lens recommendations for a vacation

[IIIHobbs]

The 14mm... can capture an amazing perspective if done well. We will spend a few days in the north of France, which is a beautiful place for landscape shots. My thought is to bust out the 14mm for that leg of the trip.

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity for you and the 14mm.

Looking at the recommendations to pare down your gear, it seems that the Flipside may be too much bag for what you will be taking. I have a big bag that can handle all my gear (but for the 300 f2.8 8)), but for day trips and travel I use the Think Tank Speed Demon. It provides plenty of room to carry my camera, two lenses, flash and supporting accessories. They have two larger models available, but my goal was a case to travel light and compact with a specific venue in mind.

If you are taking the 5D3, 24-105, 50, 14, & Flash, the Think Tank Speed Freak (mid size) would carry all that and all the supporting accessories. It has the belt strap/shoulder strap option and rain cover in a very compact from. It is deep enough to fit your 70-200 (off the camera) should you bring that along instead of or as compliment to your other gear.

I like the comment "happy wife - happy life" . Traveling light will help you get it right.

 

[arcanej]

Thank you for the advice all!

I am leaning towards the 24-105, the 50, the 14 and a flash for weight considerations.

IIIHobbs: I will check out the Speed Demon this weekend. I need to make a pit stop at B&H anyway.

7enderbender: I live in NYC and use a similar kit for walkaround (subbing the 70-200 as I don't have the 135) in a messenger Lowepro 180 AW. I really enjoy the combination (although I spend more time in the parks than I do taking architectural pictures in general).

 

[briansquibb]

The 14mm can be difficult to use - but it can capture an amazing perspective if done well. @lex on this forum has posted some amazing shots showing as much. We will spend a few days in the north of France, which is a beautiful place for landscape shots. My thought is to bust out the 14mm for that leg of the trip.

I'm really torn on whether I should bring the 24-105 or the 70-200. The former is a much better general purpose focal range and lighter to boot, but I have more fun lugging around the later and it's a faster lens.

Thank you for the advice so far!

Dont quite know where in the North of France you expect good landscapes - a lot of it is very flat and boring

 

[pdirestajr]

I'd take as little gear as possible >> so you can enjoy the trip as much as possible!

24-105 as all day walk around. 50 for indoors/ low light.

24 is wide on FF. 5DIII's ISO capability also makes your 24-105 pretty powerful even though it's "only" f/4.

 

[arcanej]

Briansquib: much of it might be, but there are certain places I think are beautiful.

For example, pictures of Côte de Granit Rose:
https://www.google.com/search?q=C%C3%B4te+de+Granit+Rose&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=33W&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=n-gjUP-JEOaw0QH3kICAAw&ved=0CFAQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=1127

 

[briansquibb]

Briansquib: much of it might be, but there are certain places I think are beautiful.

For example, pictures of Côte de Granit Rose:
https://www.google.com/search?q=C%C3%B4te+de+Granit+Rose&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=33W&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=n-gjUP-JEOaw0QH3kICAAw&ved=0CFAQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=1127

Ah - that is western France.

I was only curious because I go over server times a year and not seen any good landscapes there - lots of good chateau though

 

[arcanej]

Thanks for the advice all! I ended up carrying too much equipment (14mm, 24-105mm, 50mm, 70-200mm, monopod, flash) but had a great time. On the plus side, carrying all that meant I burned more calories while walking around!Next time, I might just stick with the 24-105 and the 50 and leave everything else home.

I'm slowly uploading pics -- here's one from London.


GS0C4585.jpg by Evan's Pix, on Flickr

 

[dickgrafixstop]

I've learned to travel light and that no matter which lens I needed it was never on the camera. Therefore I now
have a standard travel pack - body with a cushioned strap, two battery packs (no grip - too big, too heavy) charger, 35mm and 85mm lenses. One on the camera, the other in my jacket pocket. Aside from not being
exhausted carrying gear I never use, it also forces me to compose mentally and consider the effects. I feel I
get better images, and as a charter member of the zoom lenses encourage sloppiness brigade, I satisfied with
the ones I get.

 

[KKCFamilyman]

24-105 and 50mm prime or wider if you want. I would use a 279ex ii for flash since it's so small and light. I brought tons of gear I never used.

 

[spinworkxroy]

Thanks for the advice all! I ended up carrying too much equipment (14mm, 24-105mm, 50mm, 70-200mm, monopod, flash) but had a great time. On the plus side, carrying all that meant I burned more calories while walking around!Next time, I might just stick with the 24-105 and the 50 and leave everything else home.

Wow, that's alot to carry around! I bet you almost never touched the 70-200 ya? haha.
My most recent trip last month to the USA, i ended up only bringing my 17-40 and 24-105 and it was more than enough. I didn't even bring any tripod or spare batts of filters or anything..
In fact, i only brought either one of the 2 lenses out..i'd leave the other in the hotel…i just plan where i'll be going for that day and what i'll be shooting and decide which lens to bring out for that day…comfortable and light..

 

[NormanBates]

This summer I found that a 5D with a 40mm f/2.8 pancake, inside a body-only neoprene bag, is a very powerful tiny little package. Lovely images, small and light, and you're carrying just as much as you absolutely need, not 10 grams more.

 

[adhocphotographer]

Honestly, i would consider just taking the 24-105 and the 14... you will prob not use the 70-200 much... i guess it depends on how much you want to carry around with you... generally when i am doing the whole city site seeing stuff, i stick with my 17-55 (APS-C user), which covers 90% of my shots... flash is up to you, depends on how much you use it normally!

hope you have a nice trip!

 

[sameerthawani]

I'd take the 24-105L for my walkaround.

the 14mm to get good landscape, architectural shots and the like.

 

[dirtcastle]

Thanks for the advice all! I ended up carrying too much equipment (14mm, 24-105mm, 50mm, 70-200mm, monopod, flash) but had a great time. On the plus side, carrying all that meant I burned more calories while walking around!Next time, I might just stick with the 24-105 and the 50 and leave everything else home.

Thanks for the debriefing!

A lot of people get excited about the 14mm, and rightly so. But let's face it... it's a specialty lens. The 16-35mm L and 17-40 L don't match the quality of the 14mm L, but they are quite versatile.

I also find that the 24-105mm L almost always has enough width to get the shot. And when I'm packing light, I often pair it with my 50 f/1.4 (to cover low light). But I'm starting to feel like I might want to get the 35mm L because the 50 is just a tad long (I can always crop in post, but I can't magically add more photo).

I'm starting to agree with more experienced shooters that going light with the gear can improve your photography by lightening your load and pushing the creativity that can come out of limitations.

 

[RLPhoto]

I know, the least exciting type of post, but I would be very grateful for any advice on what to bring and what to leave behind.

This summer I had planned on going out with a pro-photographer, but he was unable to secure the permits in time. So, my wife and I are heading to Europe in a few weeks. We will be hitting London, France and Brussels.

My current kit:

5Dm3
24-105L
70-200L IS II
14L II
50L
100L IS

I will be carrying whatever kit I bring in a Lowepro Flipside 400AW.

I was thinking about taking the 50, the 70-200, 14, a monopod and one flash. The first two lenses are my favorite walk around combo. Any advice would be very welcome. Also: should I look into a second battery (I don't have a the optional grip)?

Simple, 24-105L + 50mm 1.2L + 5d3. Done.

 

[arcanej]

Don't get me wrong - I really love the 70-200 and did use it more than a few times on the trip. The London Bridge picture I posted was with the 70-200.

So is this picture from Notre Dame:

GS0C5106.jpg by Evan's Pix, on Flickr

I just don't relish carrying it around all day for 11 days....

 

[KKCFamilyman]

I think that is the point. I brought the 70-200 f4 IS with me to California for 7 days and used it for 100 shots out of thousands and carried the weight the whole time. If I had it to do over. I would have left it at home.

 

[dirtcastle]

I won't even buy a 70-200mm in the first place because it's just too big and heavy for my taste. I'd rather carry two primes (35mm/135mm).

That said, I can understand why a lot of event photographers (and big, muscular people) choose the 70-200mm. It's only downside is size/weight, imo.

 

[mrsfotografie]

Finding the right travel kit has been a constant challenge for me. I want to travel light (we are usually on the move at a high pace all the time) and not limit myself too much. I've bought and sold many lenses before getting it down to the set I recently used when traveling in India:

5D Mk II gripless
17-40 f/4 L (light weight, weather sealed)
24-105 f/4 L IS (weather sealed workhorse)
50 f/1.8 Mk I (low light, low weight and tiny)
Tamron 70-300 VC USD (just in case)

I found weather sealing to be of up most importance in India. Water and dust everywhere! My camera (and 24-105) survived dust storms, rain and even a splash of water from a market stall cover that suddenly drained right on top of it. There's a tiny bit of grinding sound left in the focus ring from the sand though...

In fact I left the 24-105 on most of the time and managed to do some low light stuff thanks to iso and IS. The 50 mm never left my bag.

What I still need is a tiny add-on flash, the Speedlite 90EX.

 

[Pitbullo]

What about 24-105, and try to get your hands on the shorty forty. Should be a good travel pack.