The lens you used for travelling?


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zoossh

Senior Member
Nov 29, 2005
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Singapore
currently using nikon D50, 1st time going to backpack with my 1st DSLR.
only had the kit lens 18-55mm (partial sensor size so 1.6x give effectively 29-88mm)

intending to buy this 2
1. wide angle: tokina 12-24mm F/4 AT-X 124 AF PRO DX lens ($800-900)
2. prime street: AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D (<$200)

P.S. I'm keeping my budget low as I'm still very new in photography.

a few questions esp to those on who's experienced on travelling photography. i understand there is no right or wrong, but need some opinions from those who used the above kind of lens.

1. for street shots, is it really possible to use only the 50mm street lens and replace my 18-55mm lens totally by walking around the object, i.e. within practical walking distance without moving too near an object. i ask this becos in view of weight concern, i may only bring the lighter 50mm lens instead of the 18-55mm zoom.

2. what kind of practical situations would you really require a telezoom? if i dun shoot birds and animals, and i dun isolate a single person out of a crowd, what else in travel photography would really require a telezoom?

3. if i want to get a budget tele just to cover the range and may possibly fine-tune my choice in future, is there a sub-$500 lens for tele with better resale value?
 

For me,kit lens with 50mm for low light.
If you need a versatile lens,use 18-200mm.
 

Sometimes I am lazy to change lens when traveling though different lenses help a lot.
For a start, your kit lens should be fine. WA lens is useful for close ,distorted
street shots and landsscape photography
I find these two lenses very useful... Mine kit lens is 18-70mm.
As for the 50mm... it is a very good lens esp. when under dim condition.
I used it when under shade (in Angkor Wat - People I met )

The tele-lens... if u has a 80-200 f2.8 type would be good but it is heavy for traveling.
Not neccessary to have for a start.

You might want to add a light weight tripod and use remote control for slow shutter
speed shots.
Have a happy trip.:)
 

Hosea said:
Sometimes I am lazy to change lens when traveling though different lenses help a lot.
For a start, your kit lens should be fine. WA lens is useful for close ,distorted
street shots and landsscape photography
I find these two lenses very useful... Mine kit lens is 18-70mm.
As for the 50mm... it is a very good lens esp. when under dim condition.
I used it when under shade (in Angkor Wat).
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=128339&page=2

The tele-lens... if u has a 80-200 f2.8 type would be good but it is heavy for traveling.
Not neccessary to have for a start.

You might want to add a light weight tripod and use remote control for slow shutter
speed shots.
Have a happy trip.:)

yup will upgrade my tripod to 0.7-1.1kg most probably but like what u say, i may not want to change my lens that often and i may not want to bring so many heavy stuff. so the 50mm lens may become my street lens for most shots, and i'll still switch to wide angle as i'm quite mesmerized by landscape shots with slight distortion of perspective at the two ends, i.e. tilting upwards. definitely that will be a range i dun cover with limited lens, but i'm just wondering how much would i lose out if i dun invest in a tele now for travel photography.
 

Hosea said:
You might want to add a light weight tripod and use remote control for slow shutter
speed shots.
Have a happy trip.:)

and by the way, i use the 2 seconds timer for still shot to dampen my shutter press, so no need remote control unless i need to use bulb setting for more than 30 seconds.
 

I don't really shoot at the tele end, just realized that lens is sitting in my dry cab for too long and I sold it away. What I'm surviving now is a 18-55 kit lens and a 50mm prime (not even a super wide).
 

zoossh said:
yup will upgrade my tripod to 0.7-1.1kg most probably but like what u say, i may not want to change my lens that often and i may not want to bring so many heavy stuff. so the 50mm lens may become my street lens for most shots, and i'll still switch to wide angle as i'm quite mesmerized by landscape shots with slight distortion of perspective at the two ends, i.e. tilting upwards. definitely that will be a range i dun cover with limited lens, but i'm just wondering how much would i lose out if i dun invest in a tele now for travel photography.
The WA lens is good enough for street and landscape.
Need not buy 50mm if you dont hv it.
Tele is still important ... the D70 kit lens range is BEST.
For me a Kit lens (18-70) and a WA( 12-24 F4) is enough for my travel shoot
if I want to travel light.
 

If you're very new, then stick with what you have 1st and learn your own style etc...
Don't be afraid to bring "the wrong gear" if there's such a thing. After 1 or 2 trips, you'll gain experience and thats the best part of it :)


zoossh said:
currently using nikon D50, 1st time going to backpack with my 1st DSLR.
only had the kit lens 18-55mm (partial sensor size so 1.6x give effectively 29-88mm)

1. wide angle: tokina 12-24mm F/4 AT-X 124 AF PRO DX lens ($800-900)
2. prime street: AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D (<$200)

P.S. I'm keeping my budget low as I'm still very new in photography.

a few questions esp to those on who's experienced on travelling photography. i understand there is no right or wrong, but need some opinions from those who used the above kind of lens.

1. for street shots, is it really possible to use only the 50mm street lens and replace my 18-55mm lens totally by walking around the object, i.e. within practical walking distance without moving too near an object. i ask this becos in view of weight concern, i may only bring the lighter 50mm lens instead of the 18-55mm zoom.

2. what kind of practical situations would you really require a telezoom? if i dun shoot birds and animals, and i dun isolate a single person out of a crowd, what else in travel photography would really require a telezoom?

3. if i want to get a budget tele just to cover the range and may possibly fine-tune my choice in future, is there a sub-$500 lens for tele with better resale value?
 

going to switch to sigma 10-20mm instead of tokina 12-24mm after reading some review in view of the weight.

my primary concern is should i buy and bring along a prime 50mm, and should i use to replace the 18-55mm kit lens. maybe not yet until i'm more familiar with my style.

as for the tele, might have to let it go so i can keep my weight minimal.
 

another thing i may consider is to buy 18-70mm nikkor and sell off the kit lens if it is resellable.
 

zoossh said:
yup will upgrade my tripod to 0.7-1.1kg most probably but like what u say, i may not want to change my lens that often and i may not want to bring so many heavy stuff. so the 50mm lens may become my street lens for most shots, and i'll still switch to wide angle as i'm quite mesmerized by landscape shots with slight distortion of perspective at the two ends, i.e. tilting upwards. definitely that will be a range i dun cover with limited lens, but i'm just wondering how much would i lose out if i dun invest in a tele now for travel photography.

Like you said, if you dun take birds, animals, you dun really need a tele-zoom lens. I was in Shanghai 2 weeks back and most of the time I used 11-22 WA and 14-45 kit lens. The only time when I used my 50-200 is to get a closer shot for night scenes. Day time is wash out because of the haze. So if the place you're going have very clear sky and the subject is too small to see thru your kit or WA lens, a tele-zoom is useful.

Do share wif us your photos when you're back. All the best and come back in one piece. :bsmilie:
 

thanks all for the replies, i've ploughed through many many threads and decided on 3 points

1. i would not bring more than 2 lens and be determined to cut down on the weight
2. my uncertainty will not be removed till i played around with them with practices.
3. i will settle down with sigma 10-20mm and nikkor 50mm, play around with nikkor 50mm v.s. my kit lens 18-55mm and to finalise on one of them as my street lens. but the sigma is a must, i always love the wide landscape with a bit of distortion at the edges.
 

from my point of view (now in Canadian Rockies), i find that you need versatility the most. especially if you are on a tour, where "photo-stops" are very short, usually you do not have the time to setup a tripod etc.. maybe a 75-300/18-200 will do the trick.

also, it really really depends on what kind of places you like to visit. Scenic landscapes? wildlife? street photography?
 

Bring 17-35, 70-200VR. The rest, no need to bring liao.
 

Hmm get a monopod and a good neckstrap (optech)

covered shanghai + hangzhou with a 17-35 and 28-70 ;)
 

maritimus831 said:
from my point of view (now in Canadian Rockies), i find that you need versatility the most. especially if you are on a tour, where "photo-stops" are very short, usually you do not have the time to setup a tripod etc.. maybe a 75-300/18-200 will do the trick.

also, it really really depends on what kind of places you like to visit. Scenic landscapes? wildlife? street photography?

scenic landscape & street/architecture photography
 

Klose said:
Hmm get a monopod and a good neckstrap (optech)

covered shanghai + hangzhou with a 17-35 and 28-70 ;)

already got optech neckstrap, probably will sell it off. it is simply too heavy on my neck. i got myself a harness, probably better for me to hold lens and a light tripod.

monopod can't do the job for my long exposure night scenes.
 

Zoossh...like u I love shooting landscapes and is also very keen on the 10-20mm. Was deliberating between the D50 or D70 but think I m going with the D50 as the price difference would have paid half of the 10-20mm lens....

Just wonder if the Sigma 10-20 would have any image problems such as vignetting or others if we fix a CP on and shoot at the widest end, 10mm?
 

Circular Polariser...
 

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