I’m writing this on Saturday 3rd of January (2026), so we are still in that weird time where New Years has passed, bur things still haven’t returned to normal. I had hoped to take out the camera and shoot the weekend market, keep the creative muscles warm and get used to how the A7RV really reacts in a slightly more demanding environment. Unfortunately, the market was not on, so I went to this local market instead.

As you can see, I am still using the 35mm G Master over the ZEISS Batis. I haven’t thought much about going back to them but I have been using the G Master a little on my FX30 in December. The 35mm on that camera is just absolutely fantastic, the handshake between camera and lens is impeccable. The autofocus, the de-clickable aperture, the field of view on Super-35… it pairs just as well (if not a little better) on that body for motion as it does for stills on the A7RV. When I as looking at the 50mm G Masters, I couldn’t help but wonder what the point of a function button is on the top of the lens, but in my recent trip to Sala Keo Kou I ended up configuring my lens function button as magnification. I found it to be a good compromise between the auto magnify (that just becomes annoying, and sometimes obstructive), and the placement to be exactly where you want it when you are ready to check focus handheld. I found that when shooting those huge structures with a wide lens, you really want to confirm your focus as it is very hard to tell off the back screen or even the EVF alone. Especially as I wanted the aperture as open as I possibly could to make sure there was good separation from the statue and any foliage behind. In the “street” style photos from yesterday magnification really doesn't matter so much as the subject is prominent in frame. Anyway, I found out what the top button would be for, the exact same thing but shooting portrait orientation. As such it has real utility on a stills camera and is past the point of diminishing returns for motion.

That knowledge made me rethink how I wanted the utility of my new systems to look, the 35mm G Master is in full utilisation on the FX30 body, with the best part of the lens rendering the image, de-clickable aperture fully usable and the function button on the side sufficient for motion needs. The “problem” that I face is that I also really enjoy the 35mm on the A7RV, and I am fairly committed to the One Year, One Lens project. Another part of me thinks that the 50mm would be the better choice for it, and I am not so pedantic as to need to start at midnight on the 31st. That part of me is not talking from a place of Gear Acquisition Syndrome, but from a forward looking inventory building mindset. Eventually my X-T5 will need to be replaced, it functions as my backup in a pinch but continuity will go out the window if it is ever needed. I am contemplating making use of the reduced clearance costs of the A7IV now that the A7V has hit shelves, and coupling it with a 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. It would be a system that does everything alright but nothing amazing, the antithesis of what I am trying to build out with the A7RV and FX30, but with identical feature sets on that zoom as the 50mm f/1.4 it would make a logical pairing. The fact that clear zoom can get me another 1.5x crop and still maintain full 4K resolution and 4:2:2 10-Bit colour means that the 35mm has immense utility as a motion lens.

Either way, the verdict is still out on what direction I truly want to go. The Nakasendo Way is not planned until 2027, so I have this year to figure it out. Part of me thinks the A7IV would be a compromise over a second A7RV, part of me thinks the 50mm f/1.4 would be a compromise over the f/1.2, and the largest part of me knows that I will not cannibalise funds for my next project for glass and cameras. The problem with finding gear that doesn't compromise is that you no longer tolerate compromises.

Legal & Ethical Disclosure

Archive Record: Shot post-New Years at Posri Road Market in Udon Thani, Thailand, January 2026.

Technical Basis: Presented in the pedagogical context of showcasing the Sony FE 1.4/35 G Master lens.

Operational Standards: The camera was not concealed; imagery was made in public spaces and not contested at the time of capture. No portrayal was knowingly in false light.

Non-Commercial Status: This article is not monetised. All equipment was acquired independently. This article does not constitute promotion or affiliation with Sony, Alpha, or G Master.

PDPA Compliance: If any person depicted objects to usage, the image will be removed uncontested as per Thailand's PDPA. Requests may be submitted via the Contact page.