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Best lenses for travel kit?

travel lenses

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8 replies to this topic

#1
MichaelY82

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there. I am a photographer from Canada. I'm traveling to Ireland and Scotland this summer and I can't decide what lenses to bring. I will be walking the city and out in the countryside day and night, and want to limit my gear slightly.

I am considering:
Sigma 24-105 f/4 Art
Nikkor 16-35 f/4
50mm f/1.4
70-300 f/4.5-5.6

I have the 24-70 and 70-200 2.8, but they're really heavy. Also have an 85 1.8 but not sure I'd use it.

Any suggestions? Should I just suck it up and bring the whole case? I want a balance of ease and quality. I'll​ either bring my D810 or D750.

Thanks!


Michael

#2
M.Beier

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Personally I bring the big bag for traveling!

However, I think my 150-600 will stay at home next time around, and probably my macro too..

 

15-30

24-70

70-200

2.8 lenses from Tamron, sure they are a bit heavy, that doesnt bother me though... However if 'weekend trip' of which you cannot bring checked in luggage, and therefor very limited on things to bring, the 24-70 is the go to, always..

 

If I had your kit, I'd probably get 24-70, 70-200, 50 1.4 - the 16-35 is nice, but how much would you use it during the trip?

 

*If a lens less, the 70-200 could stay home, but one often regret that.



#3
Merco_61

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Your 50 is a no-brainer.

The 24-105 will, if it is a good sample, substitute for the 24-70 with the bonus of the extra reach. On the other hand the mass you save is minuscule with this choice.

Will you be shooting some street photography? In that case, the 16-35 gives you an advantage, otherwise you can do without it and just shoot with your 50 and stitch if you need a wide angle.

If your 70-300 is a Nikon VR version, it works for replacing the 70-200 at just over half the mass of the pro zoom. If it is some other 70-300, the 70-200 is worth the extra mass because of the picture quality.

Which of the bodies is more familiar? You will probably not have much time to fiddle about with settings, so a body that you can use without thinking is an advantage for this type of trip.

 

I would go for this:

D810

24-70

50

85

Possibly the 70-300 VR just in case.

 

One thing I would pack for a trip with some available dark photography is a stringpod. It really helps when you can't or don't want to bring a tripod.



#4
Dogbytes

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I use a D610 and own three primes - 24/2.8, 50/1.4 and 85/1.8. I'd like something around the 200 - 300 mark but really I get by quite happily with what I have. It's a very light and compact outfit, fitting easily with a speedlight in a Billingham Hadley Pro with space for an iPad in the back pocket.

 

I'm sometimes tempted to swap the 24 out for a 20 and the 85 for a105 but not so tempted that I've actually done it! I can't be bothered to carry a ton of gear around all day and the biggest selection of lenses in the world is no help if it's back in the hotel room.

 

Enjoy the trip!



#5
Ron

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I try not to carry more than one body and three lenses tops. That's because I'm old and frail. And, I've dragged camera bags weighing more than the MOAB they just dropped in Afghanistan all over the country. It gets old in a hurry.

 

My lightest kit is similar to Dogbytes' prime kit. Only I substitute a 20 for the 24 because I like wide angle lenses.

 

If I want more versatility, at the expense of speed, I'll pack 18-35, 24-120 and 70-300 zooms.

 

Of the lenses our fearless OP is considering, I guess I'd take the 16-35(did I mention that I like wide angles?), the 50 and the 70-300, although I'm sure I'd be itching to use the ART lens. The 810 is a given. If you got it, flaunt it!

 

--Ron 



#6
nikdood17

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Take half the gear and twice the money. I found out that if I take mucho lenses I'm spending most of my time trying to get over to that really great spot. With one lens I found I would pause at just the right point to utilize that lens and saved myself a lot of useless wandering around. You might get different mileage, however....



#7
fallout666

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just like Merco_61 said  Possibly the 70-300 VR just in case since never know if want to take good long shot. 



#8
MichaelY82

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Thanks for the advice, everybody! Some great things to consider. :)

#9
TBonz

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At the risk of jumping in a bit late...

 

On a trip that might be a once in a lifetime trip, I would pack every single piece of gear that I owned.  I would not necessarily carry all of it at one time, but I would want to have it available because I may find I want - or more importantly NEED - to use it.  I would really be kicking myself if my D750 and 70-200 2.8 were sitting at home if something happened unexpectedly to my D810 or my 70-300.  I would probably go with the daily kit that Merco suggested and alter it as I went based on where I was going to be and what I might want to shoot that day.  But hey, I'm kinda old too, so I would probably limit my daily carry as much as I was comfortable with based on my plans.  That might mean both bodies and a lens on each body and I'd toss a flash in a bag just in case...







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