You can choose two out of three qualities: affordable, small, and high quality.
It's not as simple as choosing two out of three. As I see it it's more choose one of three: affordable or high quality. There should be something between an all plastic lens and a fairly large, high quality lens. Maybe there is no market for such a compromise but don't think what is available is not a compromise. Every lens is a compromise.
Cameras are compromises also. The Nikon Z fc isn't quite what I want but if it had a few things I want the price might be too high for many of it's target buyers. The Nikon Z fc is selling for $957.00 (body only, USD) as I type at B&H Photo, NY, NY. It's $1,097.00 with a 16-50mm zoom. I'm going to recommend the later option to a nephew with a 6 month old baby. I feel strongly that the life of a child is too short to waste on smart phone photos alone.
Dave