Best L Mount travel lens?

[Babylonia]

Just wondering is there a reason why 85mm would be better than 100mm (besides the price)?

Not specifically "better" (or worse). It comes down to what you want to do with it.
The 85mm is more fast over 1 stop. Personally I don't want to give it up in favour of a 100mm F2.8
But that is me, not you.

 

[Quentinquirelino]

...

Just wondering is there a reason why 85mm would be better than 100mm (besides the price)?

The 85mm is over one stop faster. The 100mm has the mutch better magnification. When I bought my S5, back in 2021, I purchased it alongside the 20-60 and the 85mm. While the optics of the 85mm are excellent, the magnification brothered me. That's why my next purchase was the 70-300 macro, which is also a very good lens.

Maybe the 100mm would also be the better fit for me.

 

[Babylonia]

I bought my S1R back in 2021 as well. Including the "all-round" 24-105mm/F4.0 zoom as my first L-mount lens.
That lens do already have a macro option, that suits most of my general "close focus" subjects.
As by narrow DOF at close distances, mostly using more closed aperture values anyway. Quality is good (enough) for these circumstances.
But since having more primes, and e.g. the 16-35mm/F4.0 zoom, the 24-105mm/F4.0 zoom is hardly used any-more.

For travel however, I think it still is a good option only taking the 24-105mm/F4.0 zoom.
Depends in what way to travel. (35mm + 85 primes also could be a good choice).

 

[Jonathan-Mac]

People are suggesting 85mm as a second lens. How about 20-60 plus the new 100mm? And maybe 50mm as a third lens. All of them are small and easy to carry. I personally went from 70-300 to 100mm (just preordered). 70-300 is too big and heavy for my use.

Just wondering is there a reason why 85mm would be better than 100mm (besides the price)?

After a standard zoom to cover the most common focal lengths a fast fifty would certainly be the obvious choice for a second lens for me, rather than an 85mm.