If you were to ask me what the best prime lens combo is for storytelling, I’m taking 35mm + 85mm every time—at least when we’re only talking primes. In this video I break down why these two focal lengths cover the “wide” and the “portrait” angles so well, and why they’re such a clean, simple setup for both photo and video. I shoot Sony, so I’m specifically talking about the Sony 35mm and 85mm GM lenses. The 35mm is what I consider the best storytelling lens because it lets me frame my subject while still showing the location and essential context—your establishing shot. It shines for medium shots, product photo/video, and close-ups thanks to close focusing and minimal distortion, and if you go f/1.4 (or even f/1.8) you get great low-light performance with that nice blurry background. Then the 85mm comes in as my favorite for portraits and street work: it reaches your subject, gives you that cinematic compression, and the f/1.4 look is just chef’s kiss for separation and bokeh. If I had to pick only one, I’d still pick the 35mm for versatility—but together, 35 + 85 is the best of both worlds.