So I finally booked my flights for a solo trip to Italy next month and I am lowkey panicking about what glass to bring. I'm rocking an a6400 which I love because it's tiny, but my current lens situation is just the basic kit lens and a 35mm prime. The kit lens is okay I guess but it's just so soft and the prime is great for street stuff but I know I'm gonna miss the wider shots or some reach when I'm looking at the architecture or mountains.
I've been obsessively reading reviews and I'm basically torn between three main contenders.
- Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6
- Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8
- Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8
The Sony 18-135mm seems like the ultimate one-lens solution. The range is killer and it’s super light, which really matters since I'm trying to do the whole "one bag" travel thing and don't want to be swapping lenses in the middle of a crowded square. But then I see people talking about the Tamron 17-70mm f2.8 and I'm like... do I need that extra light for evening shots? It’s way bigger though and I’m worried it’ll make my a6400 feel totally front-heavy and annoying to carry on a strap all day.
Then there’s the Sigma 18-50mm which is tiny. Like, ridiculously small. I love the idea of keeping the whole setup compact but am I gonna regret not having that extra zoom reach when I'm trying to get a shot of a balcony or something far away? My budget is roughly $700-800 so I could maybe find the Tamron used or just get the Sigma or Sony new.
I’m leaving in about three weeks so I gotta pull the trigger soon so I can at least practice a bit before I go. I mostly do street photography and some landscape but I also want decent shots of me and my friends at dinner without it looking all grainy and gross. Does the constant f2.8 really make that much of a difference for travel or should I just value the extra zoom range of the Sony?
Ive been shooting with the a6000 series since the original model came out, and honestly, Ive tried just about every travel combo you can imagine. One year in Portugal, I brought a bag full of primes and missed so many shots because I was busy fumbling with rear caps in the wind. Since then, staying with a one-lens setup for those 20,000-step days has been my golden rule. In my experience, you have to decide if you value reach or light. Here is how those three stack up based on my time with them:
- Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS: Incredible versatility for daytime landscapes but it gets grainy fast once the sun sets in those narrow Roman streets.
- Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD: Optically fantastic, but it felt like a brick on my a6400 and I ended up leaving it in the hotel halfway through my last trip because my neck hurt.
- Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary: The sweet spot. Constant f2.8 in a package that stays balanced on the tiny body. Grab the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary. Most people think they need 100mm plus but the glass is sharp enough that you can just crop in a bit if you really need to get that balcony shot. It makes the a6400 feel like a point-and-shoot but with pro results. Just pull the trigger and dont look back... you wont regret the weight savings when youre on your third hour of walking through Florence.
Seriously, the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary is incredible! I grabbed it for my last vacation and it was a total game changer.
- Low light: That f/2.8 is a total lifesaver for dark dinners or cathedrals compared to the kit lens.
- Portability: It makes the a6400 feel like a tiny point-and-shoot, unlike the bigger Tamron! Thought Id miss the extra zoom but honestly, you just walk closer... it makes shooting so much more fun without the heavy bulk.
Re: "Came here to say the same thing lol...."
- Ive been shooting Sony APS-C since the early NEX days and if theres one thing Ive learned after a dozen trips to Europe, its that versatility usually beats perfection. In my experience, the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is still the king of travel glass if youre walking 15 miles a day. That extra reach lets you grab architectural details on the Duomo that a 50mm just cant touch. Trust me on this. The Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD is technically superior with that f/2.8 constant aperture, sure, but its a total brick on an a6400 body. Ive tried many setups and found that if the rig is too front-heavy, I just stop pulling it out of the bag by day four. If youre worried about low light, keep your 35mm prime in a jacket pocket for dinner. For the daytime landscape and street stuff in Italy, youll appreciate the 135mm reach way more than a slightly faster aperture. Its a much more methodical way to shoot when youre dealing with crowded squares.
Came here to say the same thing lol. Great minds think alike I guess.
Can confirm
