Okay so I’m kind of in a panic because I leave for this photography workshop in the Dolomites in like ten days and I still haven’t sorted out my lens situation for my Z6. I’ve been using the kit lens forever but I really need something faster and sharper for the low light stuff we’re gonna be doing at sunrise. I’ve been looking at Tamron specifically because the Nikon S-line glass is just way out of my budget right now

• I can spend maybe $1100, $1200 max if I really stretch it.

I spent all last night reading reviews and honestly I'm more lost than when I started. I saw a lot of people raving about the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 G2 but then I saw some forum posts saying it's not actually native for Z mount yet or something? Or maybe it is? I get so confused with the Sony vs Nikon versions and which ones actually have the Z mount built in vs needing that annoying FTZ adapter. Then there's that 35-150mm which looks like an absolute beast and would be perfect for not having to switch lenses in the cold, but it looks heavy as hell and I’m worried about my wrist since I’ll be hiking all day. Plus it’s probably way over my price range anyway.

I've got a few things I'm looking for:

• native mount so I don't have to use the FTZ
• fast aperture for those early morning shots
• something that isn't gonna break my back on a 6 mile hike
• good autofocus because I don't have time to fiddle with it

I also saw some guys talking about using the older 24-70 G2 with the adapter but I really want to avoid the extra bulk. Does Tamron actually have a solid, native-mount zoom for the Z6 that actually balances well? I need something that can handle big landscapes but also some closer portrait stuff of the group. Is the 28-75mm wide enough for mountains or am I gonna regret not having that extra 4mm on the wide end? Some people say the 28-75 is a dream for the price but others say the autofocus is finicky on Nikon bodies. I’m just super stressed about picking the wrong one before I fly out next week... what do you guys think is the move?