Traveling Overseas Lens 3 & 1/2 Months

[msenior]

Hey guys
Been a while since I have posted on here. Hope everyone is doing well.

I am heading overseas for 3 & 1/2 months in 5 weeks and I am having to purchase a new lens before I go.

I did have a Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM but it broke on me back just before Christmas.
I was going to get it fixed but $480 to do so didn't seem wise when it is about $900 to replace.
A mate wanted to try and fix it himself (engineer) so he bought it from me for $250.

My dilemma is that I possibly might want to upgrade to a 5dmk3 (from my current 7D) sometime in the next 12 - 18 months.
Do I buy another 17-55 or do I go to a 24-105L instead so I don't have to buy another lens when getting the 5D anyway.

The issue then is what is going to serve me best while I am away. I have been shooting with my 17-55 since I bought my cam in 2009.
I love the 2.8 for low light and going to the 24-105L I won't be as wide and only at f/4. Will I miss not being so wide if I go that way and I think I will miss 2.8.

I have read some other forums today and they have suggested a 15-85 which is wider obviously than the 17-55 and more focal length. It also is as about as sharp as the 24-105L. (So they say)

I am kinda of torn. My brother has been traveling around Asia for the past 12 months and he took a 18-135 and he said it was fine for what he wanted. I have borrowed it and used it but not sure about it seeing as it isn't a set f stop.

Anyone able to give me some advice on what way would be best.
Even if another lens/brand would suite better I am open to suggestions.

Cheers
Michael

[ricktas]

I would ask what you like to photograph? Do you like landscapes etc or are street scenes more your thing? Any other genre you love? Cause it depends what you want to take photos of, for which lens I would recommend. What other lenses do you already have (if any)?

[msenior]

Thanks for replying Rick
I only have my 50mm 1.4 at present. Wasn't planning on taking it as I think I have a lemon. Hit and miss with focus and not as sharp as I would like.

I will probably shoot a mixture of everything.

I am in London for a week so there is streets, buildings, then I head to Scotland for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, before a week around Scotland which will be landscapes most likely and buildings.
After Scotland I then do a trip around Europe which will be a mixture of both.

After Europe I head to the US where I do Disneyland and universal before going from one side of the US to the other. So here I will do landscapes and streets.

I tend to take a lot of Panos when I travel for some reason. My preferred type of photography is Night and Candid photography. Seeing as this will be my first time sight seeing these parts of the world I was only going to take the one lens. Also seeing as I have to buy a new one I was going to limit it to around $1000 but could be persuaded a little depending on difference and suggestions.

Does that help any?

Michael

[bricat]

Buy the 17-55 2.8 and then sell it when you upgrade for a small loss OR buy a little P&S for the trip? 55 at the long end seems very short for your trip? I have 15-85 and found that short for many different situations whilst o/S. Just like most of us you want your cake and eat it too!!!

[Mary Anne]

I have the 17-55mm f/2.8 its a great EF-S lens though no good for a FF camera you have to use EF lenses I prefer that combo on my 40D to the 24-105mm on my 5D Mk11

When I went OS I took the brand new 5D Mk11 and 24-105 mm and on the 40D the f/4 70-200mm that's a light lens plus the 1.4 extender I found that a great combo when OS .
Those two lenses will fit either the cropped or FF camera different results, what about the sigma 10-20mm UWA for the 7D you could have a look at that though it wont fit the FF camera if you upgrade later.

[bobc163]

Hi,
What part of the world are you going to?
I was away this time last year (travelling Istanbul- Beijing for 101 days) and found that even though I had 3 lenses with me the 24-105 on the Mk111 was more than adequate and if I did it again I would take that lens and perhaps the 50mm 1.2 with the doubler

Bob

[old dog]

hi Michael. I`m just back from 6 weeks in Spain, Portugal and Paris. I bought a Fuji X-E1 with kit 18-55 lens. Overall I`m fairly happy with the gear and it gives fantastic results albeit the AF speed is a little slow compared to my D7000 and 17-55 which I normally take. For the money you are going to spend, maybe think about what I did, just for the travel time. Nice and light too.

[William W]

If I were you I would have a look at really how often DID USE and NEEDED to use F/2.8 whilst travelling.
And then, in the light of those findings, consider the EF-S 15 to 85, mainly because of its wider zoom compass.

*

On three levels, I don’t think that buying a 24 to 105/4L IS is a good idea:
Firstly because you seem to want wider than 24mm
Secondly it is a silly reason to buy a lens now because one ‘might’ buy a 5dMkIII in ‘the future’ as a lot might happen over the next 18 months
Thirdly, if you DO buy a 5DMkIII later, the odds are arguably you will get a better deal buying the 24 to 105/4L IS as the “kit lens”, with it

WW

[Brian500au]

Michael

I travel a lot both in Europe and the US. It is rare when travelling you use F2.8. For streets, landscapes and buildings you are shooting around f8, and for candid you would need a medium zoom (70 - 200) and f4 - f5.6 is ok.

3 & 1/2 months is a long time on the road. Don't plan on buying any equipment in Europe - it is twice the price of Australia. Normally you only do this type of trip once, and you don't want photography regret when you get home. If I was you I would invest in a UWA (10 - 20), take the 50mm and also look at the 70 - 200 F4.

If you decide on a single lens set up then certainly look at either the 15-85 or the 15-135 as you will need both ends of the scale.

[msenior]

Thanks everyone for all your replies.
Sorry been busy the past few weeks finalising things before I leave, birthday and stuff.

I think I have come down to probably getting another 17-55 but seeing reading all the above has left me undecided again haha.

I am looking at getting a 70-200L f/4 USM now also to take with me so I have both ranges.

Price wise there isn't much between the 17-55 and an 15-85 and the 17-55 is the better of the 2 but has less focal length from what I can see.

Thanks Brian800au
I wasn't planning on buying in Europe as I know it would cost me a lot more particularly with exchange rates.
I could in Singapore though as I am in the airport there for 8 hours? I assume though at the airport it wouldn't be cheap however.

My brother used the 15-135 and I think he had a 28 macro or something else as well that he used.

Argh can't make up my mind now. /facepalm

Michael

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks everyone for all your replies.
Sorry been busy the past few weeks finalising things before I leave, birthday and stuff.

I think I have come down to probably getting another 17-55 but seeing reading all the above has left me undecided again haha.

I am looking at getting a 70-200L f/4 USM now also to take with me so I have both ranges.

Price wise there isn't much between the 17-55 and an 15-85 and the 17-55 is the better of the 2 but has less focal length from what I can see.

Thanks Brian800au
I wasn't planning on buying in Europe as I know it would cost me a lot more particularly with exchange rates.
I could in Singapore though as I am in the airport there for 8 hours? I assume though at the airport it wouldn't be cheap however.

My brother used the 15-135 and I think he had a 28 macro or something else as well that he used.

Argh can't make up my mind now. /facepalm

Michael

[Kerry]

Hi Michael,

I think given that you'll be shooting with a 7D, another 17-55 coupled with the 70-200L sounds like a great option.
I do a fair bit of travel and highly recommend getting the 24-105L when you decide to go full frame - it really is a great all rounder for travelling!
Good luck with the decisions!

Kerry

[phild]

I just got home from the areas you intend to visit. I took my 6D, 24-105L, 15mm f2.8 fisheye and 40mm f2.8 pancake. Of the lenses the 15mm fisheye was the most used, the pancake was used just once and in that instance the 24-105 would have sufficed.

Not everyone likes the distortion if a fisheye lens but in my case it afforded the best opportunities for the subject matter I was shooting, plus I like the drama and sense of space that the fisheye gives.

I also took a travel tripod (from Protog) but only used it once over 7 weeks.

If I were to do the trip again and could only take one of my lenses, it would likely be the 16-35 f2.8L.

FWIW if you're contemplating FF , the 6D is well worth consideration unless you need the few extra features of the 5DIII. The resolution and IQ is almost identical, plus the 6D has GPS and WIFI. The 6D has better low light performance and is slightly lighter. I used the wifi extensively (with Canon's free ipad app) for upload of images to my iPad and Adobe's excellent iPad app for rough processing for blog upload. Using Canons' free app also allows remote shooting and setting via wifi and review of your images without having to upload images to another device.

[sufran]

I am just back from 3 months travelling in Spain, Morocco, Britain and France. Everything is so close, that the 24-70 practically lived on my camera. I had debated hard about taking a longer focal length, but didn't in the end and would have only used it once or twice if I had brought it along. I also had a sigma 10-20 lens - which got a lot of use on occasion (e.g. cathedral interiors). However, I also had a Sony RX100 - great for low light (f1.8), super light, great for taking quick unobtrusive shots and for those challenging situations (like climbing bell towers, Mt Snowdon, etc) where an amazingly heavy 24-70/2.8 lens wasn't going to be risked. If I was doing it again, I would take a light mid-range zoom, and pocket camera.

[msenior]

Thanks guys
I am going to get a another 17-55mm or maybe go with the 6D and 24-105, if I don't get a 70-200 F/4.

Appreciate all the help. 2 weeks to go

Michael

Edit:
Have any of you used Camera Paradise before or e-Global? That is the cheapest I have found the gear I am looking at buying.

Tossing up between the 2 stores as they are the cheapest between 6D with 24-105 and the 17-55mm + 70-200 f/4 (is it worth the IS version)

Thoughts?

[phild]

I bought my 6D (genuine AU Canon stock) from George's in Sydney at a price almost the same as the grey importers, might be worth giving their website a check. From memory the 17-55 is an EF-S lens and won't work on the 6D.

[msenior]

I bought my 6D (genuine AU Canon stock) from George's in Sydney at a price almost the same as the grey importers, might be worth giving their website a check. From memory the 17-55 is an EF-S lens and won't work on the 6D.

Thanks mate will check them out.

Michael

[William W]

. . . 70-200 f/4 (is it worth [getting] the IS version)

Thoughts?

Yes.
Definitely, yes.
There are very few reasons, not too.

WW

[crafty1tutu]

I have been to the UK and Europe a few times and on my trip in 2009 I took my 50 mm 1.4 and my 70-200 2.8. I found the 70-200 restrictive in the UK due to not being able to step back far enough in the villages and towns to take photos of the buildings etc and found that I used my 50 mm for basically most of my photos. In 2013 we were away for 3 months and I took my Canon 18-200 and used this for all of my photos on a 7D, but this is an EF-S lens so not worth buying if you want to upgrade to a full frame in the future. I have now upgraded to a Canon 5D MK III and wanted to have a similar range, so I have bought a second hand Tamron 28-300 mm 3.5 lens to use as a general all rounder. I have just come back from a week in Hervey Bay and used the lens for all of my photos and found it adequate, but not as good as the 18-200. I travel often and alway stress over which lenses to take with me. We are off to South Africa in around three weeks time and I have decided that I am going to cover all bases and take my 7D with a 100-400 lens and the 5D with a 24-105, but we will be mainly in a car and this would not be suitable for your needs. It is always a dilemna, isn't it??