July 4th in New York. Need tips on lenses, hotels and places to visit. Please share your photos.

Our latest visit to NYC was in 1999. This will be our 13 year old sons first visit to NYC.

For this family vacation week in NYC I am thinking of bringing three Canon lenses: EF 16-35f/4L IS, EF 24-70f/2.8L II, EF 70-200f/4L IS and my Canon 6D.

My main objective is to take creative family photos of our visit to this great and beautiful city.

Depending or our daily activities, most days I will leave one or two lenses in the hotel safe and carry one or two of them going out exploring the city.

I love the EF 24-70f/2.8L II as a general walk around lens and switching to 16-35f/4L IS only when 24mm really is not wide enough and indoors where IS is a big help.

I imagine my 70-200f/4L IS will come in handy more than a few times. On Top of the Rock, from bridges, from Brooklyn and from ferries going to the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. Anything else?

I will soon buy the 100-400f/4.5-5.6L IS II. But I can not see much real use for more than 200mm in NYC, am I wrong?

We are looking for a good & clean hotel on Manhattan on a good spot for walking, and in a safe neighbourhood if returning late in the evening. Is "The Paul" Hotel on 32 West 29th Street, New York a good Hotel and a good location on Manhattan? We love to walk a lot exploring big citys.

What lenses got you your best photos from NYC in general and from "Top of the Rock"?

Please share photos of your own favorite places for us to visit in NYC.

My wife and I visit NYC every couple years.

I can't comment on the hotel itself but the location looks excellent. Great for walking and stops to the major subway lines are close by. I never feel concerned for my safety in New York. Manhattan is a very safe big city. That hotel is in a fine area.

I don't use zooms usually so I can't comment much on the lenses. Do keep in mind that NYC can be really hot in the summer. For me, being able to carry a prime some days might be a nice relief. But I know everyone's different when it comes to how and what he/she likes to photograph. I don't think you would need the 100-400. I would leave that at home.

Here are some of the things I usually recommend to people:

1. Walk across the Brooklyn bridge. It's an obvious one but such a wonderful thing to do. Take the subway to Brooklyn and walk the bridge into Manhattan.

2. Walk the length of the High Line. You can start your day with a visit to B&H photo (a must do for any photographer) then get on the High Line (starts at W30th) and walk all the way to the new Whitney museum (which if you like art is a great gallery and building to visit). You can visit Chelsea market which is nearby for something to eat (I recommend Los Tacos).

3. Visit the Lower East Side Tenement Museum (you take a tour). Book ahead. This is an amazing experience.

4. Washington Square Park is a great park to visit day or night.

Of course there is an endless number of things do to. But I mention the above because they aren't always on people's lists.

The weather was poor whilst we were there last week, but make sure you go up the Top of the Rock at night as well as day (buy a combined ticket)

Top of the Rock has the advantage of being open - so you don't have to take photos through glass.
But One World Observatory does have amazing views being so much higher

Wherever you go make sure you get there real early, or be prepared for very long queues. (mainly because of security clearance).  We went up the Rock, Empire State and One World. One world had the shortest queue (being new, it processes more people faster)

I always like to shoot wide in cities - so would walk about with the 16-35mm myself (I used the 10-18 on 70D)

PaddyC wrote:

You can start your day with a visit to B&H photo (a must do for any photographer) then get on the High Line (starts at W30th)

After which you can take your patient spouse to Tiffany's.

henryp wrote:

PaddyC wrote:

You can start your day with a visit to B&H photo (a must do for any photographer) then get on the High Line (starts at W30th)

After which you can take your patient spouse to Tiffany's.

Breakfast isn't up to much though

henryp wrote:

PaddyC wrote:

You can start your day with a visit to B&H photo (a must do for any photographer) then get on the High Line (starts at W30th)

After which you can take your patient spouse to Tiffany's.

BADADUMP! Pshhhhhhhhhh............

Pietro Marchesi wrote:

Our latest visit to NYC was in 1999. This will be our 13 year old sons first visit to NYC.

For this family vacation week in NYC I am thinking of bringing three Canon lenses: EF 16-35f/4L IS, EF 24-70f/2.8L II, EF 70-200f/4L IS and my Canon 6D.

My main objective is to take creative family photos of our visit to this great and beautiful city.

Depending or our daily activities, most days I will leave one or two lenses in the hotel safe and carry one or two of them going out exploring the city.

I love the EF 24-70f/2.8L II as a general walk around lens and switching to 16-35f/4L IS only when 24mm really is not wide enough and indoors where IS is a big help.

I imagine my 70-200f/4L IS will come in handy more than a few times. On Top of the Rock, from bridges, from Brooklyn and from ferries going to the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. Anything else?

I will soon buy the 100-400f/4.5-5.6L IS II. But I can not see much real use for more than 200mm in NYC, am I wrong?

We are looking for a good & clean hotel on Manhattan on a good spot for walking, and in a safe neighbourhood if returning late in the evening. Is "The Paul" Hotel on 32 West 29th Street, New York a good Hotel and a good location on Manhattan? We love to walk a lot exploring big citys.

What lenses got you your best photos from NYC in general and from "Top of the Rock"?

Please share photos of your own favorite places for us to visit in NYC.

Pietro.

Love the three lens Walking combination you have. Being about a 90 minute Amtrak ride up the Northeast Corridor, I get up there quite a bit. Having the option to take two lenses in any combination is a great thing.

To solve the 100-400 issue, go see Henry and friends at B&H and pick up either a 1.4 X III or a 2X III Extender. Always nice to have in the bag without lugging the extra weight of the 100-400.

Returning from Venice and Florence in February my back was killing me as I walked with 2 Gripped 5D Mark III's with 16-35 f/4 L IS, 24-70 f/4 L IS and the 70-200 f/2.8 L IS Mark III carried in a shoulder bag. Heavy as hell, but why not?

Turning 53 in May I am now looking at my 70-200 f/4 L IS more and more.

On my "Travel Light" quick day trips to New York, I carry one gripped body along with one of the three, 2 lens f/4 options, as hard as it may be to which two to bring.

For my likes, a 70-200 is a must.

Have fun shopping!

St. Patrick's (and I like to travel as light as possible in NYC - might add a pancake lens):

Thank you all for taking the time, sharing your photos and links to Flickr. Perfect for inspiration and making the best choices of lenses to capture the moment.

I really appreciate all your tips and good advice. Keep it coming, I am sure many more are planning a visit to NYC and will appreciate it.

I'd love to see more photos of the special places in NYC you liked most.

Some conclusions so far:

- Take wife to Tiffany's

- 16-35f/4L IS, 24-70f/2.8L II, 70-200f/4L IS is a very good combo for NYC.

- More tele than 200mm (100-400f/4.5-5.6L IS II) is not needed.

- Location for hotel in this area 32 West 29th Street is very good for walking, from morning to dusk.

- We plan to revisit several museums. Our son will love the Museum of Natural History.

- A visit and a tribute to the B&H temple of photography is mandatory In 1999 we bought our second digicam, the Olympus Camedia C-900Z / D-400 Zoom at B&H.

- Staten Island ferry for very good views of Manhattan and Statue of Liberty.

- We are now looking at several hotels on Tripadvisor. The Paul hotel and Hilton Garden Inn Midtown Park Avenue, 1400-1500 USD for 7 nights. No bedbugs reported this year.

Q - The 70-200f/2.8L IS II has been on my wish list for years. Other than the disadvantage of added weight, would the 70-200f/2.8L IS II be a better option on this trip to NYC than my 70-200f/4L IS? I love my 70-200f/4L IS? and it is my second most used lens.

I have bookmarked this thread for future reference. My thanks to the OP, and the members posting replies!

Pietro Marchesi wrote:

- We plan to revisit several museums. Our son will love the Museum of Natural History.

Can get very, VERY, busy at weekends and when the weather isn't good and people are looking for indoor attractions instead. Get there early and be prepared to queue to get in.
Also vast. Be prepared to spend most of the day if you want to see everything.

Planetarium was good.

Dioramas were excellent.

Pietro Marchesi wrote:

Thank you all for taking the time, sharing your photos and links to Flickr. Perfect for inspiration and making the best choices of lenses to capture the moment.

I really appreciate all your tips and good advice. Keep it coming, I am sure many more are planning a visit to NYC and will appreciate it.

I'd love to see more photos of the special places in NYC you liked most.

Some conclusions so far:

- Take wife to Tiffany's

- 16-35f/4L IS, 24-70f/2.8L II, 70-200f/4L IS is a very good combo for NYC.

- More tele than 200mm (100-400f/4.5-5.6L IS II) is not needed.

- Location for hotel in this area 32 West 29th Street is very good for walking, from morning to dusk.

- We plan to revisit several museums. Our son will love the Museum of Natural History.

- A visit and a tribute to the B&H temple of photography is mandatory In 1999 we bought our second digicam, the Olympus Camedia C-900Z / D-400 Zoom at B&H.

- Staten Island ferry for very good views of Manhattan and Statue of Liberty.

- We are now looking at several hotels on Tripadvisor. The Paul hotel and Hilton Garden Inn Midtown Park Avenue, 1400-1500 USD for 7 nights. No bedbugs reported this year.

Q - The 70-200f/2.8L IS II has been on my wish list for years. Other than the disadvantage of added weight, would the 70-200f/2.8L IS II be a better option on this trip to NYC than my 70-200f/4L IS? I love my 70-200f/4L IS? and it is my second most used lens.

Pietro.

As wonderful as the 70-200 f/2.8 L IS Mark II is, I know it is not worth TRADING in your 70-200 f/4 L IS. I know how? Because I still have both. Canon really hit a Home Run with The f/4 L IS. It was soooooo good when it hit the market several years ago, it was cutting into the 70-200 f/2.8 L IS Version 1 sales. Smaller, lighter, significantly less cost, improved IS and sharper. What's not to like. So Canon had to hit another Home Run with the 70-200 f/2.8 L IS Mark II.....and they did.

Keep the 70-200 f/4 L IS!!!!!!!!!

Now if you want to ADD the 70-200 f/2.8 L IS Mark II to your 70-200 f/4 L IS, I can't argue with that.

Book a cruise on the Hudson during July 4th and you'll get shots like these:

Chelsea Pier

You have 3 big zooms. For a family trip I'd find that pretty burdensome. Everyone has their own tolerance for bulk & weight and I respect anyone wanting to carry that much. But it sounds like even you are thinking it will be heavy given that you're planning to leave 1 or 2 lenses in the hotel safe.

For may last family trip, I carried 20/2.8, 35/2 IS and 70-200/4L IS. That's as much as I could carry.

Great tips, thanks! Tippler, Rexgig0, Lawrencew and Fotograpo.

Nick5, You are right, the 70-200f/4L IS is a keeper, a real gem! For the moment even if I really want it, I have no real need for the faster 2.8. For the same money I can get a lot more real use out of a 100-400f/4.5-5.6L IS II.

Loren Charif. Yes please Tips on good and special family friendly places for food in NYC.

Yake. Yes, many primes cost less, have great IQ, are fast, light weight and small.