Rajasthan/India Lens Question

[andy_fussell]

<p>Im off to Rajasthan and will be taking my 5DII and 5D. Im pretty sure I will take my 24-105mm as my main lens. Im tossing up wether to take my 17-40 also or spring for a Zeiss 35mm f2. Any suggestions would be welcome.</p>

[luis_g]

<p>It's a very personal thing...I would take the 35/2 over the 17-40.</p>

[micah_hanson1]

<p>For portraits and people there is nothing better than a good prime, at a focal length you like, and Rajasthan has loads of colorful people. I'd go 35 mm f2 if you like that length.</p>

[mariosforsos]

<p>While indeed the 35 is a superb lens, I could NOT have taken the shots I took without my 14-24!  I don't know yet which parts of Rajasthan you will be visiting, but any visits to Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and even Bundi will have you "reaching" for a wide lens in order to be able to grab the sheer size of some of the forts and palaces WITHOUT having to move too far back (which would, inevitably, include TONS of tourists)... So, I would say the 17-40...;-)</p>

 

Also, I would caution you a bit regarding your 5DII: you will be faced with quite a bit of dust there - Rajasthan is a desert state after all - and photographers I met there were facing some minor problems with the very fine indian dust getting inside their camera and causing havoc. I'm only mentioning because I have come across 4 photographers, from completely different countries, shooting with brand new 5DIIs and EVERY single one had leakage problems (two of them had to have their cameras replaced by Canon in Iceland). So, if you come across dust blowing in the wind (and chances are you will), try and protect your camera as much as you can...

[avery1]

<p>I just got back from India (spent about a week in Rajasthan) with my 5d mkii and 20D. I would be really careful if you're planning on going to the Thar (I did not get this far west), but the rest of the state is no more dusty than the rest of the country and I didn't have any serious problems. I don't know how helpful I'll be regarding lenses, since they took up 1/2 my luggage (17-40, 24-105, 70-200, 400, 50), but I would take something as long as possible if you are interested in wildlife. If you're interested in architecture or vast landscapes, I'd bring the 17-40. I found that I was a little overwhelmed with the amount of things photo-worthy and, because of this, used my prime very infrequently...almost exclusively for low light shots inside mosques/temples/buildings where you aren't supposed to use flash.</p>

<p>Have fun! It's quite a place.</p>

[richard_crowe4]

<p>I have never been to India but, I photograph the U.S. Desert Southwest frequently and blowing dust can be quite a problem there also. I always carry OPTECH Rainsleeves which will protect my cameras/lenses from dust as well as rain...<br>

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rainsleeve-Digital-Cameras-Lenses-Diameter/dp/B000PTFDYO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1275236360&sr=8-1">http://www.amazon.com/Rainsleeve-Digital-Cameras-Lenses-Diameter/dp/B000PTFDYO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1275236360&sr=8-1</a></p>

[ravi_m2]

<p>You will use the 17-40 and 24-105 most of the time. This will also help you avoid changing lenses and thus avoid dust issues! Personally, I'd take every lens I had to a colorful place like India...</p>

[sridip_nag1]

<p>For India, the wider the lens, the better. Take the 17-40 as well, along with your 24-105. If it fits, and doesn't weigh you down, take the Zeiss. It's a good fast lens, that may come in handy.</p>