Headed for Switzerland

I know this is a first world issue but looking for input on one of these kits for 10 days in Switzerland.    Everything needs to fit in my Hadley pro small bag.

1.   X100V solo

2.  X100V with WCL and TCL

3.   XT3 with 18-55, 55-200 (although in reviewing my library, I end up with only 5-10% of keepers with long lenses)

4.  XE4 with 18-55

5.  XT3 with 16-80

6.  Go with full set MF lenses Voigt 12/5.6, 21/4, 35/2.5, Hex 50/2, Rokker 90/4 (have used this before and all fits - but a bit cumbersome changing lenses that often).

7.  Highbred kit:  XE4 with 27mm, Voigt 12/5.6, hex 50/2

The bag will need to handle my TT350 godox flash as well.

My gut says - wide angles will be needed not sure on how much reach is needed for Switzerland.

How have you handed a vacation in the Alps?

Thanks

aChanceEncounter wrote:

I know this is a first world issue but looking for input on one of these kits for 10 days in Switzerland. Everything needs to fit in my Hadley pro small bag.

1. X100V solo

2. X100V with WCL and TCL

3. XT3 with 18-55, 55-200 (although in reviewing my library, I end up with only 5-10% of keepers with long lenses)

4. XE4 with 18-55

5. XT3 with 16-80

6. Go with full set MF lenses Voigt 12/5.6, 21/4, 35/2.5, Hex 50/2, Rokker 90/4 (have used this before and all fits - but a bit cumbersome changing lenses that often).

7. Highbred kit: XE4 with 27mm, Voigt 12/5.6, hex 50/2

The bag will need to handle my TT350 godox flash as well.

My gut says - wide angles will be needed not sure on how much reach is needed for Switzerland.

How have you handed a vacation in the Alps?

Thanks

Lucky you! Lots of the usual unanswered questions here. Where in Switzerland (cities of mountains or both), ski trip or sightseeing, etc.

I have been to Switzerland often for all of the above reasons. If it is a ski trip, I might go with the X100 and be done with it. If it is a sights and sounds trip, these days I tend to find myself shooting wide or long and very often find the mid-range zoom the least used. I usually fill the gap left between wide and long with a fast prime, sometimes manual focus.

Of your available kit, and assuming that this is at least a photo-centric type trip, I (emphasis on the "I" here) would bring the XT-3 (the weather resistance may come in handy in Switzerland), the 10-24, the 55-200 (compression in the mountains) and maybe the 35/2.5.  That 35/2.5 isn't bright enough for me, personally, as my usual gap-filler but it is what you have.  FWIW...I also dislike threads where someone asks this question and the responses included recommendations to go buy a BUNCH of new gear.

Take all of the above with a grain of salt. That is me.  And most of all enjoy your trip to Switzerland!

Hello there! I went to Switzerland several years ago when I was just getting into Fuji. I had XT2 with 35m F2 and the 18-55 kit lens.

the landscapes are mind blowing we had an airbnb in a city called Bauen up on a mountain top. The 35m F2 even at a distance was useless. The 18-55 is what saves the day and almost all my photos were at the 18mm focal length. Sometimes I found I wanted something a bit wider.

I too have an X100V I’m taking a trip to Scotland in October and I’m really thinking about making it my only camera. I want to travel light and enjoy the trip. If your purpose is photography for the trip then your good but most of the time it’s leisure for me and I find that if I’m constantly trying to get a banger of a photo and thinking about composition and lenses and all that stuff it takes away from the element of enjoying the trip.

I do have XT4 and 18mm Prime thinking I might take that one too

aChanceEncounter wrote:

TonyBologna wrote:

aChanceEncounter wrote:

I know this is a first world issue but looking for input on one of these kits for 10 days in Switzerland. Everything needs to fit in my Hadley pro small bag.

1. X100V solo

2. X100V with WCL and TCL

3. XT3 with 18-55, 55-200 (although in reviewing my library, I end up with only 5-10% of keepers with long lenses)

4. XE4 with 18-55

5. XT3 with 16-80

6. Go with full set MF lenses Voigt 12/5.6, 21/4, 35/2.5, Hex 50/2, Rokker 90/4 (have used this before and all fits - but a bit cumbersome changing lenses that often).

7. Highbred kit: XE4 with 27mm, Voigt 12/5.6, hex 50/2

The bag will need to handle my TT350 godox flash as well.

My gut says - wide angles will be needed not sure on how much reach is needed for Switzerland.

How have you handed a vacation in the Alps?

Thanks

Lucky you! Lots of the usual unanswered questions here. Where in Switzerland (cities of mountains or both), ski trip or sightseeing, etc.

I have been to Switzerland often for all of the above reasons. If it is a ski trip, I might go with the X100 and be done with it. If it is a sights and sounds trip, these days I tend to find myself shooting wide or long and very often find the mid-range zoom the least used. I usually fill the gap left between wide and long with a fast prime, sometimes manual focus.

Of your available kit, and assuming that this is at least a photo-centric type trip, I (emphasis on the "I" here) would bring the XT-3 (the weather resistance may come in handy in Switzerland), the 10-24, the 55-200 (compression in the mountains) and maybe the 35/2.5. That 35/2.5 isn't bright enough for me, personally, as my usual gap-filler but it is what you have. FWIW...I also dislike threads where someone asks this question and the responses included recommendations to go buy a BUNCH of new gear.

Take all of the above with a grain of salt. That is me. And most of all enjoy your trip to Switzerland!

Thanks!

Prob see a couple cities such as Geneva and Zurich but most days in the alps - weather permitting, Mount Blanc and Matterhorn.

Just tried - 55-200, 10-24 with the xt3 with the 35/1.4 and it fits in the main compartment! Am surprised!

I should have said that I am not familiar with that particular bag before I went off and pontificated on what to take.  Glad it fits and, honestly, I think that will serve you quite well.  My "typical" European travel kit these days is always the 10-24 and usually the 35/2 and the 50/2.  Depending on where I am going I may swap out the 50/2 for the XC 50-230.  Although I usually find an excuse to toss in the 50/2 as well.

Again, enjoy the trip!

aChanceEncounter wrote:

TonyBologna wrote:

aChanceEncounter wrote:

I know this is a first world issue but looking for input on one of these kits for 10 days in Switzerland. Everything needs to fit in my Hadley pro small bag.

1. X100V solo

2. X100V with WCL and TCL

3. XT3 with 18-55, 55-200 (although in reviewing my library, I end up with only 5-10% of keepers with long lenses)

4. XE4 with 18-55

5. XT3 with 16-80

6. Go with full set MF lenses Voigt 12/5.6, 21/4, 35/2.5, Hex 50/2, Rokker 90/4 (have used this before and all fits - but a bit cumbersome changing lenses that often).

7. Highbred kit: XE4 with 27mm, Voigt 12/5.6, hex 50/2

The bag will need to handle my TT350 godox flash as well.

My gut says - wide angles will be needed not sure on how much reach is needed for Switzerland.

How have you handed a vacation in the Alps?

Thanks

Lucky you! Lots of the usual unanswered questions here. Where in Switzerland (cities of mountains or both), ski trip or sightseeing, etc.

I have been to Switzerland often for all of the above reasons. If it is a ski trip, I might go with the X100 and be done with it. If it is a sights and sounds trip, these days I tend to find myself shooting wide or long and very often find the mid-range zoom the least used. I usually fill the gap left between wide and long with a fast prime, sometimes manual focus.

Of your available kit, and assuming that this is at least a photo-centric type trip, I (emphasis on the "I" here) would bring the XT-3 (the weather resistance may come in handy in Switzerland), the 10-24, the 55-200 (compression in the mountains) and maybe the 35/2.5. That 35/2.5 isn't bright enough for me, personally, as my usual gap-filler but it is what you have. FWIW...I also dislike threads where someone asks this question and the responses included recommendations to go buy a BUNCH of new gear.

Take all of the above with a grain of salt. That is me. And most of all enjoy your trip to Switzerland!

Thanks!

Prob see a couple cities such as Geneva and Zurich but most days in the alps - weather permitting, Mount Blanc and Matterhorn.

Just tried - 55-200, 10-24 with the xt3 with the 35/1.4 and it fits in the main compartment! Am surprised!

That kit sounds ideal - I have those lenses too ..

I always find a long lens indispensable on any trip .., it makes for framing that is otherwise not achievable with a mid range zoom or tele ..

But the other week I decided to try the XC 50-230, and it is a revelation !  OIS, super lightweight, and so sharp ..  I use it on an XS10, so have full stabilisation.

Cost me 180€ .. so featherlight and peanuts !

Regards
Rich S

My vote is the X-E4 & 18-55 but also throw in the Voigt 12/5.6 for when you want something wider than 18.

I've been there twice. Most people go for the trains and alps, and there are lots of gondolas to take you to mountaintops. I'd go with the 10-24 and 55-200, sneak in the 35 f1.4.

When I went last year, I used the 10-24 and 35 f1.4. I had the 70-300 in my suitcase and took it out at times but didn't bring it with me out for the day too often. I used the telephoto from our hotel balcony a lot for shots of the Matterhorn, etc.

I'm going to visit the Bodensee soon and I'm downsizing. So looking at your list:

aChanceEncounter wrote:

I know this is a first world issue but looking for input on one of these kits for 10 days in Switzerland. Everything needs to fit in my Hadley pro small bag.

I'm taking a Domke F-5XB which is comparable in size.

3. XT3 with 18-55, 55-200 (although in reviewing my library, I end up with only 5-10% of keepers with long lenses)

Then don't take it. I'm actually going to sell my 55-200 as part of my downsizing move.

6. Go with full set MF lenses Voigt 12/5.6, 21/4, 35/2.5, Hex 50/2, Rokker 90/4 (have used this before and all fits - but a bit cumbersome changing lenses that often).

I'm going this route. I currently have an X-Pro2, but it's also going to be sold and replaced by an X-E4.

Lenses: I'll probably take my Samyang 12/f2. I like the lens but find it a bit big for how specialist it is. Then again, you can take a cable car up to above 1000m, where I think it'll be nice. I also have an XF 35/f2 that will come.

Then I'm buying an XF 18/f2, a TTArtisan 25/f2 and a 7Artisans 35/f12. All of these are my search for the perfect pancake take-everywhere lens to turn that X-E4 into the ideal custom version of an X100 

I'm not taking anything longer because I have similar experiences with long lenses as you do. I don't like making photos of things that are far away. I've tried birding and wildlife and it's not for me. Otherwise I'd take a bigger camera, right?

About changing the lenses. I like working with 1 lens only in one situation all the time. Suppose we're walking around in a city - 25mm it is. We enter a bar - switch to the 18mm. Go to the beach/mountains/... - switch to the 12mm for a while, then maybe another one. So I work in bursts with one lens, then do a full mental switch to another one. It seriously limits the number of lens switches mid-work.

iancbradley wrote:

Well, I'll add a vote for at least one tele-ish option, either the 80mm end of the 16-80, or one of the 200mm+ options. I love the 10-24 range for landscapes, but alpine scenery sometimes doesn't give you the foreground elements that you need for wide angle, and on a clear day you can compose nice images of mountaintops, treescapes and glaciers using the compressed perspective of a tele lens, even one that isn't super-fast.

That's why I'd take to XC 50-230 zoom .. it weighs only 375g / 13.2 oz and gives you an equiv 75-345 FF lens and high quality optics .

x100v for zurich and the like and without question the 55-200 and whatever of the other two zooms you prefer for the mountains.  do not go without the 55-200!

X-E4 with 16-80mm and the 27mm.

WeirdSheep wrote:

I trekked over the Swiss Alps with focal lengths equivalent to 28mm, 40mm and 75mm. The one thing I missed the most was a telephoto lens, mountains are excellent for compressed landscape shots. People make the mistake of thinking it's all about wide angles, well it can be if you're happy with shots of distant mountains or complete mountain ranges. If I was to do it again I'd take a standard zoom, lightweight telephoto (XC 55-230mm) and a small fast prime. In fact my perfect kit would be the 15-45mm, 55-230mm and 50mm F2, all XC lenses, all lightweight, all excellent performers. On my X-S10 I can take auto panoramas with any of them, so that would be the ideal kit for me, and it is what I use when I travel anywhere far from home.

Exactly so ...

Regards
Rich S

aChanceEncounter wrote:

I know this is a first world issue but looking for input on one of these kits for 10 days in Switzerland. Everything needs to fit in my Hadley pro small bag.

1. X100V solo

2. X100V with WCL and TCL

3. XT3 with 18-55, 55-200 (although in reviewing my library, I end up with only 5-10% of keepers with long lenses)

4. XE4 with 18-55

5. XT3 with 16-80

6. Go with full set MF lenses Voigt 12/5.6, 21/4, 35/2.5, Hex 50/2, Rokker 90/4 (have used this before and all fits - but a bit cumbersome changing lenses that often).

7. Highbred kit: XE4 with 27mm, Voigt 12/5.6, hex 50/2

The bag will need to handle my TT350 godox flash as well.

My gut says - wide angles will be needed not sure on how much reach is needed for Switzerland.

How have you handed a vacation in the Alps?

Thanks

Switzerland? I'm jealous. I went there last summer.

I would opt for kit #3: X-T3, 18-55mm + 55-200mm.

Wide is good in the mountains but so is the ability to zoom in and pick out smaller parts of the scene.

Take for instance this series of shots, taken at different focal lengths between 60mm and 300mm (near Brigels / Breil in Graubünden):

Sunset, at 153mm:

Or this shot at 185mm which made a beautiful print on A2 size:

Or this one at 137mm:

As you can see, plenty of opportunity for shots at longer focal lengths!

I’m going to be the odd man out and say, just take the x100v solo, enjoy the view through the viewfinder and then enjoy the view not in the viewfinder.