What are the best L-mount prime lenses for street photography?

Question

What are actually the best L-mount primes for street photography because I am honestly hitting a wall with my current setup. Ive been shooting street for nearly a decade mostly on Fuji and Sony but I just picked up a Lumix S5II and man the colors are incredible but Im struggling to find that perfect balance of size and speed in the lenses. I tried the 20-60 kit lens just to get a feel for the body but the variable aperture is driving me nuts when the sun starts going down in the city.

Im looking for something super snappy for those quick candid shots around Brooklyn. I was looking at the Sigma 35mm f2 Contemporary because it looks tiny but then I saw the Panasonic 35mm 1.8 and I cant decide if the weather sealing on the native glass is worth the extra bulk. Or maybe I should just go wider? I have about 1200 dollars to spend right now and I need to get this sorted before my trip to Chicago next month. Is the AF-C performance on the Sigmas actually good enough for fast moving subjects or should I stick to the Lumix S series? I really want something that doesnt make me look like a pro photographer if you know what I mean just something low profile but sharp as a tack. Also curious if anyone has used the 45mm Sigma for this or if it feels too tight for narrow alleys...

NovaNyx · Accepted Answer

Saw this earlier but just getting to it now. Since you asked about going wider, in my experience the Panasonic Lumix S 24mm f1.8 is the move for those tight Brooklyn or Chicago corners. Its super reliable for AF-C which matters when things move fast. Quick tip: check out the Lens Rentals blog for their teardowns if you are worried about weather sealing reliability. Honestly, stick to native glass for the best sealing if you are hitting that Chicago wind and rain.

Cordelia Faith Evans · Answer

In my experience shooting L-mount for years, the Sigma I-series is basically the gold standard for street work. I've tried many combos on the S5II and while the native Panasonic primes are okay, they feel a bit like toys compared to the all-metal Sigmas.

Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary: This is the winner. It is incredibly sharp and the AF-C is plenty fast for tracking people on a busy Chicago street. It stays low profile so people dont notice you as much.

Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f1.8: It is lighter but feels kinda hollow. The weather sealing is decent tho if you're worried about that Chicago wind and rain.

Sigma 45mm f2.8 DG DN Contemporary: Its tiny but f2.8 might leave you wanting more in the evening. Honestly, grab the Sigma 35mm and maybe the Sigma 24mm f2 DG DN Contemporary if you want something wider for Brooklyn alleys. You'll still be under budget.

WiggleWow · Answer

Honestly, since you mentioned the 45mm, it is a killer little lens for being discreet but that f2.8 might leave you wanting more when the sun goes down in Chicago. If you want to stay low profile but need speed, here are a few things to consider:

Sigma 45mm f2.8 DG DN Contemporary is incredibly tiny. The AF-C is very reliable on the S5II for walking subjects, tho the bokeh isnt as creamy as the f2 options. It feels like nothing on the camera.

Sigma 24mm f2 DG DN Contemporary would be my pick if you find 35mm too tight. It handles flare well and the all-metal build is tank-like compared to the native plastic primes.

Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f1.8 is actually quite good for candid portraits from across the street. It matches the 35mm and 24mm native lenses in size so your muscle memory stays the same. With 1200 bucks you could actually grab both the 24mm and the 45mm and have a killer two-lens setup for your trip. The Sigma AF is definitely good enough now with the phase detect on that S5II, so dont sweat the native glass rule as much as people used to. It basically makes the third-party glass feel native anyway. Let me know if you want more info on how they balance on the body.