What is the best all-around travel lens for Nikon Z cameras that wont make me want to throw my gear into a lake? honestly im so fed up with my current setup and im starting to get really anxious because my trip to southern Italy is in literally three weeks and I still havent figured this out. right now I keep swapping between the 24-70 f/4 and this old 70-300 with an adapter and its a total nightmare. the adapter makes everything so front-heavy and clunky. I missed this incredible shot of a local fisherman in Sicily last year because I was fumbling with my lens caps and getting dust on my sensor and I just cant do that again. its so frustrating. I want one lens that can stay on my Z6ii like 95% of the time and just work.
I looked at the 24-200mm but I keep reading mixed reviews about it being too slow in low light or not sharp enough at the long end and now I'm overthinking everything and I'm worried itll be a waste of money. then people say the 24-120mm f/4 is the gold standard but is 120mm actually enough for travel? I feel like I'm gonna miss the reach but I also hate the idea of blurry shots if the 24-200 isnt sharp. my budget is around 1100 or 1200 bucks max so I cant afford those crazy f2.8 zooms that cost as much as a used car.
I just want to enjoy my vacation without carrying a massive bag and feeling like a professional pack mule. I'll be doing mostly street photography in narrow alleys and some coastal landscapes at sunset so I need something that can handle a bit of everything. please tell me someone has a solution that actually works because I am spiraling here and I dont want to ruin another trip by being distracted by my gear instead of actually taking photos. is there some secret third option I'm missing? or am I just doomed to be unhappy with whatever I pick...
> I looked at the 24-200mm but I keep reading mixed reviews about it being too slow in low light or not sharp enough at the long end Honestly, i had high hopes for that superzoom and ended up pretty let down. i used the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR for a while and unfortunately it just wasnt as sharp as i expected once you get past the midway point. those mixed reviews are right... it gets soft and that slow aperture is a total pain for sunset shots. i had issues with it hunting for focus whenever the light got even slightly dim which was super frustrating. you really should grab the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S instead. i know 120mm feels short on paper, but for Italy, it’s basically perfect. having that constant f/4 means you can keep shooting when the light gets moody in those alleys. dont overthink the reach too much, you can always crop a bit with your Z6ii sensor. it’s the best way to actually enjoy your trip.
