Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

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weekh
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p.1 #1 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Going on a trip to Halong Bay and Sapa in Vietnam. A 2 days 1 night on a cruise in Halong Bay followed by some light trekking in Sapa for 3 days. While a rational choice is to bring 17-40L, 24-105L and 70-200 f4 lenses, I'm tempted to bring alternative lens instead.

The alternative lens I'm considering are:

Distagon / Olympus 21mm
ZF 25
ZF 35 / Voigtlander 40
Voigtlander 58
Leica ASPH 90 / ZF 100

I'm hope to keep it to 3 kit lens. Do I need something wider or longer?

Sep 15, 2008 at 02:05 PM

Anden
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p.1 #2 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

I would take the distagon, 24-105 and ZF 100.

A

Sep 15, 2008 at 02:15 PM

alexandre
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p.1 #3 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Lighter = better

Oly 21 + Voightlander 58 + Canon 70-200

If the trip is safe enough take the Distagon instead of Oly.

Sep 15, 2008 at 02:41 PM

teh_rebel
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p.1 #4 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

sounds like a nice trip! .. i was in vietnam in may for 3 weeks but didnt get to travel up north. i definitely want to go to Halong Bay though next time I get to visit.

As for lens, which body are you shooting with? id definitely bring the 24-105L for its versatility. possibly distagon for the wide and mabye the 70-200 for length. since being on the cruise for halong bay, you dont always get to zoom in with your feet so zooming could help.

have great trip though and share the pics when you return

heres gallery of my trip if interested:
http://ekinphotography.com/vietnam

Edited on Sep 15, 2008 at 06:26 PM · View previous versions

Sep 15, 2008 at 02:44 PM

justruss
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p.1 #5 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Are you going to be in Hanoi at all? If so, having something wide and fast would be nice for wandering through the alleyways and streets alive with street life.

I think your lens choice depends on what you want to shoot. Sapa area has some amazing landscapes (specially if you're willing to get yourself out to Lai Chau--not Lao Cai; easy to confuse-- scariest bus ride of my life from Sapa, most incredible valley I have ever seen anywhere in the world).

-For WA landscapes, I think you'd be wise to bring the distagon or the olympus 21. I'd go with the olympus for size and cost.

-If you want to capture lots of street scenes in the streets and alleys of Hanoi (not sure if you're going through there, but it's a safe enough guess given Sapa and Ha Long), I'd go with a wide, fast prime: 24-->35 f/1.4 or thereabouts.

-The 24-105 will be great all around... and I bet you'll use it the most. It wont give you the wide aperture speed or the corner to corner sharpness of a wide alt prime for those cases where you want those qualities.

-I think you should consider NOT bringing a 100mm prime unless you have a specific reason. I'd say 135/200mm or nothing.

As an aside: if you've never been to Ha Long or Sapa before, be prepared to deal with a lot of sleight of hand as far as tours/guides etc goes. Ha Long in particular can be a frustrating experience: it's incredibly beautiful, but so many of the operators just load tourists up on boats that don't meet the descriptions when you booked, and keep all the boats together, herding tourists. The result can feel like being trapped and herded, just arm's reach away from such stunning beauty (and with all the boats, lots of oil on the water and diesel being belched into the air). You'll want to be proactive about making sure your experience works out.

Sep 15, 2008 at 02:56 PM

weekh
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p.1 #6 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Thank for the advices! Seems that I should take the 24-105 lens with me.

This is my 2nd trip to Vietnam. I was in HoiAn 2 years ago with the Sony R1 and Panasonic LX1 as a backup. I left the 1Ds behind due to its bulk (charger and batteries as well). I never regretting using the R1 for the trip! http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=219020

I want see myself taking many portraits in Sapa so a 135L might also be considered.

I would love the 35L but this lens is relatively huge. My preference is towards lightweight.

That's the problem when you have too many options...... Things were so simple back in the old days with 17-35L, 50mm and 70-200L.

I'll have 2 days in Hanoi - the first day upon arrival in Vietnam and the day when I return from Sapa in the early morning. I guess I will have some time to shoot in the city.

Any recommendation on a good Halong Bay cruise? How about those conducted by ET Pumpkin?

Sep 15, 2008 at 03:30 PM

brainiac
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p.1 #7 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

When I went to Vietnam I took 5D, Oly 40 f2, Zeiss N24-85. The Oly 40 was for walking around at night and the N was for daytime. It was perfect. For ultra-wide you can usually stitch. Long tele pictures of travel always put me to sleep.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

A handful of my pictures are here:
http://cyberphotographer.com/5D/honeymoon/

If I were you I would take the Oly 21, the Voigtlander 40, and the 24-105.

Sep 15, 2008 at 03:42 PM

brainiac
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p.1 #8 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

BTW, if you get locals to drive you around on their mopeds, watch out for the guy in the shot holding the beer. He reached around and groped my genitals while driving me at 40 kmh in a chaotic street. I had to push his arm out of the way with enough restraint to keep us upright on the bike. My wife found the story hilarious. Apparently it's not uncommon, so watch out for the Hanoi gropers. You haven't done Hanoi until you've had that experience!

Sep 15, 2008 at 03:49 PM

justruss
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p.1 #9 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Weekh, I've heard good thinks about ET Pumpkin, but one never really knows. There's also the rampant phenomenon of copy-cat companies naming themselves after a successful and good company, and then paying moto drivers to bring you to the copy-cat operator... a little switcheroo.

You could ditch the zoom altogether. I brought 35L, 50 1.4, and 135L. About 80% of the time with the 35L... though, yes, I wish it was a MUCH smaller lens.

Brainiac... ha.

Sep 15, 2008 at 04:12 PM

cogitech
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p.1 #10 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Lots of people recommending the 24-105 and/or other zooms.

All I can say is that I didn't bring a single zoom to Japan with me and I never regretted it. Not even once.

My travel kit was:

Tamron 17/3.5, Oly 21/3.5, Oly 28/3.5, Rokkor 58/1.2, Voigtlander 125/2.5.

90% of the time I only brought the 28, 58 and 125 with me. Next time, that may be all I bring. (Although the 21 did get quite a lot of use 1 day).

P.S. I found the 28 perfect for most wide needs, even indoors. The 58 is terrific for low-light (obviously) and environmental portraiture, and then the 125 easily satisfies the long-portrait and macro needs. I really didn't seem to need anything else, except the one day that I had some fun with my 21.

Sep 15, 2008 at 04:19 PM

Leon Noel
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p.1 #11 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

I love fast prime glass also so I normally bring 28/2, 58/1.2 and 105/1.8 with me.

If you go to Ha Long Bay you will shoot wides of the islands outdoor and lowlight inside the caves (they are spectacular, as memorable as cave shots Lars made in Laos).

A prime in 17-28mm range should be fine for your wides need.

If 45-58mm is long, bring something like 35/1.4 or 35/2 for city life at night, which can be interesting in big cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh or Da Nang.

Tele-wise, 85-135 is good. However I don't think there would be too many opportunities for this unless you want to focus on portraits or closeups.

Oh, I'm a native

(but been abroad for more than 6 years now).

Sep 15, 2008 at 06:54 PM

Andrew Gough
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p.1 #12 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Lately, I've been walking around with the 21mm distagon, 24L, 40mm Voightlander or the 58 Rokkor and the 135L. I am secretly hoping for a fast 18-19mm F/2.0 or faster would be nice for fast moving night work. Richard got me hooked on the 40mm length for a while, but the rokkor...

Will be in Vietnam for the last 2 weeks of November

Sep 15, 2008 at 11:54 PM

weekh
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p.1 #13 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Andrew Gough wrote:
Will be in Vietnam for the last 2 weeks of November

I'm there on the 3rd week of November!!

Sep 16, 2008 at 11:09 AM

rico
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p.1 #14 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Spent all of August 2007 in Hanoi, with Contax T3 only. Given the heat, bustle and infant strapped on my chest, that was the right choice. I would now consider the simplest DSLR kit, e.g. D700 + 28 AiS.

Sep 16, 2008 at 11:17 AM

StevenPA
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p.1 #15 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Here's my picks:

Distagon 21mm
Voigtlander 58
Leica ASPH 90

I think you've also got the Voigtlander 125/2.5 as well. I might take that instead of the Leica.

Sep 16, 2008 at 12:16 PM

Andrew Gough
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p.1 #16 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

weekh wrote:
Andrew Gough wrote:
Will be in Vietnam for the last 2 weeks of November

I'm there on the 3rd week of November!!

Send me a PM (if you want) with your itenerary, as mine is still not set and I'll try to see if we can meet in one of the cities. I'll be booking very soon.

Sep 17, 2008 at 01:17 AM

weekh
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p.1 #17 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

I've almost forgotten that I've the CZ35-70 until I took it out for a shoot 2 days back.
An alternative zoom to the bulky 24-105mm.

Only complaint is that CZ works pretty slow in terms of focusing and zooming. Also no IS which might come in very useful when shooting from cruise boat.

Sep 21, 2008 at 02:36 AM

ovredal73
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p.1 #18 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Leon Noel wrote:
I love fast prime glass also so I normally bring 28/2, 58/1.2 and 105/1.8 with me.

If 45-58mm is long, bring something like 35/1.4 or 35/2 for city life at night, which can be interesting in big cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh or Da Nang.

Same here. My base kit for future travels would now simply be C/Y 35/1.4, Rokkor 58/1.2 and Nikkor 105/1.8. Seems like a perfect combo. Relatively light with wide apertures

Sep 21, 2008 at 05:54 PM

weekh
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p.1 #19 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

About to leave soon. Hard time choosing my gears.
For now, I'm have packed the followings:

14-24mm
35L
Voigtlander 58 f1.4
Leica ASPH 90
G10

Still subjected to change.... that's the problem with too many gears....

Nov 16, 2008 at 08:22 AM

ovredal73
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p.1 #20 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

I would minimize and force myself to shoot with a few small primes for city, and the 24-105 for trekking (assuming you are bringing a 5D or other FF).

From your list - OLY21, ZF35, V58 and L90 or Z100 + 24-105.

Nov 16, 2008 at 10:02 AM

thrice
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p.1 #21 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

if you're not gonna do much macro then go the Leica over the ZF100 any day. The leica isn't very good (compared to it's usual performance) close up.

I peronally would be taking the 21mm distagon if you're taking filters, if not, the 14-24 is better for flare handling and versatility.

I wouldn't bother with the G10, my bet is you rarely use it.

Other choices look good. I'd leave the 24-105 at home. Rather a lot of images from a hike at the same focal length that look stunning versus a large array of focal lengths that look just "good" but that's me personally, but I'm sure you can zoom with your feet and stitch when necessary with the 35L. Since the 35L is huge, if time/budget permits then take a summicron 35/2, I've been amazed by it wide open... but the corners take f/5.6 to get good.

Nov 16, 2008 at 12:02 PM

carstenw
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p.1 #22 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

I went to Egypt with a 5D, and brought 17-40L, Leica 50/2 (newest) and Leica 80/1.4 Lux. You are missing a fast lens, as well as a portrait lens, which could be combined in a Leica 80/1.4, or something similar.

Nov 16, 2008 at 07:11 PM

justruss
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p.1 #23 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

weekh wrote:
About to leave soon. Hard time choosing my gears.
For now, I'm have packed the followings:

14-24mm
35L
Voigtlander 58 f1.4
Leica ASPH 90
G10

Still subjected to change.... that's the problem with too many gears....

-I'd drop the 14-24 for the Oly/Distagon 21.
-I'd leave the Voigtlander at home-- at 58mm, it's super close to your 90, and fairly close to your 35.

Then you'll have: 21, 35, 90. Something wide, something tele/portrait, something super fast. Which sounds perfect to me... but I'm a prime guy. Like I said, I had 35, 50, 135 on 5D when I was there, and I wish I had the same setup but wider, or, 21/24, 35, 90/85. I wouldn't bring the G10, but that's just me. For all the talk about how great the high end PnS are, my philosophy dictates dropping as much weight as possible from my gear so that I'll carry it (or at least DSLR + 1 lens per outing) everywhere. That means dropping superfluous gear, including heavy zooms and point and shoot cameras I'd rather not have anyway.

Nov 17, 2008 at 02:12 PM

justruss
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p.1 #24 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Oh... and why not, with all this talk, give you something to get your visual process primed:

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Nov 17, 2008 at 02:19 PM

kosmoskatten
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p.1 #25 · Alternative Lens for Trip to Vietnam

Travel light man!

Last I went to Asia I brought a 28/2.8 and a Macro 60/2.8, I sometimes wish I had something wider, but not often. I only wished I had brought a tele lens on a rare occasion.

Go wide and go normal, that's what you need for the busy street life of Asia as well as most of the scenics.

(My best photo trip to Asia, on a sidenote, saw me toting a Hassy SWC/M and a Ricoh GR1V and nothing else, and I got some of my best pics ever.)

Work light, and make the light work for you.

Nov 17, 2008 at 02:31 PM


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