Lenses for Morocco

I'm going for a very short visit in January, so I'm trying to be efficient with my camera gear. I will certainly take my 2 Panasonic cameras, GX7 and GX80, and probably use one for walk-around and distance, and the other for wide angle and low light. It should be easy to select the lenses, but I'm hung up on the walk-around and distance options.

I have the 14-140mm II and love it. But I'm really getting too dependent on a superzoom, and have acquired a Panasonic 35-100mm F2.8 which I want to use seriously. I also have the Olympus 45-150mm plastic fantastic. At the short end I have the choice of 12-32mm or the 12-50mm with its pseudo-macro facility.

I'm thinking the choices are:

1. Stay with the 14-140mm plus 12-32mm, but that does nothing to extend my experience

2. 35-100mm plus 12-50mm, and really get to grips with them

3. 45-150mm plus 12-50mm, the lightest combination and it gives the longest reach.

(I have the wide angle and low light bits sewn up, with small lenses.)

What would you do?

Maggie

uniball wrote:

Pardon me for asking, but where in Morocco? Like it’s a large country. It has dense cities, open plains where you can see for miles and densely forested mountains.

Based in Marrakech and spending 2 days there, with a one day side trip to Essaouria a nd another one day side trip into the High Atlas. I'm expecting snow in the mountains. I know it's a huge country and you really need 3 weeks, but 4 days is what I have.

You will take lots of pics in the narrow streets and souks. Think street photography. A small inconspicuous prime between 15 and 20mm would be ideal. Or maybe your 12-32 will do.

Moroccans in the large cities should be used to tourists. But remember their religion does not condone taking pictures of people. Especially women outside the tourist tracks. Best to ask permission before taking people close-up. Some may even ask for money...

cba_melbourne wrote:

You will take lots of pics in the narrow streets and souks. Think street photography. A small inconspicuous prime between 15 and 20mm would be ideal. Or maybe your 12-32 will do.

Moroccans in the large cities should be used to tourists. But remember their religion does not condone taking pictures of people. Especially women outside the tourist tracks. Best to ask permission before taking people close-up. Some may even ask for money...

Good thinking! I am planning on the 20mm, the 14mm with the adapter which takes it to 10.5mm and the 7.5mm fisheye as the wide primes, all of which are outside your recommended range. Within it, i'd be looking at zooms, the 12-32mm as you suggest or the 9-18mm.

Marrakech to me felt like Disneyland compared to the rest of Morocco, everyone there seems to be out to get your cash.

For daytime walkaround photos I'd bring the 14-140, for the dark alleys in the souk and the nightmarket bring a fast wide angle prime or your 12-32.

maggiemole wrote:

3. 45-150mm plus 12-50mm, the lightest combination and it gives the longest reach.

(I have the wide angle and low light bits sewn up, with small lenses.)

What would you do?

I would go with #3.

MaxAMS wrote:

Marrakech to me felt like Disneyland compared to the rest of Morocco, everyone there seems to be out to get your cash.

True. But it's nice nevertheless.

maggiemole wrote:

I'm going for a very short visit in January, so I'm trying to be efficient with my camera gear. I will certainly take my 2 Panasonic cameras, GX7 and GX80, and probably use one for walk-around and distance, and the other for wide angle and low light. It should be easy to select the lenses, but I'm hung up on the walk-around and distance options.

I have the 14-140mm II and love it. But I'm really getting too dependent on a superzoom, and have acquired a Panasonic 35-100mm F2.8 which I want to use seriously. I also have the Olympus 45-150mm plastic fantastic. At the short end I have the choice of 12-32mm or the 12-50mm with its pseudo-macro facility.

I'm thinking the choices are:

1. Stay with the 14-140mm plus 12-32mm, but that does nothing to extend my experience

2. 35-100mm plus 12-50mm, and really get to grips with them

3. 45-150mm plus 12-50mm, the lightest combination and it gives the longest reach.

(I have the wide angle and low light bits sewn up, with small lenses.)

What would you do?

I’ve been to Morocco a bunch of times. Fantastic country. Great people!

The 12-50mm and 35-100mm sounds good, though I’d add a fast prime, especially in the medinas. Too bad you don’t have a 12-40mm.

The 14-140mm is such a great all around daylight lens. It really does a lot. Add an ultra wide and a couple of fast primes and that’s it.

I use that, 7-14mm f4 and Voigtländer 17.5mm and 42.5mm (night and interiors) as my basic travel kit.

maggiemole wrote:

uniball wrote:

Pardon me for asking, but where in Morocco? Like it’s a large country. It has dense cities, open plains where you can see for miles and densely forested mountains.

Based in Marrakech and spending 2 days there, with a one day side trip to Essaouria a nd another one day side trip into the High Atlas. I'm expecting snow in the mountains. I know it's a huge country and you really need 3 weeks, but 4 days is what I have.

Marrakech is okay, if you manage to avoid the touristy spots.

Great restaurants: Make reservations!

Le Foundouk - www.foundouk.com

Terrasse des Épices - www.terrassedesepices.com

Essaouira is much nicer. Kind of magical. I’ve been there 4 times.

Are you going to Ouzoud waterfall for the day trip? It’s a little disappointing. Not very impressive and lots of trash everywhere. I was there about 3 or 4 years ago. It’s nice driving around the mountains, though.

Morocco really is  amazing. You should have a great time.

maggiemole wrote:

Based in Marrakech and spending 2 days there, with a one day side trip to Essaouria a nd another one day side trip into the High Atlas. I'm expecting snow in the mountains. I know it's a huge country and you really need 3 weeks, but 4 days is what I have.

Look out for the goats in a tree.

Neil

MaxAMS wrote:

Marrakech to me felt like Disneyland compared to the rest of Morocco, everyone there seems to be out to get your cash.

For daytime walkaround photos I'd bring the 14-140, for the dark alleys in the souk and the nightmarket bring a fast wide angle prime or your 12-32.

wasn't a great fan of Marrakech, lots of aggression from people, pick pockets everywhere, aggressive sellers in the souk, people sending you the wrong way, scams a plenty, avoid the tanneries at all costs.

There is a great photography museum there though and some of the stuff you can visit is fantastic, but the souk and the square are oppressive because of some of the behaviour....oh and it's airport is laughable

jeffharris wrote:

Are you going to Ouzoud waterfall for the day trip? It’s a little disappointing. Not very impressive and lots of trash everywhere.

maggiemole wrote:

I'm thinking the choices are:

1. Stay with the 14-140mm plus 12-32mm, but that does nothing to extend my experience

2. 35-100mm plus 12-50mm, and really get to grips with them

3. 45-150mm plus 12-50mm, the lightest combination and it gives the longest reach.

(I have the wide angle and low light bits sewn up, with small lenses.)

This part in parentheses would be decisive for me.

What would you do?

35-100 on one body, wide or low light lens on the other.

What else do you really need? Covering all FLs is a marketing gag.

BTW I travelled quite a bit in 2015-18 with the Ricoh GR for WA (14mm M43 equivalent) and the O 2.8/ 60mm for landscapes, flowers and portraits plus the 4-5.6/40-150, if there were birds or other wildlife around. I also had a Samyang 7.5 FE, but hardly ever bothered to take it out of the bag.

I have to say, this setup was more comfortable to use than the 12-100 on the GX8; but I hated to buy the GR3 at 1k EUR, that has the same dust issues as my GR did.

Peter

uniball wrote:

Pardon me for asking, but where in Morocco? Like it’s a large country. It has dense cities, open plains where you can see for miles and densely forested mountains.

Isn’t it in South America?

maggiemole wrote:

I'm going for a very short visit in January, so I'm trying to be efficient with my camera gear. I will certainly take my 2 Panasonic cameras, GX7 and GX80, and probably use one for walk-around and distance, and the other for wide angle and low light. It should be easy to select the lenses, but I'm hung up on the walk-around and distance options.

I have the 14-140mm II and love it. But I'm really getting too dependent on a superzoom, and have acquired a Panasonic 35-100mm F2.8 which I want to use seriously. I also have the Olympus 45-150mm plastic fantastic. At the short end I have the choice of 12-32mm or the 12-50mm with its pseudo-macro facility.

I'm thinking the choices are:

1. Stay with the 14-140mm plus 12-32mm, but that does nothing to extend my experience

2. 35-100mm plus 12-50mm, and really get to grips with them

3. 45-150mm plus 12-50mm, the lightest combination and it gives the longest reach.

(I have the wide angle and low light bits sewn up, with small lenses.)

What would you do?

Maggie

As a walk around lens, how about bringing a 17mm or 20mm.

Will you be carrying both cameras bandolier style?

BTW, how much camera gear are you willing to carry and how will you carry?