Best lenses for cruise/ vacation Istanbul, Myconos, Valetta, Pompei & Rome

I, my wife and our 12 year old son are going for a 7 day cruise on the Emerald Princess starting in Istanbul (Turkey)-> Mykonos (Greece) -> Valetta (Malta)-> Messina (Sicily) -> Naples (Pompei / Capri) ending in Civitavecchia (Rome).

The plan is also to spend 2-3 days before and after in Istanbul and Rome before returning home to Stockholm.

My wife brings a Sony RX100 III (24-70) and my son a Panasonic LX3 (24-60)
We all like to take pictures and film to document our holidays, but this is primarily a family vacation not a photo trip, perhaps less really is more?

My current plan is: Canon 6D with 24-70/2.8L II and only when needed carry the 70-200/4L IS in one of our two small excursion backpacks.

Question 1 - Add my good old 20D for use with the 70-200/4L IS - Less need to change lenses and I get more reach. 20D is not as good as 6D but ok IQ. 20D has the same pixel-density as with the 6D perhaps i is better to use my 6D and crop if more than 200mm is needed? I think the need for tele longer than 70mm is really small and mostly from the ship leaving and entering ports and some vista points? Details high up inside Aya Sofia and other very large buildings?

Question 2 - Not sure if it is really worth it to buy the new 16-35/4.0L IS? Is it really necessary as the 24-70 II is really excellent especially at 24mm? The IS might be a plus? I se uses for 16mm in- and outside some great historical buildings, Aya Sofia, Colosseum etc. But all these buildings are perhaps more interesting at 24-70mm? At 16mm everything is so small and can become less interesting. I prefer more life and details and as often as possible include people and casually my family in the Photo. Am I right? Will I really regret not buying a 16-35mm zoom?

Question 3 - What not to miss. This is our first cruise and the first time for us in Istanbul and Valetta. Please show us your own photos of the special places you liked most from any of the places we are visiting.

Best Regards
Pietro Marchesi
Taby, Sweden

Pietro Marchesi wrote:

I, my wife and our 12 year old son are going for a 7 day cruise on the Emerald Princess starting in Istanbul (Turkey)-> Mykonos (Greece) -> Valetta (Malta)-> Messina (Sicily) -> Naples (Pompei / Capri) ending in Civitavecchia (Rome).

The plan is also to spend 2-3 days before and after in Istanbul and Rome before returning home to Stockholm.

My wife brings a Sony RX100 III (24-70) and my son a Panasonic LX3 (24-60)
We all like to take pictures and film to document our holidays, but this is primarily a family vacation not a photo trip, perhaps less really is more?

My current plan is: Canon 6D with 24-70/2.8L II and only when needed carry the 70-200/4L IS in one of our two small excursion backpacks.

Question 1 - Add my good old 20D for use with the 70-200/4L IS - Less need to change lenses and I get more reach. 20D is not as good as 6D but ok IQ. 20D has the same pixel-density as with the 6D perhaps i is better to use my 6D and crop if more than 200mm is needed? I think the need for tele longer than 70mm is really small and mostly from the ship leaving and entering ports and some vista points? Details high up inside Aya Sofia and other very large buildings?

Question 2 - Not sure if it is really worth it to buy the new 16-35/4.0L IS? Is it really necessary as the 24-70 II is really excellent especially at 24mm? The IS might be a plus? I se uses for 16mm in- and outside some great historical buildings, Aya Sofia, Colosseum etc. But all these buildings are perhaps more interesting at 24-70mm? At 16mm everything is so small and can become less interesting. I prefer more life and details and as often as possible include people and casually my family in the Photo. Am I right? Will I really regret not buying a 16-35mm zoom?

Question 3 - What not to miss. This is our first cruise and the first time for us in Istanbul and Valetta. Please show us your own photos of the special places you liked most from any of the places we are visiting.

Best Regards
Pietro Marchesi
Taby, Sweden

Since both of your travel mates have 24-70 covered, why not do something different? I would bring an UWA (16-35F4L), and the 70-200. And maybe a prime in the middle.

In fact I am thinking that for a trip to Cambodia and Vietnam I might do just that (70-300L instead though). And leave the 24-105 at home.

If you want to enjoy all those places in 7 days, with your company, HQ camera's etc are not that important.
Being there, having fun it is.

I'm going to Lissabon in July for 6 days and all I take is my SX50HS and G7X.
The G7X in my pocket, the SX50 in a smal bag.
(I do have all the serious stuff but it is not fun to carry it all the time)
Both on auto ISO, RAW, AV, -2/3 etc; just push button.

Did this twice on trips (Bath UK, Paris) and it's a proven solution for IMHO good images.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigwade/sets/72157648608272900
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigwade/sets/72157650909953357

Thanks for the replies stratobill and FD!

Good point stratobill! Bringing a third 24-70 to the party... well it makes more sense to bring something else and the 6D + 16-35/4L IS and 70-200/4L IS does just that, wider and longer.

The 16-35/4L IS and 70-200/4L IS are a good allround pair only missing real low light but IS makes up for that if the objekt is not moving to much.

FD! You are so right and It has crossed my mind more than once to complement, even substitute the 24-70/2.8L II with a good enough LX100 or RX100 III for everyday & vacation photos and only keep the 6D for specialities like indoor sports low light photo, real wides 16-35/4L IS and for telephoto perhaps complement 70-200/4L IS with a 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS II for sports, wildlife and some birding.

Thinking it over, I am not sure I can bring myself to ever sell my 24-70/2.8L II, this is a truly great allround lens, it is superfast, sharp as a prime and optically superb.

I really like it that the 16-35/4L IS has IS and is nearly 200g lighter in weight than the 24-70/2.8L II.

Hmm, now I am really thinking of buying a 16-35/4L IS and perhaps even leaving my 24-70/2.8L II at home for this vacation. Right or Wrong?

Any suggestions on what to do and where to go other than the most obvious turist attractions? Especially in Istanbul, Valetta and Messina. Any special photos to share from these places?

Pietro Marchesi wrote:

Any suggestions on what to do and where to go other than the most obvious turist attractions? Especially in Istanbul, Valetta and Messina. Any special photos to share from these places?

In all those places they like expensive gear

Take care !

Take the 6D and the 24-70 which is very similar to the 20D and the 24-70. From memory the 6d weighs less than the 20D (based on my 10D).

You will enjoy the freedom offered by the 6D at night which the 20D does not have.

The 24-70 and longer zoom eg your 70-200 f4 would be an excellent selection.

Thanks irm and arty H!

Really pleased with my 24-70/2.8L II. Only two complaints: lack of IS and weight (805g).
My old 20D stays at home.

Preliminary packlist option one:

6D

24-70/2.8L II - Main lens on 6D.

70-200/4L IS - In small backpack for details, candids and general long reach from ship.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not yet made up my mind but really tempted to buy a 16-35/4L IS and if i do that bring all three lenses.

Preliminary packlist option two:

6D

16-35/4L IS - In small backpack for indoors low light (IS) and ultrawide.

24-70/2.8L II - Main lens on 6D.

70-200/4L IS - In small backpack for details, candids and general long reach from ship.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One option is to limit myself to 16-35/4L IS and 70-200/4L IS. I imagine that 16-35mm covers most of my vacation needs and in some cases perhaps even better than the 24-70mm alone and especially when paired to a 70-200mm?

Preliminary packlist option three:

6D

16-35/4L IS - Main lens on 6D

70-200/4L IS - In small backpack for details, candids and general long reach from ship.

Pietro Marchesi wrote:

One option is to limit myself to 16-35/4L IS and 70-200/4L IS. I imagine that 16-35mm covers most of my vacation needs and in some cases perhaps even better than the 24-70mm alone and especially when paired to a 70-200mm?

Preliminary packlist option three:

6D

16-35/4L IS - Main lens on 6D

70-200/4L IS - In small backpack for details, candids and general long reach from ship.

I'd suggest this as the best of your three options. You wife and son each have normal zoom ranges on their cameras. Use your camera to complement what they have rather than being redundant. At the same time, save the weight and space by leaving the 24-70 at home. You'll still get outstanding image quality with the two lenses above.

Orange88 wrote:

Pietro Marchesi wrote:

One option is to limit myself to 16-35/4L IS and 70-200/4L IS. I imagine that 16-35mm covers most of my vacation needs and in some cases perhaps even better than the 24-70mm alone and especially when paired to a 70-200mm?

Preliminary packlist option three:

6D

16-35/4L IS - Main lens on 6D

70-200/4L IS - In small backpack for details, candids and general long reach from ship.

I'd suggest this as the best of your three options. You wife and son each have normal zoom ranges on their cameras. Use your camera to complement what they have rather than being redundant. At the same time, save the weight and space by leaving the 24-70 at home. You'll still get outstanding image quality with the two lenses above.

Agreed, and maybe pick up the new 50STM for low light.

Sometimes you take better photos when restricted in your lenses.

Although sometimes you kick yourself later too!:-)

Good advice Orange88

BTW
I’ve seen more requests about lens advise for trips.
And a lot of help/tips on this forum.

What I miss is the results after those trips on ie Flickr or other public sites.
Share it and tell us about the ultimate solution

FD wrote:

Good advice Orange88

BTW
I’ve seen more requests about lens advise for trips.
And a lot of help/tips on this forum.

What I miss is the results after those trips on ie Flickr or other public sites.
Share it and tell us about the ultimate solution

I agree! So here are a few from my visit to Istanbul a couple of years ago.

The Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. Canon 7D, EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8, 0.8 sec

The Blue Mosque, Instabul. Canon 7D, EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 @ F/11, 3.2 sec

Inside the Hagia Sophia was under construction at the time. I would've like a wide angle shot looking up from the floor if the scaffolding wasn't present.

The Spice Bazaar. Canon 7D, EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 @ F/5.6, 1/30 sec

Bridge across the Bosphorus joining Europe and Asia.

Thank you greatly for the beautiful Istanbul photos Orange88!! From were did you get them, a tower?

Did you mainly or only use the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM? Equivalent of a 27-88mm on FF? Did you really miss not having a wider or longer lens? Should I leave the 70-200 on the ship or even at home?

My wife thinks the 6D + 24-70/2.8L II + 70-200/4L IS is max, perhaps even to large & heavy.

She says very wisely that 24mm is wide enough wider only gets easily distorted and less IQ.

I don't have to get everything in one single photo. All these buildings have been photographed millions of times and can easily be found on the net. Our main reason to take photos is to capture the life and spirit of the culture of the local people. I really enjoy doing it and I love to to have great memories of our vacations. I try not waste valuable family time to get the best ever picture of Hagia Sophia, my wife's and son's happiness are far more important to me.

I really like to travel with a minimum. We made a 5-6 week trip visiting 11-12 countries in Europe driving +6500km by car using only a Canon 5D MK II and a EF 50/1,4 (left six L lenses at home) my wife had her trusty LX3 and my son used my old G7. Another year using only a Fuji X100 and LX3 three weeks in DC and FL in USA.

I have seen Caleb Keiter "35 Days of 35mm" wonderful review of the small Canon EF 35/2 IS USM

I am really tempted to buy it as a complement or perhaps even only use that for this trip, creasy? Have to decide soon now.

I need to add a correction to my post above it was supposed to be 20D and 16-35 are similar to 6D and 24-70, note similar.

Also for results from trips my pbase site has a range of photos using 10D, 40D, 7D and 6D with some LX3.

Pietro Marchesi wrote:

Thank you greatly for the beautiful Istanbul photos Orange88!! From were did you get them, a tower?

Did you mainly or only use the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM? Equivalent of a 27-88mm on FF? Did you really miss not having a wider or longer lens? Should I leave the 70-200 on the ship or even at home?

My wife thinks the 6D + 24-70/2.8L II + 70-200/4L IS is max, perhaps even to large & heavy.

She says very wisely that 24mm is wide enough wider only gets easily distorted and less IQ.

I don't have to get everything in one single photo. All these buildings have been photographed millions of times and can easily be found on the net. Our main reason to take photos is to capture the life and spirit of the culture of the local people. I really enjoy doing it and I love to to have great memories of our vacations. I try not waste valuable family time to get the best ever picture of Hagia Sophia, my wife's and son's happiness are far more important to me.

I really like to travel with a minimum. We made a 5-6 week trip visiting 11-12 countries in Europe driving +6500km by car using only a Canon 5D MK II and a EF 50/1,4 (left six L lenses at home) my wife had her trusty LX3 and my son used my old G7. Another year using only a Fuji X100 and LX3 three weeks in DC and FL in USA.

I have seen Caleb Keiter "35 Days of 35mm" wonderful review of the small Canon EF 35/2 IS USM

I am really tempted to buy it as a complement or perhaps even only use that for this trip, creasy? Have to decide soon now.

Thank you. Those evening photos were taken from the rooftop lounge of my hotel which was located on a hill very near the Blue Mosque.   I was there on a business trip rather than holiday and so only had the 17-55mm lens. I would have liked a wider view for some of the interior shots and a longer zoom would've been nice to get closeups of some of the mosaics on the walls/ceilings.

I agree with your wife about keeping your kit light; two lenses should be enough to carry around. I'd go with an UWA rather than the 24-70mm, though. Standard traveling precautions for keeping your wits about you while carrying expensive camera equipment should apply here. I never felt unsafe walking around central Istanbul by myself during the day or evening but I did get approached many times by people trying to lure me into their shops (rugs, mostly).

Thanks for all replies!

We have decided that EF 24-70f/2.8L II is the best allround lens and EF 70-200f/4L IS will mostly stay on the cruise ship to be used from our balcony on the cruise ship.

The EF 16-35f/4L IS was very tempting, perhaps in the future.

Also the small EF 35f/2 IS was also tempting but having the EF 24-70f/2.8L II it seems redundant.

Another thought would be to get one of the EOS-M bodies (M, M2, or M3), and the EF-M 11-22. It is small and inexpensive and it would eliminate the need for lens changing.

I have the 6D and 16-35IS and while it is one of my all time favorite body/lens combos, I recently left the 16-35 at home on a trip to Washington DC in favor of the M3/11-22.

I also had the 6D with a 24-70 and 70-200 and I barely used the 70-200, I spent most of the time with the M3/11-22 in hand. It was great even inside, it is f4 at 11mm and the IS is effective. I had a tabletop tripod and also braced against things when possible.

I took my 5DMk3, 24-105L, 100-400 Mk2, and a Samyang 14mm f2.8. My full camera bag weights 5.5 kg. I am not advising you to take all your gears. It is just me.

I agree with most posters here suggesting you to go wide and long, since your other family members can cover the middle.

Here are some of my shots on the wide and long ends:

Dome of Süleymaniye Mosque at 14mm

Shot from a Bosphorus cruise with Blue Mosque (L) and Hagia Sophia (R) peeking above the trees

Mykonos windmill at 14mm

Sunset before getting back to the ship at Mykonos cruise ship pier

I am still post-processing my photos. You can see them here:

http://www.pbase.com/peterkwok/greeceturkey2015

Anyone tried Tamron 28-300mm DI VC PZD as a single lens travel solution?