Help picking lenses for vacation!

[danski0224]

Hey guys and gals! I was just wondering, my family is going on a vacation this summer to London, Paris and Venice. I would for sure bring my Canon 5D Mark II, but don't know what/how many lenses to bring. Seeing all the places are perfect photography spots. Should I carry around more than 1 lens? Also, I have currently, Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM and lastly Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM. Which ones should I bring :-[ Also, I saw the 8-15mm fisheye and quite liked it. Are there any owners here who would like to share their experiances with it? Would it be good to use on the trip? Thanks!
Ryan

Lots of people have mentioned that it's too heavy, but if you own it, why leave the 70-200 2.8 at home?

There is a big difference between a f2.8 and f4 lens if you don't want to bring a flash, or can't use one.

I'd rent a 16-35 II f2.8 over your 17-40 f4 for more low light versatility. I happen to like the 16-35 myself.

Definitely bring the 35mm.

I'd also cast a vote for renting a 14mm.

As others have mentioned, I'd also practice taking pictures for panorama stitching and use AE lock (the star button). I have found that for landscape stuff at a distance, stitching can work well and provides a different look than using a wide angle (or ultra wide angle) lens. Take enough shots, and you can figure out the stitching program later.

Using an Eg-D focus screen will help keep things lined up.

I'd also suggest trying "back button focus".

Get a good/more comfortable strap like a SunSniper or Black Rapid. There are others, but I would definitely recommend ditching the OEM strap.

 

[Random Orbits]

Thanks so much for the replies! While the vacation is for the family, I would love to take avange of the experiance and taking a lot of serious photos. We are planning on walking for the whole day, so personally the 70-200 is out of the picture. Its just way to heavy to carry for 6+ hours. I will though definitely bring the 35 and 24-105. Also I just recently bought a b&w polarizer. Now that's said and done. Do you think ithe fisheye would be a good add? Not only for the trip but to have in my "inventory" ..

I suggest bringing the 35, 24-105 and the 17-40. For daytime, I'd bring the 17-40 and 24-105, and for nighttime, I'd bring the 35L. The 17-40 should work well for buildings and architecture, and the 24-105 would work well for everything else.

The 8-15 is a good add, but not for this trip. It's best used sparingly and the 17-40 works better as a primary wide angle lens. That said, the 8-15 is a fun lens.

 

[mdm041]

I recently bought BlackRapid RS-7 strap. Wow...this strap helps alot.

What I like about this strap:
1. Reduce a lot weight compared to Canon neck strap, now I can carry 5d III all day
2. You look less tourist while travel

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/661579-REG/Black_Rapid_RS7_1BB_RS_7_Camera_Strap.html

I second this. I actually use two of them connected and either shoot two bodies or do a body on one and a lens case on the other. I've gone on several mile hikes with my 70-200 with no problem thanks to these straps.

 

[Marsu42]

I've gone on several mile hikes with my 70-200 with no problem thanks to these straps.

It's always good to use one's gear, that's what it's for ... but if you ever go to Venice in top tourism season, please send us a shot of you juggling with your 70-200L+hood in tight, crowded streets overrun by tourists with p&s cams. And then when browsing through the art district in Paris or squeezing in the London bus or tube. Been all there so I can imagine it a bit, but the sight would be worth a whole picture series ))

 

[DigitalDivide]

I recently bought BlackRapid RS-7 strap. Wow...this strap helps alot.

What I like about this strap:
1. Reduce a lot weight compared to Canon neck strap, now I can carry 5d III all day
2. You look less tourist while travel

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/661579-REG/Black_Rapid_RS7_1BB_RS_7_Camera_Strap.html

I second this. I actually use two of them connected and either shoot two bodies or do a body on one and a lens case on the other. I've gone on several mile hikes with my 70-200 with no problem thanks to these straps.

I strongly agree with this also. I got the RS-4 and it is amazing how little you notice the weight over a long period. The camera and lens hang close to your body around hip level, keeping it as close as possible to the vertical axis of your body. This seems to minimize the force to one side, which I find is much more of a problem than the weight itself acting downwards. I suspect this is also why I tend to prefer the slimline messenger style bags.

The other advantage is that I can have the camera bag on my left with the strap over my right shoulder, and the camera on the right with the RS-4 over my left shoulder. This helps to balance the weight even more. When I am walking I usually keep one hand on the camera grip to stop it bumping against my hip (and because I am still a little paranoid about the swivel connector breaking ), but this may also make it harder for someone to snatch the camera in a crowd. When I visited Italy it was late September and the crowds were not too bad even in Venice; I hate to think how it would be in mid-summer.

 

[mdm041]

http://www.karlgrobl.com/EquipmentReviews/StrapsRstrapBlackRapid.htm

Shows a good review of the rapid strap. I use the couple R system in order to take both my camera and an extra lens. This easily shows how the camera hugs your body so that if you are comfortable standing in a crowd then even a big lens like a 70-200 won't cause problems. I've been on bourbon street in the middle of madi gras and had no issue getting around and even changing lenses.

 

[Physicx]

Hey guys and gals! I was just wondering, my family is going on a vacation this summer to London, Paris and Venice. I would for sure bring my Canon 5D Mark II, but don't know what/how many lenses to bring. Seeing all the places are perfect photography spots. Should I carry around more than 1 lens? Also, I have currently, Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM and lastly Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM. Which ones should I bring :-[ Also, I saw the 8-15mm fisheye and quite liked it. Are there any owners here who would like to share their experiances with it? Would it be good to use on the trip? Thanks!
Ryan

take everything.

17-40 you need for buildings and indoors. Where you are going is full of it.

35 f/1.4 is an amazing lens. Low light at night and also streeting.

24-105 I prefer the 24-70, but most of your shots will come from this one

70-200. it is possible to leave this one at home, because when you are out there, it is quite cumbersome to carry it. You will fine that it is not versatile enough to be the main lens. It is useful for landscaping compression and also some street shots of people. Picking out detals of places, buildings. You will definitely need it. Depends if you are prepared to carry it in your bag and is willing to change lens when you are around.

good luck.

 

[Physicx]

Hey guys and gals! I was just wondering, my family is going on a vacation this summer to London, Paris and Venice. I would for sure bring my Canon 5D Mark II, but don't know what/how many lenses to bring. Seeing all the places are perfect photography spots. Should I carry around more than 1 lens? Also, I have currently, Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM and lastly Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM. Which ones should I bring :-[ Also, I saw the 8-15mm fisheye and quite liked it. Are there any owners here who would like to share their experiances with it? Would it be good to use on the trip? Thanks!
Ryan

take everything.

17-40 you need for buildings and indoors. Where you are going is full of it.

35 f/1.4 is an amazing lens. Low light at night and also streeting.

24-105 I prefer the 24-70, but most of your shots will come from this one

70-200. it is possible to leave this one at home, because when you are out there, it is quite cumbersome to carry it. You will fine that it is not versatile enough to be the main lens. It is useful for landscaping compression and also some street shots of people. Picking out detals of places, buildings. You will definitely need it. Depends if you are prepared to carry it in your bag and is willing to change lens when you are around.

I went travelling with my kit. that is, 16-35II, 24-70, 70-200 IS + 50 1.4. I only shot the 70-200 on the few days when I really needed to shoot with it and had it on my camera all the time. Othertimes when I had it in my bag, I didnt botheer shooting wiht it because I found it was too much effort to change lens, shoot 3 photos and change it back to primary lens.

In the end, lens dont matter. you just shoot with you have. If you have a 50 1.4 you will shoot with that. So ddont worry about the lens too much. Too much fantasising. We all do it. You will find reality when you are shooting on the field. You make do with what ever you have.

good luck.