Best compact L-mount lenses for street photography?

For your situation, I’d grab Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary (L-Mount) (my fave: tiny + snappy AF) vs Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary (L-Mount) (even smaller, stealthier), and if you want zoom: Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary (L-Mount), surprisingly practical.

Quick question before I go too deep: are you on a Panasonic body (S5/S5II etc) or Leica/Sigma? AF behavior + stabilization quirks can change the “best” pick a lot. Also, do you shoot with gloves / need a solid aperture ring, or are you cool with tiny controls?

That said, for safety/reliability in busy downtown stuff, I’d still start where Reply #1 did: Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN Contemporary (L-Mount) is kinda the sweet spot. Small, fast enough for subway stations, and AF is usually confident without hunting (which matters when you’re trying not to look like you’re filming people). The Sigma 45mm F2.8 DG DN Contemporary (L-Mount) is even more stealth, but ngl in low light you’ll feel that slower aperture sooner—still usable, just more ISO.

If you’re debating 35 vs 50: 35mm is safer for street, imo, because you can shoot a bit wider and crop vs having to back up into traffic/people. I’ve literally done the “step back, bump into a bike rack” move… not fun.

Also: keep it low-key—skip giant hoods, use a slim clear protector, and set a minimum shutter speed so you dont come home with motion-blur surprises. gl!

To add to the point above: people worry way too much about build feel! I’ve spent the last eighteen months beating the absolute crap out of the Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 and it is a total tank despite being so light. It is fantastic for those late night subway shots because the AF just doesn't hunt at all in low light. Seriously amazing performance for the price. If you want a killer two-lens setup, check out the Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f/1.8 as well. Since they are the exact same size, you dont even have to look at your bag to swap them out. It makes the workflow so much faster when you're moving through a crowd. DIY tip: I always gaffer tape my gear. Literally just black tape over the brand names and any bright white text. It makes a pro lens look like a $50 thrift store find. Keeps people from staring and keeps your gear safe in sketchier neighborhoods... definitely worth doing if you want to stay discreet!

- In my experience, yeah—those small Sigma primes people keep mentioning are legit for street: fast AF, not attention-grabbing, and you can find em used inside your $$600–$1k window pretty easily.
- One tiny add: budget for a small hood + a simple UV/clear filter, cuz street = bumping bags/rails/doorways… it’s saved my front element more than once (cheap insurance).
- Practical tip: if you’re shooting evening/subway stuff, prioritize the faster-aperture compact prime over a tiny zoom—zoom convenience is nice, but the extra stop (or two) in real life is HUGE.
- Also check used pricing after big firmware updates drop—people dump gear and you can snag deals. gl!

TIL! Thanks for sharing

tl;dr: i am stuck with the exact same problem. honestly i have found that the current l-mount options are either too bulky or feel too fragile for real street work, so i am still searching too. ^ This. Also, i have been hunting for a setup like this for about four months now and i still havent found anything that works. i have to politely disagree with the others about the sigma primes... i tried one out and unfortunately it was not as good as i expected in low light and felt a bit delicate for crowded subways. it is just so disappointing. panasonic glass is usually way too chunky for a discreet setup and leica is obviously just too expensive for a hobbyist like me to justify. i wish i had a real solution for you but i am right there in the same boat. i am starting to think a truly tiny, high-quality prime just doesnt exist for us yet. i feel your frustration for sure.