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Archive 2013 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?

  
 
justindong
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


I have the D600 and will definitely be bringing a tripod as well as the 18-35 f/3.5-5.6G and 85/1.4D. Other lenses I have are

Samyang 14mm
28-300/3.5-5.6G
50/1.8G
105/2.8G micro

I'll be in Zürich, Switzerland for the duration of my stay so weekend travel throughout Switzerland will be pretty easy. Also planning to make it to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Madrid and Venice sometime.

I was thinking of bringing the samyang with me since I'm sure many of the landscapes, especially in Switzerland, will need all 14mm but maybe someone can chime in on this? Is 18-35 wide enough? Debating over the 28-300 since it's so versatile.



May 26, 2013 at 10:02 PM
playerofwar
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


28-300 + Samyang 14. Keep it simple.
I have done 2 weeks Italy and Switzerland with 1 prime (Sigma 35 1.4) and I have to say it are my best vacation photo's yet!



May 27, 2013 at 11:56 AM
euua
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


if you taking 18-35 and 85/1.4 I would only bring 28-300 as extra.

follow the road of KISS



May 27, 2013 at 12:13 PM
Frogfish
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


You are going to be in one place so IMHO the only lens I'd leave behind would be the 105mm ! It's not a heavy kit and I can envision all getting camera time. However only you know how often you use any of those lenses and which are your preferred. If you normally don't use a particular lens very often don't take it.

Have a great trip, Austria / Italy /France / Germany are all easily accessible for weekend trips too.



May 27, 2013 at 08:37 PM
M635_Guy
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


I'd probably leave the 85 for the 50 if you are pinched. Don't see much need for the 105. You're wide enough with the 18-35 that I'd leave the Samyang (though I can't say I know much about it).

When I've gone on longer trips, I tend to take most of my kit and select what I go out with each day. That worked pretty well for me last year when I was in two countries in Asia and five in Europe in the span of about five weeks. My most common day out with my DX kit was the 11-16, the 35 1.8 and the 18-200 - I was really pleased with what I came back with.



May 27, 2013 at 10:11 PM
hijazist
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


For an UWA I would take either the Samyang or Nikon 18-35 but not both. I would lean more towards the Nikon simply because it's more versatile and more importantly it takes filters (CPL, ND). 18mm is plenty wide IMO.

So if I were you I'd opt for the Nikon 18-35, Nikon 28-300 and the 50 1.8G. I'd leave the 85 1.4, 105 2.8 and Smayang at home.



May 28, 2013 at 02:23 AM
Two23
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


For my own travel trips, I've got it down to one camera, two lenses Nikons 17-50mm f2.8 & 70-200mm f2.8 VR, SB-900 flash, Travel Angel tripod. I bring a Leica IIIc with 35/50/90mm as back up. Less is better.


Kent in SD



May 28, 2013 at 06:46 AM
Berschwinger
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


hijazist wrote:
For an UWA I would take either the Samyang or Nikon 18-35 but not both. I would lean more towards the Nikon simply because it's more versatile and more importantly it takes filters (CPL, ND). 18mm is plenty wide IMO.

So if I were you I'd opt for the Nikon 18-35, Nikon 28-300 and the 50 1.8G. I'd leave the 85 1.4, 105 2.8 and Smayang at home.


I like this advice, but if you have room in the bag I would bring the 14mm. Big difference between 18mm and 14mm, and I'm sure you will be kicking yourself the first landscape or church you come across. If it makes your bag tight though, stick with the 18-35, 50 and 28-300.



May 30, 2013 at 12:18 PM
ScottHM
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


If it wasn't for 3 months I'd probably say leave one thing or another...but it's a fair amount of time being over there, I take a fair amount out just on a daily outing. For that amount of time, for me I'd probably take it all.


May 30, 2013 at 12:39 PM
philber
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


18-35, 50, 85 is a fine compromise. Now, of course, if you want to take everything and the kitchen sink, take everything with you, and I am sure each lens will get its day in the sun.
But you need a wide end, and the zoom covers that amply. You need a long end, and 85 is almost as long as the 105, and much faster. And you need a standrd fast lens for all those cases when there is not much light and you can't deploy a tripod...
BTW, 3 months and going everywhere in Europe but Paris?



May 30, 2013 at 12:51 PM
pburke
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


Take everything.


May 30, 2013 at 01:43 PM
runamuck
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


Take ME!


May 30, 2013 at 02:22 PM
mfletch
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


hijazist wrote:
For an UWA I would take either the Samyang or Nikon 18-35 but not both. I would lean more towards the Nikon simply because it's more versatile and more importantly it takes filters (CPL, ND). 18mm is plenty wide IMO.

So if I were you I'd opt for the Nikon 18-35, Nikon 28-300 and the 50 1.8G. I'd leave the 85 1.4, 105 2.8 and Smayang at home.



Exactly what I'd do. 18-35 for UWA coverage, 28-300 for most everything else. 50 low light coverage(maybe the 85 instead here, but think I'd get more use out of the 50 and it's lighter to carry.) 14mm is pretty wide for landscapes to me. I've owned 2 14-24's, stellar lens but I sold it both times because I find that I most shots with it are at 20-24mm.



May 30, 2013 at 04:00 PM
ytwong
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


runamuck wrote:
Take ME!


And ME TOO!


If you are going to have a "base" in Zürich and make short trips from there then you probably can bring them all....

18mm is wide enough for me (I have a 16-35 VR)...you don't need to include everything in scene. I personally find that many landscape photos that I like are taken with a moderate wide or even a telephoto lens. For cityscape, I personally dislike a lens too wide without perspective correction (unless you can always find a elevated viewpoint). 20-28mm range give me way more keepers than anything wider.
I think the 18-35mm zoom cover a common weak point of super-zoom... heavy distortion at the wide end.

The only wider lens I use is fisheye lens... rarely used, but can be good for some applications (like dome of cathedral, mosque etc).

I often travel with a 50mm, hardly ever used it in any trips. I prefer something a little wider (35/40mm).
85 1.4D... (only traveled with it once or twice). It's heavy. I wouldn't take it with me unless I have something in mind (say, I'm going watch fork dance, circus etc). For portraits of family/friends, fast tele lens also means shallow DOF, not always what you want. For me, especially travel photos, it's more interesting to show where the photo is taken. If the background is eliminated, it's a bit like a picture taken in the backyard.

If I have to take only 2 lens from your list, that would be 28-300 and 18-35.



May 31, 2013 at 04:55 AM
pbraymond
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


I'd also recommend taking everything and selecting an approriate setup when you head out for the weekends if possible.

Otherwise, from a coverage standpoint, I'd opt for the 28-300 for the reach over the 14mm. Both the 50 and 105 are nice, but don't add much from a coverage point of view (other than the maco capabilities of the 105 if you intend to shoot closeup - in whice case I'd probably substitute the 105 for the 85 if you are not bringing everthing.

Have a great three months.



May 31, 2013 at 06:38 AM
Frank_Maiello
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Three months in Europe - what gear to take?


justindong wrote:
I was thinking of bringing the samyang with me since I'm sure many of the landscapes, especially in Switzerland, will need all 14mm but maybe someone can chime in on this? Is 18-35 wide enough? Debating over the 28-300 since it's so versatile.


If you own a 14mm lens and have mastered it fairly well, 18mm may not be wide enough. And don't forget that telephoto lenses are also extremely useful for landscapes, large geographical features like mountains in particular. Basically, I'd bring everything you listed with the exception of a full-size tripod unless it's critical to your style.

And bring a jacket. Summer doesn't necessarily mean "warm" in Switzerland.

Enjoy the trip, you're very fortunate to have so much time!



May 31, 2013 at 07:46 AM





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