need advice on lens for trip overseas

[Elvie]

I have not long ago purchased the 18-200 for travelling and I am very happy with the results and I hardly had the need to use my wide angle lens makes life travelling easy

[bigdazzler]

I hardly had the need to use my wide angle lens makes life travelling easy

I suppose this all depends on what kinds of photos you want to create. A superzoom will never deliver the funky UWA perspective of a 10-20 or 10-22 on a crop body, or a 12-24 or 16-35 on a FF body. If youre after creative funky angles of monuments and things youll always be best served with a dedicated ultra wide lens. The superzooms are somewhat of a jack of all trades (and on a crop body at approx. 27mm equiv. theyre not even really that wide), master of none. The biggest plus obviously is the good "one-size-fits-most" focal range, meaning less lenses to carry, but it sometimes comes at the cost of creative possibilities.

[JorgD]

I find that when I travel in built up areas like HK or any other large city, a wide angle lens can never be wide enough. Thus I end up using my 10-22 Canon lens a lot, because otherwise you never get the top of buildings into the photo because you can't get back far enough. The 18-200 is great for general purpose, but the 10-22 really rounds it off for those inner city shots or inside church shots where you just want to capture the massive size.

[beaco]

If you do a lot of walking/hiking then you'll feel every 500grams you're carrying. You'll get to the point where everything has a photo quality to weight/effort ratio when travelling. I try to take versatile gear that is lighter rather than heavier. I guess it's a personal preference though.

[bobt]

I have travelled OS many times and have found the following:-

1) I take a tripod every time and never get time to use it. I'd leave it behind.
2) Taking several lenses is not practical - again, you'll never get to use them all and particularly if you have a child as well. Take one mid-range zoom and leave it on the camera.
3) Never pack any camera gear in your hold luggage - you'll never see it again.
4) Beware the weight allowances for carry on luggage - lenses and cameras weigh heaps. Just have one mid-range telephote that will fit in a snoot bag and hang on your shoulder. That will get you through without having to count its weight (unless you are very unlucky) Take a small point and shoot camera for the times when it's not practical to carry the SLR.
5) Don't worry about zillions of storage cards, just buy a netbook (very small and light and enough storage for all your photos - just offload them each day from the camera.
6) Make sure you are thoroughly conversant with the camera before you go - you'll kick yourself if you miss things because of basic lack of knowledge.

[GemB81]

This is great info. I've travelled a bit, but my next trip in December/January will be the first with a northern hemisphere winter (ie Alaska etc) and a first with a DSLR. This is a great post for a lot of the questions i had.

[Andych]

thanks for advice guys. What is a good landscape or panoramic lens (are they the same ?)
Would the photos look better than using my 18-200mm?

What sort of price would I be looking at?

And what sort of external flash do I need for my trip for night pics?

I am assuming either of my lenses---the 18-200mm (f/3.5-5.6) and the 85mm (f/1.8) are ok to use at night?
cheers Oscar

I have just come back from 3 weeks in France & UK where my 550D got a reasonable workout of around 800 pics. Every single one was with the 18-200 kit lens and I really didn't have any need for another lens.

I wouldn't worry about an external flash, I set my camera to Auto ISO and let it do the work and I have to say that I am very impressed by its low light capability.

This is one of my pics...the rest will eventually go into flickr once I buy a premuim pack...lol www.flickr.com/photos/48978252@N02/4638855706/

[Wilky]

New to this forum... must say great forum. Im new to DSLR world and need some advice
Have bought a 550D 1 month ago and also 2 lenses-- 1. Canon EF 85mm f/1.8
2. Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/ 3.5-5.6 IS

Im travelling to Europe and New York/Hong Kong (land HK then europe then NYC before heading home to Oz)
Wondering if i need to buy any other lenses for trip?
Any if yes is it worth it buying in HK or NYC?

Cheers Oscar

We spent 4 months riding through the UK and Europe last year. I would of used a longer lens than the 55-250 I have a lot.

We have been in Thailand for the last 2 months and still cursing for not having a longer lens. I have priced a few lens over here and they are cheaper in Oz at the moment.

Have carted a tripod with me all over and hardly ever used it. Never in Europe.

My suggestion, take a bigger than 200mm lens with you. My first purchase when I get back to Oz is going to be a Sigma BigMa.