So I finally did it and bought a real camera after years of just using my iPhone but now I feel totally lost lol. I picked up a Nikon Z5 last week for a trip I have coming up to the Smokey Mountains in October and honestly looking at all the lens options is making my head spin. The guy at the store gave me this small lens that came in the box but he said I might want something better for all-around use and I have no idea what that really means. Like I want to take pictures of the mountains but also maybe some birds if they are close enough and definitely some photos of my kids at the campsite.

I keep seeing these numbers like 24-70 and 24-120 and people talking about f/4 vs f/2.8 and it just sounds like math class to me. I just want one lens that I can leave on the camera the whole time and not have to worry about switching things out while we are hiking because I know for a fact I will drop something or get dirt inside the camera body. My budget is around $900 or maybe $1000 if it is really worth it but my wife might kill me if I spend much more than that since the camera was already expensive. I really want something that makes the pictures look pro you know? Like with that blurry background stuff but still being able to zoom in a little bit.

Someone told me to look at the 24-200 because it zooms a lot but then someone else said the 24-120 is better quality? I dont really understand how a lens that zooms less can be better? I also saw something about prime lenses but those dont zoom at all right? That seems kinda hard to use if I am standing on a trail.

Sorry if these are really dumb questions I am just super new to this and dont want to waste my money on the wrong thing before my trip. If you could only bring one single lens for a week of hiking and family stuff which one would you pick for a beginner who doesnt know what they are doing...