Which one is better, 50mm or 35mm fixed focus lens?

If I raise this question in the photography group, many people will definitely answer: There is no comparability! Incomparable! Because the focal length is different.

But what I want to ask is not which lens has high quality at the same focal length, but if I just want to equip the Sony A7m2 with one lens to meet my daily photography needs, which focal length should I choose? Lens problem.

My alternatives are the original Sony 55 1.8ZA Zeiss head and the secondary factory 35 1.4art Sigma head. Both of these are high-quality lenses, both have received good reviews and have been recommended countless times by photography friends.

Sony FE55 1.8ZA has been highly praised since its birth and is hailed as the most powerful mirrorless standard lens by the world. It is almost perfect.

Advantages: Exquisite workmanship, compact size, light weight, and looks very coordinated with the A7m2. It has excellent resolution, good distortion and dispersion control capabilities, and soft out-of-focus imaging.

Disadvantages: The price is relatively expensive, several times more expensive than similar products. There is a certain degree of vignetting at full aperture, and there is no optical image stabilization system.

The Sigma 35 1.4art can be described as a dark horse in the 35 focal length range. It is known as the most cost-effective and even performs better than a fixed-focus lens twice the price.

Advantages: low-key appearance and outstanding texture, sharp imaging, strong resolution and dispersion control capabilities, soft bokeh imaging, fast and accurate HSM focusing, and only half the price of similar products.

Disadvantages: There is a certain amount of vignetting at full aperture, and it is large and heavy, which is a burden for female photographers.

In short, if we consider the image quality alone, these two lenses are not bad, and they can produce good pictures when paired with the A72, provided that the head behind the lens works well.

But now I have to consider the focal length and price, and can only choose one.

The 50 focal length image is similar to the viewing angle of the human eye and is not prone to distortion. Compared with the 35 focal length, the subject of the picture taken at the 50 focal length takes up a larger proportion, the picture is concise and the theme is clear. This focal length is suitable for shooting half-length portraits, food, still life, etc. Its limitation is that due to the small angle of view, some pictures are not fully captured, and the explanation of the environment outside the subject is also slightly lacking.

The advantage of the 35 focal length is that it can take into account both the environment and the subject, and can advance, attack, retreat or defend. Take a few steps closer to see portraits, and take a few steps back to see landscapes. The disadvantage is that the small wide angle of 35cm can easily cause corner distortion, and the wider viewing angle can easily cause clutter in the picture. If the composition is poor, the subject may be unclear. In other words, this lens is a test of the photographer’s skill.

Which focal length to choose has a lot to do with personal shooting preferences. Looking back on my shooting preferences, I usually like to shoot real life scenes and warm life pictures. I don’t do much portrait photography with prominent subjects. At best, it’s compatible with both human and landscape.

And the Spring Festival is coming soon, so I really want to try shooting in a festive atmosphere. For example, the street atmosphere before the Spring Festival, the dazzling array of New Year’s goods, people buying New Year’s goods, etc.

In view of these factors, I feel that the Sigma 35 1.4art is more suitable for my needs. Incidentally, the Sigma also offers better value for money. In terms of composition angle, choice of shooting content, and shooting distance, you need to pay more attention in the future.

Of course, because of my belief in Zeiss, I do not rule out the possibility of acquiring another one in the future.