> Since this camera doesn't have in-body image stabilization, I'm also curious if I should prioritize a lens with OSS... Oh man, i feel u. I went through this last year when I first got my ZV-E10. I started with the Sony E 50mm f/1.8 OSS cuz I was terrified of shaky shots without IBIS. Honestly? I was kinda disappointed. While the OSS helps for video, the sharpness just wasnt as good as expected for photos. Basically, for portraits, having that wide aperture is WAY more important than stabilization. I actually tried the Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 E next to save some money, but unfortunately, I had issues with the eye-tracking being slightly "off" in burst mode. It was realy frustrating. I eventually bit the bullet on the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary and its literally on another level. The f/1.4 lets you use a faster shutter speed, which stops motion blur better than OSS ever could. So yeah, I learned the hard way that speed beats stabilization for stills... basically just gotta save up a bit more lol. Peace!

So I actually went through this exact struggle when I was starting out. I tried to save a few bucks by getting a cheap manual lens, and ngl, it was a total disaster. Trying to nail focus on a moving person without eye-AF is basically impossible if you're a beginner. For your ZV-E10, you highkey need something with electronic pins to use that amazing tracking. If the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary for Sony E is too pricey, here’s what I’d suggest: * Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 E for Sony APS-C - Honestly, don't sweat the AF too much. With the latest firmware, it tracks eyes really well on that body. It's usually around $300.
* Yongnuo YN 50mm f/1.8S DA DSM for Sony E - This is the "hidden gem" budget pick. It's super cheap (under $200) and actually pretty sharp. About the OSS... for portraits, you're usually shooting at fast shutter speeds anyway to stop motion blur from the person moving, so a fast aperture is way more important. Lesson learned: f/1.4 beats stabilization every time for that creamy look. gl!

Just saw this thread. Before I dive into the technical specs, I have a quick question: are you planning to do mostly handheld video portraits or are you sticking strictly to stills? It really changes the math on whether you need OSS or not. Quick tip: for sharp portraits without IBIS, keep your shutter speed at least double your focal length (so around 1/125s for a 50mm) and you basically wont need stabilization for photos. If you want a budget win, you should definitely check out the TTArtisan 56mm f/1.8 AF Sony E. It is half the price of the Sigma and the autofocus is actually pretty snappy for the ZV-E10 eye-tracking. Another sleeper hit is the Meike 50mm f/1.8 AF Sony E mount if you can find one in stock. Both are way more affordable than the big names but perform great if you keep the firmware updated. Definitely worth looking at if the Sigma is too steep.

Late to the party here but I totally get the struggle! Honestly when I started out I was SO obsessed with finding a shortcut. Instead of buying the big names I decided to go the DIY route and just bought a super cheap manual lens from one of those newer brands. Basically I realized that you can do it yourself without all the fancy autofocus if ur willing to practice a bit. I mean, it was definitely a learning curve but it felt more like REAL photography to me. If ur looking to save money I would say:

• Just look at any manual lens from TTArtisan
• Check out what 7Artisans has for E-mount
• Seriously any of those budget brands will work Basically you can get that look for way under ur budget if you dont mind doing the work yourself. Do you think you would be okay with manual focus or is that too scary for a beginner? I am still learning too tbh but it has been a total blast!

Following this thread

In my experience with Sony over the years, I think Sigma is basically best for blur, but the Sony lens has better stabilization. Not sure but maybe Viltrox works? id suggest the Sigma tho!

Seconded!