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Paris - Lens Recommendations

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woodsman

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I am making my first vist to Paris am looking for advise to help in packing my bag. It is a week of pleasure travel, where I will be visiting tourist sites and walking around the city. I want to balance traveling light with having the right equipment. I would appreciate any advise. My list of things to take is below. If you have other suggestions as well, I would appreciate them as well. Thanks.

Canon 20D
EF-S 10-22
EF-S 17-55
EF 70-200 f/4L IS
EF 50 f/1.4
EF 85 f/1.8

Canon G7
Canon Speedlight 430EX
 
... please make a search and you'll find a thread about this.

I'll sum it up for you though: Take along the exact same lenses that you use at home for the type of photography you'll be doing in Paris. It's that simple.
 
That is a bit harsh to think that the same gear at home will work elsewhere. If you lived in a city with nothing higher than a two story house, then structures like the Arch are going to be quite the change and I doubt you'd be able to shoot them the same way with the same gear.
--
Canon 30D, some lenses, Canon P&S and my Mac
http://www.boora.ca
 
There are several active threads on this topoc. I just returned from Paris with ONLY my 24-105 L IS. Here is my gallery using that lens only. I travel light. It is not fun to be shuffling lenses in a crowd and I don't like to bore my traveling companions while I am doing that. Your shoulders / back and feet will appreciate it if you choose your lens wisely and don't look back. You'll quicklly forget the very few images you might miss for lack of the lens you leave at home. My trip was very museum oriented. I had no problems with tthe 24-105 L IS in museum light. Other images are mainlly street grab shots.

http://www.pbase.com/chammett/paris_may_2009

carolyn
--
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'
 
Your kit is great, but i would suggest a 28-300 3.5-5.6L, ok its a bit heavy, but will cover everything you need, take the 17-55 2.8 as well job done. Oh and up grade to a 580 EX II flash.
--
James Rudd
 
My rule of thumb is, unless it is a dedicated photo trip, travel light.

I just spent two weeks there and used a Tamron 17-50 about 90% of the time.

I was staying in an apartment so I brought a 70-200 F4IS which I took out for early morning shoots three times.

I brought a 50 1.8 for backup and low light and never used it.

Your 17-55 is a must have, the 10-22 would be nice but not absolutely necessary, 70-200 is not necessary, 50 1.4 or maybe 85 for low light. That's one man's opinion!











 
Buy a Canon 5D Mark II and a 45 f/2.8 lens:

http://the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-TS-E-45mm-f-2.8-Tilt-Shift-Lens-Review.aspx

Use the 10-22 and 17-55 on the 20D, and the 70-200 f/4 on the 5D when not using the TS-E lens.

I like to use a 300 f/2.8 as a walkaround lens in cities, instead of a 70-200 zoom, and it is quite useful.

A TS-E lens can be useful for keeping straight the images of buildings, which are often bent disproportionately by ultra-wide lenses.

--
http://www.pbase.com/arshutterbug/
 
James Rudd said:
Your kit is great, but i would suggest a 28-300 3.5-5.6L, ok its a
bit heavy, but will cover everything you need, take the 17-55 2.8 as
well job done. Oh and up grade to a 580 EX II flash.
--
James Rudd
Click to expand...
Be aware that you cannot use flash in any museum or church. If you want it for night pictures outside or similar, it might be worth hauling, but not allowed in the venues I mentioned.

carolyn
--
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'
 
You would need to buy a TS-E lens!

I use the same ultra-wide lens and techniques for shooting buildings on a small street, a group of people sitting around a table, a building interior, a sunset, a tall tree, and skyscrapers in a city. Photography works the same everywhere, with very few exceptions.

--
http://www.pbase.com/arshutterbug/
 
Based on my general city experience (not only European cities, they are not so unique) I wouldn't go without a wide angle, at least 17mm for a 1.6x camera... and definately not for a first time and potentially the last visit. (I have had the pleassure to visit Paris several times but still only bring my 17-50 Tamron, if I now bring the DSLR at all with all the hussle at the air ports)

Since you would like to travel light I say just go with the 17-55.

You may miss closeups on e.g. the gargoyles of Notre Dame and such smaller details but we can't have it all, can we? And with the haze most cities has, it is difficult to get a good shot from distance, eg from the Eiffel tower at the Triumphal arch or La Defence... it most likely will be like milk.

For wildlife you would have to use a macro ;-)

Guided tours may not allow for much time to take all the shots you want .. some "kodak moments" may only be a driveby in the bus !!

So to make it light and competent, take your 20D and 17-55 (depending on how much you shoot, batteries and memories card may come handy .. so may also charger, flash, computer and "the-lens-you-didn't-bring" come)

Oh.. don't forget to focus on the different atmosphere without camera... the vine, the foie gras, the confit de canard, the creme brulee .. boy, I got hungry!!!... :-)
woodsman said:
I am making my first vist to Paris am looking for advise to help in
packing my bag. It is a week of pleasure travel, where I will be
visiting tourist sites and walking around the city. I want to
balance traveling light with having the right equipment. I would
appreciate any advise. My list of things to take is below. If you
have other suggestions as well, I would appreciate them as well.
Thanks.

Canon 20D
EF-S 10-22
EF-S 17-55
EF 70-200 f/4L IS
EF 50 f/1.4
EF 85 f/1.8

Canon G7
Canon Speedlight 430EX
Click to expand...
 
ARShutterbug said:
Buy a Canon 5D Mark II and a 45 f/2.8 lens:

http://the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-TS-E-45mm-f-2.8-Tilt-Shift-Lens-Review.aspx

Use the 10-22 and 17-55 on the 20D, and the 70-200 f/4 on the 5D when
not using the TS-E lens.

I like to use a 300 f/2.8 as a walkaround lens in cities, instead of
a 70-200 zoom, and it is quite useful.

A TS-E lens can be useful for keeping straight the images of
buildings, which are often bent disproportionately by ultra-wide
lenses.

--
http://www.pbase.com/arshutterbug/
Click to expand...
Gee... leave the poor guy with enough Euros to eat. :-) Paris isn't cheap !

carolyn
--
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'
 
woodsman said:
woodsman wrote:
I am making my first vist to Paris am looking for advise to help in
packing my bag. It is a week of pleasure travel, where I will be
visiting tourist sites and walking around the city. I want to
balance traveling light with having the right equipment. I would
appreciate any advise. My list of things to take is below. If you
have other suggestions as well, I would appreciate them as well.
Thanks.

Canon 20D
EF-S 10-22
EF-S 17-55
EF 70-200 f/4L IS
EF 50 f/1.4
EF 85 f/1.8

Canon G7
Canon Speedlight 430EX
Click to expand...
I've been to Paris a few times. Your definitely need an UWA. EF-S 10-22 is a must. Take just one other lens, and travel light and you will enjoy Paris. I recommend the EF 70-200 f/4L IS. Cheers,
--
Sabesh
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sabesh/
 
I woukldn't bring the whole house for pleasue trips. For a 20D, a 10-22EFS and a 50/1.4 would be just fine. For occasional tele shots, grab your P&S.
 
Tizzio said:
I woukldn't bring the whole house for pleasue trips. For a 20D, a
10-22EFS and a 50/1.4 would be just fine. For occasional tele shots,
grab your P&S.
Click to expand...
Right.... a p/s for the few tele shots is what I do, and also to use as a backup in case of camera or lens failure. Don't leave home without it. Leave the big guns at home though. Before you pack it,onsider whether any lens is worth hauling for just two or three shots .

carolyn
--
Ranger a.k.a chammett
http://www.pbase.com/chammett

'elegance is simplicity'
 
Is it possible to get the Eiffel tower from top to bottom in one pic with 17mm and 1.6x crop??

Is there enough open space around or can somebody suggest a nice location where this can be done with a 17mm?
 
Yes, photography works the same, but if you've never seen something as large as the Tower or the Arch in Paris - how would you know if you have the skill, creativity or as a final measure kit, to make the shots?

A better way to figure out what lens to take or get would be to research the location on sites like Flickr and see what lenses are used to take shots that you think you might like to take or have the opportunity to take.
ARShutterbug said:
You would need to buy a TS-E lens!

I use the same ultra-wide lens and techniques for shooting buildings
on a small street, a group of people sitting around a table, a
building interior, a sunset, a tall tree, and skyscrapers in a city.
Photography works the same everywhere, with very few exceptions.

--
http://www.pbase.com/arshutterbug/
Click to expand...
--
Canon 30D, some lenses, Canon P&S and my Mac
http://www.boora.ca
 
upnorthfar said:
Is it possible to get the Eiffel tower from top to bottom in one pic
with 17mm and 1.6x crop??
Is there enough open space around or can somebody suggest a nice
location where this can be done with a 17mm?
Click to expand...
yes, look in google maps and you will see a long park on one side, and on the other side across the seine, the palais de chailots is a favorite spot for eiffel tower pics.

--
Life is short, time to zoom in ©
 
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