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Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

Newenglandrocks
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p.1 #1 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

I've been to Venice, Italy for a couple days on a family trip back when I first began shooting Sony FF. All the lenses I shot with - ZA16-35, Tamron 28-75G1 and 70-300G have been sold for faster and better glass.

This time around, I'm going back with a photographer friend for the express purpose of shooting and eating. (But not shooting what we eat except with iPhone).

I'm going to pack my standard travel kit:
14GM
35GM
28-200

I will bring one additional lens specifically for shooting at night.
- 24GM, which would also be lovely for daytime excursions due to its rendering
OR
- Tamron 35-150, primarily because it has a two stop advantage over the 28-200 at 150mm.

I am leaning toward the 35-150. The 70-200GMii is out for bulk, lack of versatility and the attention grabbing white color

If you've been to Venice and shot there extensively, or just want to weigh in, I would like to hear your take about which lens and why.

Personally, I like to shoot long and only go wide sparingly. For me, 24mm is pretty wide, and unlike many people, the 28mm limitation of the 28-200 rarely bothers me.

Mar 27, 2026 at 09:57 AM

sandy27000
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p.1 #2 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

Why not your 35mm GM? I find 24mm a bit too wide for travel photos. If I were in your place, I would take the 35mm f1.4GM mounted and keep the 14mm f1.8GM just in case. And perhaps a tabletop small tripod

Mar 27, 2026 at 10:51 AM

Jazzgear296
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p.1 #3 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

Ditto. Plus that 35-150 is not an inconspicuous lens. And it�s heavy. Your std travel kit is exactly what I�d take and nothing more

sandy27000 wrote:
Why not your 35mm GM? I find 24mm a bit too wide for travel photos. If I were in your place, I would take the 35mm f1.4GM mounted and keep the 14mm f1.8GM just in case. And perhaps a tabletop small tripod

Edited on Mar 27, 2026 at 11:03 AM · View previous versions

Mar 27, 2026 at 11:02 AM

InFocus2014
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p.1 #4 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

I was in Venice in December, along with a few other cities in Northern Italy.

As usual, I was torn between which lenses to take. I often take my Tamron 35-150mm, the GM 28-70mm f2 that I love so much, GM 35mm f1.4, GM 14mm f1.8, etc, etc.

What I finally took was the Sigma 20-200mm, GM 24mm f1.4 and GM 16-35mm f2.8 II. I sold my Tamron 28-200mm in favor of the Sigma lens for the wider FL and slightly sharper results (really glad that I did!).

Long story short - The GM 24mm f1.4 and GM 16-35mm f2.8 II stayed in the hotel rooms and I used the 20-200mm for virtually everything. I stitched a few shots for wider. I was completely amazed with the results. IBIS has really changed the game and I am, inherently, a fast-primes guy.

I acquired an A7CR for the trip and really disliked it (sold it when I got back). It will be my A7R5 or A1 II for any future trips.

Below, are a few low-light samples.

EDIT: I would love to take a photography-specific trip to Venice as you are doing. For careful shooting, this city presents a ton of possibilities. Shooting, when traveling with my wife becomes a "run and gun" exercise.

The last shot is of the famous "sinking house", shot from a small bridge. You will, undoubtedly, see it. There were two photographers with tripods and ND filters to flatten the water, carefully composing shots. I was incredibly envious as I walked by them taking my quick "grab shot".

ISO 200, 23mm, f4.5, 1/20

ISO 100, 25mm, f3.5, 1/25

ISO 320, 20mm, f3.5, 1/50

ISO100, 25mm, f4, 1/25

iISO 800, 22mm, f4.5, 1/200

(SEE TEXT FOR EXPLANATION)

Edited on Mar 27, 2026 at 11:25 AM · View previous versions

Mar 27, 2026 at 11:03 AM

mjc
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p.1 #5 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

I used a 40mm equivalent almost exclusively in Venice. (Ricoh GRIIIx) There were the occasional shots of some famous bridge shots that I could not get (required a medium tele). But then those pictures are reproduced a million times in the internet.

ps. Venice is incredibly crowded. Uncomfortably so. Last year they introduced a tourist tax. If you are in a hotel, you can get a ticket to prove you paid. Otherwise, I call that the tourist cops might stop you!

Mar 27, 2026 at 11:10 AM

j4nu
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p.1 #6 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

Well, if you're not a wide person, it's not really a choice

Mar 27, 2026 at 11:14 AM

blnmen57
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p.1 #7 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

Personally, I prefer the following lens combinations for Venice by night:
Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G + Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM or VC Nokton 21mm f/1.4 + VC Nokton 40mm f/1.2,
plus the small and very lightweight ultra-wide-angle lens, the Viltrox AF 14mm f/4.0 Air FE.

Mar 27, 2026 at 11:19 AM

Newenglandrocks
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p.1 #8 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

Thanks for the thoughtful replies, everyone!

@InFocus2014 - I was vaguely curious about both the Sigma 20-200 and Tamron 25-200, and in processing many photos over the years with the Tamron 28-200, I am aware it is not the sharpest tool in my shed at 200mm. But I do like the speed / background blur at medium focal lengths and would be hard pressed to bump up against f/5.6 at ~100mm.

@mjc - I do love a full day walking around with just the 35GM and am totally looking forward to doing that. Using that one focal length that clicks with you is a pleasure when you get into the zone.

@j4nu - currently, I am leaning towards the 35-150 and taking it out for selective sniping missions at night.

Mar 27, 2026 at 02:35 PM

InFocus2014
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p.1 #9 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

Newenglandrocks wrote:
Thanks for the thoughtful replies, everyone!

@InFocus2014@ - I was vaguely curious about both the Sigma 20-200 and Tamron 25-200, and in processing many photos over the years with the Tamron 28-200, I am aware it is not the sharpest tool in my shed at 200mm. But I do like the speed / background blur at medium focal lengths and would be hard pressed to bump up against f/5.6 at ~100mm.

@mjc@ - I do love a full day walking around with just the 35GM and am totally looking forward to doing that. Using that one focal length that clicks with you...Show more →

The bokeh quality, subject isolation and IQ of the 20-200 took me by surprise, as I tend to have a bias against super-zooms. The shot, below, of my wife, is taken at 112mm and f6.3 - not perfect, but then, not bad for a small & lightweight lens that is so easy to carry (I believe I used the tiny Godox iT30 for fill, since her face was shaded).

If I had a Sherpa to carry my gear, I would have preferred my 135mm f1.8 or GM 50-150mm f2.

A7CR, ISO 100, 112mm, f6.3, 1/320

Mar 27, 2026 at 02:56 PM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #10 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

I�m not shooting Sony. (Yet, I�m here because I�m likely to do so when the A;7rvi arrives.) But I have photographed in Venice at night.

Part of the issue is whether you want to walk around with a bit lens and kit or use something smaller and lighter. There are places for each, but my preference is to go small and lighter.

There�s an idea that you need to have a very large aperture lens to shoot in urban areas at night, but that�s not necessarily so. I do street photography, including at night, with mostly f/2.8 lenses, FWIW.

Venice Restaurant, Evening

Evening Along the Canal

Mar 27, 2026 at 03:26 PM

j4nu
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p.1 #11 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

Newenglandrocks wrote:
@j4nu@ - currently, I am leaning towards the 35-150 and taking it out for selective sniping missions at night.

I'm one of those weirdos who actually love the Tamron for travel photography

. But I think it really comes down to whether you like shooting at wide-ish apertures. I know I do, and that's what makes it worth it for me to carry the Tarmon even on summer vacation (I do have my limits though, so I ruled out 50-150 for now). I'm also considering adding 20-200 to my kit as a compact option, but the slow-ish aperture makes me hesitate between it and the new 25-200, which is around a stop faster.

Mar 27, 2026 at 04:08 PM

Jazzgear296
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p.1 #12 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

I love shallow depth of field as much as the next bokeh snob�but honestly when I am traveling to places with beautiful scenery I don�t want my portraits obliterating the background. I want context to those photos so people know I or my subject was in a beautiful / famous place � so I am not afraid of keeping it above F8 (if the ambient light supports it). I mean what�s the point of shallow depth of field in that context? Might as well have taken the shot in your back yard, as no one will know the difference. There are creative ways of making your subject stand out from the background without blurring it out with some creative (but not complex) post processing.

Mar 27, 2026 at 05:23 PM

Alan Parker
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p.1 #13 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

Last time we went to Venice in 2023 I packed the CV15, CV40 and 70-200GMII. I think I almost exclusively used the CV40 at night looking back at the pictures. In 2021 I had my Batis 40 as my 'night lens'. I would stick with your 35GM.
Something in the 35-40 range is perfect for Venice in my opinion. I wouldn't typically shoot wide there.

Same samples of the CV40 at f/1.4

Mar 30, 2026 at 03:15 AM

fjablo
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p.1 #14 · Venice - what lens to shoot at night?

+1 for normal-ish focal range. There are some opportunities for wide-angle shots in Venice, but the vast majority is 35mm and up for me.

flickr albums from my last visit:
digital: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBSPa4
film (mostly 28-70mm, a few shots with 20mm): https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBVJix

About 50-58mm equivalent: