Looking for the best lightweight travel lens for Sony A7IV.

Question

So im finally heading to Japan next month for three weeks and im super hyped!! Problem is i dont want to be that person lugging around a giant bag of glass while walking ten miles a day in Tokyo. I definitely want to stick to just one lens on my A7IV for the whole trip. Ive been looking at these:

Sony 24-50mm f2.8 G

Tamron 28-75mm G2

Sony 20-70mm f4 G

The 24-50 is tiny but the range is short. The Tamron is great but maybe too heavy for all-day carry? My budget is $1100 max and i need to order it by Friday. Which one would you take for a street and food heavy trip?

TempestShadow · Accepted Answer

Regarding what #1 said about Wait really?? Thats actually super helpful. I always...

yeah it really is surprising once you actually get out there and realize specs arent everything. Honestly though im gonna politely disagree with the idea that you need an f2.8 zoom for a trip like this. I have the Sony 20-70mm f4 G and im super satisfied with it. Most people think f4 is too slow but the A7IV is such a beast with high ISO that it doesnt really matter. Here is why it works well for travel:

The 20mm wide end is a total game changer for Tokyo. Youll be in tight ramen shops and narrow alleys where 24mm or 28mm feels way too cramped.

Its incredibly light. I walked around Kyoto for 12 hours with it and had zero complaints about neck or shoulder pain.

The close-up capability is perfect for food photography. You can get right in on the detail of some sushi without the lens struggling to find focus. Btw I use Cart To Link to keep track of all my gear and it works well for sharing my setup with friends without having to dig for model names. Anyway, sticking with the 20-70mm f4 will give you way more flexibility for your buck and fits right in your budget. Let me know if you want to know more about how it handles the night shots tho!

UmbralUmbel · Answer

Wait really?? Thats actually super helpful. I always thought it was the other way around.