Which Lenses to take to Europe of a 6 week hoilday

[lloydie]

<p >Both my wife and self are travelling through Europe for 6 weeks, 2 x 13 day Tours (Italy, Swiss and Austria) and the rest of the time self paced in other countries. We are considering buying a small point and shoot for times where caring an SLR will be to difficult. Otherwise I need to choose which lens to take from my kit as I don’t want to be weighed down with all the heavy gear. My Canon kit consists of a 5D, 2 x 4gig Sandisk cards, 50mm 1.8, 100mm 2.8, 17-40mm 4.0(L), 24-105mm 4.0 (L) IS, 70-200mm 4.0 (L) IS, 1.4 Tele converter (L), 12 & 25mm extension tubes, 77mm Polarizer & UV filters and a 580 Speed light. I’m not prepared to drag my tripod around with me on this trip. Can you please provide advice on what the best combination of lens to take 1, 2 or 3 of them and what type of bag would be practical for this length of trip? </p>

[bueh]

<p>1 lens: EF 24-105mm<br>

2 lenses: EF 24-105mm + EF 50mm f/1.8<br>

3 lenses: EF 24-105mm + EF 50mm f/1.8 + EF 70-200mm<br>

...and also bring the Speedlite -- if you know how to use it for AF assist or bounce flash.</p>

[matthijs]

<p>What will you be shooting?<br>

In which circumstances do you think the point and shoot will fall short?<br>

What will you be doing with the pictures afterwards? (Downsize for internet, print at 4"x6" or pixel-peep and print at 20x30?)<br>

What P&S will you buy? (The nice Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 lens or a Canon G10 come to mind. If you bring one of these you'll only need the 5D for very specific shots...)</p>

<p>If you really want high quality "standard" pictures then just bring the camera and the 24-105.<br>

However if you want to use it for all the things the P&S can't you should bring the rest...</p>

<p>(-:</p>

<p>Now that didn't help I guess.</p>

<p>O.K. If it were me I'd take the 70-200 because it's the greatest lens I've ever come across. (O.K. my experience is a little limited but professional reviews tend to agree on this.) If I wanted to take two lenses I'd add the 50/1.8.</p>

<p>Another option is to just bring the macro lens because it's very versatile and can do things that no P&S can.</p>

<p>Still, if you could answer the questions I posed first it would make it easier on the advisors...</p>

<p>Kind regards, Matthijs.</p>

<p>P.S. Bag wise: one that doesn't shout "expensive camera inside" but that is easy to carry, sufficiently large and padded wil do.</p>

[gregf]

<p>First, get more memory cards (their cheap).<br>

17-40mm 4.0(L), 24-105mm 4.0 (L) IS, 70-200mm 4.0 (L) IS (all of them)<br>

The CPL and the 580.<br>

The 50 1.8 is light, but if you need the extra speed, just up the ISO. Skip the macro lens, you already have a lens at that focal length and speed. For all of my trips to Europe, I have never needed a macro.<br>

Find a bag that can carry everything, and also find a bag that hold just the body with the 24-105 for light days</p>

 

[Michael Eckstein]

<p>My suggestions - took 3 week trip to Europe in spring 2008 with 40D used Sigma 18/125 for most shots, second was 70/200, and third, but some of the best shots Sigma 10/20. BTW Took 8,500 during the 21 days there.<br>

Image taken with Sigma 10/20</p>

<p>1 lens - 24/105<br /> 2 lenses - 24/105 , 70/200<br /> 3 lenses - 24/105 , 70/200, 17/40</p><div></div>

[john van aarle]

<p>My friend we can have an endless long discussion about this ... <br>

I live in Europe and when having time off I ask myself always the same question.<br>

I know the US and Canada..so what would you take with you , going an a tour there..?!<br>

Same for Europe !<br>

My advice.. Travel light ! The 24-105 L IS USM is perfect .. and bring a 10-20 wide angle for inside situations ( museum/Cathedral/Palace here and there) .. buy a mono pod and that should be it! NO 1.4 tele converter, keep your shots as sharp as posssible.<br>

Take care, <br>

John </p>

<p> </p>

[lloydie]

<p>I plan on shooting Landscapes, Buildings and indoors.<br>

A point and shoot won't be wide enough for my needs and too grainy in low light. Was planning a point and shoot for occasions like dinners, night safety on streets, rain.<br>

As a keen photographer I intend all images to be of an enlargement quality. I plan on printing A3+ landscapes.<br>

I would like to buy a pocket sized or similar Point & Shoot.<br>

I aim to have high quality photos where practical.<br>

I will be taking a laptop for uploading files to of an evening.</p>

 

[clgriffin]

<p>I did 4 months with laptop, XTi, 10-22, 17-85 IS and 70-300 IS. Because of glass displays and low light in museums that would allow photography I bought a 50mm 1.4 while I was there and a polarizing filter.</p>

<p>Now I'm going back with my full frame 1DsM3, 15mm, 16-35, 24-105 IS, 50mm and 70-200 f4 IS, laptop, pocket hard drive, a really sturdy monopod, a selection of filters, extension tubes, teleconverters and one flash, plus all the supporting chargers, cords and cables. All of that less the camera and one lens fits into a DayPak 200 backpack from PacSafe, and leaves room for medications and essentials in case the checked bag gets delayed. This trip will be a month and ten days. The pack weighs 26 pounds and has all sorts of security features.<br /> The camera and one lens will go around my neck for going through airport security, it also has a slashproof strap.</p>

[sattler123]

<p>For the 5D, I would bring the 17-40 and the 24-105 - those are MUST lenses for Europe and will cover 90% of what you will want to shoot. If you feel you need a 3rd lens, it would be the 70-200, but I don;t think you would use it much. The nifty fifty is not wide enough for interior shots - could be fun for nighttime photography - street like. I spend tons of time in Europe (at least 3 months each year) and I use WA lenses way more than long ones. Streets are narrow, buildings close together, you got towers and churches all over the place - it all boils down to WA lenses.</p>

[phyrpowr]

<p>Was only in Germany/Italy/ Czech Rep. for two weeks, but used up over 24G of cards, so would advise at least one more card, even though you're downloading; might not be able to do so when necessary. <br>

Used my 24-105 on a crop 40D over 90% of the time, but I don't usually shoot much WA. I prefer architectural details over the whole building. But I wanted wider over longer when the one lens wasn't enough, so I'm advising 24-105 + 17-40. I had my 70-300 IS, but only used it once <br>

I packed it all in my carry on bag, padded with clothes. Put a Domke F-2 in the other bag, then used it for daily transport when there </p>

[samoksner]

<p>1. 24-105<br>

2. 50 1.8<br>

3. 70-200<br>

4. Flash<br>

Take as much memory as you have and have fun!</p>

[henrik_lauridsen]

<p>Bring the 24-105 as your walkaround lens. Having a crop body myself, I use a 17-50 f/2.8 as an all purpose lens when travelling (equal to a 27-80 on full frame), and I find it wide enough for most shots and adequate in the long end. Since you will have an extra 3mm wide and 25 mm in the long end, the 24-105 should do nicely.<br>

As a low light lens (museums, churches etc) I would bring the 50mm f/1.8.<br>

Finally, I would personally bring the 70-200. I have just ordered one (non IS), and plan to use it for close-up street shots mostly. It would add quite some extra weight, and you could leave it at home, and bring your flash instead.<br>

To carry this around, I would get a Loewepro Slingshot (200 or 300), but as suggested above, put the equipment in your carry-on, and put the Slingshot in your checked in luggage. I did that on a recent trip to Madrid, and it worked like a charm.<br>

In terms of CF cards - if you bring your laptop with you, and offload pictures each night, you will not need extra cards. But, then again, they are fairly cheap, so one extra couldn't hurt.</p>

[lmwalker]

<p>On a trip to Greece and Italy last October I carried my 5D, Sigma 12-24, 24-105, 50/1.4 and a 70-200/4 IS. I used the 24-105 99% of the time. There were a few shots, such as inside the Pantheon that I could have used the 12-24, but I had left it at the hotel (brain fart). I used the 50mm as a walk around for night shooting. I found very little use for the 70-200.</p>

<p>If you like to do candid street photography using a telephoto, then the 70-200 will be useful. Otherwise, it will most likely just be excess weight in your bag, IMO. If you want to travel light, just take the 24-105 and optionally the 50mm. The 17-40 would be useful, but probably not critical. Unless you know of something specific you will use the 70-200 for, I would leave it at home.</p>

<p>How much walking will you be doing, and how much equipment are you willing to carry around? We did a lot of walking and I found I was not willing to carry as much stuff all day as I thought I would.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.pbase.com/lmwalker/travel_europe_2008">http://www.pbase.com/lmwalker/travel_europe_2008</a></p>

 

[tavo]

<p>I'd bring 2 only. 24-105 for almost everything and 50mm 1.8 for all those dimmed church interiors. That's it. Travel lite is my advise.<br>

Last year I was in Europe and foud how expensive Memory cards are. I went far away from tourist areas with no luck. Spain, France, Italy aprox 2X what you pay in the US. and England, aprox 3X more. I ended up burning DVD's and backing up my laptop to avoid buying those cards.<br>

Note. In Italy I got several requests from locals asking me that they'd take the picture of me and my wife. Of course this was an attempt to run away with my camera. There are guys looking for specific cameras with "pre-orders" many hotel concierges warn you about this.</p>

 

[tibig]

<p>Hi John,<br>

On my latest trip (Germany and Switzerland) I took the Sigma 17:70 f/2.8-4.5 HSM and my old Sigma 70-210 f/3.5-4.5 APO lenses. I shot about 500 frames and only about 3-4 of them were shot with the long zoom. You can see part of the pictures at:<br>

http://www.treklens.com/trip.php?tid=422<br>

My advice is then if you take one lens, take the 24-105 but if you can take the 17-40 with you too.<br>

Enjoy the trip,<br>

Tibi</p>

[lesterphoto]

<p>If you want to pictures taken of you and your wife, I suggest a throw-away camera. It's very easy to explain to the locals how to use it.<br>

I wouldn't take a flash to Europe, I've been there 7 times and have never needed one. If you really need one, take a small one.<br>

Put your equipment in a backpack instead of a camera bag. And don't look like a tourist.<br>

I'd travel with the 17-40mm 4.0(L), 24-105mm 4.0 (L) IS, and 50mm 1.8</p><div></div>

[guillaume_francois]

<p>1) 50mm f 1.4<br>

2) 17-40 f 4<br>

3) 70- 200 f 4 IS <br>

If you're the creative type the fast standard 50mm lens is all you need. If you want WA effects add the 17-40. If you're shy and want to take candid pictures of people take the 70-200 f4 IS. Fuggedabout the P&S! A 5D+ 50mm1.4 is the best P&S in the world! Unless you are a hard core macro man, leave the macro gear behind, you won't have time for it. Speed Lights are either for experts or idiots, if you're unsure, fuggedabout' it too. As for bags I find a black Billingham Hadley ideal, inconspicuous and practical. It will hold your 5D + the three aforementioned lenses nicely.<br>

Seconds thoughts.. get a P&S (LX3) for your wife, women are much more intuitive and naturaly talented photographers anyway, as long as the gear remains simple - watch it she might put you to shame! Have a good time!</p>

[chris_panagiotidis]

<p>Italy, Swiss and Austria, among others, are plentiful with architectural gems. A point and shoot will not permit satisfactory interior shots, nor in the expanded way your wider zoom would permit. If I were in your shoes I would never leave my SLR back home. I would start with the 17-40, leave all primes back and add the other pair of zooms. Any of these will give you pictures to cherish in the years to come. Others would kill to lug such a kit around. With a back bag the weight of a D300 ( with its bat.pack) , a D70,a 10-20, 80-200, 28-105 and a speedlite was not an issue in a heavy walking 4 days in Barcelona. I would have regretted any pic I hadn't taken should I had left any of the lenses back. Candids, portraits, interiors, architecture, all have their demands. Hope my experience helps. Best regards, have lots of fun!Chris P.S : If you 'll have a look in my" Barcelona" folder you'll see the variety of shots a point and shoot would just not give you . And BTW, a compact camera is indispensable! I go nowhere without my Canon G9!</p>

[dogbert]

<p>Done Europe and elsewhere penty of times. Definitely take the 17-40 and the 24-105. Take the 50 f1.8 if you use it regularly at home, otherwise don't. Unless you are a keen macro shooter, I'd leave the macro behind too. The 24-105 can shoot pretty close for most details and nearly all P&Ss have very close focussing/macro capabilities.<br>

I'd take two bags. Having tried plenty the Tamrac adventure 9 is excellent. Holds plenty, while still being small enough for carry on. It does not llok too much like a camera bag. (You might also fit the 70-200 in it, but for my style of shooting I found a telezoom not that useful.) And something like a Crumpler 5 million dollar home for carrying on the streets. It should take the 5D, 24-105 and 17-40. You don't want to be working out of a back pack on the streets or in the museums of Europe.<br>

Leave the flash behind unless you are into flash photography. The P&S can handle the happy snaps.</p>

 

[luca_stramare2]

<p>Living in Europe and travelling all around it for business purposes, I would say take the 17-40 and the 24-105, leave the flash home and bring a small P&S with a built in flash. The problem you face in Europe is that places are narrow and you need a good wide angle coverage to shoot many buildings. To avoid falling lines, you need to shoot a lot of foreground and then crop. Also condider that you are on a tour and will be shooting in crowded places, many times you will find yourself using just the body and one lens.</p>

[mvw photo]

<p>Wide. 16-35 or 17-40.</p>

<p>And if I felt like it, a 70-200, a 50/1,8 and a 24-70 2.8, in that order. </p>

<p>And a flash.</p>

<p>And have fun!</p>

<p> </p>

[ben_quinn1]

<p>The light fades early in northern europe at this time of year, the IS lens will be invaluable. Perhaps take G10 or similar, easily concealable when promenading in Florence or risking the back streets of Naples.</p>

[tombartlett]

<p>Living in Europe I would agree with what most people are saying here, the 17-40 and 24-105 should suit most your needs. Hope you have an amazing time :)</p>