What lenses for traveling with 35mm?

semi-ambivalent · May 7, 2012

I'm going to be in Eastern-ish Europe for a couple weeks and I'm trying to figure out what lenses to bring. I'll be shooting almost all Tri-X, maybe some Ektachrome 100G (Bringing a Canon Powershot 630A for the "color" stuff if we have to have some snaps.) I'm traveling very light and want one camera and perhaps three lenses. I have some Nikkors and can get my hands on just about anything I don't have. I'm only interested in B&W street stuff but my wife is an architect and she'll want elevation shots and maybe details.

What has worked for you? I'm thinking 50/1.4, 28/2.8, 20/2.8 and mmmmaybe a 105 because I can't imagine not having one. A 200/4 is pretty light, but...

Open to any thoughts,

s-a

Newt_on_Swings · May 8, 2012

Really it's best to use whatever you are most comfortable with, and what you can bear to carry all day. Your list sounds well rounded, I use a similar setup, with a 50, 28 or 24, and if I go wide I use a 19-35 zoom or the 14mm. These are best for street (the ultra wide less so). The 1.4 should be fine but I always find the the most interesting stuff happens at night so I've setup for the slightly faster set of nikkors. The longer 105 can be handy and depending where your trip might take you the length could be useful at events or shows.

summicron1 · May 8, 2012

yeah, my standard travel kit is a leica CL with a 40mm, a 25mm, maybe the 15mm and the 90 mm ... very light, small and versatile, although the most versatile thing must be the photographer.

And the Olympus XA with its fixed 35mm lens usually ends up being tucked into a pocket because it is the favorite street shooter because it is so fast to use.

but the real answer is take what you are most comfortable using, what you normally use anyway.

walbergb · May 8, 2012

If you can get your hands on them, I would suggest two zooms: one in the wide-to-normal focal range and the other in the longer focal range. Between the two zooms you can cover as wide a range of focal lengths as you think you will need. If it's only prime lenses you want opinions on, I would go with the 24/2.8, 50/1.4, and the 180/2.8. All three are very lightweight.

Soeren · May 8, 2012

Way back using Olympus it was 28mm, 50mm and 135mm. Now using Nikon I found that 24/25mm, 50mm and 105mm (Makro if possible) fits the bill perfectly. If 85mm is long enough you could go with a 20mm (or 24mm), a 35mm and an 85mm.
Best regards

perkeleellinen · May 8, 2012

For me 'very light' would be an Olympus XA and nothing else. Over the years I've perfected travelling with hardly anything, a small shoulder bag is normally my limit. Alas, those days are over for a while as we've got a small baby and now carry more stuff to the shops than I used to take on 4 week holidays!

Years ago I did inter-rail around the Continent and took an F3 with the 16mm fisheye - if I did it now I'd probably choose a 24mm lens. Back then getting film was easier than now, so taking stock with you is essential - the weight of film soon adds up as does it's physical space. Maybe one of these would help:

In any event, one camera, one lens will lighten the load, mean less to worry about and challenge you to find interesting compositions.

Rol_Lei Nut · May 8, 2012

After years of experimenting with different combinations, I've come up with my classic 3 lens travel kit:
20mm (or 18, 19 or 21mm, depending on the system).
35mm
Short tele (85-105mm, depending on the system).

In Nikkor terms, the 20mm 2.8 is very good and I liked the 35mm 2.0 much better than the 1.4.
The 105mm 2.5 is a lovely lens, but relatively big and heavy for its FL (at least my AI version is a monster!). One of the 85mms might make a better travel lens.

The 200mm 4.0 is also a lovely lens and is small for its FL, though that would be a fourth lens.
In my experience, when I carried a 180/200mm with when travelling, the extra weight usually outweighed ( ) the additional photos it allowed. YMMV!

darkosaric · May 8, 2012

Take only 50mm lens. Light, compact, and you will not lose time thinking which lens to use now...

Newt_on_Swings · May 8, 2012

perkeleellinen;1340280 Years ago I did inter-rail around the Continent and took an F3 with the 16mm fisheye[/QUOTE said:
Wow, did you ever touch another fisheye again after?

baachitraka · May 8, 2012

28, 50 and 100

-or-

24, 35 and 85

You may be shooting with 35 or 85mm mostly.

jordanstarr · May 8, 2012

wide, standard, telephoto and maybe 2 bodies should be about all you need. Don't go overboard. Less is more. I go with a couple small Leicas, 21, 28, 35 and 50mm. I'd use the 28mm 90% of the time though, so I could use to get rid of a couple of lenses. If I travelled with one camera and the 28mm, I would be more than happy.

benjiboy · May 8, 2012

My choice would be 2 bodys with 24mm f2 35mm f2, 105mm 2.5 , and a 200mm lens if you need to pick out details, I shoot a lot of street, and the lens I use the most is the 35mm f2.

removed account4 · May 8, 2012

darkosaric said:
Take only 50mm lens. Light, compact, and you will not lose time thinking which lens to use now...

exactly !

Thomas Bertilsson · May 8, 2012

darkosaric said:
Take only 50mm lens. Light, compact, and you will not lose time thinking which lens to use now...

Exactly me too. I bring either a 35mm or 50mm and just work with what I've got.

DWThomas · May 8, 2012

Depends a bit on my destination and mode of travel. I carried my Canon A-1 with the cheapo 35-70 f/3.5-4.5 along with the 50mm f/1.4 (both about the same size) along with an Elph Jr APS camera for snapshots on a two week trip to Italy. Light and compact. If I had been more photo-oriented and could stand more bulk and weight, my 35-105 f/3.5 would replace the 35-70, but that bigger zoom is large and heavy.

Unless my trek was totally about taking pictures (including no family/friends to provide constant distraction), I can't imagine dealing with a half dozen different lenses.

Klainmeister · May 8, 2012

When I went to school over there, I took too many lenses and spent more time figuring out what to do and stopped taking in where I was. I'd recommend a wide and a normal. So a 24mm and 50mm. Should be plenty. I returned to visit friends and I took just a 50mm and really, it was perfect.

Less is more!

E. von Hoegh · May 8, 2012

semi-ambivalent said:
I'm going to be in Eastern-ish Europe for a couple weeks and I'm trying to figure out what lenses to bring. I'll be shooting almost all Tri-X, maybe some Ektachrome 100G (Bringing a Canon Powershot 630A for the "color" stuff if we have to have some snaps.) I'm traveling very light and want one camera and perhaps three lenses. I have some Nikkors and can get my hands on just about anything I don't have. I'm only interested in B&W street stuff but my wife is an architect and she'll want elevation shots and maybe details.

What has worked for you? I'm thinking 50/1.4, 28/2.8, 20/2.8 and mmmmaybe a 105 because I can't imagine not having one. A 200/4 is pretty light, but...

Open to any thoughts,

s-a

I spent a month in Germany with a Nikon F, LunaSix, and 35/50/105 lenses. Worked very well, except there were about 4 pictures that I wanted a 28 for.

Hatchetman · May 8, 2012

My lenses would be 28, 50, 100, but that is a function of what I own. I have a light 300mm f6.3 which I would be tempted to bring. I love to "tele-mash" city scenes.

Paul Howell · May 8, 2012

For touring I travel with a 28mm 2.8 35 to 90 3.5 to 5.6 and a 105mm 2.8
If trip will include landscapes or wildlife 28 to 105 4.5 to 5.6 and a 300 5.6 prime
If trip will be mosttly indoor shooting like a musume or the like 28 2.8 50 1.4 and 105 2.8 or 85 2.0
In addtion to the 35mm I also carry a Pentax K 2000 for with a 17 to 55, if a lot of bad weather is expected I will include a Minolta Weathermatic other times Canon III G 1.7, one flash. I usally take a SF1N, and PZ70 which I leave in my luggage for a backup.

tkamiya · May 8, 2012

My standard kit is F-100 with 24-85 f/2.8 - 4. Very versatile and competent. I rarely use tele but that's for my style of shooting.

Schlapp · May 8, 2012

Go one camera and one lens - whatever length you have on it at the time you pick it up. Then you can concentrate on the pictures.

Hatchetman · May 8, 2012

There is the "one lens" school of thought, which has some merit, but when you get home and look at all your pictures, it's a lot more interesting too see some different angles IMO.

tron_ · May 8, 2012

I would bring 3 lenses:

28mm

50mm

105mm

dnjl · May 8, 2012

I'll be backpacking through Eastern Europe (and elsewhere) this summer, and my packing list includes these:

Canon F-1n
Canon Ftb
35mm f2
50mm f1.4
Sekonic light meter
A whole lotta film

If all that doesn't fit into my 37L backpack, I'll leave one body and the 35mm at home. We'll see.

Thomas Bertilsson · May 8, 2012

Hatchetman said:
There is the "one lens" school of thought, which has some merit, but when you get home and look at all your pictures, it's a lot more interesting too see some different angles IMO.

Are you familiar with William Eggleston? There's a great documentary about him, a British TV production, and he has this 'promise' to himself to never shoot the same thing more than once, because he ends up being too confused in choosing what to print if there's more than one negative of each - i.e. which is best.
I'm not saying you're wrong with your 'different angles' (this is subjective, after all), but I thought I would provide a counter argument to your idea, just for fun of discussing it.

What lenses for traveling with 35mm?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency