Euro Trip Lens selection.

[AvTvM]

Paris & London for a week. I will shoot a little of everything and want to travel light with f/4 zooms and a fast 50mm.

I'd just take along the 24-105, 50 and the 135/2, since you like that lens. Excellent IQ plus it is black and far less conspicuos than even a 70-200/4 (white).

Flash? Will depend on what/where you will shoot. But at many of the interesting places / churches / sites / museums etc. flash photography is strictly forbidden. If it is just for fill flash/portraits on the go, a small & light 270EX II will do just nicely.

 

[bholliman]

Should I take one of my additional fast primes like the 24L II or the 135L? I could fit one more in my carry-on.

Another plug for the 135L! You can take some great portraits with this in Europe.

 

[Haydn1971]

All photography is prohibited in many larger churches such as St Paul's and Sacre Coeur out of respect to people during prayer

 

[RLPhoto]

Paris & London for a week. I will shoot a little of everything and want to travel light with f/4 zooms and a fast 50mm.

I'd just take along the 24-105, 50 and the 135/2, since you like that lens. It is black an far less conspicuos than even a 70-200/4.

Flash? Will depend on what/where you will shoot. But at many of the interesting places / churches / sites / museums etc. flash photography is strictly forbidden. If it is just for fill flash/portraits on the go, a small & light 270EX II will do just nicely.

I'll be carrying my crumpler around town and my airport airstream can hold stuff in my room if I need it. If I found a really nice spot and need something I'm not carrying, I could change my equipment at the hotel and re-venture out again with a different set of lenses. Just a thought.

 

[sdsr]

All photography is prohibited in many larger churches such as St Paul's and Sacre Coeur out of respect to people during prayer

I don't know about Sacre Coeur, but the churches I entered in Paris a year ago - including Notre Dame, Madeleine, St Germain & St Sulpice - allowed cameras, but no flash and no tripods. Have they changed their policies since then? That would be a shame.

 

[sdsr]

Most everyone here agrees that 300mm is seldom used in these citys. So the 70-200 f/4L IS is the choice for me.

I would have thought that matters isn't whether lots of other people use 300mm in those cities but whether, given your style, you're likely to want to. For all we know, 135mm might be long enough for you (or perhaps 300mm won't be long enough; there are engaging ducks etc. in St James's Park and elsewhere...).

If you have spare room in your bag, you may want to consider taking a back-up body (if you have one) rather than yet another lens.

 

[dickgrafixstop]

I personally wouldn't carry that much. Mount the 50 on the camera and pocket the 24-105 and you'll have plenty.
Use the room in your carryon to bring back scotch whisky.

 

[Zv]

I personally wouldn't carry that much. Mount the 50 on the camera and pocket the 24-105 and you'll have plenty.
Use the room in your carryon to bring back scotch whisky.

+1 on the scotch!

 

[mwh1964]

I would take the 24-105 and 70-300L. They are both great lenses. And easy to carry around. Probably the 24-105 will stay on you camera most of the time in the cities. If you want to go light I would take a prime like the new 24 or 28 or even better 35 is. I recently did a 3 week tour in California carrying only the Fuji x100. I never missed a zoom. Now the Fuji is even better with the little s mark and could represent a solid alternative. Enjoy your trip first and foremost.

 

[RLPhoto]

This is what I ended up bringing.

-Think tank airport security for my clothes & stuff.
-Think tank aiport airstream as my carry-on for my gear.
-Think tank retrospective 30 for my other stuff.

 

[RLPhoto]

From Left to Right. Rear to Front.

50L - 24L II - 17-40L - 24-105L -70-200 F/4L IS - 600RT

40mm Panny - Zuikos OM 50mm 1.4 - 5D3

All gaffed up to be more incognito. I brought a Vanguard tripod but it's not in the photo and my LEE filter set for long exposures and a few landscapes.

I'll post some pics when I get back. My video and Backup camera is my trusty g15 because it didn't want to bring another dslr body.

 

[Dylan777]

From Left to Right. Rear to Front.

50L - 24L II - 17-40L - 24-105L -70-200 F/4L IS - 600RT

40mm Panny - Zuikos OM 50mm 1.4 - 5D3

All gaffed up to be more incognito. I brought a Vanguard tripod but it's not in the photo and my LEE filter set for long exposures and a few landscapes.

I'll post some pics when I get back. My video and Backup camera is my trusty g15 because it didn't want to bring another dslr body.

Enjoy your vacation...be safe

 

[pedro]

WA 17-40 or 16-35 and fast primes as you have some surely fit well. A 70-200 seems to bulky to me. Especially in cities...

 

[RLPhoto]

WA 17-40 or 16-35 and fast primes as you have some surely fit well. A 70-200 seems to bulky to me. Especially in cities...

This is what's going. Choice has been made.

 

[bholliman]

Enjoy your trip! You are taking a great kit.

 

[adhocphotographer]

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Click]

Enjoy your trip! Have fun taking pictures.

 

[RLPhoto]

I'm back from the trip and all I have to say is... I wasn't disappointed. For those who pitched ideas for lens selections, here's the treat's from the trip. Not all are edited but these were the first edits.

My most used lenses.

1. 17-40
2. 70-200 F/4L IS
3. 50L

I didn't even use the Panny, 24-105, 24L II (Didn't want to lug it around.), or the OM 50mm. I'm very happy I didn't bring the 2.8's!!! The F/4's were already getting heavy after several hours.

Enjoy.

 

[RLPhoto]

I will make a blog post later with specific's on the trip and Settings.

 

[adhocphotographer]

Nice shots... and thanks for the stats of lens use.