Just great. This is definitely the most thorough video on this lens that I've seen and really demonstrates a number of conditions that a lot of videos don't. Still a bit torn by this and the Sigma 35mm 1.2, but I find these native Sony lenses to be so simple and justifiable. Also, thank you for uploading in 4k!
This is a great little package. If your priority is portraits, I would personally be tempted by the Sigma. If you want a 35mm to do a little of everything, this is the ay to go.
I own this lens and think it's really nice for street photography: it's discreet and light, and certainly sharp enough for me, and the f/1.8 focal ratio and close focus distance is fun to play with when you come across a little detail you want to highlight. Thanks for this DA, and merry Christmas!
@@dba00 If I had to pick one purely based on the IQ then I think the sigma might come out slightly ahead. However, it's over twice as heavy and it's much bigger making it much less enjoyable to shoot with. While the Sony might be slightly behind in IQ it is still very very good, so good that it doesn't matter to me.
This is a very nice out-and-about lens. Outperforms the FE 28/2 and the 35/2.8 in every way. It is not competing with the Sigma 35 1.2; it complements it for 35mm lovers. I bought one right away; life is short so I am not going to wait a year for it to drop $20.00. Highly recommended for those that understand where it sits in the 35mm universe. (PS - I have a number of 35s including the Sonnar mounted on my RX1. This lens gets you very close to the RX1 experience. The Sonnar has slightly creamier bokeh but the 35/1.8 is better for landscapes.) Well done Dustin; as usual.
86BBUB - I agree with your point regarding RX1 But also wondering if the DOF is more on 35mm focal length than what you get on 28mm? As the difference between f1.8 and f2 is quite marginal. I use 28 f2 in APSC mode to get 42mm FOV, which is not that far off from the 35mm FOV.( given you also can move few steps backwards ) My point is I will buy 35mm only if it grants more shallow DOF than the 28mm .
Thanks! Great review as always. Best source on the net for those kind of reviews! Highly trusted. Will you do a shootout between the Zeiss Batis 40 and the Sony 35 1.8?
hi, many thanks for the great review, fantastic work as usual. One thing that I wanted to let you know is that when watching your video on an iphone it’s not possible to distinguish any fine details of your wall. Basically it all looks the same, I can’t tell any differences in sharpness, contrast or anything else. I have seen other videos where they use scenes with special targets, newspapers clipping and other objects which make it much easier to see the performances of the lens. thanks for all your hard work!
Hi Michele, unfortunately I'm not really working at creating 4K videos for phone screens. I have found that my process produces more reliable results than others in revealing some details not exposed by some of these other processes. I'm sorry that it isn't working great for your viewing source.
Loved the review Dustin. I hope they make some small 1.4 lenses. The 1.8 size is perfect. I do street photography and having a giant 1.4 both for weight and looking huge when shooting people isn't great
I briefly tried out the lens on the a7r4 and found it to be a very competent lens with an ergonomic form factor. And it has a monopoly in the 35mm focal range for its small form factor - the reason why it is possibly a bit more expensive. I did not get it for a few reasons - the first because I already had the samyang 45/1.8 and found that I actually often prefer that FL and the more I used the lens the more versatile I found it & also that it has a certain signature that I prefered. I also have a lot of manual vintage 35 primes of which the Mir 35/2 has a special rendering & MF entails another process of visualization. I absolutely agree with you that sony has a well worked out series of 1.8 primes and they fit very well. However for myself I am discovering that the 45 goes very well with the sony 90macro & the tamron 24 or 20 could be an addition at the wide level. But for the 35 fl sony has really produced a lightweight (though not quite pocketwise light) good hybrid lens
I would agree that while the Sony takes any easy win on build and features, I too slightly prefer the rendering from the Samyang 45mm. It does have a vintage charm.
@@DustinAbbottTWI I used it recently for some very intricate old temple sculpture-architecture & also some interiors - design etc - gave a lot of detail with a wider spatial perspective & on the R4 with perspective cropping one gets a tele perspective without extra compression. So one gets all the modern benefits But that is the beauty of the 45fl. Its even slightly lighter than the sony and its minimal design has its own value. But its really a question of what kind of work one is doing and what fl works best for it
Did I misunderstand the MTF values from sony, but is the 35mm 1.8 actually sharper than the zeiss? I think the colours and pop that I love about the 55mm are in the 35mm 1.8 too
Good day sir, how do you think of the comparison with the Batis 40mm. I have been using the Batis for about a year now, and this is my most commonly used lens. the results have "something" special. but, even after the firmware update I regularly have sharpness problems with the eye autofocus. After many simulations, I am still not sure where the problem is situated. As a result, I have now come to a point where I think it’s maybe better to exchange the Batis for the Sony 35 1.8. How is your opinion about this. Thanks in advance and greetings from Belgium.
Great review. Thank you. You said that this lens is not the best 35mm that you have seen for astrophotography. Which lens would you choose for astrophotography?
Thank you, Dustin. Another thorough, thoughtful review. Going to hold off on this lens, hoping that Sony produces a 40 or 45, I think that would be a better filler for the gap between 24 and 85. I’ve tried the 55 already, it’s a very nice lens, I just couldn’t master the focal length. Really appreciate the inclusion of the star image. Astrophotography performance is very important to me.
Dustin Abbott I’ve watch your review times on it and have been very tempted, especially at the price point. My biggest concern is in the build quality, though you’re very encouraging in that area as well. Thank you for the response, I’ll look again at your review.
Great review. For outdoor portrait to pair with a 85, I am choosing between 35 1.8, 35 1.4za, and batis40. If you are making this choice which one will likely win?
Hello Dustin. I'm considering getting a 35mm lens for my A7r5 and while I'm very tempted to buy the G-Master, I find it a bit heavy (over 500g). That leaves me with 2 or 3 options: this little FE lens, the Sigma f/2... or... the Tamron 28-75mm. My current line-up: 20mm G f.1.8, 55 f/1.8, and the new 70-200 f/4. Any thoughts? Landscapes and city shots mainly. EDIT: Or perhaps the Tamron 20-40 would be the ideal solution? I suppose I'd sell my G lens then.
Go with the G Master. In real life it doesn't feel heavy at all, and the image quality is so much better than any of the other 35mm options. I own one and love it.
Thanks, Dustin. What do you think about the Tamron 20-40 + 70-200mk2 f/4 for travelling? I could still keep my Zeiss 55. And then sell the 20mm G and get that 35 GM.@@DustinAbbottTWI
Fantastic review and i really appreciate the depth of your examination. I'm shooting about 80% entirely video on a a7III and most of that on a small gimbal (ronin-sc, auto focus is a high priority) due to the difficulties with larger lenses on small gimbals and given that i have to carry everything for days at a time i'd really like to eliminate my chunkier lenses and try to slim down to just two. Your points on auto focus and size were big factors for me! Based on the information at hand i'm leaning toward the 35mm 1.8 and the 85mm 1.8 Both seem to have a great form factor to size ratio, i would be willing to pay more for a better lens, but in the case of the Batis lens for example auto focus takes a bigger hit than i can afford. Can you provide any insight or suggestion on that?
Hi Dustin, great video as always. Do you prefer the image quality of the samyang 45mm 1.8 over this? I'm searching for a good quality lense for video on A7III.
Hi Dustin, thanks for great review. Did you have a chance to use Sony FE 1.8/35 lens specifically with Sony alpha a7r IV in Super 35 mode? Considering mark IV initial extra-resolution, how do you think it is far away from an idea to have kind of regular ~50mm lens still having appropriate photo quality overall?
I see. Thanks for your answer. I guess I have to sort it out by myself. I tried to find some reviews about practical use of specifically these both in crop mode but so far no luck. Maybe a reason is that it's not so useful.
This is a tough one... I wish the corners were sharper, although I've never had a client mention anything about corner sharpness... esp with video... but I can't "unsee" soft corners, now... I'd love to see you get a hold of the Voigtlander 21 1.4 Cheers-
From what I can tell, the Loxia 35mm seems to be a bit better optically, both wide open and especially stopped down to “landscape apertures”. The only factor that bugs me is the fact that I sometimes would want autofocus. I will mostly use 35mm for streets and some landscapes, sometimes some sort of portraits and street scenes with humans walking by. It’s a tough choice, but I’m a bit of a Zeiss fan. You could just focus on a scene and wait for people to walk by. I mostly focus on still scenes anyway.
I don't think the Loxia is the sharper lens at wide apertures (the Sony wins there), but the Loxia does have better bokeh and color rendition. But yes, a MF lens isn't always practical.
Dustin Abbott I think it comes down to sample variation. They are probably close wide open, at least from what I have heard from the use of words in different reviews. Anyhow, I will mostly stop it a bit down and use something more telephoto for bokeh most of the time.
Dustin Abbott By the way, I found the Loxia used for about $500. Waiting for the owner to respond. If not, I might go for the Sony. They are both nice options. The Sony can be found new for about $100 more.
I have some headaches with this lens vs. my beloved Tamron 35/2.8 OSD. 1) Positive: fast aperture, good build, good MF ring, silent AF, better performance/price-tag than the GM for non-professionals (even though I found the aperture ring on the GM nice to use and it was perfectly balanced with my 7R III), nice MFD 2) Negative: no gasket on the mount (that's very bad at this price point) - and, believe it or not, I don't like the form factor, it's to straight and plain for me. I wish I could merge these two into one. =(
@DustinAbbottTWI yes ... Doesn't have to be VXD, RXD would be enough or anything that is silent and not as jumpy 🙈 might as well be more expensive, I don't care. Tamron lenses have always been no-brainers for me, absolutely no problem to spend some more on them. What I would really like them to do is 1) the MF ring haptics and costumisability from the 28-75 G2 (linear/non-linear with a shorter way to travel against the 2340 degree on the 35/2.8 :D), 2) better AF performance as you pointed out and 3) mayyyybe an f2 or something in this range while maintaining a nice MFD of 14-18 cm. I was shooting on the Sony 35/1.8 today and the form/grip just doesn't please me while working with it, even though the results were really quite nice. Nothing to lament on this lens. Just stupid habits -.-
Great Review Dustin. Thank you. Any thoughts on the very quiet/light but consistent “whir” sound coming from the lens when the camera is powered on? This transpires even when nothing is actuated, to include image stabilization. I notice it myself and it has been denoted elsewhere. I’ve read it has something to do with the floating element, but that more likely explains the clunking sound when powered off vs. the whirring sound as described. Thanks.
Yes, the whirring sound is unique (you're right about the clunking). By any chance do you have some kind of continuous autofocus setting engaged? You could be hearing the lens constantly focusing.
Dustin Abbott Thanks for the reply! I’ve confirmed all settings. This takes place when In AF-S mode, single shot, without any type of pre-focus, setting activated, etc. It’s actually only noticeable when one has his/her ear to the lens, or very close for that matter. I’ve seen a few people post about it here and there, to include DP Review Forums. By stating that the sound is unique, are you indicating that you are aware/familiar with the sound I referenced? It’s as if the lens is just in a powered state of sorts. Somewhat difficult to describe. Thanks again.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you for the reply. I just feel my batis40 is a little bit fat. But considering it has a solid weather sealing, and close focus. Maybe I should still keep my batis40?
Hi Dustin. I'm thinking about the sony a7iii or a7riii. I'm a nikon shooter and want to move over to sony mirror less. I will be using it more for personal use and mabey in the future more professional if I do well. I quite like cropping and don't intend to print unless I take a picture I like. Which sony would you recommend and why? Great video BTW. Thanks in advance.
Hey Dustin would you think this would be a better choice Over the Tamron 35mm 1.4 SP adapted to via MC-11 to A7iii? I shoot primarily portraits, but some events. I don’t do video really so that is of little concern to me at this time. Thanks for your reviews.
The Tamron is definitely a better lens, though it doesn't adapt perfectly to Sony and is much larger. I would love for Tamron to make an FE version of that lens, as it is amazing. For the moment, though, I think the Sony is a nice all round choice, though if you want to go all out for portraits, consider the Sigma 35mm F1.2, which is amazing (and huge) (and expensive).
@@DustinAbbottTWI thanks If so I think I'll leave the samy Definitely can live with the build quality because is such a lightweight lens Its really compensate
Could you comment on its low light performance compared to Sigma 1.4, please? Was going to buy this Sigma for shooting in the dark, then hear, that Sigma 1.4 is roughly equal in light transition to Sony 1.8 ..
I suspect you'll find that the Sony is a winner for autofocus in every facet, as the Sigma was not designed for mirrorless focus and is being "tweaked" to work on mirrorless.
Hello Dustin , this is a bit of topic but , for the Panasonic S1H , what 35mm would you recommend for video work , besides the sigma? Manual lens will do , but no follow focus...
I think that the G-Masters are Zeiss lenses but with the G-Master branding on it. That's why the G-Master are much more expensive. If you will notice, the Sony 85mm GM 1.4 looks a lot like the Sony Zeiss 35mm 1.8.. They have the same tapered construction and aperture ring. I think that Sony is contracting Zeiss to make their G-Master lenses without the Zeiss label. But wouldn't Zeiss want their logo on a Sony lens? maybe thats the reason why G-Masters are so expensive. Just a thought and idea.
A totally unrelated question regarding aperture flickering : Since you handle a lot of Sony cameras, how does the "Setting Effect : On" function work on a Sony camera? Does it prevent the aperture from opening wide open and closing down to the dialed-in aperture in between shots, effectively causing aperture flickering? Aperture flickering is usually a problem while shooting time-lapses and stop-motion animations.
Any advice for deciding between the Sonnar 55 1.8 and this lens? I have a Sony a7Riii. I'm pulling my hair out going back and forth between these two. TIA.
Came back to this review after deciding to ditch all my heavy g master zooms. Dustin if you had a choice to go for the batis 25, 40 and 85 as a trio would they be more your choice than say this Sony 35 1.8 and the Sony 85 1.8. Price is similar nowadays for mint 2nd hand batis… batis are a little bigger though but not by to much…. Help 😂
That's a tough call. The Batis lenses are a little older by comparison, but they are nice lenses. I don't know that I can help much, as I didn't head to head those lenses and its been years since I've used a Batis lens
I like the overall package better (build, AF), but if your priority is image quality, there isn't much to separate them, and the Tamron is half the price.
Hello Dustin! I currently have an offer to buy a used unit (mint condition) for $515, and it has 6 months of Sony warranty left. Is it considered a good price for this one and should I buy it?
@@DustinAbbottTWI Hi again! I bought the lens and so far I'm pretty happy with it. Having considered all of its shortcomings, I still think it's the best all-around fast & compact 35mm for Sony FE cameras. One thing I want to share is that after researching I have found the price where I live seems to be lower than other markets' (namely: the US) A brand new copy from authorized dealer is currently at $650 while used copies like mine are selling for as little as $475, all with some warranty time left (although there aren't many used ones circulating around yet) Do you think it's because people's perception has pulled its price down on the used market even when it's still a quite new product or it's simply that Sony has different pricing policies for different countries? Or maybe dealers are trying to get rid of them sensing that they are not gonna be popular :D I'm by no mean selling this one anytime soon but at the same time I can't help feeling a bit uncomfortable seeing my new investment already losing its value rapidly. Anyway thank you so much for the ultra-detailed reviews :D Please keep up the great works!!!
I have a sony a7 rii I would like to buy a wide angle, what do you recommend between sony 35 f1.8 and tamron 35 f2.8? which is sharper between the two?
The Sony is very slightly sharper at F2.8, but sharpness isn't really the biggest distinguishing feature. The Sony focuses better while the Tamron has the superior macro performance. I would say choose the lens based on your priorities and budget. If your budget goes to the Sony, I do feel it is the better lens overall, though the Tamron is optically excellent as well.
Hi dustin great review, I have a question someone dropped my brand new sony 35mm f1.8 fe lens and I've been noticing how blurry the images are when looking at 1:2 or 1:4 do think that the drop has damaged the lens or is it just not that sharp when pixel peeping that close, the lens i traded in for the sony lens was the sigma 35mm f1.4 which when pixel peeping was definitely sharp at 1:2 or 1:4, do you think the sony is just as sharp but because of the drop it has maybe damaged the element spacing or something or would you say that there is much more sharpness from the sigma, keep up the great work and many thanks
They were very close in performance. The Samyang is a bit sharper across the frame, but the Sony has better magnification and a bit better focus breathing.
7-99, 6-99, ..I really dont get it why You, with respect of fellow humans at heart, it certainly looks like, You adopt the irrespectfull commercial nomenclatura designed to fool our brains. Please say "roughly 800 dollars', "just about 700 dollars" etc. instead please. Your videos "calmly scream" integrity and intellectual honesty, so that always strikes me to fall out of line - albeit so easy to make is sound as is: factual, plain, demonstrated, in perspective, with saine latitude for varying temperaments, no missleadimg clickbait, no peremptory statements... So relieving to experience each time I much appreciate getting Your help to think things through -until when You actually spell out price-tags the way sellers do. Then suddenly I'm woken up to that I should not have let down my guards before.
I typically do round things up, but frankly, I think this is a bit of an overreaction. I'm not trying to mess with anyone perceptions, and quoting the actual price is hardly dishonest or disrespectful.
Just great. This is definitely the most thorough video on this lens that I've seen and really demonstrates a number of conditions that a lot of videos don't. Still a bit torn by this and the Sigma 35mm 1.2, but I find these native Sony lenses to be so simple and justifiable. Also, thank you for uploading in 4k!
This is a great little package. If your priority is portraits, I would personally be tempted by the Sigma. If you want a 35mm to do a little of everything, this is the ay to go.
I own this lens and think it's really nice for street photography: it's discreet and light, and certainly sharp enough for me, and the f/1.8 focal ratio and close focus distance is fun to play with when you come across a little detail you want to highlight.
Thanks for this DA, and merry Christmas!
That sounds like a great application for this.
I agree. This lens is a great combination of small size and performance. I sold the sigma 35mm 1.4 for the sony and I don't regret it.
Really? Is it as good for IQ?
Same here. Don't regret it for a second!
I'm not at all surprised by this. It delivers close enough optical performance and the build, handling, and autofocus are all easy wins.
@@DustinAbbottTWI fully agree, and it is right in the philisophy of mirrorless.
@@dba00 If I had to pick one purely based on the IQ then I think the sigma might come out slightly ahead. However, it's over twice as heavy and it's much bigger making it much less enjoyable to shoot with. While the Sony might be slightly behind in IQ it is still very very good, so good that it doesn't matter to me.
This is a very nice out-and-about lens. Outperforms the FE 28/2 and the 35/2.8 in every way. It is not competing with the Sigma 35 1.2; it complements it for 35mm lovers. I bought one right away; life is short so I am not going to wait a year for it to drop $20.00. Highly recommended for those that understand where it sits in the 35mm universe. (PS - I have a number of 35s including the Sonnar mounted on my RX1. This lens gets you very close to the RX1 experience. The Sonnar has slightly creamier bokeh but the 35/1.8 is better for landscapes.) Well done Dustin; as usual.
That's a fair assessment.
86BBUB - I agree with your point regarding RX1
But also wondering if the DOF is more on 35mm focal length than what you get on 28mm? As the difference between f1.8 and f2 is quite marginal.
I use 28 f2 in APSC mode to get 42mm FOV, which is not that far off from the 35mm FOV.( given you also can move few steps backwards )
My point is I will buy 35mm only if it grants more shallow DOF than the 28mm .
Thanks! Great review as always. Best source on the net for those kind of reviews! Highly trusted. Will you do a shootout between the Zeiss Batis 40 and the Sony 35 1.8?
I'm afraid I'm all finished with this review and the lens is back to Sony.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Which one would you prefer, this 35 or the batis 40?
A tip : watch movies on flixzone. I've been using it for watching loads of movies recently.
@Marcellus Grey definitely, I've been using Flixzone} for years myself =)
hi,
many thanks for the great review, fantastic work as usual.
One thing that I wanted to let you know is that when watching your video on an iphone it’s not possible to distinguish any fine details of your wall. Basically it all looks the same, I can’t tell any differences in sharpness, contrast or anything else. I have seen other videos where they use scenes with special targets, newspapers clipping and other objects which make it much easier to see the performances of the lens.
thanks for all your hard work!
Hi Michele, unfortunately I'm not really working at creating 4K videos for phone screens. I have found that my process produces more reliable results than others in revealing some details not exposed by some of these other processes. I'm sorry that it isn't working great for your viewing source.
Loved the review Dustin. I hope they make some small 1.4 lenses. The 1.8 size is perfect. I do street photography and having a giant 1.4 both for weight and looking huge when shooting people isn't great
Small and F1.4 with any kind of high optical performance is a tough ask.
I briefly tried out the lens on the a7r4 and found it to be a very competent lens with an ergonomic form factor. And it has a monopoly in the 35mm focal range for its small form factor - the reason why it is possibly a bit more expensive. I did not get it for a few reasons - the first because I already had the samyang 45/1.8 and found that I actually often prefer that FL and the more I used the lens the more versatile I found it & also that it has a certain signature that I prefered. I also have a lot of manual vintage 35 primes of which the Mir 35/2 has a special rendering & MF entails another process of visualization. I absolutely agree with you that sony has a well worked out series of 1.8 primes and they fit very well. However for myself I am discovering that the 45 goes very well with the sony 90macro & the tamron 24 or 20 could be an addition at the wide level. But for the 35 fl sony has really produced a lightweight (though not quite pocketwise light) good hybrid lens
I would agree that while the Sony takes any easy win on build and features, I too slightly prefer the rendering from the Samyang 45mm. It does have a vintage charm.
@@DustinAbbottTWI I used it recently for some very intricate old temple sculpture-architecture & also some interiors - design etc - gave a lot of detail with a wider spatial perspective & on the R4 with perspective cropping one gets a tele perspective without extra compression. So one gets all the modern benefits But that is the beauty of the 45fl. Its even slightly lighter than the sony and its minimal design has its own value. But its really a question of what kind of work one is doing and what fl works best for it
@@DustinAbbottTWI I have the samyang 45mm 1.8 , thinking of buying the Sony 35mm 1.8 for the minimum focusing distance & video capabilities.
Thanks for the review! I compared this lens with 55mm F1.8, and I see literally no difference in sharpness and bokeh quality.
That doesn't surprise me.
Did I misunderstand the MTF values from sony, but is the 35mm 1.8 actually sharper than the zeiss? I think the colours and pop that I love about the 55mm are in the 35mm 1.8 too
There's a typo in the intro graphic. It says 1.2 instead of 1.8.
I've heard that. Oops!
Good day sir,
how do you think of the comparison with the Batis 40mm.
I have been using the Batis for about a year now, and this is my most commonly used lens. the results have "something" special.
but,
even after the firmware update I regularly have sharpness problems with the eye autofocus.
After many simulations, I am still not sure where the problem is situated.
As a result, I have now come to a point where I think it’s maybe better to exchange the Batis for the Sony 35 1.8.
How is your opinion about this.
Thanks in advance and greetings from Belgium.
I didn't actually run into the eye AF problem myself, but there's no question the autofocus on the Sony 35mm is great.
Great review. Thank you. You said that this lens is not the best 35mm that you have seen for astrophotography. Which lens would you choose for astrophotography?
The new Sony GM lens is better, for one. As is the Sigma 35mm F1.4 DN, or even the Samyang AF 35mm F1.8
Unrelated but: do you plan on doing a review of the FE 200-600? I would love to hear your opinion about it. Cheers
It's scheduled to arrive end of the month.
@@DustinAbbottTWI awesome! Thank you
Looking forward to this one. I used it and found it to be hit are missed.
Hi Dustin, thanks for such incredible work. Awesome review as always. Have a Happy New Year start!
Thank you. A happy New Year to you, too!
Thank you, Dustin. Another thorough, thoughtful review. Going to hold off on this lens, hoping that Sony produces a 40 or 45, I think that would be a better filler for the gap between 24 and 85. I’ve tried the 55 already, it’s a very nice lens, I just couldn’t master the focal length.
Really appreciate the inclusion of the star image. Astrophotography performance is very important to me.
I would give the Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 a try. I love that little lens - such great character to the images.
Dustin Abbott I’ve watch your review times on it and have been very tempted, especially at the price point. My biggest concern is in the build quality, though you’re very encouraging in that area as well. Thank you for the response, I’ll look again at your review.
Thanks for the video. Is this Sony sharper than the Batis 40mm ?
Not in the corners.
Great review. For outdoor portrait to pair with a 85, I am choosing between 35 1.8, 35 1.4za, and batis40. If you are making this choice which one will likely win?
I think the Sony 35mm F1.8 is probably the most reliable option in my opinion.
@@DustinAbbottTWI looking forward to how the new Samyang 35 1.8 performs too. At least hope it brings more discount on Sony 35 1.8.
I've got one on the way for review. I'm excited about it, as the recent Samyangs have been very nice little lenses.
I own a Batis 40 but still want to buy this 35
Fair enough. It's a very versatile little lens.
Hello Dustin. I'm considering getting a 35mm lens for my A7r5 and while I'm very tempted to buy the G-Master, I find it a bit heavy (over 500g). That leaves me with 2 or 3 options: this little FE lens, the Sigma f/2... or... the Tamron 28-75mm. My current line-up: 20mm G f.1.8, 55 f/1.8, and the new 70-200 f/4. Any thoughts? Landscapes and city shots mainly. EDIT: Or perhaps the Tamron 20-40 would be the ideal solution? I suppose I'd sell my G lens then.
Go with the G Master. In real life it doesn't feel heavy at all, and the image quality is so much better than any of the other 35mm options. I own one and love it.
Thanks, Dustin. What do you think about the Tamron 20-40 + 70-200mk2 f/4 for travelling? I could still keep my Zeiss 55. And then sell the 20mm G and get that 35 GM.@@DustinAbbottTWI
Fantastic review and i really appreciate the depth of your examination.
I'm shooting about 80% entirely video on a a7III and most of that on a small gimbal (ronin-sc, auto focus is a high priority) due to the difficulties with larger lenses on small gimbals and given that i have to carry everything for days at a time i'd really like to eliminate my chunkier lenses and try to slim down to just two. Your points on auto focus and size were big factors for me!
Based on the information at hand i'm leaning toward the 35mm 1.8 and the 85mm 1.8 Both seem to have a great form factor to size ratio, i would be willing to pay more for a better lens, but in the case of the Batis lens for example auto focus takes a bigger hit than i can afford.
Can you provide any insight or suggestion on that?
Your plan sounds valid to me.
Hi Dustin, great video as always. Do you prefer the image quality of the samyang 45mm 1.8 over this? I'm searching for a good quality lense for video on A7III.
I wouldn't give a strong win to either lens in image quality. They are both nice, but the Samyang might have a little nicer bokeh.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you! big thumbs up for answering everybody. Can't wait for the samyang 75 1.8 FE review. You're the best 🙏💯
Hi Dustin, thanks for great review. Did you have a chance to use Sony FE 1.8/35 lens specifically with Sony alpha a7r IV in Super 35 mode? Considering mark IV initial extra-resolution, how do you think it is far away from an idea to have kind of regular ~50mm lens still having appropriate photo quality overall?
I don't think my time with the 35mm F1.8 coincided with my review of the RIV.
I see. Thanks for your answer. I guess I have to sort it out by myself. I tried to find some reviews about practical use of specifically these both in crop mode but so far no luck. Maybe a reason is that it's not so useful.
This is a tough one... I wish the corners were sharper, although I've never had a client mention anything about corner sharpness... esp with video... but I can't "unsee" soft corners, now... I'd love to see you get a hold of the Voigtlander 21 1.4 Cheers-
It really wasn't a big issue in real world use.
From what I can tell, the Loxia 35mm seems to be a bit better optically, both wide open and especially stopped down to “landscape apertures”. The only factor that bugs me is the fact that I sometimes would want autofocus. I will mostly use 35mm for streets and some landscapes, sometimes some sort of portraits and street scenes with humans walking by. It’s a tough choice, but I’m a bit of a Zeiss fan. You could just focus on a scene and wait for people to walk by. I mostly focus on still scenes anyway.
I don't think the Loxia is the sharper lens at wide apertures (the Sony wins there), but the Loxia does have better bokeh and color rendition. But yes, a MF lens isn't always practical.
Dustin Abbott I think it comes down to sample variation. They are probably close wide open, at least from what I have heard from the use of words in different reviews. Anyhow, I will mostly stop it a bit down and use something more telephoto for bokeh most of the time.
Dustin Abbott
By the way, I found the Loxia used for about $500. Waiting for the owner to respond. If not, I might go for the Sony. They are both nice options. The Sony can be found new for about $100 more.
I have some headaches with this lens vs. my beloved Tamron 35/2.8 OSD.
1) Positive: fast aperture, good build, good MF ring, silent AF, better performance/price-tag than the GM for non-professionals (even though I found the aperture ring on the GM nice to use and it was perfectly balanced with my 7R III), nice MFD
2) Negative: no gasket on the mount (that's very bad at this price point) - and, believe it or not, I don't like the form factor, it's to straight and plain for me.
I wish I could merge these two into one. =(
I do wish that Tamron would revisit the OSD lenses and update them with better focus motors.
@DustinAbbottTWI yes ... Doesn't have to be VXD, RXD would be enough or anything that is silent and not as jumpy 🙈 might as well be more expensive, I don't care. Tamron lenses have always been no-brainers for me, absolutely no problem to spend some more on them.
What I would really like them to do is 1) the MF ring haptics and costumisability from the 28-75 G2 (linear/non-linear with a shorter way to travel against the 2340 degree on the 35/2.8 :D), 2) better AF performance as you pointed out and 3) mayyyybe an f2 or something in this range while maintaining a nice MFD of 14-18 cm.
I was shooting on the Sony 35/1.8 today and the form/grip just doesn't please me while working with it, even though the results were really quite nice. Nothing to lament on this lens. Just stupid habits -.-
Great video! Please review Sony Zeiss 35mm 1.4 vs Sony FE 35mm 1.8!!!
I can't make any promises. I get Sony loaners one at a time.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Does the Sony Zeiss 35mm 1.4 act and work as a double-the-price lens? It just doesn't seem to me as if it is worth double the price.
Great Review Dustin. Thank you. Any thoughts on the very quiet/light but consistent “whir” sound coming from the lens when the camera is powered on? This transpires even when nothing is actuated, to include image stabilization. I notice it myself and it has been denoted elsewhere. I’ve read it has something to do with the floating element, but that more likely explains the clunking sound when powered off vs. the whirring sound as described. Thanks.
Yes, the whirring sound is unique (you're right about the clunking). By any chance do you have some kind of continuous autofocus setting engaged? You could be hearing the lens constantly focusing.
Dustin Abbott Thanks for the reply! I’ve confirmed all settings. This takes place when In AF-S mode, single shot, without any type of pre-focus, setting activated, etc. It’s actually only noticeable when one has his/her ear to the lens, or very close for that matter. I’ve seen a few people post about it here and there, to include DP Review Forums. By stating that the sound is unique, are you indicating that you are aware/familiar with the sound I referenced? It’s as if the lens is just in a powered state of sorts. Somewhat difficult to describe. Thanks again.
I don't recall hearing it, no.
Thanks for the great review. I want to know, compare to batis40, which one is better?
Regarding on image quality.
I would say the Batis is a bit sharper at F2, but I don't think there is a significant difference.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you for the reply. I just feel my batis40 is a little bit fat. But considering it has a solid weather sealing, and close focus. Maybe I should still keep my batis40?
Thanks Dustin. I Wonder if I shoot a lot of food in restaurant for my blog. Should i container this 35mmf1.8 or 40mm2.0 batis?
Probably the Batis because of the close focus abilities.
Dustin Abbott but the 35 mm had also the close focus abilities? The magnification plays big rolls?
Dustin do you think it’s worth upgrading to the Sony 35 1.8 from the Sony 35 2.8?
Hi Moe - I haven't reviewed the F2.8 lens personally, but, from what I've seen, the 35mm F1.8 is the superior lens.
Hi Dustin. I'm thinking about the sony a7iii or a7riii. I'm a nikon shooter and want to move over to sony mirror less.
I will be using it more for personal use and mabey in the future more professional if I do well.
I quite like cropping and don't intend to print unless I take a picture I like.
Which sony would you recommend and why?
Great video BTW. Thanks in advance.
If cropping is a priority, go with the RIII. It remains a very competent camera and has both high resolution and good sensor performance.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thanks for getting back to me. How is the a7iii for night photography?
They are both fine. They have very good high ISO performance.
thanks Dustin, what would you choose between this and the 24mm GM?
I haven't tried the GM yet, though I've heard good things.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thanks
hello if you had to choose between sony fe 28 f2 and sony fe 35 f1.8 for sharpness and autofocus and image quality what would you buy?
I haven't reviewed the 28mm yet. I suspect the newer 35 is better, but that's not based on empirical evidence.
Someone is selling this for £280 second hand. the GM 1.4 35mm lens just came out at their normal premium price range. Wonder if this is good enough.
I would say that's a low risk purchase, as you can always resale and get your money back if you want to upgrade.
@@DustinAbbottTWI sound advice 👌🏼
Just a heads up that the intro frame advertises it as a "Sony FE 35mm f1.2"... :-)
Oops!
Hey Dustin would you think this would be a better choice Over the Tamron 35mm 1.4 SP adapted to via MC-11 to A7iii? I shoot primarily portraits, but some events. I don’t do video really so that is of little concern to me at this time. Thanks for your reviews.
The Tamron is definitely a better lens, though it doesn't adapt perfectly to Sony and is much larger. I would love for Tamron to make an FE version of that lens, as it is amazing. For the moment, though, I think the Sony is a nice all round choice, though if you want to go all out for portraits, consider the Sigma 35mm F1.2, which is amazing (and huge) (and expensive).
thank u dustin
is it better then the samyang 45mm
in your opinion?
That's a tough call, actually. The build is better, for sure, but I'm not sure that anything else really is.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thanks
If so I think I'll leave the samy
Definitely can live with the build quality because is such a lightweight lens
Its really compensate
the 55 1.8 the 28mm 2.0 the 35 2.8 and this lens are the sleepers.) great review D.)
Thanks
Bravo 👏 thank you for another great review
You're welcome.
Could you comment on its low light performance compared to Sigma 1.4, please? Was going to buy this Sigma for shooting in the dark, then hear, that Sigma 1.4 is roughly equal in light transition to Sony 1.8 ..
I suspect you'll find that the Sony is a winner for autofocus in every facet, as the Sigma was not designed for mirrorless focus and is being "tweaked" to work on mirrorless.
Hello Dustin , this is a bit of topic but , for the Panasonic S1H , what 35mm would you recommend for video work , besides the sigma? Manual lens will do , but no follow focus...
I know next to nothing about Panasonic, unfortunately.
Thank you.
I didn't know that they ended their relationship with Zeiss, is that really true?
I hope so it is, so we can get a really good 35 mm 1.4 and not that overpriced crap of sony zeiss distagon 35mm 1.4
The only Zeiss branding I've seen recently is T* coatings on the viewfinders,
I think that the G-Masters are Zeiss lenses but with the G-Master branding on it. That's why the G-Master are much more expensive. If you will notice, the Sony 85mm GM 1.4 looks a lot like the Sony Zeiss 35mm 1.8.. They have the same tapered construction and aperture ring. I think that Sony is contracting Zeiss to make their G-Master lenses without the Zeiss label. But wouldn't Zeiss want their logo on a Sony lens? maybe thats the reason why G-Masters are so expensive. Just a thought and idea.
A totally unrelated question regarding aperture flickering : Since you handle a lot of Sony cameras, how does the "Setting Effect : On" function work on a Sony camera? Does it prevent the aperture from opening wide open and closing down to the dialed-in aperture in between shots, effectively causing aperture flickering? Aperture flickering is usually a problem while shooting time-lapses and stop-motion animations.
Thanks Dustin, just ordered mine for £550. Think it was a great deal!
That's a solid price for a very good little lens.
Any advice for deciding between the Sonnar 55 1.8 and this lens? I have a Sony a7Riii. I'm pulling my hair out going back and forth between these two. TIA.
They are more similar than different, so I would recommend making the decision based on your preferred focal length.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Thanks, Dustin.
Came back to this review after deciding to ditch all my heavy g master zooms. Dustin if you had a choice to go for the batis 25, 40 and 85 as a trio would they be more your choice than say this Sony 35 1.8 and the Sony 85 1.8. Price is similar nowadays for mint 2nd hand batis… batis are a little bigger though but not by to much…. Help 😂
That's a tough call. The Batis lenses are a little older by comparison, but they are nice lenses. I don't know that I can help much, as I didn't head to head those lenses and its been years since I've used a Batis lens
Greetings how do you feel about this lens vs the tamron 35 2.8 ?
I like the overall package better (build, AF), but if your priority is image quality, there isn't much to separate them, and the Tamron is half the price.
Hello Dustin! I currently have an offer to buy a used unit (mint condition) for $515, and it has 6 months of Sony warranty left. Is it considered a good price for this one and should I buy it?
That sounds like a solid bargain.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Hi again! I bought the lens and so far I'm pretty happy with it. Having considered all of its shortcomings, I still think it's the best all-around fast & compact 35mm for Sony FE cameras. One thing I want to share is that after researching I have found the price where I live seems to be lower than other markets' (namely: the US) A brand new copy from authorized dealer is currently at $650 while used copies like mine are selling for as little as $475, all with some warranty time left (although there aren't many used ones circulating around yet) Do you think it's because people's perception has pulled its price down on the used market even when it's still a quite new product or it's simply that Sony has different pricing policies for different countries? Or maybe dealers are trying to get rid of them sensing that they are not gonna be popular :D I'm by no mean selling this one anytime soon but at the same time I can't help feeling a bit uncomfortable seeing my new investment already losing its value rapidly. Anyway thank you so much for the ultra-detailed reviews :D Please keep up the great works!!!
How does this lens compare to the RF 35 on the EOS R?
That's not an easy comparison, as I used the Canon lens more than a year ago on a completely different system.
How to fix CA of this lens? I do shoot against bright light 😔
There's an eyedropper tool in some software that allows you to sample the color and try to remove it. It isn't perfect, but is better than nothing.
I have a sony a7 rii I would like to buy a wide angle, what do you recommend between sony 35 f1.8 and tamron 35 f2.8? which is sharper between the two?
The Sony is very slightly sharper at F2.8, but sharpness isn't really the biggest distinguishing feature. The Sony focuses better while the Tamron has the superior macro performance. I would say choose the lens based on your priorities and budget. If your budget goes to the Sony, I do feel it is the better lens overall, though the Tamron is optically excellent as well.
@@DustinAbbottTWI HELLO AT THE END I BOUGHT THE TAMRON FE 35 F2.8. FROM MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS IT IS CLEAR, BUT AUTOFOCUS IS A LITTLE SLOW AND NOISY.
Hi dustin great review, I have a question someone dropped my brand new sony 35mm f1.8 fe lens and I've been noticing how blurry the images are when looking at 1:2 or 1:4 do think that the drop has damaged the lens or is it just not that sharp when pixel peeping that close, the lens i traded in for the sony lens was the sigma 35mm f1.4 which when pixel peeping was definitely sharp at 1:2 or 1:4, do you think the sony is just as sharp but because of the drop it has maybe damaged the element spacing or something or would you say that there is much more sharpness from the sigma, keep up the great work and many thanks
If it is has been dropped, that seems like a logical place to start. You might want to send it to Sony for a service evaluation.
@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you Dustin
Compared to Samyang 35mm how good this one is?
They were very close in performance. The Samyang is a bit sharper across the frame, but the Sony has better magnification and a bit better focus breathing.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Thanks! I am really torn between this two but I think I will pay a little extra for sony 35mm.
I can see that that lens is 559.99 Euro in amazon in Europe today.
That means that it is no brainer, right? ;-)
I would say so. It's a great package
I so wish it had the same IQ as the 55mm
Gladly would've paid an extra $200 if they made this better.
Not quite sure where you are coming from. I'm not sure the 55mm has better IQ, and it definitely doesn't have better bokeh.
The new 35,mm 1,4 hunts like a Blood Hound...for video.
Which 35mm F1.4 - the GM?
@@DustinAbbottTWI Yep, the GM, if you look at the youtube video on this. I do video, so I'm intrested in the 1.8 fe full frame lens.
7-99, 6-99, ..I really dont get it why You, with respect of fellow humans at heart, it certainly looks like, You adopt the irrespectfull commercial nomenclatura designed to fool our brains.
Please say "roughly 800 dollars', "just about 700 dollars" etc. instead please. Your videos "calmly scream" integrity and intellectual honesty, so that always strikes me to fall out of line - albeit so easy to make is sound as is: factual, plain, demonstrated, in perspective, with saine latitude for varying temperaments, no missleadimg clickbait, no peremptory statements... So relieving to experience each time I much appreciate getting Your help to think things through -until when You actually spell out price-tags the way sellers do. Then suddenly I'm woken up to that I should not have let down my guards before.
I typically do round things up, but frankly, I think this is a bit of an overreaction. I'm not trying to mess with anyone perceptions, and quoting the actual price is hardly dishonest or disrespectful.
Am i getting something for being the first? Maybe say my name in your next video ;)
LOL - you win the dedication prize.
@poof - You are the funny guy that makes everyone laugh but very sad when alone? Poor guy..
Firstttttt