So I just got the Panasonic S5II because I heard it was great for video and photos but I am honestly so lost when it comes to the glass part of it. This is my first real camera besides my phone so sorry if this is a totally basic thing to ask. I see all these numbers like 24-105 or 20-60 and I dont really understand what they mean for my pictures or how zoomed in they actually go.
I am going on a big trip to Japan next month and I really just want one lens that can do everything because I dont want to be fumbling around with different parts in the middle of a busy street in Tokyo. My budget is probably around $1000 or maybe a bit more if it is really worth it but I just want something that stays on the camera all the time. I want to take pictures of the shrines but also maybe some street food or people from a distance. Someone mentioned something about f-stops and constant aperture and I got even more confused lol. If you had to pick just one zoom lens that is good for pretty much everything for a beginner who doesnt want to carry a huge bag of gear what would it be? I just need something reliable for the whole trip...
I went through the same thing when I first got my S5II before a trip to Osaka. I ended up picking the Panasonic LUMIX S 24-105mm f/4 Macro O.I.S. and honestly I have been so satisfied with the results. The 24mm end is wide enough to catch the massive gates at Senso-ji, but that 105mm reach lets you get those tight street food shots without being in the vendors face. I was really happy with the Dual I.S. performance... it makes handheld video look like it was on a gimbal. The f/4 constant aperture is great because your exposure wont change while zooming. Quick tip: keep your shutter speed at double your frame rate for video to get natural motion blur. Also, use the macro mode for those detail shots of your ramen. I had zero complaints using this as my only lens for two weeks.
