Sony Alpha A1 II
- Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II (24-70mm eq) £1,280
- Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II (70-200mm eq) £1,800
Body £4,560 · total weight 2483g
One body, a standard zoom (about 24-70mm equivalent) and a telephoto zoom (about 70-200mm equivalent) covers almost everything: travel, family, events, portraits, landscapes and most sport. Here are the best kits for £10,000 or less, brand by brand.
The best two-lens kit under £10,000 is the Sony Alpha A1 II with the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II and Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II, about £7,640.
Constant f/2.8 on both zooms: the most light and background blur, at the highest cost and weight.
Body £4,560 · total weight 2483g
Body £3,350 · total weight 2716g
Body £2,599 · total weight 3035g
Body £2,360 · total weight 3075g
Body £1,840 · total weight 3066g
Also: Fujifilm X-T5 + 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary + XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR (£2,350) · OM System OM-3 + Lumix G 12-35mm f/2.8 II + Lumix G 35-100mm f/2.8 II (£2,110)
Constant f/4 zooms: roughly half the price and much lighter, ideal for travel and landscapes.
Body £4,560 · total weight 2025g
Body £3,350 · total weight 2141g
Body £2,599 · total weight 2465g
Body £1,840 · total weight 2596g
Also: Nikon D780 + AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR + AF-S 70-200mm f/4G ED VR (£2,209) · OM System OM-3 + M.Zuiko 12-45mm f/4 PRO + M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 PRO (£2,060)
Variable-aperture zooms: the cheapest way to cover the same range, best in good light.
Body £4,560 · total weight 1983g
Body £2,599 · total weight 3445g
Body £3,350 · total weight 1836g
Body £1,840 · total weight 3476g
Body £2,360 · total weight 2085g
Also: Fujifilm X-T5 + XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ + XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR (£2,020) · OM System OM-3 + Leica DG 12-60mm f/2.8-4 + M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 PRO (£2,040) · Pentax KF + HD DA 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR + HD D FA 70-210mm f/4 ED SDM WR (£2,238)
f/2.8 lets in twice as much light as f/4, so you can use a faster shutter speed indoors or a lower ISO at night, and backgrounds blur more. The cost is price and weight: an f/2.8 70-200mm usually weighs 1,000–1,500g against 600–800g for an f/4. For travel and landscapes, f/4 is usually the smarter buy; for weddings, indoor sport and events, f/2.8 earns its keep.
Single-purpose setups: best for sports · best for travel · best for portraits.
Our top pick is the Sony Alpha A1 II with the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II and Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II, about £7,640 with the body and lenses bought used where MPB lists them.
f/2.8 zooms gather twice the light of f/4 and blur backgrounds more, which matters indoors, for events and sport. f/4 zooms are roughly half the price and often 30–40% lighter, and modern stabilisation and clean high ISO close much of the gap for travel and landscapes.
For most people, yes. Together they cover wide-angle to short telephoto: landscapes, travel, events, portraits and most sport. Add a wide-angle zoom for architecture or astro, or a longer telephoto for wildlife.
Prices checked 5 November 2026: used prices are the middle of the MPB range for each item where listed, otherwise typical new UK prices. Equivalent focal lengths account for crop sensors.