[butangmucat]

Hello,

So I have always wanted a sidearm camera like Ricoh GR (for practical reasons), but as I have planned an upgrade on my main gear (see https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/76-non-pentax-cameras-canon-nikon-etc/325...acy-glass.html), now I have a decently small mirrorless body. I am considering getting a Sigma 19mm F2.8 DN (whether new, refurbished, or used) to use mainly with my a5000 body as a sidearm camera. Will it be able to compete with Ricoh GR in convenience and IQ? I don't mind if it is a bit larger as I don't use put cameras in my pocket, but rather in my backpack/handbag.

Sincerely

[rawr]

My 2c:

I have an A5000 and the Sigma 19mm. But I think for ultimate compactness, and quick shooting out of the pocket, it would be hard to beat the GR.

To be sure, the A5000 is very compact with some lenses (eg the Sony 16mm or 20mm pancakes, or the kit Sony 16-50 PZ), but once you mount the Sigma 19mm on the A5000 it becomes a much bigger package (especially if you use the hood on the 19mm - which is required in daylight shooting IMHO).

The Sigma 19mm is also quite a bit wider than the 28mm of the GR, of course.

If you have it already on your A5000, it's worth noting that the Sony 16-50 kit zoom, while not as good as the 19mm, isn't such a bad lens, and makes a very compact and handy package, especially with this neat auto lens cap mounted on it:

[butangmucat]

My 2c:

I have an A5000 and the Sigma 19mm. But I think for ultimate compactness, and quick shooting out of the pocket, it would be hard to beat the GR.

To be sure, the A5000 is very compact with some lenses (eg the Sony 16mm or 20mm pancakes, or the kit Sony 16-50 PZ), but once you mount the Sigma 19mm on the A5000 it becomes a much bigger package (especially if you use the hood on the 19mm - which is required in daylight shooting IMHO).

The Sigma 19mm is also quite a bit wider than the 28mm of the GR, of course.

If you have it already on your A5000, it's worth noting that the Sony 16-50 kit zoom, while not as good as the 19mm, isn't such a bad lens, and makes a very compact and handy package, especially with this neat auto lens cap mounted on it:

I took the kit lens out for a walk, and the only complaint is that the lens is not fast enough.

I was trying to capture a scene at a railroad grade crossing and I found the lens to be a bit too slow. I realized that I am not willing to raise the ISO for capturing a scene as a5000's high ISO performance is far from descent, instead I would want to open up the aperture (especially when I use a native lens with autofocus support).

So I guess I am not getting a fast pancake with good IQ?

[rawr]

as a5000's high ISO performance is far from decent

It's pretty good. For casual shooting, I wouldn't worry too much about ISO up to 1600 or even a bit above.


(I've shot with all three cameras in the diagram).

So I guess I am not getting a fast pancake with good IQ?

Pancakes on Sony are limited in number - unless I am missing something, you've only got the 16mm and the 20mm f2.8 Sony primes, and the 16-50 kit lens. Probably the 20mm is the best of them optically, but I don't own it, so speak only based on tests and reviews.

[butangmucat]

Pancakes on Sony are limited in number - unless I am missing something, you've only got the 16mm and the 20mm f2.8 Sony primes, and the 16-50 kit lens. Probably the 20mm is the best of them optically, but I don't own it, so speak only based on tests and reviews.

Just to make sure, while the Sigma 19mm is pretty compact, it is far from a pancake? And it seems to be around the same size of the older Sony 18-55 kit?

[rawr]

the Sigma 19mm is pretty compact, it is far from a pancake?

True enough. The Sigma 19mm for NEX sits about 6cm tall (+2cm hood), compared to (for example) the Sony 16mm or 20mm pancakes, both of which are only about 2cm tall (without hood).

[ChristianRock]

The Sigma 19mm is also quite a bit wider than the 28mm of the GR, of course.

That would be incorrect. The GR is actually a hair wider. It has an 18.3mm lens - not 28mm.The 28mm gets mentioned as full frame equivalence.

[yusuf]

I would prefer A5000 based on my experience, will be more flexible. Btw, you might want to consider A5100 though as personally I was let down by A5000 LCD.

I have nex 5n+Sigma 19mm and I briefly owned GR and now Sigma dp1m. In my experience, GR lens is sharper than Sigma 19mm but difference is not as significant as difference between 19-DP1m or GR-DP1m. Hence I kept 5n+19mm for casual use, dp1m for daytime use and let go GR.