To me, seeking coverage is not the priority. So all 24-70, 24-105, 24-120 are not a option. If it has to be one lens kit, I will bring D700 +35 ZF1.4. Unless I have Leica m9 and any version 35lux.
Otherwise, 35ZF1.4 and MP100 will be ultimate two lens kit.
My absolute favorite pictures I've taken with an old Canon XT and a 20mm 1.8 Sigma or a Canon 28-135 on the same camera. I carried a D90 and a 35mm 1.8 EVERYWHERE last summer, and I never really felt like I didn't have enough range, wide angle, low light capability, etc. I think it's hard to restrict yourself to 1 camera, and only 1 lens. But what's more important, having the ability to take GREAT pictures some of the time, or the ability to take decent pictures all of the time? I never go anywhere without my iPod, and it doesn't take fantastic photos, but I'll never miss a chance to shoot pics of my friends and family, and at the end of the day, that's all I really care to take pictures of anyway.
I suppose if you were "working" during your vacation, or you could get paid for the shots you could take on your vacation, then it'd be worth it to carry all your stuff. But for someone on vacation with family, you just need a camera that takes pictures that are exposed properly, clean, sharp and balanced. And there are a lot of camera/lens combos that will do that just fine.
I've gone from a 5D2 & bag of lenses to a leica and now 90% of everything I do is M9 and 35mm.
I switch to the 28mm for some days when I'm hiking and the 50mm sometimes when I'm with people, but the best results are normally when I only take 1 lens with me and have to think a bit more.
I went on a 10 days trip to Rome - had planned to take one lens on the Canon 5dMkII - but ended up with bringing along a Panasonic FZ50 with a Leica 35-432mm equivilant lens instead. Got a lot of good pictures and was pleased with the low weight on my shoulders.
Some of you guys are choosing giant cameras like the 5D2 and an L zoom, so I'm going choose my EP3 and 14-42, but sneak my 9-18 in my pocket.
It depends on what I'm doing, but I brought one camera/lens with me all the time when I took my Canon DSLRs out. Sometimes 7D+300/2.8, sometimes 5D+17-40... things like that. Now with my M43 kit I often will head out with my 9-18 on my EP3 and my 14-140 on my GH1. No lens swapping means less screwing around with the cameras.
I guess if forced I'd choose my EP3 and 14-140 as my one lens. I'm not thrilled with the size of the 14-140 (about the size of a Canon 85/1.8) but it can do everything, and do it decently. I'd rather have more zoom coverage than that last 10% on the MTF chart. I can only think of a few times that I've wanted to print an image large but have been unable to massage enough detail out of the file, but there are a LOT of times I've had to crop or stitch an image because I didn't have the right focal length for the photo I wanted.
Canon 24-105 L lens. If I cared about the photographs I'd take my Canon 1Ds MarkIII even though it's not well-suited for travelling light. If the photographs weren't that important I'd just forget both and take some sort of point and shoot.
In the past I would have said whichever camera along with my 24-70. However I recently sold off all my zoom lenses as they were just too large and cumbersome for my style of shooting.
If I could only take one it would be the 5D2 (without the grip) and the 35 f/1.4L.
In reality though I would find room in my bag for my 85 f/1.8
Jorgen Udvang wrote:
PanaLeica 14-50mm f/2.8-3.5 on any 4/3 or m4/3 camera. Here are one with the L1 and one with the GH1, both from the last few weeks:
