4 weeks Trip around California

[TexPhoto]

I did not suggest lenses you do not have, but I too am a wide angle fan, and prefer something wider than 24mm to be at least with me.  But that is a personal choice, make your own decisions. 

My current light weight walk around kit is the 24-105, 8-15 (told yo I liked wide), and the 300mm f4 IS.   

[vargyropoulos]

my family and I did a ery similar California trip last summer. I took all the lenses I owned at the time along with my film camera in a backpack... hiking up and down Yosemite.... with 3 kids.... rewarding in the end... but the journey was hard at times

the 24-105 on a FF camera will be your workhorse lens - 90% of your shots will be with this one
take the macro as you will see some nice flowers and insects
see if you can get a longer tele.... I recently got a 400mm for Christmas that would have brought in the deer closer than the 70-300 that I had at the time
... no need for 1.4 apperture... take the 40mm pancake lens since you have it

[Txema]

Of the ones you have, I would definitely take the 200L. But I think you will brake the barrel of the 24-100 trying to go wider. I would buy the 16-35 or the 17-40. Just this trip will make them worthy. Order by internet at B&H and pick it up in SF fed-ex or ups. They are so much cheaper than here in Europe. For example, you can have the 17-40L for $699 (533€).

[dilbert]

Bad news: the lenses you have are a complete mismatch for Yosemite, except for the 24-105.

Yosemite is just a part of the trip.

Where else are you going?

Let me guess, you're going to drive along US-1 in the fog during August?

But as it stands, all of the other posts thus far have corroborated with my statement above.

[Niterider]

Good to hear you are visiting California! You definitely have chosen some of the best places to visit while you are here. Being a native to the area and traveled all the places you are looking to visit, I would recommend looking into a couple places.

The first is Zion national park. If you are traveling down near the Grand Canyon it is a wonderful place to stop for a night or two. The second is passing through the city of Mammoth (or staying a night). Unfortunately, the city went bankrupt, but I have not heard of that effecting tourism. Usually in the summer, Mammoth ski resort opens their lift to the top of the mountain for hikers and sightseers alike. The top is around 11,000 feet high and an unbelievable sight. There is also the Lake Tahoe region, which is an amazing destination.

I noticed you haven't mentioned anywhere along the coastline (except San Francisco, but that is way different from cities like Santa Barbra, Huntington Beach, San Diego, etc.) My favorite is Santa Barbra though. There is nothing like taking a break from constant traveling to just lay on the beach all day.

As far as lenses go, I would bring a an ultra-wide in addition to the 24-105. I use a Rokinon 14mm, but a 16-35 or a 17-40 is a much more versatile option and the weather sealing helps keep all the dust and sand out of the lens.

[ChilledXpress]

Bad news: the lenses you have are a complete mismatch for Yosemite, except for the 24-105.

Couldn't disagree more...

You'll do fine with your current kit. With that 40mm Pan it's almost like carrying no lens at all so I'd try and take them all. I lived within 20 minutes of Yosemite for years... anything can work there. Even PS so don't worry about an Ansel Adams kit and go have fun. A 17-40 or another UWA would be nice but you can stitch what you can't get in one frame.

If your heading this way soon... be prepared for snow in the Sierras. It can be difficult traveling. I'd try to hit up Monterey/Cannery Row... Carmel, Big Sur and maybe Santa Cruz since they would be close to the SF to the Valley route.

[sanjosedave]

Suggested route:

San Francisco, San Jose, Monterey, Big Sur, San Jose, Yosemite, Mono Lake, Las Vegas, Ivins Utah, Page Arizona, Monument Valley, Moab

For Yosemite, I recommend Michael Frye's Yosemite app - you select the time of year, time of day, and it provides the best times to photograph popular locations. It also provides a sunrise/moonrise graph.

Also, suggested joining meetup.com's multiple photography groups in Northern California, joining is free, there you will receive a lot of detailed info about where to photograph.

BTW, you could spend a month in Northern California, or a month in Moab by themselves.

[HoneyBadger]

I live about an hour from Yosemite and about 2 from the California coast and I would definitely recommend a wider lens, preferably the 16-35. Since you are on a budget and want less weight, the 17-40 would also work out great for you. The wider lens will allow you to take pictures of the beautiful coast and also the mountains at Yosemite. Also, room can be scarce sometimes when taking pictures of giant sequoia trees so unless you want only half the tree in your shot, you need that wider lens. If you venture about an hour south of Yosemite, you can visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. They are not as impressive as Yosemite but they are home to the 4 largest trees by volume in the world. Lastly, if you plan to visit 4 or more National Parks or federal recreation lands you should invest in the $80 park pass which is good for a year and can be bought at any National Park entrance. Normal entrance fees are $20 per park and the park pass will also discount some park services. Enjoy!

[distant.star]

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Given your equipment options and your travel restraints, I'd take the 24-105 and nothing else. Perhaps take the 40mm if you want to tighten up and lighten your burden some days. Here's my thinking:

1. I can't think of much that a 200mm is going to help with, given that you've already got 105mm reach. If you had a 100-400, for example, that would be different. The vistas out there can be vast (and that's an understatement.)

2. The "low light" lenses you mention are really eclipsed by the high-ISO capabilities of a camera like the 6D. Remember, when you'll be there, you have light 15 hours each day, and inside and at night you can just ramp up the ISO and keep the 24-105 clicking away. You've already got the focal lengths covered, and the low light is not relevant -- so leave the others at home.

3. I know people travel for different reasons, but I'm not spending my time in a foreign land sticking a lens deep into buttercups. Leave the 100 home. It's a fine lens, but again, the focal length is covered.

4. The UWA suggestions are great -- that's a way to get pictures you can get no other way. And that area does cry out for it. But it's not in your options. Make the most of your 24mm capability.

As for what to see when you're there, you can't see it all. You could move to northern CA today and in the rest of your life you wouldn't see everything worth seeing.

After San Francisco (and I'm presuming Napa Valley and wine country, etc.) go over to Sacramento, California's capital city. Then take Rt. 49 south through gold rush country. I used to live there. See the little towns like Sutter Creek, Jackson, Mokelumne Hill, San Andreas, Angels Camp, Murphys (and the beautiful Ironstone Winery), Sonora (where most of the American western movies have been filmed), and Columbia State Historic Park. By then you're close to Yosemite and can work your way through that tourist bloated wonder. If you're out after dark there, be ready for mosquitoes.

It's a visually amazing area. Enjoy!!

[kubelik]

it depends on whether you're taking the trip mostly to hike and spend time with your family, or mostly to photograph.  if you're really set of maximizing your photographic opportunities, pretty much all of your lenses should fit very easily into a medium-to-large sized photo backpack.  At worst, leave the 50 f/1.4 and 40 f/2.8 in the car while you go hiking, as I doubt you'll use them during daylight hours on a trail.

if your focus is mainly on hiking, I think you'd actually be in good shape with just the 24-105L on your 6D.  with that, you can choose whether or not to bring a tripod, even, since you have the IS. I don't know what the wildlife in Yosemite is like, if it's as plentiful as it is in Yellowstone then perhaps you'll want to carry the 200 f/2.8 as well, at most.

[distant.star]

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One thing I forgot.

Polarizing filter and an ND filter or two. Lots of light out there!!