Brief Review of the SG Image 35mm F2.2 paired with the S9
My SG 35mm arrived yesterday, and I've gotten to use it for a day with good initial results. I'm running the latest firmware for both the lens and S9.
Honestly, the sharpness and image quality are excellent for the price. It punches way above its weight class—you’re getting a really clean look without having to lug around a massive L-mount prime. It makes the S9 actually pocketable, which is the whole reason I bought the camera in the first place. It's got a little character too; it's not very clinical. If you like processing your photos to emulate vintage or film stock, I think you'll like the way it renders images.
The autofocus is more than acceptable for casual usage, too. It’s been very reliable for me so far. I’ve only had one single occasion where the shutter wouldn't fire because it couldn't get focus confirmation, but every other shot has been spot on. It definitely doesn't have the responsiveness of my Lumix-branded lenses, but I find it better than some STM lenses I had for Canon EF many years ago. I feel like if SG Image gave us another firmware tweak, they could get this lens running about 95% as fast and reliable as native L-mount glass. Currently feels like it's about 85% there. I don't think the hardware is the limiting factor. There might be some inconsistency from lens to lens (maybe a QC issue), as other reviews I've seen demonstrate worse AF performance than I've had.
If you’re looking for a cheap, stealthy daily driver for the S9, this is definitely worth picking up. Will I find myself wanting to switch to the new 40mm f2 from Lumix? Maybe, but given how much I love 35mm, maybe not.