04/05/2026 9:37 am
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What is the absolute best all-around zoom for the a7 IV if I want to stick to just one lens for a big trip? I have been shooting on Sony bodies for about five years now so I am pretty comfortable with the system but I have always been a prime lens snob and now I am facing a dilemma. I am heading to Japan for three weeks this October and I really dont want to be the guy lugging a huge bag and swapping glass every five minutes on a busy train or while it is raining in Kyoto.
I have a budget of roughly $1300 and I have been looking at the Sony 24-105mm f4 G because that focal range is basically perfect but I am terrified the f4 is gonna let me down when I am shooting neon signs at night in Shinjuku or inside dim temples. Then there is the Tamron 28-75 G2 which is faster at 2.8 but I feel like I will really miss that 24mm width for architecture shots. I even saw the new 20-70mm f4 but starting at 20mm feels weird for a general zoom and I am not sure if I should trust it. Is the extra stop of light worth losing the range or should I just crank the ISO on the a7 IV and stick with the G lens?
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04/05/2026 9:37 am
I've spent years hauling gear across Asia and I totally get the prime snob struggle. Trust me, I once did a week in Osaka with just three primes and basically hated myself by day four because I was constantly fumbling with caps in the rain. For your a7 IV, you gotta prioritize the focal range over the aperture stop. In my experience, the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS is still the king for travel despite its age. People obsess over f/2.8 but the a7 IV sensor handles ISO 6400 like a champ. I have plenty of shots from Omoide Yokocho at f/4 and they look pristine because the lens OSS and the body IBIS work so well together. That extra reach to 105mm is gonna be way more useful for tight compression shots of street signs than the extra light from the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2. If you are really worried about the width, dont sleep on the Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G. Over the years I've realized that 20mm is a total game changer for those cramped shrines in Kyoto where you cant always step back to get the whole gate in frame. The technical trade-off is minimal since the optics are super sharp across the frame. Quick tip: set your Auto ISO ceiling to 12800 and dont look back. Modern post-processing makes the f/4 vs f/2.8 debate almost irrelevant for travel shots.
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04/05/2026 9:58 am
@Reply #1 - good point! Honestly im super happy with the Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 Di III RXD since it covers everything safely without swapping lenses. Works well and i got no complaints tho!
