I've been shooting with the S5II for a few months now and I honestly thought I had my kit sorted out with the 24-105mm f4 but man I am getting so frustrated with the low light performance when I'm out doing street stuff at night and the bokeh just feels kinda clinical or something I dont know how to describe it. I moved over from Sony and I'm used to having a million options but the L-mount alliance thing is still confusing me with what is actually worth the money. I have a big trip to Tokyo coming up in three weeks and I really dont want to be lugging around four different primes like I did last time because my back was killing me by day three. I looked at the Sigma 24-70 Art but I heard the version 1 has some dust issues and the version 2 is pricey plus I'm worried about the weight for all day carry. Is the Lumix 24-70mm Pro actually worth double the price of the Sigma or am I just paying for the Leica certified badge at that point? I need something that can handle everything from landscape to portraits without me needing to swap glass every five minutes. My budget is around 1600 bucks but I can stretch it if it's a forever lens type of situation. What is the actual best all-around zoom for this system that wont break my neck or my bank account? I'm just stuck between the weight of the 2.8s and the limitations of the f4s...
I took the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary on a trip to Osaka last year and it worked out great. Its way lighter than the heavier Pro lenses, which really matters for all-day street stuff. Its a decent option if you need f2.8 but want to save cash. The 28mm tradeoff is noticeable but the money I saved basically paid for my flights.
Disagreeing slightly, 24mm is vital. Over the years, Ive seen Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN II Art MTF charts beat everything. I used it in Kyoto; its $1000 cheaper than the Pro.
Youre basically caught between the weight of a fast zoom and the limitations of an f4. To figure out which one is actually the best for your trip, how often do you find yourself at the 24mm limit on your current lens? Tokyo is pretty cramped, so losing those 4mm might be a huge pain in those narrow alleys. Also, when you say the bokeh feels clinical, are you looking for a lens with more character even if it isnt technically perfect, or is the f4 just not giving you enough depth to be happy? Knowing that would help narrow down the options a lot.
