In my experience, the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD for Sony E is basically unbeatable for travel. The extra reach is reallyyy helpful for family shots and that built-in stabilization - lowkey - is a lifesaver for video... The Sony is sharp but i think the Tamron is just more versatile for your budget. plus, it’s under $1,000! have you checked the weight of both yet? gl!

Seconding the recommendation above! Honestly, that Tamron is such a beast for the price, especially if ur doing handheld family videos. But I also wanted to add another option that might actually fit ur street photography vibe even better.

If you want to keep the kit compact (cuz let's be real, the a6700 is a small body), you HAVE to look at the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary for Sony E. It's literally half the weight of the Tamron and much cheaper—usually around $550. Ngl, while the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD for Sony E has that extra reach, it’s a bit of a chonker on the a6700 and can feel pretty front-heavy after a long day of travel.

Technically, the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G is the sharpest "pro" choice, but at $1,300, the value proposition is tough when the Sigma is so close in quality for way less money. Plus, since the Sony Alpha a6700 Mirrorless Camera has built-in stabilization (IBIS), you dont strictly *need* the lens stabilization for street shots, tho the Tamron's VC is definitely amazing for video work.

If I were you, I’d grab the Sigma and maybe spend the leftover budget on a fast prime or a good mic!! It’s the best "daily driver" if you hate lugging around heavy gear. But yeah, if you really need that 70mm reach for family stuff, the Tamron is the move. GL!

Respectfully, I'd consider another option because those big lenses might actually kill the vibe of your compact setup. Ngl, the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G is sharp as heck, but for $1,000?? Idk if it’s worth it for daily street stuff. Honestly, I’ve been using the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary for Sony E and it’s basically the perfect match for the a6700. It’s tiny, super light, and costs like half of your budget—around $500. Since the a6700 has IBIS anyway, you don't really miss the stabilization from the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD for Sony E as much as you'd think for family videos. It makes the whole rig so much more portable. Plus, you’d have plenty of cash left over for a fast card like the Sony TOUGH-M Series 128GB SDXC UHS-II or even a nice dinner lol. Just my two cents if you want a lighter, budget-friendly setup! 👍

Just found this thread and wanted to share what I found when I was doing my own research. As a beginner I was honestly pretty scared to buy anything that wasnt made by Sony because I read some stuff about third party lenses having focus breathing or glitchy firmware updates - it just felt a bit risky for a thousand dollar investment. If youre like me and want to be extra safe, you should definitely check out the Sony Alpha Blog or the lens database on DPReview. They go into crazy detail about how the brands compare. From what I can tell, the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is actually a really solid choice for a one-lens setup if you dont mind losing the f/2.8. It is super reliable and has that native autofocus that just works perfectly. Market-wise, native lenses usually hold their resale value way better than third-party ones if you decide to upgrade later. I mean, is the constant aperture a dealbreaker for your family videos? If not, the extra zoom range on the 18-135 might be more useful and it feels a lot safer to own for the long haul. Honestly I spent weeks comparing charts before I finally felt okay about picking one!

Can confirm

I totally agree with the point about staying in the Sony ecosystem for peace of mind!!! But honestly, if you are a bit of a DIY enthusiast like me, you can save a ton of money by learning to handle your own lens setup and firmware updates instead of worrying about pro service or glitchy third-party tech. For your mix of street and video, you really should look at the Sony E PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS. It is basically the ultimate DIY video lens because it has an internal zoom mechanism. That means it doesnt change length when you zoom, making it a breeze to balance on a gimbal or handheld rig yourself. You can also dive into the a6700 menus and customize the power zoom speeds to fit your style perfectly.

• Constant f/4 aperture is pretty solid for daily use
• Internal zoom keeps it balanced for video
• Easily update firmware yourself via USB TL;DR: Grab the Sony E PZ 18-105mm f/4 G OSS and DIY your custom button mappings to make it the perfect hybrid tool for way under your $1,000 budget.