Xf 16-55 2.8 WR or 12mm F2 Samyang, XF 27 2.8, XF 35 1.4 prime lenses ?

[Pedro Pulido]

Out of the lenses i'm thinking of getting, the only one i want and will  eventually get even if i go for the 16-55, is the 35mm 1.4. 

 

So my options are :

 

1.    16-55 F2.8 WR     

                 or

2. Samyang 12mm F2, XF 35mm F1.4 and XF 27 f2.8

 

The reason of the 27mm is because it comes together with a 35mm in a very good promotion in my country. And i'd still be able to afford the samyang for a wider range shooting. 

 

What i mainly shoot ?! Street Photography, portrait and landscapes. I'll eventually use my lenses a few times for night photography and for a few events a cover (weddings, parties, but i don't do this often). 

 

 

If i go for the 16-55, basically i'll have the workhorse for the few times i get paid for my photography. If i go for the fixed lenses 12,27,35, i feel my street photography will improve and get better results. 

 

I know in the end it's a personal decision, but i'd still like to get some opinions, probably from owners of all these lenses. So...

 

what would your option be ? 

 

 

 

thank you for your time. 

[Marc G.]

Street photography is not depending on lens form factors but rather your body language and behavior. You can act like a reasonable person and shoot with a big lens and get away with it but also act like a creep and shoot with a small lens... and get busted.

 

If you want a workhorse, the 16-55 will not disappoint you. The focal lengths it covers are of high quality. 16-55 and 35 1.4 is a VERY nice combination for people pictures.

 

I'd only go for the 12/27/35 comboi if astro photography is a big interest, as the 12/2 is brilliant for that purpose.

 

I mostly used the 16-55 for weddings but the more I used it, the more I started using it for personal photography. It's simply a brilliant lens. Big and heavy but also optically stellar.

[frod]

I would get the 16-55 and either the 27mm or 18mm.

[milandro]

I’ve just bought the 12mm Samyang which has replaced the 10-24mm ( because I used it the most, practically only, on 10mm so I thought that I might as well buy a prime lens rather than a zoom), however I’ve bought a 18-55 to cover the intermediate field.

 

The 12mm is absolutely spectacular for the price. Even slightly longer lenses (14mm) simply don’t cut the mustard for me in the super-wideangle department.

 

I am selling the 35mm because, yes, I used it for many pictures and is a great lens, but I really wan to have a maximum of 5 lenses in my bag. I know that If I had more than that it would only become very confusing for me and I would ebd up not using certain lenses if not very occasionally.

 

If I were to advise you it would be indeed to use the 12/27/35 but only because this is what you gave us to chose from .

 

I have considered the 27mm and to keep the 35mm myself, but again, right or wrong I have decided to replace these two lenses for a general purpose small zoom, cheap but very well made and, within its class, I think, one of the best lenses on the market.

[abjurina]

I own the 35 and just purchased the 27. From my perspective of mostly people shots, the 27 is great for just about anything and the 35 is now only going to come out in lower light and when I'm doing professional portrait work. That 27 is way better than I could have imagined. The focal length and small size would seem perfect for street work.