mm GM lens at f/1.4.
Basically, there are different uses for a 35mm prime. Some photographers may need f/1.4 more often, while this hasn't been the case in my photography.
Going back to why I like the GF45mm lens - this lens is relatively light and compact. The optical quality is beyond reproach. The lens has some nice "character" when wide-open. The light-gathering is adequate for most uses for a walk-around system. Another useful feature is that on the GFX100S II, the GF45mm is like two primes in one: 36mm f/2.2 (uncropped, 102MP) and 45mm f/2.8 (in the full-frame crop, 61MP). This well covers the normal range and essentially negates the need for a 35mm and a 50mm prime (unless a very fast aperture is needed, when I would switch to the GF55mm F1.7 lens).
I uploaded a picture of the GFX100S II with the GF45mm F2.8 lens, side-by-side with the A1 & 35mm F1.4 GM.
There is a difference in weight between the two systems (with the lens hoods and lens caps on, and the straps attached to the bodies): 1434 g vs 1327 g.
The GFX is heavier by 107 g. Neither of the two is light, yet they are not excessively heavy (by my standards).
I don't think the difference in size or weight here presents a concern or a strong argument in favour of one vs. the other system. ...Show more →
With 35mm prime 99% of the shots are of people / family and I am happy to shoot all single person portraits at f/1.4 plus fill flash whenever the available light is not good enough to be at base iso.
I will have to stop down to f/2.8-5.6 if there are multiple people in the shot though, but if I am expecting multiple people in the frame I may be using the 16-35mm or other zoom instead. Usually I switch to a prime because I expect to shoot f/1.4
Ditto for landscapes, I’m happy to shoot them at f/1.4 whenever I can’t use base ISO. If I can use base iso then I will stop down to f/8 or so.
Different people have different shooting preferences, I don’t at all expect your shooting style to be similar to mine. The best lens for you is the one you use often!
