hey, i feel u on those GM prices... seriously intimidating. here's what i recommend for under $400: * Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 FE (~$350)
* Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II FE (~$399) honestly, i've used both and i'm super satisfied. they basically punch way above their weight class cuz they're sharp and lowkey cheap. gl!

Sooo I went through this exact same struggle last year! Honestly, choosing budget glass is lowkey terrifying because you don't want to waste money on something that breaks in a month. I spent weeks obsessing over technical charts before I finally pulled the trigger on a few primes. Here is how my comparison journey went: 1. Tamron 35mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 vs Samyang AF 35mm f/1.8 FE: I actually tried both for street stuff. The Tamron is AMAZINGly sharp and has that 1:2 macro capability which is cool, but the autofocus motor is kinda loud and slow for fast street scenes. The Samyang is basically silent and way faster, but I was worried about the weather sealing since I shoot in the rain sometimes. 2. Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 vs Samyang AF 45mm f/1.8 FE: I started with the Sony because its the "official" budget choice, but the AF hunting was seriously frustrating!! I ended up swapping to the Samyang 45mm and its honestly been one of my favorite lenses ever. Technical-wise, the rendering is just smoother to me. 3. Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 vs Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II FE: This was the hardest choice for portraits. I went with the Sony used to stay under $400 cuz I'm super cautious about third-party AF reliability for professional work. Just sharing my experience, but definitely be careful with the "Samyang lottery" (quality control) and make sure you have a Samyang Lens Station for Sony E to keep the firmware updated. It makes a HUGE difference in how the AF behaves!! good luck with the kit build!!

So basically the consensus is: * Samyang for street
* Viltrox for portraits I think sharpness is similar iirc, but the Viltrox feels more premium. Both beat GM on value!

For your situation, I'd suggest being really careful with the super cheap third-party brands. I've had issues with connection errors before and it’s honestly THE WORST when your gear fails mid-shoot. If you want a safe bet for portraits, the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 is usually under $250. Tbh the focus is kinda slow and loud, which was disappointing for me, but since it's first-party, it won't randomly stop working after a camera update. Also, check out the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary. It often goes on sale for around $350 and the build quality is actually AMAZING... way more solid than the plasticky options. I'm always worried about dust getting into lenses without seals, so Sigma feels much safer for street photography. Better to spend a bit more for that peace of mind imo! hope that helps.

Big if true

Any updates on this?

Honestly I totally agree with the point about being cautious with some of those cheaper brands. I am still pretty new to this but I have been spending way too much time looking at performance charts and testing videos lately. Ngl it is kind of a rabbit hole but there are some real technical red flags you should look out for before you buy.

• Watch out for chromatic aberration which basically looks like those weird purple or green lines around high contrast edges. It is super common on budget glass and can be a pain to fix in post.
• Check for focus breathing if you ever plan to do video because the frame will basically look like it is zooming in and out while you focus.
• Look at corner sharpness benchmarks because some of these lenses are only sharp in the middle and get really blurry at the edges.
• Firmware updates are honestly a huge headache. Like if you do not buy the extra dock or station you might never be able to fix autofocus bugs. Does anyone know if there is an easy way to check for these things without actually buying the lens first? Just trying to be careful with my money!