Switzerland trip this summer

Planning on spending 8 days in western Switzerland in June. Mainly landscape shots but will do some people shots too - Am thinking of mainly using a 24-120/F4 type lens for convenience (this is not a photo trip, but I WILL be taking photos . Trying to decide if a fast 50 would be needed for evening or indoor shoots. I could also bring a 15-36 type range as well.

Thoughts?

We're going to Switzerland in October, then a river cruise. I'm pretty set on my 28-200/2.8-5.6 and 17-28/2.8 Tamrons with an A7Riv. And I'm also wondering about adding a fast prime, too. FWIW, thinking about a 35mm vs 50mm. + A fast prime would allow shallow depth of field or help with lower light environments. - I'd have to buy one and carry it.

Since our last similar trip, I've added ff and somewhat faster lenses and begun using Topaz and DxO software which does a really good job with lowlight/noise reduction.

So, while I've pretty much concluded I don't "need" a fast prime. I'm still going to go out and do some checking. I've got a couple of venues in mind. It would be easier to start with the fast prime wide open, then see how far I had to stop down to get suitable depth of field. So, I'll have to start at f2.8.

You'll definitely want something on the long end. Every time I take out something wide everything feels so small, unless you are up close and personal to the mountains...

For the fast lens, depends. If you are a social person or out and about in cities at night, then sure... bring something faster.

Just so you know, this feeds my interest in something longer than the 28-200! which would mean another lens to buy and take if I succumb to the temptation.

I lived in Geneva for 18 years and my son and grandchildren still live there so I go quite often.

Now, you're only going for 8 days so that limits you a bit. Do try to get into the Valais (Martigny, Sion, Sierre, Zermatt, Brig). The views are spectacular and it's quite easy to get up the mountain on train or Funicular.

The lenses you take will depend on the kind of photography you want to do. Switzerland didn't really suffer during WW2 so there are lots of really nice urban shots in towns, cities and villages. Places like Fribourg and Gruyere or the old towns in Geneva and Lausanne. Bern is also really great for urban photography. For those, I mostly used my 17-55mm lens on my Nikon D500.

Obviously, there are lots of opportunities for mountain shots and you'll want both wide angle and a longer lens depending on what you want to shoot.

You can also get up onto the glaciers in a couple of the ski resorts (Crans-Montana, Saas Fe). Do a bit of summer skiing and get some interesting shots.

Also, don't forget that western Switzerland has lots of lakes (Leman, Neuchatel, etc.) so opportunities for different kind of shots and, probably, a longer lens needed for them.

aChanceEncounter said:

Planning on spending 8 days in western Switzerland in June. Mainly landscape shots but will do some people shots too - Am thinking of mainly using a 24-120/F4 type lens for convenience (this is not a photo trip, but I WILL be taking photos . Trying to decide if a fast 50 would be needed for evening or indoor shoots. I could also bring a 15-36 type range as well.

Thoughts?

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For me, even though it's not a photo trip, I'd just bring all 3 of those and leave the lenses I'm not using in the hotel. I would certainly think the 24-105 would be the most useful, but if you plan on shots at dusk or around town at night, the fast 50 would be great. I tend not to need super wide when I go to the mountains, I really tend to want more reach, but that's just how I see things. If it were my trip, I'd take a 24-70 2.8, a 70-200 2.8, and a fast prime like your 50. I might leave my 16-35 2.8 at home.

--
Chris
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aChanceEncounter said:

Trying to decide if a fast 50 would be needed for evening or indoor shoots.

Thoughts?

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What body are you shooting? Sometimes the benefits of a fast lens today can be equaled with IBIS and/or higher ISO and/or software such as Topaz denoise, or a combination of all.

mfinley said:

aChanceEncounter said:

Trying to decide if a fast 50 would be needed for evening or indoor shoots.

Thoughts?

Click to expand...

What body are you shooting? Sometimes the benefits of a fast lens today can be equaled with IBIS and/or higher ISO and/or software such as Topaz denoise, or a combination of all.

Click to expand...

Likely a Fuji XT3 or perhaps the XE4

I would keep it light if it is a non-photo centric trip. Personally I use 24-70/2.8 most of the time when I travel.

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My photos are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/gavinz

another wide angle option - instead of the 10-24 (APS-C), I could use the CV 12 which would take less space.

I was in Switzerland this summer. Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken and Zermatt. Simply beautiful.

While I bring a 24-70 f/4 L IS, I walk around with a Canon 16-35 f/4 L IS and 70-200 f/4 L IS both attached to a pair of 5D Mark III’s, that is my comfort zone.
A 24-105 is a great “one lens only Walk Around lens” to use. I would certainly bring the 50 in your camera bag.

Enjoy Switzerland

Highly recommend Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen, and onto the mountain villages like Wengen. From Wengen, take the cog railway to Jungfrau train station, the highest elevation train station in Europe. Many waterfalls and beautiful mountains in this area. Have a great time!

If going into this area, investigate the available(?) "passes." I haven't looked recently but the Jungfraujoch had a multiple day pass which could include the trip to the top and it looked like quite a savings. Also, IIRC, the BOB rail line had an area pass, too. Both seemed like good possible supplements to the Swiss rail passes.

Small point, but the OP said they were going to western Switzerland. Interlaken, Wengen and Jungfrau are in the Berner Oberland which is central Switzerland.

A beautiful area of course but there are many other beautiful areas in western Switzerland and which aren't as touristy as the Interlaken area.

If we had more precise info on the OP's itinerary then we could give better suggestions.

Roxburgh22 said:

Small point, but the OP said they were going to western Switzerland. Interlaken, Wengen and Jungfrau are in the Berner Oberland which is central Switzerland.

A beautiful area of course but there are many other beautiful areas in western Switzerland and which aren't as touristy as the Interlaken area.

If we had more precise info on the OP's itinerary then we could give better suggestions.

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Unfortunately, I don't have the precise itinerary. We are staying with a friend in Switzerland that is a travel guide and she is planning the trip

Craig Gillette said:

If going into this area, investigate the available(?) "passes." I haven't looked recently but the Jungfraujoch had a multiple day pass which could include the trip to the top and it looked like quite a savings. Also, IIRC, the BOB rail line had an area pass, too. Both seemed like good possible supplements to the Swiss rail passes.

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Mention to the friend you are interested in this area. Just just amazing. As a holiday or photographic location

Lens wise in think range is everything when it’s not a photographic trip. Although when I went I just took my 28-100 equivalent as it’s all I had and it worked well

Switzerland is small and easy to get around and full of wonderful areas. The more I investigated, the more things to do and places to go I found. So with a local guide, you should be fine.