I just picked up a Lumix S5II and I am honestly kind of panicking because I leave for a 10-day trip through Iceland in literally two weeks and I still haven't settled on a main lens to take with me. My budget is capped at about $1300 and I really need to get this ordered like yesterday so I can test it out before I fly. I want to travel relatively light but I also need something versatile because I know I am gonna be shooting everything from huge wide waterfalls to maybe some puffins or those cool compression shots of the winding roads.
Ive spent the last three nights falling down a rabbit hole of reviews and I am more confused than when I started. I read that the Panasonic 24-105mm f4 is the gold standard for travel because of the extra reach and that dual image stabilization which would be killer for my handheld video clips but then I see everyone on Reddit swearing by the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 Art II because of that extra stop of light and better bokeh. Is f4 gonna be a total pain on those super moody overcast days or for shooting inside buildings? I also looked at the Sigma 28-70mm Contemporary because its so light and cheap but I am worried that 28mm isnt wide enough for the big landscapes and I might regret not having that extra 4mm on the wide end.
I really dont want to be swapping lenses out in the Icelandic wind and rain because I am terrified of getting grit or moisture on my sensor so I basically need one lens that can live on my camera 95% of the time. Most of what I do is travel stuff and some light commercial work for local brands back home.
- Is the reach of the 105mm worth giving up the f2.8 for the stabilization?
- Or should I just get the Sigma and crop in if I need more zoom?
- Is there another option like the Leica Vario-Elmarit that is actually worth the extra money or is it just branding?
What is honestly the best all-around zoom for the L-mount system when you can only bring one?
I have been using the L-mount setup for quite some time and I am very satisfied with the Panasonic Lumix S 24-105mm f/4 Macro O.I.S. for travel. It works well in almost every scenario and is definitely the most cost-effective option for your trip. Since you are worried about the Icelandic weather, the weather sealing on this lens is top-tier and gives a lot of peace of mind. Based on my experience, here is why it beats the others:
- The stabilization is superior. When you pair this lens with the S5II, the Dual I.S. 2 makes handheld filming very smooth, which is a big plus for those waterfall shots.
- The 105mm focal length is much better for landscape compression than a standard 70mm zoom range.
- It fits comfortably under your $1300 budget, leaving you extra cash for filters or something like the SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II cards. Honestly, the f/4 aperture is rarely an issue because the S5II sensor handles low light so cleanly. You wont regret having the extra zoom range when you see those puffins in the distance and dont want to swap lenses in the wind.
