Im losing my mind trying to figure out what lens to buy. Ive been watching YouTube reviews and reading reddit threads for the past three weeks and honestly Im more confused now than when I started. Everyone says something completely different. I live in Chicago and mostly shoot street stuff, random portraits of my friends when we go out, and some travel stuff since Im heading to Japan in November. My budget is around $1200 max, preferably less if I can swing it. I currently shoot on a Sony A7III and Ive just been using the crappy kit lens that came with it. I need an upgrade bad. I read tons of good things about the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2 because its cheap and light and takes sharp photos, but then I read a bunch of threads saying the autofocus isnt as reliable as Sony first-party glass and the build quality feels like cheap plastic. So then I looked at the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II which everyone praises as the holy grail, but its like two grand out of my budget and feels way too heavy to carry around all day while traveling. What about the Sigma 24-70mm Art? Some say yes, some say the dust issue is a nightmare. I just want one solid walkaround lens that does everything decently well without me having to stress about switching lenses in the middle of a busy street. What is the actual best all-around lens for Sony full-frame cameras if you dont have unlimited money?
Stop overthinking it and just grab the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 for Sony E. Honestly, people online love to nitpick about plastic builds and autofocus tracking like we are all shooting Olympic sprinters. Ive had mine for over a year now, dragging it through city streets and on trips, and Ive had zero issues. The autofocus is plenty fast on the a7iii and the images are sharp as hell. Plus your back will thank you after walking around Tokyo all day compared to lugging a heavy GM lens. For twelve hundred bucks max, its honestly a no brainer. Just buy it and go take photos instead of reading more reviews.
^ This. Also, grab the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 instead. It is tiny, sharp, and perfect for Chicago streets. You'll thank me when you're walking around Japan all day.
Adding my two cents since I was in the exact same boat last year before a trip to Tokyo. YouTube reviews will literally rot your brain with pixel peeping. For your budget and use case, take a look at the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary. It sits right in your price range and honestly solves most of the complaints people have about the other options. Here is why it works so well for travel and street stuff:
- It is way smaller and lighter than the big Art lens or the Sony GM, which saves your neck when walking around all day.
- The build quality feels solid without being a brick, and dust hasnt been an issue for me at all compared to the older version.
- Optically, it punches way above its price tag and gives you that nice f/2.8 background blur for portraits. If you want to compare real-world sample images instead of sterile lab tests, check out Flickr groups for specific lenses or look at grainery.io where you can filter photos by camera and lens combo. It helps so much to see what normal people capture instead of sponsored creators. Have an amazing time in Japan, November is the absolute best time for the fall colors!