HOW WIDE FOR Europe Travel?

[patricia_robles]

<p>I currently have a Sony A300 DSLR.</p>

<p>I will be traveling to Italy in 2 weeks. I know that most structures are huge in Italy. I currently have the lens my camera came with which is an 18mm-70mm. I've been told that's wide enough, and that I may want to go wider.</p>

<p>Is there a lens that someone can recommend that will not make the pictures akward like a fisheye lens?</p>

<p>Thanks for your help!</p>

<p>Patty</p>

[jsalazar]

<p>Hello, You may try some wide angle lens around 10-24 or 12-24 or 14-35mm or so for huge or tall buldings! I am not familiar with Sony lenses but the focal mm values are about the same! Regards and good luck!</p>

[gungajim]

<p>I have a Sony A350 and have been well served by the 11-18 mm lens I bought 3 or 4 years ago. Great urban lens. GJ</p>

[renee_williams1]

<p>Hi I’m Renee Williams and I enjoy taking care of people and making sure their trips exceed their expectations. I worked extensively in hospitality and have kept that customer-focused approach since I began working in travel over a decade ago. As a mother with a growing family I know people need to be flexible. Because I am my own manager I am truly mobile and can meet with clients at their convenience at a café or their home. I worked for Flight Centre for years and have a level 4 certificate in Hospitality and Tourism. I have gone on travel-industry educationals and inspections throughout Australia and all over the world and have completed a lot of cruise training. More than anything I love people, and my clients can always reach me. I try to bring a fresh fun spirit to the process of travel. My clients must feel that because many have been with me for more than 12 years! Name the place you want to visit during your<a href="http://www.family-travel.com.au"> family holidays</a> and I will provide you with excellent trip.</p>

[richterjw]

<p>When I went in 2004 for 10 weeks with my Canon A-1, I took only my 20mm and 50mm and 30 rolls of film. I was pretty well served. JR</p>

[anthony_bhe]

<p>Remember that in most situations you can stitch multiple images together to get an even wider field of view than your lens would otherwise allow. </p>

<p>This does require some practice to get the right amount of overlap, and may require some photoshopping of cars/people that have changed position.</p>

[machts gut]

<p>Don't care too much about equipment, Patty. Your lens is sufficient and the best way to get a new perspective is to use your feet. I would rather concentrate on the quality of light and how many people you want in you photos, i.e. get up early!!</p>

[Matthew Brennan]

<p>I trevelled through Spain and Morocco in 2005 with a Nikon D70 and an 18-70mm lens. I also had a 12-24mm wide angle lens with me and used it often maybe for as many as 40% of my exposures. </p>

<p>This was so because :-<br>

1) I like shooting wide, I'm a wide angle fan<br>

2) I had the lens already and knew precisely what I would miss if I didn't pack the wide angle lens</p>

<p>On that trip I also carried a 70-300mm zoom which I used to shoot approx. 12 exposures in 4 weeks of travels. It really depends upon your preferred shooting style, your subject matter and how much you are prepared to carry extra weight, as well as if you want to fork out $$ on a new lens right before you are due to travel.......</p>

[bengt_rehn]

<p>As Jeremy, I also went in 2004 with my Canon A-1 for a three weeks trip. I brought 17, 35 and 85mm lenses with me. The 17mm/4,0 was very useful inside and outside of large buildings, but sometimes I wish for even wider. I didnt got much from the sides of the great dome of Milano.<br>

Your 18mm on the wide end translates to about 27mm i full frame (or film) terms. I think the Sigma 10-20 4,5-5,6 DC offer a good range and quality for a somewhat reasonable price. Those wide angle zooms are quite expensive and there are better alternatives IQ-wise but it comes with a price.<br>

I just want to mension that a very wide lens gives you the oppertunity to point your camera more perpendicular towards large objects in order to reduce the perspective distortion. You then have to crop a part of the image.</p>

[david_huff1]

<p>In Europe, you can never, never bring too wide. Sometimes, the old adage of "use your feet" doesn't work, especially for interior cathedral shots. </p>

[jim_doty]

<p>I agree with the others. You will want a quality zoom lens that is at least 10-12mm on the wide end. 18mm just won't be wide enough for many of the photos you will want to take.</p>

[david_henderson]

<p>Just got back from ten days in Italy, primarily Tuscan countryside and Umbrian hill towns. I carried three lenses for my FF dslr. I didn't use the 17-40 at all and more than half my photographs were with a 70-200. </p>

[richard_dennard]

<p>In Italy there are numerous areas that you will need a extreme wide angle. I carry my 10-22 and it stays on one of my cameras in Venice, Rome and Florence. Other than that the 18-270 is my walking around lens.</p>

[nodpete]

I use my 17-70 as my walk around lens in Europe and found it to be sufficient, but I also bring my 50 1.7 for inside shots and a 2x TC to give me a little more length outside.