Lens recommendations for EU trip

nc0b

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I'll be taking a 6D and 5Dsr, plus a limited number of lenses. I need input on which to take besides the 24-105 f/4. Options: 16-35 f/4, 85 f/1.8, 70-200 f/4 or f/2.8, 100-400 II. No tripod and no speed light, and my choices have to fit in my backpack along with a 4 pound laptop. We land in Rome, and in a day and a half hop on a cruise ship. Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, etc. At present I am not planning on taking my 60D, but that is a possibility. More reach, sort of, but with the cropping capability of the 5DsR I don't see the point. In previous trips to the UK and France, while I had two bodies with me, I generally only carried the 6D and 24-105. My wife will be in a wheel chair this time, so I cannot carry the kitchen sink.
 
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Jul 21, 2010
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My experience in most of Europe is that wider is better, at least for architecture which is a common subject of mine. I think you’d be fine with the 16-35 and 24-105. My usual kit for Europe is the 24-70/2.8, TS-E 17 and TS-E 24. On occasion I have brought the 70-300 LOL, but I don’t think I’ve used it once.
 
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jd7

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Feb 3, 2013
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I've taken a 70-200 with me when travelling in Europe a few times but never used it much. My 24-70 has always got by far the most use. The other lens I usually carry is a fast 35mm prime, and while it hasn't seen a huge amount of use, it's definitely seen some use and I've been very glad to have it with me.

From the lenses you listed, I completely agree with other posters saying you'd be fine take just your 16-35 and 24-105. If it was me travelling though, I would be tempted to throw in the 85/1.8 too, since it's small and light and would give you a wider aperture lens option. I wouldn't bother taking your 60D given you are taking two other bodies. Just my 2 cents!
 
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pj1974

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Oct 18, 2011
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I lived in Europe for 12 years (1995 till 2007). It's true that often as a tourist in Europe, most photographers would use wide angle substantially (for architecture, and potentially some landscapes). For that reason I would add my recommendation for the 16-35mm as an appropriate lens to take along (paired on your 6D or 5DSR).

However it is also true that people take photos reflecting their interest / style while on holidays. Hence I often take my 70-300mm L (love this lens for it's size / flexibility) while on holidays, because I love taking photos of birds and/or wildlife, as well as the odd landscape detail 'up closer'). So you may wish to consider the 70-200mm (f/4 would be my preference for reduced size/weight). But, if that's not your style, then I would stick to the 24-105mm as your second lens.

If you love taking photos of people (candids) - the 85mm would be helpful at times, but in a pinch you could cover that with your 24-105mm. With your your wife being in a wheelchair, I would definitely aim to photography minimise gear you need to take along (and e.g. changing lenses isn't ideal). So maybe have even 1 DSLR camera body for the whole trip. Have the 24-105mm as 'standard' lens on it. And for any day when you're going to a place of particular interest that includes great architecture and/or landscape- take the 16-35mm just on those days (potentially instead of the 24-105mm)

Paul
 
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AlanF

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16-35 plus 24-105 is a sensible choice. However, when approaching cities from the sea, I might be tempted to take the 100-400 too, maybe even replacing the 24-105 with a pocket camera.
The 100-400mm II is a must for me! I also like a small pocket camera, which is useful for holiday scenes and can be carried inconspicuously.
 
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I'll be taking a 6D and 5Dsr, plus a limited number of lenses. I need input on which to take besides the 24-105 f/4. Options: 16-35 f/4, 85 f/1.8, 70-200 f/4 or f/2.8, 100-400 II. No tripod and no speed light, and my choices have to fit in my backpack along with a 4 pound laptop. We land in Rome, and in a day and a half hop on a cruise ship. Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, etc. At present I am not planning on taking my 60D, but that is a possibility. More reach, sort of, but with the cropping capability of the 5DsR I don't see the point. In previous trips to the UK and France, while I had two bodies with me, I generally only carried the 6D and 24-105. My wife will be in a wheel chair this time, so I cannot carry the kitchen sink.
I would tend to bring the 16-35 and the 100-400 and if you really need to have something to fill the gap between 35mm and 100mm also the 85mm or instead of the 85 the 60D instead of the 6D to have 35*1.6 crop for the gap.
For travelling purposes the lighter and smaller Tamron 100-400 would be the "better" choice as it is not really far behind the Canon II version IQ wise.

In my case I would be able to take my G7XII with me instead of the 24-105mm lens.
 
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AlanF

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I would tend to bring the 16-35 and the 100-400 and if you really need to have something to fill the gap between 35mm and 100mm also the 85mm or instead of the 85 the 60D instead of the 6D to have 35*1.6 crop for the gap.
For travelling purposes the lighter and smaller Tamron 100-400 would be the "better" choice as it is not really far behind the Canon II version IQ wise.

In my case I would be able to take my G7XII with me instead of the 24-105mm lens.
I sold my Tamron 100-400mm after putting up with it for a month - it's an OK lens and I thought too it might be useful for travel. But, it's simply not in the same league as the 100-400mm II for AF and IS - I couldn't get sharp images of BIF, and it wasn't for me worth the saving in weight and size. But YMMV. On most test sites, its IQ at 400mm and f/6.3 is behind that of the Canon, especially at the edges and needs to be stopped down to f/8. The digital picture results are typical https://www.the-digital-picture.com...meraComp=979&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=4&APIComp=1
 
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Quirkz

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Oct 30, 2014
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I definitely agree with everyone that the 16-35 is the must have in addition to the 24-105.

The 100-400 is a tough call. It increases the weight/size of your bag a fair bit, and I’ve not gotten much use from mine when I travel, usually choosing to leave it at the hotel... though I DID use the 70-300L and 28-300L a lot at the long end when I travel with those, as they’re more likely to end up in my backpack. Lots of interesting people shots to be had, and architecture and cityscapes can be quite interesting with telephoto as well as wide.

I 2nd Alan on the small light camera for when you’re out for dinner, etc, if you have a decent one.
 
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Take the 16-35F4 IS. You need wide in Italy, especially in Rome. The only other lens I would want is a fast, normal or wide prime for very low light photos. The 16-35 with IS should do it for you most of the time, but you may want to take shots of people in very low light, like at night. I like the 35F2IS for low lighting in museums, and a wide zoom with IS will help in other places. The only time that I ever wanted anything longer than 40 mm on full frame in Europe was in cathedrals, where a longer lens is helpful - like in Notre Dame.
Most often, wider is better in places like Rome.
P.S. I don’t know why my signature says T7i as I don’t have one.
 
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dppaskewitz

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Jul 19, 2011
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I think the first question is how much time you will have for photography. And how much time you will have to take any particular shot. It's all well and good to have a nice selection of lenses with you, but if you won't have time to properly set up each shot, then I suggest you take what is versatile. Sure, you can leave the 24-105 at home and cover that range with other lenses. But for me, that is the range that will allow you the most flexibility if you have to shoot relatively quickly. And, since you are going to be on a cruise ship, I think you will want a long lens. I favor the 70-300 L for that purpose which you don't have, but at least take the 70-200 f/4 (to save weight and space over the f/2.8). My guess is that you will find situations where you wish you had the 100-400, but that's a lot of weight to carry for those situations. I echo the 16-35 recommendation. But, unless you are really into architecture, 24 is often wide enough for my taste. ADDED: And I would want a relatively fast lens for low light situations where IS doesn't cut it. Your 85 1.8 may be just the thing.
 
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pj1974

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Oct 18, 2011
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P.S. I don’t know why my signature says T7i as I don’t have one.

It can be a bit confusing, but that isn't a signature.

By default, the 'camera' that appears below your avatar is an indication how active users are on this forum board.

Basically newbies on the forum, begin with a 'basic / entry level camera', and if you post lots online over time, you move on up to 'top of the line, big pro camera'.

Cheers

PJ
 
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SteveC

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Sep 3, 2019
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It can be a bit confusing, but that isn't a signature.

By default, the 'camera' that appears below your avatar is an indication how active users are on this forum board.

Basically newbies on the forum, begin with a 'basic / entry level camera', and if you post lots online over time, you move on up to 'top of the line, big pro camera'.

Cheers

PJ

And you can change it, too. (in your profile, under account details, "Custom Title")

I wonder if they've added M6 II and 90D to the heirarchy?
 
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nc0b

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Dec 3, 2013
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I think the first question is how much time you will have for photography. And how much time you will have to take any particular shot. It's all well and good to have a nice selection of lenses with you, but if you won't have time to properly set up each shot, then I suggest you take what is versatile. Sure, you can leave the 24-105 at home and cover that range with other lenses. But for me, that is the range that will allow you the most flexibility if you have to shoot relatively quickly. And, since you are going to be on a cruise ship, I think you will want a long lens. I favor the 70-300 L for that purpose which you don't have, but at least take the 70-200 f/4 (to save weight and space over the f/2.8). My guess is that you will find situations where you wish you had the 100-400, but that's a lot of weight to carry for those situations. I echo the 16-35 recommendation. But, unless you are really into architecture, 24 is often wide enough for my taste. ADDED: And I would want a relatively fast lens for low light situations where IS doesn't cut it. Your 85 1.8 may be just the thing.
 
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nc0b

5DsR
Dec 3, 2013
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I want to post a belated thank you to all those who took the time to give their recommendations. I took the 6D and 5DsR bodies, and the 24-105 which was my "work horse" lens, the 70-200 f/4 and the 16-35 f/4. Due to my wife being in a wheel chair, plus managing her crutches, it wasn't practical to carry more than the 24-105 on whichever body I took off the boat. I used both the 6D and 5DsR about equally. The 6D is better at high ISO in museums from a noise standpoint, but I did have the 5DsR in the museum in Naples. I almost exclusively used the 70-200 f/4 on the ship when docked and the 5DsR, since I knew I could crop effectively. There were a few times when I wished I had the 16-35 f/4 over the widest setting of the 24-105, but it just wasn't to be. I shot 1500 photos, and will start culling and editing them over the winter. The trip was fantastic, and the five of us thoroughly enjoyed the trip. (Wife, step-son, daughter-in-law and 2.5 year old granddaughter in a stroller. Yes we had two sets of wheels to deal with.)
 
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