"Nimble" travel kit

Going on a family holiday to Cambodia (Phnom Penh and the coast, not Angkor), I've been contemplating what to take. I'm leaving tomorrow morning, and have as of now stuffed as much as I could in my photo bag: X-E2 with 16/1.4 and 18-135, as well as 23/2, 35/1.4 and 60/2.4. I know I'm overdoing it in the lens department, but I can't choose what to leave at home. No way will I be going on day trips with all that gear, so my plan is to choose 2 to 3 lenses max on daily outings, leaving the rest in the hotel. My original plan was to only pack the 16, 35 and 18-135. But I recently got the 23/2, so I want to put that one through its paces as well. And then why not take the 60 too, right Sigh...

Well, your choice would not only depend on the lenses, but also on the patience of your partner and/or family.

My personal experience is that my travel company doesn't like to wait time and time again for me to switch lenses, set up a tripod, do a long exposure, et cetera. That's why I usually leave a zoom lens (or 23mm prime) on as I go along, and only switch to a WA or Telezoom when I have the time to venture out on my own.

Don't get me wrong, my girlfriend appreciates my hobby and likes the quality holiday pictures, but we have agreed that it should not be the main focus of our holiday. If somebody else is not into photography, it's not always easy to convince them (she has a 8-year old P&S compact).

On a side note: a stabilised zoom lens (like the 18-135) is capable is taking quality shots in many different scenarios. People often feel the need to bring a lens for every possible scenario, and the best one at that.

I shot 3 weeks of Vietnam on my 'kit' 18-55 lens, and while I missed some opportunities, I'm glad I didn't drag all my lenses with me 'just in case'.

Don't forget to enjoy the quality time with your family!

I have been there and done it! If it were me I would take the 18-135, and as it's new the 23 and that's it. When I went I only had the 18-55 and the 27 and it worked fine. Have a great trip.

Cheers. I actually live in Vietnam, so Cambodia is only a short trip for me. Maybe I should leave the 35 and 60 at home, so only take the 16, 23 and 18-135... Tough choices

If it's a family trip, I'd bring the 16 and 35. No use in taking very long lenses, because on family trips you want to show your family in the environment you're interacting with. For a portrait here and there the 35 is good enough.

My travel kit is the 14, 35 1.4, and the 60. They are small and cover what I want. Take what you feel you will actually need and don't overthink it.

When I travel, I take only the 16-55 and a small prime or two (such as any two from this group: the 27mm, 35 F2, 14mm, and 23 F1.4). But on most days, the two primes stay behind and the 16-55 F2.8 is used for everything. Nice to have "a bag of primes" in a single lens.

Unless on a car based road trip, I travel very light (especially in warm tropical climates): X-E2, 18-55mm and 14mm. These two lenses have the same 58mm ring size, so the same CPL and ND filters work on both. If I know I'll need a fast lens for low light situations (e.g. we recently toured a cave while traveling in France) I may also include the 35mm f1.4.

My uber portable S100 usually makes the cut for those times when I get sick of even a light camera strapped across my shoulder.

Take the X-E2 with the 16mm and 35mm, let your feet do the zooming, and leave the rest home, or take the X-E2 with that one size fits all zoom and leave all the primes home.

Daytime with family 16mm f1.4 + 18-135. Evenings or when out alone take the primes. Have a great time.

Update

In the end I decided to take the 18-135, 16/1.4, 23/2 and 35/1.4. On most daily outings I only took the 18-135, and sometimes the 23/2. I kept the 16 and 35 for low light situations, although I also used the 23 on some evenings. As such I used the 18-135 most. I was pleasantly suprised by its IQ and overall convenience of having a good range, BUT I didn't like its seize and weight one bit. At the end of the day I was always very relieved to switch to a smaller and lighter prime. So now I'm considering what to do with my kit. Bound to make some changes, but not sure how yet.

Anyway, here's a link to my photoblog with some photos from the trip: http://xinchaobi.weebly.com/blog/holiday-in-cambodia

And for those that don't like clicking on links, here's one extra sample.





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very nice photos!

Thanks for sharing.

hashsomeKnoppers said:

very nice photos!

Thanks for sharing.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

A very nice series. It looks like you had a great time.

Some very good photos on your blog.

I also live in SEA, so know some of the places you visited with your family.