Gear advice zoom or prime lens

[TMG1961]

For architecture and landscape photography on a full frame Sony a7rII what lens do you prefer, zoom or prime?

I am still looking for a wide angle lens, the widest i have for the Sony a7rII is the Sony 24-70 f/4. I do have a wider lens for the Nikon d7100 that is the Tokina AT-X PRO DX II 12-24mm f/4. But i also want to get a wider lens for the Sony. But after a lot of videos and reading about the pros and cons of each of the lenses i still can not make up my mind for which of the two to go, zoom or prime.

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[Jack]

Hi TMG1961

I personally would go for zoom lens, as gives you an extra option to zoom to the subject when needed.

I'm terms of wide lens, I think you should be fine. Unless you want to get an fish eye lens.

 

[Andy Smith]

These days I do not think there is much difference in image quality between zoom and prime lenses, especially with the new cameras that work well at high ISO in low light.
Unless you are a professional photographer and are looking for a few stops extra speed in low light, then zoom lenses are probably a better choice for us amateurs on limited budgets.
That being said, prime lenses do make you work harder, and actually think more about your composition because you have to move around to get the image in frame as you want it. Prime lenses are usually lighter, which makes it easier to carry around all day, but you will have to be deliberate in your composition.
All my lenses are zoom lenses, except my 100mm macro which is used for specific reasons. I am looking at a longer prime though in the 500 - 600mm region, but again this is for specific reasons including astrophotography and birds, however I am trying to justify the expense for such a limited lens against a similar reaching zoom lens which would provide me more scope but with less low light capabilities.
You could look at a wide prime for the Sony like the 14mm, as you already have the 24-70 region covered but I would personally look towards a 16-35mm zoom instead, just because of the versatility it provides.

 

[Jack]

Definitely agree with Andy Smith . Zoom lenses give more options, while prime lenses makes you work more around the composition.

And yes, I would agree about budget as well. You basically can have 2 in 1 when purchasing zoom lens.

 

[TMG1961]

These days I do not think there is much difference in image quality between zoom and prime lenses, especially with the new cameras that work well at high ISO in low light.
Unless you are a professional photographer and are looking for a few stops extra speed in low light, then zoom lenses are probably a better choice for us amateurs on limited budgets.
That being said, prime lenses do make you work harder, and actually think more about your composition because you have to move around to get the image in frame as you want it. Prime lenses are usually lighter, which makes it easier to carry around all day, but you will have to be deliberate in your composition.
All my lenses are zoom lenses, except my 100mm macro which is used for specific reasons. I am looking at a longer prime though in the 500 - 600mm region, but again this is for specific reasons including astrophotography and birds, however I am trying to justify the expense for such a limited lens against a similar reaching zoom lens which would provide me more scope but with less low light capabilities.
You could look at a wide prime for the Sony like the 14mm, as you already have the 24-70 region covered but I would personally look towards a 16-35mm zoom instead, just because of the versatility it provides.

As far as zoom lenses goe there are a few options. I will be buying used, have good experience with that and it saves some money.
I don't want to spend more then €1000 but with that budget there are a few options.
Sony 16-35 f/4 (used for around €7-800)
Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary (new €899)
Tamron 17-28 f/2.8 di III rxd (new €949)
Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 (new €799)
Laowa 12-24 f/5,6 (new €869)

For prime lenses i would go for a max of 20mm, there are several options for used lenses. at the moment one of the bigger camera shops here has a 10% discount on all used gear which runs until the 17th of March. So i will keep an eye on the second hand gear and see if something good comes up.

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[Andy Smith]

As far as zoom lenses goe there are a few options. I will be buying used, have good experience with that and it saves some money.
I don't want to spend more then €1000 but with that budget there are a few options.
Sony 16-35 f/4 (used for around €7-800)
Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary (new €899)
Tamron 17-28 f/2.8 di III rxd (new €949)
Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 (new €799)
Laowa 12-24 f/5,6 (new €869)

For prime lenses i would go for a max of 20mm, there are several options for used lenses. at the moment one of the bigger camera shops here has a 10% discount on all used gear which runs until the 17th of March. So i will keep an eye on the second hand gear and see if something good comes up.

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Sounds like you are doing your research thoroughly as always Theo, my choice would be the Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary purely due the f/2.8 because in low evening light it would take excellent sunset images.

 

[TMG1961]

Sounds like you are doing your research thoroughly as always Theo, my choice would be the Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary purely due the f/2.8 because in low evening light it would take excellent sunset images.

Also considering the Sony 20mm f/1.8 and the Zeiss batis 18mm f/2.8. The sigma is probably the best option out of the mentioned zoom lenses.

 

[TMG1961]

I have also been looking at reviews from the Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8 which is available used for around €700

 

[panos_adgr]

Well said and covered from Andy Smith .
I would also suggest a wide angle zoom. It will be a lot more flexible and easy to use.

 

[TMG1961]

After some more research and checking prizes i went for the Sony FE 16-35 f/4 ZA OSS Vario-Tessar T* Got it rated as good as new for €719 and should be arriving next week. Was between this one and the sigma 16-28 f/2.8 but that one was €180 more and was brand new lens. The Sony is a used one but with a 1 year warranty and can send it back within 2 weeks without any questions asked.

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[panos_adgr]

After some more research and checking prizes i went for the Sony FE 16-35 f/4 ZA OSS Vario-Tessar T* Got it rated as good as new for €719 and should be arriving next week. Was between this one and the sigma 16-28 f/2.8 but that one was €180 more and was brand new lens. The Sony is a used one but with a 1 year warranty and can send it back within 2 weeks without any questions asked.

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Nice choice!
You will have many creative opportunities with this wide angle zoom!
I wish you many nice photos and enjoy your new lens!
I think you are going to love it!

 

[TMG1961]

Nice choice!
You will have many creative opportunities with this wide angle zoom!
I wish you many nice photos and enjoy your new lens!
I think you are going to love it!

Thank you. It will fit nicely with the Sony 24-70 f/4 that i already have. will do some testing first when it arrives to make sure the lens is sharp and not decentered. After that it is waiting for better weather so i can go out and take some photos.

 

[Jack]

After some more research and checking prizes i went for the Sony FE 16-35 f/4 ZA OSS Vario-Tessar T* Got it rated as good as new for €719 and should be arriving next week. Was between this one and the sigma 16-28 f/2.8 but that one was €180 more and was brand new lens. The Sony is a used one but with a 1 year warranty and can send it back within 2 weeks without any questions asked.

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Then we looking forward to seeing your images taken with the lens.

 

[TMG1961]

Then we looking forward to seeing your images taken with the lens.

The lens should be arriving Friday or Saturday, they went to the German shop in Munich where the lens was to pick it up. It should be arriving at their main warehouse tomorrow and after checking it will be send to me on Thursday.

 

[TMG1961]

Well it looks like the lens is not going to arrive this week. According to the answer on a mail i send it will not be arriving for another week.

 

[TMG1961]

In the past few hours the time the lens would arrive has changed a few times. First it was this week, then next week, then Saturday, then next week again and the just looked again and now it is arriving tomorrow. No idea when it arrives, i see it when it gets here, would not be surprised if it changes again before tomorrow. The time it will be delivered changes more often than i change underwear

 

[TMG1961]

I received the lens but not sure what to think of it. I did a quick test to see if the sharpness was good and if left and right were about the same.
Here are the results of 16mm from f/4, f/5.6, f/8 and f/11 The other focal lengths are giving the same result but a bit less then at 16mm. I focussed on the middle box which says tech-solo in left top corner, focussed on the middle of that box.

 

[panos_adgr]

It looks fine for me. You will see how it performs on the field but in any case it is a Zeiss lens!

 

[Jack]

Looks alright TMG1961 . Maybe the photo is not sharp because low light in the room?

 

[TMG1961]

To me it does not look that good at all. The sharpness in the middle is good, but if you compare the left side to the right side there is a huge difference in sharpness at f/4 and f/5.6 The right side looks good but left is just terrible. It does get better at f/8. I will have to take some photos outside to see if it is better in real life.