Lens recomendations

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mrmcox

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Mark
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I've recently purchased a Sony A7iii, which came with the 28-70mm kit lens. I've had some pretty good results with it so far, but would like to expand my options.

I am going on holiday next may, to Crete, and would like something I can take with me to get some great holiday shots, mainly landscape / sightseeing / sunsets etc possibly some astro shots, general walk around lenses.

Currently looking for some recommendations at the budget end to take with me, preferably prime, but if there's any good budget friendly wide angle zooms, I'm open to suggestions

Will look at some higher quality lenses after my holiday

Thanks in advance
 
Depends on your definition of budget - I have the 24-150 f4 as my daily lens which is great.
35 and 85 prime combo would be brilliant as Lee suggested - the Sony f1.8 versions are pretty reasonable for the performance!
 
What do you feel is holding you back with your current lens?
  • Do you feel like you cannot get close enough to your subject?
  • Do you struggle to fit your subject in the frame?
  • Do you feel like you are not getting enough light in?
Generally, a kit lens is a good bet for the type of shots you have listed, with the exception of astro, which usually needs something wider, with a faster aperture. However, that sort of lens would likely be worse that your kit lens for the other types of photography you have mentioned.

My advice for "a next lens after a kit lens" would usually be a prime lens with a fast aperture, maybe a 35mm or 50mm, but it is down to preference. Maybe try keeping your kit lens at various focal lengths and seeing which you prefer.
 
If Mark returns...

Budget is a part of this and perhaps also size and weight. I prefer small and light kit and especially for holiday use so I'd recommend the Sony 35mm f2.8 as it's a good lens and it's tiny. There's also the more modern and also tiny 40 and 50mm f2.5's and the tint 24mm f2.8.

I have both the Sony 24mm f2.8 and the 35mm f2.8 :D

If size and weight are not so much of a concern there's the small Sony 28mm f2 (I have one :D) and the slightly larger Sony 35mm f1.8 (I have one :D)

If something more left field is a possibility... I use manual focus a lot and the Sony cameras make this easy with their manual focus aids. I have (too many) manual focus lenses but one which has impressed me immensely is the Pergear 35mm f1.4 and this can be bought new for £106 from the Pergear website.
 
mrmcox said:
I've recently purchased a Sony A7iii, which came with the 28-70mm kit lens. I've had some pretty good results with it so far, but would like to expand my options.

I am going on holiday next may, to Crete, and would like something I can take with me to get some great holiday shots, mainly landscape / sightseeing / sunsets etc possibly some astro shots, general walk around lenses.

Currently looking for some recommendations at the budget end to take with me, preferably prime, but if there's any good budget friendly wide angle zooms, I'm open to suggestions

Will look at some higher quality lenses after my holiday

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...


We visit Crete a couple of times every year (June and late summer). My usual walk around lenses are either a 24-120 on full frame or an 18-135 on a crop sensor - if I take a system. Recently, I've been taking just a compact (Sony RX100 vi) since I reckon I've got good shots of the places we tend to visit. If you want wider than the 28 you already have on the kit lens, it's either the slightly wider and faster 24-70 f/2.8 but unless you find a good deal on a second hand lens, that's unlikely to be a budget friendly option... For MUCH wider, there's the Sigma 12-24 but the non Art version isn't that fast at f/4.5-5.6.

Not sure where on Crete you're staying but I could recommend some places for sunsets and sightseeing in the Chania area.
 
Thanks all for the suggestions, I shall have a look at them all.
@Nod I will be staying about 5km from chania, a place called Nea Kydonia.. I've never been to Crete, so some recommendations for sunsets and sights would awesome
 
I'll message you - that's close to where we stay.
 
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