Honestly i am just so done with carrying a huge bag of glass everywhere I go it is literally ruining my vacation in Kyoto right now. I thought I was being smart by bringing three different primes to get the best quality but I am spending more time digging through my backpack and swapping lenses than actually looking at the temples and i am terrified i am going to drop one of them in a crowd.
Today I missed a perfect shot of a geisha in Gion because i had my 85mm on and she was too close and by the time i fumbled around for the 35mm she was gone and i just wanted to throw my camera in the river. Im using a Z6II and the sensor is already getting spots because of how many times i have to open it up in the wind and dust and my neck is killing me from the weight of the bag. I need one lens that can just stay on the body 90% of the time because i cant do this anymore.
I have a budget of about $1100 left for this trip and I need to find something before I head to Tokyo next week. Is the 24-200mm actually any good or is the quality gonna be total trash compared to what im used to? Or should I look at the 24-120mm f4 S? I need something that can handle a bit of everything from wide landscapes to street shots without me having to stop every five minutes to play tetris with my gear.
I am just so anxious that I am gonna get home and realize half my photos are blurry or have dust spots because I was rushing to switch things out. What is actually the most versatile thing I can buy for a Nikon body that wont make me regret leaving my primes in the hotel safe? I just want to enjoy the trip and stop worrying about my kit every single second...
Dude, stop the madness! I feel your pain so much because Kyoto is way too busy to be swapping glass every two minutes. I ditched my primes for the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S last year and honestly it changed everything for me! It is an absolute beast and the image quality is freaking fantastic for an all-in-one zoom. You lose a bit of reach compared to the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR but that constant f/4 aperture is a total lifesaver when youre shooting in those narrow alleys or at sunset. Plus its an S-line lens so the sharpness is gonna blow your mind. Just go buy it in Tokyo! You wont regret leaving the primes in the safe at all. Seriously, enjoy the rest of your trip and stop stressing... just start shooting everything with that one lens!
^ This. Also, you might want to consider how much you shoot at night. Make sure to check the aperture cuz the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR gets dark fast at the long end. I would suggest the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S for Tokyo since the f/4 stays constant. Its way safer for evening street shots, tbh... and it wont blow your budget. TL;DR: 24-120mm for pro results; 24-200mm for reach.
Honestly just go grab the Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR right now and dont look back! I was skeptical too because usually superzooms are kinda soft, but this thing is actually incredible for the price. Its super lightweight which is gonna save your neck big time. Since youre on a Z6II the internal stabilization works perfectly with the lens VR and it is rock solid even when you are zoomed all the way in at 200mm. The quality is definitely not trash. Its not gonna have that creamy bokeh of your 85mm prime obviously but the sharpness is way better than youd expect for a travel lens. Having that extra reach to 200mm is a lifesaver in places like Tokyo where you want to compress those long street views or grab shots of details on buildings. It fits way under your $1100 budget too so you can spend the rest on some amazing sushi in Tsukiji. Another fantastic option is the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 for Nikon Z. Its amazing for low light and street photography if you really need that faster aperture but you lose the wide end at 24mm. Seriously tho for a one and done solution that stops the dust getting on your sensor the 24-200mm is a total win. Just leave it on the body and finally enjoy your vacation... Kyoto is too pretty to spend it looking at your bag.
