ok so my trip to iceland is literally in three weeks and im freaking out bc i still havent figured out my lens situation. right now im shooting on a sony a7iv and i need one single lens that can do pretty much everything so i dont have to swap glass freezing my fingers off in the wind. my budget is around 1500 max. right now im torn between the tamron 28-75mm f2.8 g2 and the sony 24-70mm f2.8 gm ii. like obviously the sony is supposed to be the absolute sharpest and best all-around lens for sony cameras period, but its like double the price of the tamron. is the gm ii really worth the extra grand for travel and landscape stuff or should i just grab the tamron and put the leftover cash toward plane tickets? someone tell me before i panic buy both lol
Honestly, skip the GM ii. I have used both extensively, and for an Iceland trip, the extra weight of the Sony glass is just a liability when you are battling wind and cold. The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 is sharp enough that you won't notice the difference unless you are pixel peeping 400 percent on a desktop monitor. Here is what I would do with that extra cash:
- Grab the Tamron for the versatility.
- Pick up a Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G for those massive landscape shots.
- Use the remaining budget for some high quality filters or just better thermal gear. In my experience, having that wider 20mm reach is way more important in Iceland than the marginal sharpness gain you get from the much pricier Sony lens. Just get the Tamron and save your money.
Iceland in three weeks is gonna be insane! Seriously though, forget blowing your whole budget on that overpriced Sony glass. I took the Tamron 28-75mm f28 Di III VXD G2 on my trip last year and it completely blew me away. You want to save that extra grand for experiences, or honestly, just warm waterproof gear because you are gonna need it.
- Super lightweight so your neck wont hurt after hiking all day
- Weather sealing held up great against crazy waterfalls and mist
- Focuses crazy fast even in freezing temps If you really want a mind-blowing setup, grab the Tamron and pair it with a cheap manual ultra-wide prime just in case. But honestly that zoom handles 90 percent of what you will see out there. Have the best time ever!
Regarding what #1 said about skipping the GM, you might want to consider the focal range limitations in Iceland. 28mm is often too tight for those dramatic landscapes. I would suggest looking at a wider option like the Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G.
- The extra width at 20mm is huge for landscapes
- f/4 is fine for daylight travel
- Save your money for the trip Be careful with the fixed aperture, but the utility is unmatched.