27/04/2026 1:30 am
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I am literally panicking because my trip to Japan is in three weeks and I still havent figured out my lens situation for my new a7IV. I spent so much on the body that I need to stay under like $900 for the glass and I really want to stick with Tamron since they seem like the best value right now. I am stuck between the 28-75mm f2.8 G2 and the 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 and I keep switching back and forth every single hour. The 28-75 is obviously sharper and better for those low light street shots at night in Tokyo but then I think about being at a temple and needing that extra reach of the 200mm.
I looked at the 35-150 too but honestly it looks way too heavy to carry for 10 miles a day and it is way out of my budget anyway. My main concern is if the 28-200 is actually good enough or if I am gonna regret not having that constant f2.8 when the sun goes down. Most of my photos will be landscape and street stuff. I dont want to be that person constantly swapping lenses in a crowd because I will probably drop something or get dust on the sensor.
- Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 G2 (pros: sharp, fast, light)
- Tamron 28-200mm (pros: range, versatile)
Is the image quality gap really that big on a 33mp sensor like the a7IV? I am worried the 28-200 will be too soft...
2 Answers
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27/04/2026 2:15 am
I totally agree with the 28-200 recommendation. Ive been really satisfied with the optical performance of the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD on my a7IV. It resolves that 33MP sensor surprisingly well in the center. Having f2.8 at 28mm is a huge win for low light street stuff. Its also more cost-effective than the G2 right now. No complaints here.
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23/05/2026 3:35 am
Regarding what #1 said about the 28-200 recommendation... unfortunately, I had issues with that lens when I tried it on my own a7IV. It just wasnt as good as expected at the long end. On a 33MP sensor, you really start to see the softness creep in once you zoom past 100mm, which is pretty disappointing when you are trying to capture sharp temple details in Kyoto. TL;DR: Buy the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 and dont look back. The constant aperture is way more important for those moody Tokyo street shots anyway. If you are worried about the $900 limit, definitely check for used or open-box deals on the G2. You can usually find them for like $700 or $750 these days which leaves you cash for extra batteries or a nice strap. You will be way happier with the prime-like sharpness of the G2 even if you lose some range. You can always use the APS-C crop mode on your camera in a pinch for a bit of extra reach. Itll be fine, you are gonna have an amazing trip!
