What is the best travel zoom lens for Micro Four Thirds?

> Is there one lens that just does it all? In my experience, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm f/4-5.6 II is the ultimate travel companion. I took one to Scotland a few years back and basically never took it off. Those numbers just mean how wide or zoomed in you are... 14 is wide for buildings, 150 is plenty for far away stuff. Its weather-sealed too, which pairs perfectly with your G85. You can find them used well within your budget.

> I want something that can do everything... like take pictures of big buildings but also zoom in on stuff far away without me carrying a heavy bag. Honestly, since you are on a G85, you should just get the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 II ASPH Power OIS. I have been very satisfied with this lens for years and it works well for exactly what you described. Those numbers basically tell you the zoom range. The 14mm part is your wide angle for those huge piazzas and buildings in Italy, and the 140mm part lets you zoom in 10x closer for details on a statue or something far off. I prefer this one because it is reliable and light. Since your camera is a Panasonic, this lens uses something called Dual IS. It basically makes the stabilization inside the camera and the lens work together so your photos dont come out blurry when youre zoomed in. I have no complaints about the image quality for a travel lens. This version is also weather-sealed, which gives me peace of mind if it starts raining while you are out exploring. You can usually find it used or even new on sale within your 500 dollar budget if you look around. Its way safer than carrying three different lenses and constantly swapping them out in the dust... stick to this one and you will be happy with the results without the heavy bag.