Travel Lens recommendation needed for Canon 5D

[ed_tobin]

Hi,

 

I am planning on backpacking for 2 to 3 months in Asia and for the first time I am trying to go really light.

When I typically travel I take 3 to 4 lenses which are 16-35mm, 24-70mm, 100-400mm all which are

Canon L lenses

 

I also have a Canon 70 - 200mm and a Tamron 28-300

 

I was thinking of taking the Tamron since it is small and light but I have not been overly impressed with

the image quality on the 5D and I am not sure that if there is something better out there.

 

Mostly I will be shooting landscapes and then people in the markets. Most of the time it seems like I also

shoot in the 70-200mm range and sometimes longer if I can not get close enough on the landscapes or

trying to do a candid street photograph

 

The challenge is that the 70-200 is still a big lens and will really standout and I would like to just travel

light and blend in as much as possible.

 

Does anyone have a recommendation or a favorite lens that you think would fit my need

 

Thanks--Ed

[Craig_Cooper11664875449]

Ed,

 

Ive lived and photographed in Asia for the last 10 years. I use film so at least the focal lengths mean the same with a 5D. For what you have, I would almost never take the 16-35mm lens off the camera. The 24-70mm if you must. I had an 80-200 with a Nikon SLR system years ago and as much as it was necessary for some shots, Ive never missed it in the last 7 years without it. Its easy to be close to subjects in Asia. These days I mostly photograph across the region with just 2 primes, a 35mm and a 21mm.

[Ian Taylor]

What Craig says.

<p>

Make your longest lens a 50mm and you will get better shots as you will have to interact with your subjects, rather than sniping at them from 20 meters away. And your bag will be lighter.

[mike dixon]

I live in Korea, and have spent quite a bit of time traveling in Japan and Southeast Asia, as well. I use a 50 and a 28 with my 5D. If there's extra room, I'll also carry a 20.

[colin carron]

My 5D lens kit is :

 

17-40 L (so like the 16-35 L)

 

70-300 IS

 

and sometimes either the 50mm f/1.8 or 28-70 L

 

The 17-40 will stay on the camera most of the time. The camera body and the two top lenses fit with spare batteries, filters etc into a nice small bag. Have a great trip.

[jarranz1]

I often used the L 24-105, 70-200, and X 2 X 1.4, especially the 24-105 is very good for landscape and portrait

[bueh]

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/6854622"><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/6854622-sm.jpg" align="right" border="2" hspace="20"></a>

<blockquote><i>The challenge is that the 70-200 is still a big lens and will really standout and I would like to just travel light and blend in as much as possible.</i></blockquote><p>

Then try out the EF 200mm f/2.8 L USM prime lens. It is about as large as the 24-70mm zoom, but weights less and has three times its reach. Tack sharp wide open and fast autofocus. Perfect for candid street portraiture.

</p><p align="right">Taken with the 200mm prime <tt>→</tt></p>

[tscheung]

My travel kit: 5d, 17-40, 24-105, 70-200 f4 is and 50 f1.8.

[ardenpress]

I just came back from three weeks in Vietnam by way of Hong Kong. I used my canon70-200mm f4 a lot of the time, the 50mm 1.4 equally a much , especially in darker places, and the 17-40mm for all vaster nature scenes including the HK habor.

It is a wonderful tavel kit; not very heavy and the lenses are wonderful. Also use a lot of 4gig memory cards.

[jeffpolaski]

Travel light. Travel light.

[dermot_conlan4]

Lighter is better for the last few years my travel kit has been 5D, 17-40L, 50 F1.4 and 70-200L F4 (now have IS). All your lenses are big and heavy maybe you should take out a kit and spend a day walking around the city see how it feels. Don't forget you will need a carbon fiber tripod and small ball head for sunrise /sunset and for landscapes with DOF. 2-3 months in a humid climate is tough so I might be tempted to consider what was said above one body and a few primes in the 24-85mm range. My motto now is less gear usually means more keepers.

[fusionfoto uk]

The three lenses I carry whilst travelling in Asia are

 

Sigma 10-20 EX

Canon 28-105 USM

and a Sigma 15-30. I take along a Nikkor 80-210 f4 lighter than the 2.8 and equally as good for my purposes.

 

Thress camera bodies Canon EOS 1Ds, 10D and a Nikon D100.

 

This is my lightweight sack...

[david_henderson]

If you want to travel light then I would take no more than two lenses in a shoulder-bag you can access without putting the bag down, and so you'd have at least a 50% chance of photographing without changing lenses. I personally like the 24-105 L IS and I'd be happy nnot to have anything wider. If you need longer then either the 70-200 you have (though my L IS version is quite large and white which I have to say I dislike) or the 200prime ought to do it.

[aaron l]

The Hungarians have a statue in their Hero Square to traveling light. Take their advice. Either go with the 16-35 or 24-70. I'd go with the 24-70 since you can get a shallower DOF on some subjects and 24 is decently wide on the 5D.

Are you on a photo capture or sightseeing trip? That determines what you need.

[djphoto]

When I was traveling extensively on PJ assignments with Olympus OM cameras, the kit I finally arrived at consisted of the 24/f2.8, 35/f2, 85/f2, and 180/f2.8. You could match that setup pretty closely with Canon lenses. The 24, 35, and 50 together probably weigh less than a 24-70. Depending on the way you prefer to work, you could substitute the 20/f2.8 for the 24 and choose between the 35 and the 50. Then, for a very light outfit that would cover almost everything, add the 70-200 f4L.

[noah]

The problem with zooms for travel is they leave you with no backups. If you can get your

hands on some small primes, say, a 20mm (or 24mm), 28mm, 35mm and 50mm, it would be

all you would need, and all the lenses are small and light. You could add a 85, 180 or 135

prime if needed. And if one or two break, you won't be screwed.

 

If you take a 16-35 and it breaks, what will you do? With the above setup you could lose any

two of the lenses and still be able to shoot quite well. Just one opinion...

[shawn1965]

I am a pilot and travel with a 70-200 2.8 IS, Sigma 30mm 1.4, canon 85mm 1.8, and canon 10-22. This is using a 40D. It's too much. The 70-200 is especially obnoxious where I am today, in Ghana.. It just really stands out and people here seem particularly shy about getting their picture made, like you are pointing a gun at them. So, I am reading these responses with interest. I hope to go full frame within the year.

 

Shawn