Europe Vacation: to Standard Zoom or not to Standard Zoom

[raptor402]

Hi, all

My family and I are embarking on a long overdue vacation to Europe. As the designated photographer, I'm packing my Nikon D7100 (replacement for my old D70s) along with a set of lenses. I have the following lenses:

1. Nikon AF-S 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G
2. Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.8G
3. Nikon AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6G
4. Nikon AF-S 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G

Due to weight constraints, I'm considering ditching the 18-70. In my opinion, the 35mm will suffice for standard focal lengths. Would that be advisable?

Regards
Raptor

 

[Chris R-UK]

It depends on what you want to shoot but personally the 18-70 would be my first choice lens. I would leave the 70-300 behind If you have a weight problem.

 

[canuck dave]

raptor402 wrote:

Hi, all

My family and I are embarking on a long overdue vacation to Europe. As the designated photographer, I'm packing my Nikon D7100 (replacement for my old D70s) along with a set of lenses. I have the following lenses:

1. Nikon AF-S 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G
2. Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.8G
3. Nikon AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6G
4. Nikon AF-S 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G

Due to weight constraints, I'm considering ditching the 18-70. In my opinion, the 35mm will suffice for standard focal lengths. Would that be advisable?

Regards
Raptor

I would agree with Chris, but go even further. I travel a lot and have been doing photography for over 3 decades. I can assure you that most of your lens gear will hardly be touched and will only be a considerable burden as far as weight (and even security) concerns. Unless you are a pro with specific requirements I would suggest taking only the 18-70mm. In my Canon system I have a 15-85mm which is my go-to lens for travel, especially in Europe.

The more gear you take the less images you will get. Enjoy your travels!

 

[xxbluejay21]

If I were you, I would only take the 35. Obviously, most people wouldn't be able to work well with only a 50mm focal length, so just take the 10-24/35/70-300. Carrying a bag around isn't really that bad (actually, it is, in a lot of cases, but whatever, you're the designated photographer).

 

[Limburger]

In case you're not shooting low light I'd go for the 10-24 and 18-70 in case you do I'd go for 18-70 and 35 1.8 (for museum etc). Leave the 70-300 home (unless you already know you go to the zoo or do some F1 or similar).

Europe can be had in many different fashions. The big squares in Paris, the endless lavender fields of the Provence as the very narrow streets of Siena.

Two lenses no more I would pack.

When you wake up just decide what lens you need that day and leave the rest in the hotel.

Recently I bought a shoulderbag that can carry only the dslr and one lens mounted.

 

[Steve 316]

I faced the same issue last summer with a two-week trip to Greece and Turkey. The key question: What is the primary goal of the trip? For me, I realized that it was not about photography, it was a special time with my wife. So I left everything home except the 16-85mm and never regretted it. I vote for the 18-70mm.

I did take a polarizing filter, an ND Grad which I was glad to have, and a small flash which I hardly ever used. Got a smaller camera bag. Oh--extra battery, battery charger w/adaptor, and cards.

If your trip is more about the experience and relationships than about taking pictures, I would leave everything else at home. Bon voyage!

 

[Limburger]

Steve 316 wrote:

I faced the same issue last summer with a two-week trip to Greece and Turkey. The key question: What is the primary goal of the trip? For me, I realized that it was not about photography, it was a special time with my wife. So I left everything home except the 16-85mm and never regretted it. I vote for the 18-70mm.

I did take a polarizing filter, an ND Grad which I was glad to have, and a small flash which I hardly ever used. Got a smaller camera bag. Oh--extra battery, battery charger w/adaptor, and cards.

If your trip is more about the experience and relationships than about taking pictures, I would leave everything else at home. Bon voyage!

The more you fiddle with your camera the less you experience the surroundings with your own two sensors (eyes).

Just got back from Paris and the 15-85 was all I used (besides a compact back up).

No neckstrap, just a handstrap, sometimes just the camera in the bag and leave it there for a while...

Steve, you make a funny association I had in Prague.

The waitress is to pick our order and one of my friends says: "Bonjour" associating vacation with France :-D

--
Cheers Mike

 

[raptor402]

Thank you for your opinions, everyone.

After taking in your wonderful advise and some reconsideration, I have decided to drop the 70-300. Further, I have decided to drop another lens, but don't want to leave the 10-24mm behind.

My trip consists of 4 days in Switzerland, 2 days in Italy and a 10 day cruise of the Mediterranean. Since I won't be spending much time indoors, speed is not an issue. That makes the 10-24 + 18-70 the ideal set, in concurrence with your advise. Furthermore, as @Limburger made me realise, the real purpose of the trip is to spend time with my family, and not to alienate myself by indulging in a hobby. Therefore, I will take these two lenses, deciding which to take each morning.

Thanks once again, everyone.

Regards
Raptor

 

[canuck dave]

raptor402 wrote:

Thank you for your opinions, everyone.

After taking in your wonderful advise and some reconsideration, I have decided to drop the 70-300. Further, I have decided to drop another lens, but don't want to leave the 10-24mm behind.

My trip consists of 4 days in Switzerland, 2 days in Italy and a 10 day cruise of the Mediterranean. Since I won't be spending much time indoors, speed is not an issue. That makes the 10-24 + 18-70 the ideal set, in concurrence with your advise. Furthermore, as @Limburger made me realise, the real purpose of the trip is to spend time with my family, and not to alienate myself by indulging in a hobby. Therefore, I will take these two lenses, deciding which to take each morning.

Thanks once again, everyone.

Regards
Raptor

Good choice! Have fun.

 

[KCK14]

Sort of a side note: The widest angle lens I own is my Pana LX-5 (24mm Eqv) And it is smaller and lighter and cheaper than a wide angle zoom for my D90. There were times a more discrete camera was desirable. Also easier to carry at dinner etc. On the boat, the dining area is a bit tight and I was afraid of someone stepping on the big camera and there is no extra room on the tables.

 

[Limburger]

KCK14 wrote:

Sort of a side note: The widest angle lens I own is my Pana LX-5 (24mm Eqv) And it is smaller and lighter and cheaper than a wide angle zoom for my D90. There were times a more discrete camera was desirable. Also easier to carry at dinner etc. On the boat, the dining area is a bit tight and I was afraid of someone stepping on the big camera and there is no extra room on the tables.

Good point.

Some nice wideangle compacts are Canon S100/110 and Nikon P330 imo.

24mm eq, pocketable, discrete and back up as well.

 

[Gerry Winterbourne]

My standard travel kit is APS-C body (Pentax K-5 but the same principles apply whatever the make); Sigma 8-16 because I like really wide shots, but your 10-24 will do the same job - there are many fine buildings in Europe where you just can't get far enough back with an 18-xx lens; 35mm because it's a useful walkabout standard FOV; and 100 because sometimes a standard lens just doesn't get close enough.

But although they go on the plane with me they don't always leave the hotel. You usually have a good idea each day of the sorts of photo opportunities that will arise, so I tailor my carrying to that. Very often it's just the 35; or the UWA and the 35; but sometimes I do carry all three.

I think of it like this: the holiday is enjoyable for itself but looking back years, or decades, later is also enjoyable (a few years ago I converted my parents' slides from over 20 years to digital so they can sit at home and remember). If you take the right lenses you always have the choice - use them today or leave them in the hotel; but if you leave them at home the opportunities are gone.

If we go for a walk through a town I often use one lens on the way out but note where a different one would be useful; then I switch to that lens on the way back.

If we stay in a town for a few days I just use a different lens each day. Or I might go out for a stroll on my own for an hour or so.

Finally, for the last year or so I've also taken a pocketable camera with 47mm equivalent lens. Sometimes that's all I carry; sometimes I use it for standard shots while carrying the DSLR with UWA on it.

 

[AlbertTheLazy]

For a long time I have had a personal rule to never carry more kit than will fit into one small bag. For me that usually means one APS-C mirrorless or 35mm SLR film body, two fast primes (roughly 28 & 50mm equiv) and one of a choice of longer lenses, from a 105mm prime, 28-80mm zoom or (if I really expect to need it) a 70-300mm -- on the long lenses those are true, not equivalent FLs.

The most my bag ever weighs is about 6lb (under 3 Kg) complete with charger, spare batteries, cards or a few rolls of film, a mini tripod and a few other bits and pieces.

I can carry that bag all day, especially because typically I have the camera in hand on a wrist strap. I don't slow the family down when we're doing the tourist bit.

At a push I'd go with my APS-C plus w/a prime and the short zoom as a lightweight day kit, with the camera in hand and a lens pouch on my belt or in my coat pocket.

By the way, Europe is a big place with everything from some of the worlds greatest cities to tiny villages, forests, mountains lakes deserts (small ones!). The OP question was a bit like asking 'which lens should I take to North America?

--

Albert
Every photograph is an abstraction from reality.

 

[Chimere]

Honestly, I would leave all these lenses at home and buy a Sigma 18-250 mm for the trip. Perhaps carry a fast standard FL too, but nothing else. You will not be sorry with the super zoom. It has very acceptable IQ and come down in price recently ($400.- ?). After you return home you will sell all you other lenses, granted.

Chimere

 

[Gerry Winterbourne]

Chimere wrote:

Honestly, I would leave all these lenses at home and buy a Sigma 18-250 mm for the trip. Perhaps carry a fast standard FL too, but nothing else. You will not be sorry with the super zoom. It has very acceptable IQ and come down in price recently ($400.- ?). After you return home you will sell all you other lenses, granted.

Not exactly the same lens, of course, but I once took a Sigma 18-200/3.5-6.3 on holiday. Never again; it was soft and much too slow for many situations.

And, of course, for anyone who likes UWA - and remember the OP uses a 10-24 - you have plenty of lens changes too.

Super-zooms are OK if you don't care about IQ, speed or wide angles.