Two bodies or an extra lens for my upcoming trip to Rome?

redli0nswift,

I agree with the recommendations that you consider a second body and an ultra-wide lens. That said, there's a question I don't think anyone's asked you yet. What do you like to photograph?

When I go to Rome (I'm going again in September, too!), I bring two cameras. My Oly. 9-18 plus a circular polarizer is a must-have, because I like to photograph churches and other very large structures like the Colosseum. I needed to go at least as wide as 9mm for both exterior and interior shots. Indoors, f/4-5.6 was doable hand-held with an E-PL5. I'll be using two OM-Ds on my next trip so I can keep the ISO lower.

I also find the 9mm focal length indispensable at the Vatican Museum, St. Peter's Square, various plazas, and even places like train stations and narrow streets. The 9-18mm range is great for street photography, too.

A 7-14 is nice, as long as you don't mind the limitations and drawbacks of this kind of lens. I'll have my little Rokinon 7.5mm fisheye with me for those few times when that much width is desired. (I do a lot of post-processing. Plus, fisheyes can be fun.)

Besides the 9-18, I love the 25mm f/1.4. Probably my most-used lens. I consider the 20mm pancake a more pocketable alternative. One of these, plus a 14mm and 45mm prime, will be in my bag. Your 12-40 is a great alternative to such a set of primes and should stay on one of your bodies, in my opinion.

I heartily recommend a telephoto zoom for capturing details in cityscapes and making portraits of more distant subjects. On my last trip, I used a pocket superzoom camera, the Panasonic DMC-ZS30. It served me very well for telephoto shots - mostly at St. Peter's, the Forum, in garden areas, and on some streets where you don't want to get too close to people. However, I'll be using the cheap, light, and excellent 40-150 f/4-5.6 next time, since I like to shoot RAW and will want the superior IQ. It'll only be used outdoors. On rainy days, I'll bring a weather-sealed 14-150 II instead.

The 35-100 is a great lens, but will you need f/2.8 vs. a much cheaper lens with a much greater range?

I hope this helps. Wishing you a great adventure!

P.S. - yes, the difference between 12mm and 7 or 9mm on micro four thirds is quite significant! It's all in the angle of view. You can get by with 12mm, but you'd probably wish you had a wider lens in some places.