Which budget prime lens is best for the Sony ZV-E10?

Question

Honestly so over the kit lens that came with my ZV-E10. Like, the 16-50mm is okay for outdoors but as soon as I try to film anything in my apartment or go out for a walk in Seattle (its literally always gray here) everything just looks like grainy mush. I am trying to get that nice blurry background look for my YouTube videos but this lens just isnt doing it and im getting super frustrated spending hours in editing trying to fix the noise. I need a prime lens that actually performs without costing more than the camera itself.

Here is what im looking for:

Budget is firm under 300 bucks, maybe 350 if its really worth it

Needs to be good for low light because my lighting setup is basically just a window and a cheap ring light

Small enough to travel with

Fast autofocus is a must since i move around a lot when I talk

I was looking at the Sigma 16mm or maybe a Sony 35mm but I cant decide if the 16 is too wide or the 35 is too zoomed in for vlogging. If anyone has experience with these or some cheaper brands like Viltrox or TTArtisan please let me know. I just want my footage to look halfway decent for once...

drewas · Accepted Answer

Oh man you are gonna LOVE the difference a prime lens makes!! I totally feel you on the Seattle weather too... it is basically a low light stress test every single day. Honestly i think you should stick with the big names for peace of mind because you really need that autofocus to be 100% reliable when you are moving around.

Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Sony E-Mount is the absolute king for vlogging! It is wide enough to catch your surroundings and that f/1.4 aperture is just magic for killing that grain.

Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS is amazing for those blurry background talking head shots, but honestly it might be a bit too zoomed in if you are holding the camera at arm length. I personally swear by the Sigma tho!! It is super well built and the autofocus is crazy fast so you wont have to worry about it hunting while you talk. Itll make your footage look pro instantly!!

Dread_fhEt · Answer

Re: "Oh man you are gonna LOVE the difference..." - totally agree. In my experience, ditching the zoom for a prime on my Sony ZV-E10 was a game changer. I used to get so frustrated with the grainy noise. Honestly, Ive tried many setups. Basically, anything tighter than 20mm usually makes my head look massive. Its just too close. That extra light is a lifesaver in Seattle tho.