Hypothetical question..business trip and LIGHTWEIGHT cameras

[sloth]

Sometimes work takes us far from home whether we like it or not.. so we make the most of it, I suppose!

Hypothetical question.. so assuming you were on a business trip to a faraway land. I might get ONE day out of that trip (a weekend) to shoot, or wander around in the evenings after work is over. I wouldn't know WHAT I am up against. That is part of the challenge. I don't know what I'll be seeing or where I'll be going.

I'd want to bring a lightweight rig since I would probably be carrying a whole load of other biz-related gear with MINIMAL room for a camera. Thinking I'll start from my Canon 350D since it is my lightest SLR. I have all the nice gear (run a full frame setup!) but it is big, fat and heavy. Have travelled before using that stuff. Some days it feels like it WILL break your shoulder. No P&S.. I buay tahan P&S

So.. given a 350D, NO external flash, what lens(es) would you bring? I tend to shoot from the wide end so I need a lens that starts around 18mm or thereabouts. No 28mm on crop please, not wide enough for me.

Priority on light weight and versatility. Fast aperture is not a big priority, but image stabilizer is VERY important. (assume a stabilizer works for whatever I am shooting.. as a owner of lots of IS gear I know what it can and cannot do - and I know it works for me). I am thinking 18-55 IS.. but feel free to share your opinions.

Thanks!

[charlesleong]

maybe a superzoom? the sigma 18-200 or tamron 18-250, since weight is critical for you

[calebk]

I would actually love to travel with a 5D, 28mm f/1.8, 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.8. Fun, but might miss shots.

[midicity]

If no flash, i'll bring my 17-55 f2.8 IS. Reasonable lowlight performance and versatility with f2.8

[dracolee]

Originally Posted by midicity If no flash, i'll bring my 17-55 f2.8 IS. Reasonable lowlight performance and versatility with f2.8

No choice. If I don't know what I am going to shoot I bring 17-55 2.8 IS as well. At least it's still "wide" with 17 X 1.6 crop, and if i need the reach, I move my feet.... Reasonably light and not that eye catching as well.

[syl]

You didn't talk about bulk so this is the setup that I've traveled with - a 5D and a 28 - 300 mm f3.5 - 5.6 L IS lens and perhaps a 17 - 35 mm f2.8 L lens. Together with a 580 Ex flash! If I feel like it, then I'll bring along a 24mm extension tube for macros. You are then set for anything that comes along!

[sloth]

I figure I'll have the popup flash (it's not THAT bad when you use it properly ). Maybe 17-85 since I already have that. I had a bad encounter with the 17-55.. not really fond of it. I can live with the slower aperture of my 17-85 f/4-5.6.

Superzoom is tempting too, a bit heavier though, and some compromises in optical quality.

Bulk is definitely a concern - I mentioned weight.. the 28-300 is NICE, and I do have a 5D, but if I won't carry my 5D/24-105 combo (a top favorite of mine) chances are I won't carry anything bigger If I wasn't travelling on business it would be 5D, 17-40, 24-105, 100-400.

All of these are good suggestions.. keep them coming!

[archlover]

as for me, i always bring my 350d + 10-22 + 30mm 1.4 sigma.. 8->

[Russ]

350D + EF-S 18-55 IS

I travel on business sometimes with a 300D and EF-S 18-55 IS. The IS model is far better than the non-IS kit lens. I have this lens even though I can also bring my 17-40L, but I think the 17-40 weighs about 250g more.

[akdwivedi]

I agree with 350D + 10-22mm combo. While travelling, most often you will take landscapes. Keep 50mm f/1.8 if occassionally you want portraits etc.

If I had a 5D, I will probably take one of the older zooms 24-85mm which is light sharp and has a good overall range on a full frame body :-)

[sloth]

Interesting suggestion about the 10-22.. I am a big fan of the ultrawideangle lenses, but don't know how I'd take to using one as my only walkaround zoom. Maybe I should try that one day.

Plus the 50 is light enough to just throw in the bag anyway.. so that works too.

The reason I like the 18-55 IS is the weight. It's incredibly light.


18-55 IS: 190gm
10-22: 335gm
Sigma 18-200: about 600gm
17-85 IS: 475gm
50 f/1.8: 130gm

[Lenscapes]

i usually bring 350D san the grip and tamron 17-50 F2.8.

[Fragnatic]

17-85 IS USM.
versatile range with IS and USM.

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by sloth Interesting suggestion about the 10-22.. I am a big fan of the ultrawideangle lenses, but don't know how I'd take to using one as my only walkaround zoom. Maybe I should try that one day.

can one just don't expect any isolated portraits

actually not impossible, but quite rare

[redline15]

i'll bring my sigma 18 - 200mm VR lens. its good for outdoor shots but indoors will be a challenge. so it really depends on where do you intend to use it. i'll also bring a 50mm prime lens for indoors.

[sloth]

Originally Posted by Fragnatic 17-85 IS USM. versatile range with IS and USM.

Good to see another fan of this lens

Originally Posted by night86mare can one just don't expect any isolated portraits actually not impossible, but quite rare

Hmm, that would work. I seldom if ever shoot portraits, and when I do, I shoot environmental portraits using 24-35mm approx (full frame/35mm focal lengths). The 10-22 covers an equivalent of these ranges (16-35) on a crop camera. Nice.

You are giving me a good idea.. 18-55 IS AND 10-22. Just in case I need a bit more reach, and the 18-55 is so light anyway. Can carry 18-55 instead of a prime - I am not a big fan of primes on my digital systems although I use them extensively on my medium format systems when I have more control over my subjects or shooting situations.

Originally Posted by redline15 i'll bring my sigma 18 - 200mm VR lens. its good for outdoor shots but indoors will be a challenge. so it really depends on where do you intend to use it. i'll also bring a 50mm prime lens for indoors.

One more vote for the Sigma. I gotta admit that's a tempting lens!

Indoors no problem, I just pop the flash up. (no, the popup flash is NOT that bad if you know how to tame it )

[coffee3in1]

40D+ EFS 17-85 IS + Puffer. No problemo.

[jonathan_wong]

A Nikon 5400 will do the job.

Alternatively, any Rangfinder with a 45mm F1.8 lens will kick the socks out of any D cam.

[Fragnatic]

Originally Posted by sloth Good to see another fan of this lens

not really considered a "fan" of the 17-85, but i find it's a useful walkard, general purpose lens.
know its limitations like distortion control, CA, etc and working around these limitations, it's considered quite a gd lens.

so it gets my vote

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by sloth Hmm, that would work. I seldom if ever shoot portraits, and when I do, I shoot environmental portraits using 24-35mm approx (full frame/35mm focal lengths). The 10-22 covers an equivalent of these ranges (16-35) on a crop camera. Nice. You are giving me a good idea.. 18-55 IS AND 10-22. Just in case I need a bit more reach, and the 18-55 is so light anyway. Can carry 18-55 instead of a prime - I am not a big fan of primes on my digital systems although I use them extensively on my medium format systems when I have more control over my subjects or shooting situations.

i suggest something longer.. actually i find that i do not really need antyhing in between 20-50 mm most of the time.. either long, or wide.

when i went to italy last winter all i had was the 10-20 and i really had a lot of fun.

in some sense, i found it good too, because when travellnig i didn't just want to remember the random people and capture beautiful shots of them. i wanted to remember the environment they were in, etc. though of course, i'm probably just saying this because i didn't bring any other lens