Man, losing a lens right before a deadline is a nightmare, but you definitely dont need to drop a grand to get solid footage. I switched to the Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD a few months back and honestly, it is a workhorse. It covers almost everything you need for wedding work since the zoom range is so flexible.

• Constant F/2.8 aperture works great in dim reception halls
• Built-in stabilization helps a ton if youre shooting handheld
• Sharpness is super solid for the price point If that feels like too much, the Sony E 35mm F1.8 OSS is another killer budget option. It is tiny, light, and the stabilization is perfect for quick run-and-gun stuff. I have been really happy with how it renders skin tones too.

That sucks about your lens. Honestly, the kit glass is garbage anyway so maybe its a blessing in disguise. For budget video, you gotta look at the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary. It is way sharper than the Sony kit. Just a heads up, it lacks optical stabilization, so you really need a gimbal or a steady hand since Sony APS-C IBIS is unfortunately not as good as expected.

If you need a cheap prime for low light, grab the Viltrox 23mm F1.4 AF. I used it for a wedding last year and was really happy with the results.