im honestly so done with carrying around three different lenses every time I leave the house. I spent like three thousand dollars on my A7IV setup and I feel like I spent more time fumbling with lens caps in my bag than actually taking photos. I was just out at this local street festival in Chicago yesterday and I missed like five perfect shots because I had my 85mm on for a portrait but then something cool happened across the street and by the time I swapped to my wide angle the moment was totally gone. Its just exhausting and im honestly ready to sell everything if I cant find one single lens that can just stay on the camera 90% of the time.
My logic was that primes would give me the best quality but honestly who cares about optical perfection if you miss the shot entirely? Im looking for the absolute best do-it-all lens for Sony. I've been looking at the 24-70 GM II but that price tag is insane and im worried its still gonna feel bulky for everyday carry. Then I saw the Tamron 28-75 or maybe that 28-200 one? People say the 28-200 is dark but is it really that bad for travel if the lighting is okay? I'm heading to Japan in three weeks and I refuse to bring a giant backpack of glass this time. I need to get this sorted like yesterday because shipping times are getting weird lately and I dont want to be stuck with my current mess.
Budget is around 1200 or 1500 max if it's really worth it. I mostly do street stuff and some landscape when I'm traveling so I need something that can handle a bit of everything without making my neck snap by the end of the day. Is the Sigma 24-70 the play here or should I just bite the bullet on a Sony native lens? I'm just so frustrated with the current workflow it's killing my motivation to even go out and shoot anymore...
I've been shooting Sony for a decade and totally get the lens swap fatigue. I used to be a prime snob until a trip to Europe where I missed every good candid shot because I was busy digging in my bag. For your A7IV, you really want something that balances weight and resolving power. Since the GM is out of budget, here are two I've spent a lot of time testing.
- Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G: This is a technical marvel. Most people ignore it because its f/4, but that 20mm wide end is huge for street scenes and tight alleys in Japan. The corner sharpness is actually better than some older primes.
- Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2: A massive improvement over the G1. The linear motor focus is instant and it's light enough that you wont feel it after eight hours of walking. In my experience, that 20-70mm is the sweet spot for travel. You can always bump your ISO on the A7IV if it gets dark, but you cant fake a wider field of view.
Had a moment to look into this. For a trip to Japan, these are probably your best options:
- Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD: basically the king of versatility if you hate swapping.
- Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS: solid all-rounder with built in stabilization.
- Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art II: pro optics but way cheaper than Sony. Check Dustin Abbots site for technical breakdowns... super helpful for comparing sharpness.
This ^
Seconded!
ugh literally in the same boat right now... been dealing with this exact mess for like three months and i still havent found a setup that doesnt make me totally anxious. every outing feels like a gamble between carrying way too much gear or missing a great shot because the wrong glass is attached. it is so frustrating that the camera honestly stays home half the time lately. you might want to be really careful and do a lot of digging before committing for that japan trip tho. it would be a nightmare to get there and realize your one lens choice isnt reliable enough or has some weird quirk. make sure to check out sites like fred miranda or the lens-specific threads on dpreview because those people really dive into the long-term build quality and safety. i would suggest looking for threads about weather sealing especially since you will be traveling. i am still searching for the perfect answer myself so i am really hoping someone here has a magic solution for us... tl;dr: i have the exact same problem and no answer yet, but checking long-term reliability forums might keep us from making a pricey mistake.
Like someone mentioned, the fatigue of swapping glass is a total mood killer. I've been shooting for a long time and honestly, you might want to consider just sticking with any of the newer Tamron zooms. They've really nailed that balance of weight and versatility lately... kinda makes those heavy primes feel like a chore. Just be careful and keep a few things in mind:
- make sure to test the balance on your Sony A7IV because some can feel really front-heavy after a few hours
- i would suggest looking into a better strap system if you're gonna be walking around Japan all day
- be careful with the weather sealing on some of those third party options if you're out in the rain tho I've found that just having one lens that covers most of the range is way better for the creative flow. Just get one of those all-arounders from a brand like Tamron or Sigma and dont sweat the tiny details too much. Youll be much happier actually seeing the sights instead of staring at your camera bag.
