Objectif Sony FE 20-70mm f/4 G

The 20mm wide end is genuinely useful for getting group shots and scenery in one frame without backing up. Even at f/4, the G series rendering gives portraits a nice separation from the background, which pleasantly surprised me. The autofocus snaps quickly enough that I've missed fewer candid moment

I was hesitant about an f/4 lens, but the sharpness across the whole 20-70mm range is honestly impressive, and the autofocus locks on fast enough that I've missed far fewer shots of the kids. The natural bokeh at the longer end makes portraits look way more expensive than this lens costs.

I was worried the f/4 would be too slow indoors, but the G series rendering is so natural that I barely notice. The autofocus locks on instantly during hikes, and it's sharp across the whole zoom range.