Im finally heading to Japan this October and Im so hyped to get some shots of the neon streets! Ive been looking at the Tamron 28-200 and the Sony 24-105 G but honestly I'm stuck. Everyone says the Tamron is the ultimate travel king but then I read that the 24mm on the Sony is way better for those tight Tokyo alleyways and the autofocus is more reliable. I'm using an A7III and need something that wont kill my neck after 20k steps a day.
My main things are:
- Budget under $1100
- Fast enough for evening street shots
- Sharp enough that I dont regret not bringing primes
Which one handles the low light better in your experience or is there a Sigma I missed?
I've lugged gear through Golden Gai plenty of times and the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD wins for me. That f/2.8 at the wide end is huge for neon shots compared to the Sony f/4.
- Tamron: f/2.8 start, super light
- Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS: better AF, heavier tho
- Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary: best for weight Go Tamron... your neck wont regret it.
Saw this earlier but just getting back to you. I've spent a ton of time wandering around Shinjuku and Osaka with various setups, and honestly, the weight is what kills the vibe faster than anything else. I used to carry heavy glass but my back hated me for it by day three. In my experience, the technical reality of the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD is that it becomes an f/4.5 lens pretty fast once you start zooming. If you're worried about those dark alleys, you might find f/4 a bit limiting even on an A7III if you want to keep your shutter speeds high. Since your budget is 1100 dollars, here is a more practical way to spend it:
- Buy the Tamron or the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS used on a site like MPB or KEH. You can find the Sony for about 700ish if you look around.
- Use the remaining cash to grab a Sony FE 35mm f/1.8.
- Swap to the prime once the sun goes down for that real low light performance. The 24mm on the Sony is a big deal for architecture tho... 28mm can feel a bit tight when you're standing right under a massive neon sign in Shinjuku. If you dont mind missing the long reach, the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary is way lighter than the Sony and stays f/2.8 the whole time. Its basically the budget king for weight-saving and stays sharp enough that you wont miss your primes during the day.
+1
I am actually in the exact same boat right now and it is honestly so frustrating. I have been researching for my own upcoming trip and it feels like every perfect travel lens has some massive drawback that makes me second guess the whole thing. I spent some time with the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS a while back and unfortunately it just did not live up to the hype for me... the f/4 is just too slow when the sun goes down and I ended up with way more noise than I could stomach. It is such a bummer because you really want that 24mm wide angle for the streets but then you lose the light for the neon stuff. I am struggling with the same trade-offs and basically feeling like I am gonna regret whatever I pick at this point. It is tough when you are trying to stay under that 1100 mark and still get pro results without the bulk. Quick tip tho... definitely look at the used market instead of buying new. You can find a Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD or even some of the Sigma glass for way cheaper on sites like KEH or MPB. Also, seriously consider just renting both for a weekend before you fly out. It is a small price to pay to realize you hate the weight or the focal range before you are stuck with it in Tokyo for two weeks... nothing worse than gear regret mid-vacation.
Bookmarked, thanks!
