Which lens/es to take on Iceland 12-day tour?

[Khalai]

Hello,

in 6 weeks, I'll be leaving for a phototrip to Iceland (Golden Circle) for nearly two weeks. Since there is obviously some hiking planned and I hate lugging half-a-ton backpack, I'd like to ask, what do you think would be ideal lens setup? My main goal is obviously landscape photography there.

Backpack:
LowePro Protactic 350AW

Bodies:
6D primary
7D for the backup (should be in the backpack too? or just insurance, waiting in the car?)

Lenses (my main problem):
16-35/4L IS (problem with LEE polarizer, not usable under 21mm with it)
24-70/2.8L II (Would this one do just fine instead of UWA? Would I miss 16-24mm there too much?)
100/2.8L Macro (not sure about this one, 600g deadweight or actually useful?)
70-200/2.8L II (this one is given, puffins, mountain ranges...)

Also, my father is tagging along, with his new Fuji X-E2 + XF 18-55/2.8-4. Should he purchase XF 55-200/3.5-4.8 lens too? He's just a casual photographer, I'm not sure, he would use that lens much afterwards? Would this lens be used like 5%, 20% or 50% there?

Thanks a lot in advance for all your 0.02 cents below

 

[beforeEos Camaras]

Re: Which lens/es to take on Iceland Golden Circle tour?

Hello,

in 6 weeks, I'll be leaving for a phototrip to Iceland (Golden Circle) for nearly two weeks. Since there is obviously some hiking planned and I hate lugging half-a-ton backpack, I'd like to ask, what do you think would be ideal lens setup? My main goal is obviously landscape photography there.

Backpack:
LowePro Protactic 350AW

Bodies:
6D primary
7D for the backup (should be in the backpack too? or just insurance, waiting in the car?)

Lenses (my main problem):
16-35/4L IS (problem with LEE polarizer, not usable under 21mm with it)
24-70/2.8L II (Would this one do just fine instead of UWA? Would I miss 16-24mm there too much?)
100/2.8L Macro (not sure about this one, 600g deadweight or actually useful?)
70-200/2.8L II (this one is given, puffins, mountain ranges...)

Also, my father is tagging along, with his new Fuji X-E2 + XF 18-55/2.8-4. Should he purchase XF 55-200/3.5-4.8 lens too? He's just a casual photographer, I'm not sure, he would use that lens much afterwards? Would this lens be used like 5%, 20% or 50% there?

Thanks a lot in advance for all your 0.02 cents below

just my idea the 16-35 and the 70-200 will be the best combo the 24-70 is overlap and the 100 macro is just extra unless you plan do a lot of macro the 70-200 has the 100 range covered. you have a small gap 35-70 but if you take both body's the 7d with the 1.6 factor will cover the small gap with the 16-35 lens and you can always get a low profile filter

 

[meywd]

Re: Which lens/es to take on Iceland Golden Circle tour?

If you will be having a car with you then I say bring it all, otherwise, you have to choose, Panos vs ultrawide, if you are going to do some astro work you may want the ultrawide for some shots, same with the 100mm, you may really regret not taking it or you may never use it, will you be having flash and tripod? will you be shooting a lot of stacked macros? I miss the 100 a lot, but the 70-200 2.8 IS II is so heavy that even if I still have the 100 it would stay at home most of the time.

 

[Khalai]

Re: Which lens/es to take on Iceland Golden Circle tour?

If you will be having a car with you then I say bring it all, otherwise, you have to choose, Panos vs ultrawide, if you are going to do some astro work you may want the ultrawide for some shots, same with the 100mm, you may really regret not taking it or you may never use it, will you be having flash and tripod? will you be shooting a lot of stacked macros? I miss the 100 a lot, but the 70-200 2.8 IS II is so heavy that even if I still have the 100 it would stay at home most of the time.

No astro in June/July there - there is only 3-4h of twilight on Iceland that time of year. Tripod is a no-brainer, but why flash?

 

[bholliman]

Re: Which lens/es to take on Iceland Golden Circle tour?

Tripod is a no-brainer, but why flash?

I would use flash for a little fill light for the foreground of backlit sunsrise/sunset landscape shots. Your 7D has a popup flash, but your 6D is a much better landscape camera, and has none.

 

[meywd]

Re: Which lens/es to take on Iceland Golden Circle tour?

If you will be having a car with you then I say bring it all, otherwise, you have to choose, Panos vs ultrawide, if you are going to do some astro work you may want the ultrawide for some shots, same with the 100mm, you may really regret not taking it or you may never use it, will you be having flash and tripod? will you be shooting a lot of stacked macros? I miss the 100 a lot, but the 70-200 2.8 IS II is so heavy that even if I still have the 100 it would stay at home most of the time.

No astro in June/July there - there is only 3-4h of twilight on Iceland that time of year. Tripod is a no-brainer, but why flash?

I meant for macro, do you want to take a full set ( tripod, slider, flash ) for stacked shots or just the occasional shot.

 

[Khalai]

Re: Which lens/es to take on Iceland Golden Circle tour?

If you will be having a car with you then I say bring it all, otherwise, you have to choose, Panos vs ultrawide, if you are going to do some astro work you may want the ultrawide for some shots, same with the 100mm, you may really regret not taking it or you may never use it, will you be having flash and tripod? will you be shooting a lot of stacked macros? I miss the 100 a lot, but the 70-200 2.8 IS II is so heavy that even if I still have the 100 it would stay at home most of the time.

No astro in June/July there - there is only 3-4h of twilight on Iceland that time of year. Tripod is a no-brainer, but why flash?

I meant for macro, do you want to take a full set ( tripod, slider, flash ) for stacked shots or just the occasional shot.

Just occasional shot, but I think I'll leave 100mm at home. I'm already covered with 70-200mm. I was tempted to leave 70-200mm at home and take just 100mm as a telephoto, but that could be constrictive...

For now, I'm leaning towards 16-35 and 70-200 combo with 6D, leave 24-70 and 100 at home and take 7D in the main luggage as a spare body for backup. Or should I lug 7D around as well? Perhaps 7D+16-35 and 6D+70-200 mounted all the time?

 

[meywd]

Re: Which lens/es to take on Iceland Golden Circle tour?

If you will be having a car with you then I say bring it all, otherwise, you have to choose, Panos vs ultrawide, if you are going to do some astro work you may want the ultrawide for some shots, same with the 100mm, you may really regret not taking it or you may never use it, will you be having flash and tripod? will you be shooting a lot of stacked macros? I miss the 100 a lot, but the 70-200 2.8 IS II is so heavy that even if I still have the 100 it would stay at home most of the time.

No astro in June/July there - there is only 3-4h of twilight on Iceland that time of year. Tripod is a no-brainer, but why flash?

I meant for macro, do you want to take a full set ( tripod, slider, flash ) for stacked shots or just the occasional shot.

Just occasional shot, but I think I'll leave 100mm at home. I'm already covered with 70-200mm. I was tempted to leave 70-200mm at home and take just 100mm as a telephoto, but that could be constrictive...

For now, I'm leaning towards 16-35 and 70-200 combo with 6D, leave 24-70 and 100 at home and take 7D in the main luggage as a spare body for backup. Or should I lug 7D around as well? Perhaps 7D+16-35 and 6D+70-200 mounted all the time?

Actually you may want to reverse that, 6D + 16-35 and 7D + 70-200, not only for the reach but for the AF and FPS.

 

[Eldar]

Re: Which lens/es to take on Iceland Golden Circle tour?

I have been to Iceland several times. My most used lens on the last trip was the Zeiss 15mm f2.8. Second most 24-70 and third Otus 55/1.4. I would bring all the lenses, but you should at least bring the 16-35 and 24-70. A polarizing filter is highly recommended and I would also recommend a tripod.

 

[Khalai]

I have been to Iceland several times. My most used lens on the last trip was the Zeiss 15mm f2.8. Second most 24-70 and third Otus 55/1.4. I would bring all the lenses, but you should at least bring the 16-35 and 24-70. A polarizing filter is highly recommended and I would also recommend a tripod.

Thanks a lot for the info. Tripod is a given (Manfrotto 190 series), filters are also settles (LEE grads, LEE little stopper and LEE polarizer - only problem with this one is vignetting from 21mm downwards).

Do you think that 70-200 is overkill/too heavy/only 5% shots lens?

I could fit easily all the lenses in the backpack/carry-on, but I'd hate to lug those all day on my back only to use them for a minuscule fractions of all photos.

 

[NorbR]

Re: Which lens/es to take on Iceland Golden Circle tour?

Actually you may want to reverse that, 6D + 16-35 and 7D + 70-200, not only for the reach but for the AF and FPS.

If you really have to limit yourself to two lenses, then this is what I'd do. Sure you have a bigger gap with this combination, but I agree with meywd's arguments. Better reach and AF with the 7D, better IQ across the frame at wide angle. That 16-35 should remain glued to your 6D imho. Get a 77mm polarizer for it if you must.

And for what it's worth, I second the idea that if you have a car, you should bring all 4 lenses with you. They can stay in the car when you go hiking, but it's better than kicking yourself after two days for realizing you'd really like to have your 100L with you.

 

[cid]

Re: Which lens/es to take on Iceland Golden Circle tour?

I just returned from Scotland trip. I carried all my things on my back most of the time of the trip and I was very happy with
16-35 f/4
70-200 f/2.8
5d km III
one 77mm polarizer filter for both (B+W mrc nano)

I haven't even taken tripod : Still I was missing nothing.

On the other hand if I was travelling by car and had option for storing additional gear in it then I would take probably all four lenses - you know just in case

 

[Khalai]

Thanks everybody for all your answers. So far, I'm inclined to this:

6D primary, 7D backup
16-35L primary lens
70-200L complementary lens
100L just-in-case lens
50/1.4 throw-it-in-my-pocket-fun-lens

Manfrotto 190XProB tripod with 496RC2 ball head (old, beaten, but trusty)

Half a ton of LEE gear (little stopper, 0.6 hard grad, 0.75 soft grad, 0.6 ND, three colour grads (fun!), 105mm polarizer) and 77mm old B+W Kaesemann polarizer I already had before purchasing LEE system.

I should be set, right?

 

[meywd]

And don't forget the lens/body caps also just in case.

 

[Deleted member 20471]

I have been on two landscape photo trips to Iceland, both trips a week long. On the first trip I brought a Zeiss 18/3.5, Canon 24-70L and Canon 70-300L. Om the second I had sold my Zeiss lens (to buy the 16-35/4L, but I did not receive it in time for the trip) – I was missing a wider lens then 24mm on the second trip.

The attached graph is what length I was using (on my keepers) for my two trips. I was only using full frame cameras.

My setup would be the 16-35, 24-70 and 70-200 and two cameras. I did not use any filters, I am shooting two exposures and blending the picture in Photoshop instead.

The weather on Iceland is changing very quickly. so be prepared for rain.

 

[John]

i go on a trip like this once a year. i have found that my 16-35 and 70-200 are the lenses that i use over 95% of the time for landscapes. i wouldn't hesitate to just bring those 2 lenses. there are many times when i want to focus in on a small area of a waterfall or a scene and i need the 70-200 to do that. if i had a 3rd lens to consider then i would probably go with my 24-105. i love the range of that lens. i have brought my 100 mm lens on trips, but generally find that i don't use it very much. if space was a factor, then i know that i would leave it at home.

 

[YellowJersey]

I've done Iceland twice (beautiful place, btw) and took my 17-40 and 24-105.

I think the best combo would be the 16-35 and the 70-200. I don't think the 100mm macro is going to be of much use, and the 24-70 doesn't give you the wide of the 16-35 nor the length of the 70-200.

 

[Khalai]

Once again, thanks for all the answers.

 

[Eldar]

If you leave the 24-70 behind, you´ll regret it ...

 

[bholliman]

I would take the 16-35, 24-70 and 70-200. I took one trip with just my 16-35 and 70-200 and really missed having my 24-70 2.8 II along. Its one lens I rarely leave at home.