In my experience, lugging heavy glass on trails is the worst. I swapped my bulky setup for the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 and its sooo much better for street. Its only 280g! For your situation, the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary is a decent option cuz its lighter than the GMs. * Fast f/1.8 aperture
* 9-blade diaphragm
* Dust resistance Ngl, choosing weight over range works best.

Respectfully, I'd consider another option because primes are kinda limiting for travel, ngl. I guess I had issues with the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8—it's just not wide enough. * Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD: Best value (~$700) but unfortunately slow at the long end.
* Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS: Sharper but not as good as expected in low light. Basically, the Tamron is way more practical!

So I'm curious... what's your actual budget for this? Like, are you looking to stay under $1k or are you willing to go all out for the pro stuff? I've been doing a ton of market research lately and it's pretty crazy how much the gap between brands has closed. Quick tips from what I've seen:
- **Sigma vs Tamron:** Sigma usually kills it with build quality and physical switches (I love the aperture rings), while Tamron is kinda the king of lightweight, unique zoom ranges. - **Wide-End Versatility:** If you're hiking, have you looked at the Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G? It's not f/2.8, but that 20mm start is a total game changer for landscapes without needing a second lens. Tbh, I'm still trying to figure out if the 'Sony Tax' is always worth it for the better AF tracking... but yeah, let us know where you stand on price!

Congrats on the a7IV, it is an amazing piece of gear!! Seriously, you are gonna have so much fun with it. Quick question though... are you planning on doing a lot of video or is this purely for stills? It kinda changes the math on which brand makes the most sense. I think I heard someone say that some third-party lenses dont support the highest burst speeds on the a7IV, but I am not 100 percent sure if thats still a thing. IIRC the native Sony glass is definitely better for that, but obviously way pricier. Tamron is usually the go-to for keeping things light for hiking, while Sigma feels more premium to me. Both brands are usually way better value than the first-party Sony stuff tho! Let me know about the video side of things and I can try to help more.

To add to the point above: I have been stuck with this exact same problem for the last three months and honestly its a total headache. Trying to find that perfect balance of technical specs and portability for the a7IV is proving to be way harder than I thought.

• Most lenses with decent MTF charts are way too heavy for long trails
• Compact glass usually suffers from heavy vignetting and soft corners
• Primes are light but the lack of versatility in the field is a huge dealbreaker I am still searching for that one piece of glass that doesnt compromise on distortion or weight. Ngl I am starting to think that perfect everyday lens just doesnt exist yet for this system.

Saw this earlier but just now responding!! I went through this last year when I first moved to a mirrorless setup. Honestly, I totally agree with what was said in the second reply about primes being a bit limiting for travel—it’s just such a hassle to keep switching glass when you’re on the move, plus it exposes the sensor to dust which is literally my nightmare. 1. Just sharing my experience: I'm a pretty cautious person when it comes to my gear and my budget, so I spent weeks researching before buying. I actually started with a really heavy f/2.8 zoom because I thought I needed that pro speed. But man, my shoulder was killing me after a day of street shooting. I eventually swapped it for a more compact f/4 constant aperture zoom, and I've been so much happier with the results. It's been super reliable and I have no complaints.
2. Budget and Value: Tbh, you don't always need the most expensive glass to get that professional look. I found that a mid-range zoom from a third-party brand offered way better value, especially since I'm usually shooting at f/5.6 or f/8 for landscapes anyway. It works well and saved me hundreds of dollars which I put toward a better tripod instead.
3. Quick Tip: Focus on weather sealing and internal focusing. If you’re hiking, you want something that can handle a bit of mist without you worrying. Basically, a solid f/4 zoom is the sweet spot for balancing cost and performance... at least that's what worked for me. Anyway, so yeah... gl with the new setup! peace.

Like someone mentioned, finding that middle ground is a real headache and honestly, I have had my fair share of regrets. I remember when I first started out, I spent a fortune on the Sony FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Vario-Tessar thinking it was the ultimate travel companion. Unfortunately, it was not as good as expected... the corners were always soft and it just felt like I was settling for mediocre shots every time I went hiking. It was pretty disappointing after spending all that cash. I totally agree with Terrymor that compact glass usually comes with compromises, but if you want something reliable that wont break your back, check out the Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G. Its roughly $1,100 and that extra width at 20mm is a lifesaver for mountain views where 24mm feels cramped. If you really need the low light speed tho, the Sony FE 24-50mm f/2.8 G is a much safer bet than the older zooms. Its tiny but the build quality is way better than the third-party stuff I have tried. I have become a bit paranoid about dust getting into my a7IV during lens swaps, so sticking with one of these G series zooms has really saved me some stress.