Honestly I'm just about done with carrying around this huge bag of glass every time I want to take a decent photo. I bought into the whole Sony full frame hype a couple years ago and got an A7IV and I love the sensor but the lens situation is driving me insane. Right now I have a 35mm prime and an 85mm and then the basic kit lens which is just... well it's garbage in low light lets be real. I'm honestly fed up with the constant swapping, it keeps making me miss shots and im ready to just sell everything and get one good piece of glass because this is too much work.
Last weekend I was out with my kids at the park and then we went for dinner and I spent more time fumbling with my lens caps and worrying about dust getting on my sensor than actually taking pictures. I missed my daughter's first time on the big slide because I was busy swapping from the 85 back to the 35 because she ran too close to me. Its just exhausting and I'm honestly tired of the "just use primes" advice people give. I dont want to be a professional gear swapper I just want to capture memories without it being a whole production.
I have this big trip to Iceland coming up in three weeks and I really dont want to be that person standing in the wind and rain trying to change a lens while my hands are freezing. I'm looking for one single lens that can stay on the body like 90% of the time. It needs to be sharp enough for landscape but have some decent bokeh for portraits of the family. My budget is around $1300 maybe $1500 if its really worth it. Here is what I have been looking at:
- Sony 24-105mm f4 G
- Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 Art
- Tamron 28-75mm G2
I heard the Sony f4 isnt enough for night stuff and the Sigma is heavy as a brick and I'm trying to save my neck here. Does anyone actually have a "one lens" setup that doesnt feel like a total compromise? What is the absolute best all-around lens for Sony mirrorless if you're just totally done with the multi-lens life?
Building on the earlier suggestion about the Tamron, I actually think you might want to reconsider that 28mm starting point if you're heading to Iceland. Those landscapes are absolutely massive, and honestly, you're gonna feel really cramped at 28mm. I've been there and 24mm is usually the bare minimum for those waterfalls. I'm gonna go against the grain and suggest the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS even though you're worried about the low light. Here is why:
- Your A7IV is a beast with high ISO. Seriously, just crank it to 6400 and use a bit of software noise reduction. It looks fine.
- The extra reach to 105mm is a total game changer for family shots. You get way more background blur (bokeh) at 105mm f/4 than you do at 70mm f/2.8 because of the focal length compression.
- It has built-in stabilization which the Sigma doesn't have. In the wind and rain, that matters way more than a stop of light. If you really feel like you need f/2.8 for dinners, make sure you specifically look at the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN II Art. Be careful to get the "Mark II" version though, because the original is the one that's heavy as a brick. The new one is much lighter and easier on the neck. Just keep in mind that 70mm is sometimes a bit short when you're trying to capture stuff across a canyon... anyway, just some food for thought before you drop the cash.
I went through this same crisis in the Alps last year, nearly missed the peaks while fumbling with glass in the rain. Grabbing the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 saved my trip because it's the best value for money right now.
- Low light is solid with the constant f/2.8
- Weighs only 540g
- Saves you about 700 bucks over Sony glass Its the most logical choice for Iceland.
+1
To add to the point above: 24mm is definitely the sweet spot for those big landscapes. I’ve spent way too much time trying to stitch together shots in post because my lens wasn't wide enough, and it’s a total headache.
- Honestly, just go with Sony. You can't go wrong with their native zooms. The way the lens talks to the A7IV body is just smoother than third-party stuff, especially for tracking the kids when they're running around.
- Don't stress too much about the f/4 vs f/2.8 debate. Modern sensors handle high ISO like a champ, and you can always DIY some noise reduction in software if things get grainy at night.
- Just look for any of the Sony zooms that start at 24mm. That extra bit of width is gonna be a lifesaver in Iceland when you're trying to fit a whole waterfall in the frame.
- Pro tip: spend some time setting up your custom buttons for focus modes. It makes one-lens life way easier when you can swap settings instantly without diving into menus. Basically, any high-end zoom from Sony is gonna be a massive upgrade over fumbling with primes in the rain. Just grab one and enjoy your trip!
Late to the party but I snagged a used Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS to save cash. Tbh the f4 is fine if you bump ISO.
Bookmarked, thanks!
