> im honestly fed up with this 20-60mm kit lens, it keeps hunting for focus during my travel shoots and the low light is garbage. Just saw this thread and felt the need to chime in. The exact same struggle happened to me when I first jumped into the L-mount system. Honestly, carrying glass that fails you when the sun goes down is the worst feeling, especially when youre somewhere like Japan with all those neon lights and dark alleys. Being careful with weight is huge tho. Heavy glass seems cool until your back regrets it after a week of walking 20k steps a day in Tokyo. Maybe look at the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary for L-Mount. Switching to this from the kit lens made the difference in autofocus speed on the S5II feel like night and day. Since it has that constant f/2.8 aperture, you dont have to worry about exposure shifting during zooming. That shift is basically why your current lens keeps hunting in the dark. Few things to keep in mind:

• Its way lighter than the Art series, so your neck wont hate you by day three.
• The price usually leaves you with about 400 bucks leftover from your budget for sushi.
• Make sure to update the firmware as soon as you get it for the best AF performance. If you really need 24mm it might not be wide enough, but for a general travel zoom that actually hits focus, its the most practical move imo. Just make sure to test it before your flight... nothing worse than finding a defect once youre already in Kyoto.

Honestly, that kit lens is a total letdown and its frustrating how much it hunts. I had constant issues with it during my last trip and it simply isnt as good as expected for a pro-level body like the S5II. If youre heading to Japan next week, you need the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art L-Mount. It fits your budget perfectly and is basically the best all-arounder for the L-mount system right now. Quick tip: dont even bother looking at the f/4 zooms like the 24-105mm. They wont solve your low light complaints and youll just end up frustrated again when the sun goes down in Tokyo. The Sigma is a bit heavy but the constant f/2.8 aperture is mandatory if you want sharp, clean shots. Just grab that and dont look back.

> im honestly fed up with this 20-60mm kit lens, it keeps hunting for focus during my travel shoots and the low light is garbage. Just catching up on this thread and man, i totally feel your pain. I had the exact same experience with that kit lens when I first got my S5II. I took it out for some evening street photography and it was just... bad. The focus hunting made me want to leave it on a park bench, honestly. It is definitely not as good as expected for a modern system. If you are heading to Japan, you really need something that wont let you down. I tried the Panasonic Lumix S 24-105mm f4 Macro OIS for a while but honestly was disappointed by the f4 aperture when the sun went down. It just didnt cut it for those dark alleyway shots in Shinjuku. You should probably look at the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN Art L-mount. The autofocus is night and day compared to your kit lens. My only gripe is that it is unfortunately a total brick. I used it for a week in Kyoto and my neck was killing me by day three, but the images were sharp as hell. Another choice is the Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 DG DN Contemporary L-mount. It is way lighter for travel which is nice, but I had issues with the build quality feeling a bit cheap. Tbh, if you can handle the weight, the Art version is the way to go for reliability.

Totally agree with the others that the kit lens is a struggle, but before you drop your entire budget, consider the Panasonic Lumix S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6 is meant to be a wide starter, not a low-light performer. If you want something sharper without breaking the bank, look at the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary L-Mount. It is way more compact for travel than the bulky Art series, which saves your back during those long days in Japan. You might want to consider grabbing a used copy if you can find one fast, just be careful to inspect the glass for any dust or scratches before your flight. Make sure to pack a small cleaning kit too. Using a lighter lens helps with stability when you are walking around all day. Honestly, stick to reliable gear you can actually handle easily. Dont overspend on something heavy that you might end up leaving in the hotel safe anyway.

Late to the party but I gotta jump in because that 20-60mm can definitely be a headache in low light. Since you are on a tight deadline for Japan, I would suggest you look at the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art for L-Mount. It usually sits right around 1100 dollars which fits your budget perfectly. You will get that constant f/2.8 aperture which helps a ton with the graininess you are seeing. Just be careful though, it is a bit of a brick compared to your kit lens, like 835g, so your neck might feel it after a full day in Tokyo. If weight is a big deal, you might want to consider the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary for L-Mount instead. It is way lighter and cheaper, but you lose that 24mm wide end. Make sure to update the lens firmware as soon as you get it to keep the S5II phase detect working smoothly...

Commenting to find later

Same here!