@Reply #9 - good point! Jumping in here because I actually kinda disagree with the zoom is king vibe for this specific body. Since youve got those massive 61 megapixels on the a7R V, you should totally exploit them! My big tip is to grab a high-end prime like the Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM and just use the APS-C crop mode when you need more reach. It basically turns your 35mm into a 52mm equivalent with tons of resolution still left for huge prints. I used to lug around the 24-105 but honestly the rendering on the 35mm GM is just magical for travel portraits and city nights. Its so much more fun to shoot with a fast prime than a slow f/4 zoom tbh. If you really need wide, just stitch a few frames for a panorama! Trust me, your back will thank you and your photos will have that insane pop that zooms sometimes miss. Love this camera so much!!

After extensive travel with my a7R V, I've found the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS to be the ultimate travel companion. It hits the sweet spot between versatility and image quality without weighing you down.

The 24-105mm range covers nearly everything you'll encounter while traveling—wide landscapes, street photography, and decent portraits. The constant f/4 aperture performs admirably in most lighting conditions, and the OSS helps with handheld shots when you can't bring a tripod.

Build quality is excellent with weather sealing that's survived everything from Icelandic rain to Moroccan desert dust. The autofocus is lightning-fast and silent, perfect for discreet street photography.

If weight is your primary concern, consider the 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II, which is more compact but sacrifices reach. For those wanting to travel ultra-light, the 20-70mm f/4 G is even smaller, though optically not quite as impressive.

The 24-105mm balances image quality, versatility, and portability perfectly. Yes, you'll miss the shallow DoF of a prime in some situations, but the convenience of not switching lenses while exploring unfamiliar places is priceless.

If you want one lens that covers most travel situations on the a7R V, I’d start with the Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G. The range is super travel-friendly (20mm is genuinely wide for interiors/cities), it’s light, focuses fast, and it’s sharp enough that the a7R V’s resolution doesn’t feel wasted.
If you expect a lot of low-light/night street, pair it with a small prime like the Sony 35mm f/1.8 or 40mm f/2.5 G.

Saving this whole thread. So much good info here you guys are awesome.

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN II Art lens is the best choice.

For travel, I highly recommend the Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS lens. It has a very useful and versatile focal range that covers wide angle to short telephoto, perfect for the subjects you mentioned. The constant F4 aperture is fast enough for most situations. It's also weather sealed and has great optical quality. A bit pricey but well worth it IMO as an all-in-one travel lens.

The 24-105mm f4 g is great but I prefer the FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II and FE 85mm F1.4 GM as a two lens travel kit. The 16-35mm is awesome for dramatic wide-angle landscapes and architecture. And the 85mm is perfect for portraits and street scenes when you want subject separation and low light capability. Both are top notch GM lenses and fairly compact.

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Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2 lens is another great choice.

Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II.