OM-D goes Guatemala, which lenses to take?

After selling all my Canon stuff (started with AE1...up to EOS) this will the first Holiday using the OM-D. Like it a lot and have got the following lenses: Panasonic 20mm f1.7, Olympus 75mm f1.8 and wanted to get the Panasonic 12-25mm. But I just picked up the Olympus 14-150mm at B+H on a business trip to NY I am quite impressed with that lens and the zoom range. Also bought the Thingtank Retrospektive 5.

Now I am not quite sure if I should take the 75mm on the trip to Guatemala and Belize or leave it at home. We (my better half + 3 kids) will so the “usual” tourist hotspot like Antigua and Tikal but also plan to stay in Jungle lodges and do some trekking or canoeing.

What does everyone think – taking all the 3 lenses or only the 20mm and the 14-150mm? Thanks for suggestions!

jalywol wrote:

Hopepark wrote:

After selling all my Canon stuff (started with AE1...up to EOS) this will the first Holiday using the OM-D. Like it a lot and have got the following lenses: Panasonic 20mm f1.7, Olympus 75mm f1.8 and wanted to get the Panasonic 12-25mm. But I just picked up the Olympus 14-150mm at B+H on a business trip to NY I am quite impressed with that lens and the zoom range. Also bought the Thingtank Retrospektive 5.

Now I am not quite sure if I should take the 75mm on the trip to Guatemala and Belize or leave it at home. We (my better half + 3 kids) will so the “usual” tourist hotspot like Antigua and Tikal but also plan to stay in Jungle lodges and do some trekking or canoeing.

What does everyone think – taking all the 3 lenses or only the 20mm and the 14-150mm? Thanks for suggestions!

For a trip like this, take the zoom and the 20mm and leave the 75mm at home. You will probably want a long lens for when you are out in scenic areas, and a wide lens for night and in town, and the zoom and 20mm will have you covered for all of that very nicely. The 75mm is kind of a specialty lens that I don't see as being all that useful in tourist mode....

YMMV, of course...

-J

+1  Take the 14-150, which is very good and the 20 mm for low light (not for wide, though). You won't need the 75. Try to enjoy Guatemala and Belize with your loved ones and with this kit you won't be obsessing over equipment and lens changing. I've had a very good experience with the 14-150 while traveling. Err... for jungle trekking and canoeing the 12-50 which is weather resistant might be useful (given that the OMD is weather resistant as well) plus it gives you a wider angle than the 14-150, pretty good image quality (don't believe all the reviews you read about it) and pretty good macro. Antigua has narrow streets, so the wider you go the better. What I do in those situations is take the 14-150, a fast lens for low light (in my case Oly 17 1.8) and the Oly 12-50 just in case of bad weather. If it's cloudy and/or very humid, I put on the 12-50 and feel safe....Since I am almost 74  I don't do much canoeing these days! Enjoy your family trip.

Concur with previous posters that you don't need the 75.  IF you had something like the 14 f2.5 Panasonic pancake, you might go with that, 20, and 75, the 75 being close to 35mm equivalent of classic 135mm FL. Then you'd have all high speed primes.  But since your wide end is covered only by the zoom, just take that and the 20.

Have a great time and please post pix when you return!

If you had sixteen lenses, you would want to cull the collection down for travelling, but if this is you ... three lenses ...  and not many photo ops for the 75mm around home, then bring it.

Maybe you will go to a local folk show in the evening where the bright lens and longer reach will be needed. As it is smaller than a can of shaving cream, bug spray, or sun block, which you will probably pack anyway, how can it stay home?

I guess there are concerns about leaving gear in a hotel, but what's going to happen on the canoe and kayak events?

Take the 75mm, its not as if you have to many lenses, the wife and kids will be with you so there will be some great portrait opportunities.

Enjoy your Holiday.