What lenses to take on Europe Trip?

[Fredo]

Okay, so Europe bound at the end of the week . . need to decide on lenses.
Would appreciate any suggestions from those who have travelled.
We are doing a 27 day bus trip – Uk, Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium. Stopovers in Dubai and Singapore.
So lots of buildings and views.
Camera – D300 & D5100
Lenses available are the following:
50mm prime F1.4
Nikon 18-55 Kit lens
Nikon 18-105 Kit Lens
Sigma 24-70 F2.8
Sigma 70-200 F2.8
Nikon 70-300 (very old)
Toshiba Tablet, Joby bendy tripod thing, filters, flash, etc.
What lenses? Yeah I know but I don’t have a 8-16 or 10-20!
I am thinking the 24-70 + the old Nikon 70-300 zoom (because its light and I don’t know I’ll need a long zoom anyway?)
Any real benefit in taking the 18-55 instead? What about the 50?
Suggestions please
Fred

[ameerat42]

As few as possible, I would suggest.
Glad you said how and what about the trip.
My suggestion: 18-105 for alMOST EVERYthing.

Where you can take indoor (museum, churches, etc) pics, something not too obtrusive, and tending on the wide side.

If you take me along that is ALL I will need.

I agree about your lack of ultra-wide - a pity. And I agree about not much use (for me at all) for a long zoom.

(Bon voyage, Gute Reisen, etc.)
Am.

[Fredo]

As few as possible, I would suggest.
Glad you said how and what about the trip.
My suggestion: 18-105 for alMOST EVERYthing.

Where you can take indoor (museum, churches, etc) pics, something not too obtrusive, and tending on the wide side.

If you take me along that is ALL I will need.

I agree about your lack of ultra-wide - a pity. And I agree about not much use (for me at all) for a long zoom.

(Bon voyage, Gute Reisen, etc.)
Am.

hahah . . . thanks Am.

[Warbler]

You're really going to wish you had an UWA. Sorry to be Captain Obvious. :o

[old dog]

I agree with warbler. Get and take a wide zoom. I do think the 24-70 will do most of the work on the D300 and I`d put the 18-105 n the D5100. and pack the 70-200 and the wide zoom. I did a trek in NZ and only took the 17-55 ...didn`t miss many shots.

[J.davis]

I have taken a lot of lenses on Euro trips and found the 24-70 the best allrounder.

[JM Tran]

I'd take the 18-105, it is no slouch of a lens!

I would not take the 24-70 as you have a crop sensor camera, it would not give you such a wide shot like the 18-105 will give you.

[ricktas]

Another vote for the 18-105 (take a polariser as well, seeing you are going from coast to alps). And if you think you need some zoom reach, either the 70-200 or the 70-300.

[Tommo1965]

I doubt you'll need a lens longer than the 105....

I did a similar trip last year..if I was going again Id take the 5100 the 18-105 and the 50 1.4.....keep it as light as possible as a full on camera back pack is a pain in the butt after a few hours

I wouldn't take a heavy F2.8 and a 18 mm on the 5100 is a decent 27mm in old money even consider the 18-55 over the 18-105 if it has better contrast and sharpness ....Im not familiar with both lenses so I cant recommend one over the other...just that 105mm is more versatile than 55mm

ricks idea of a polarizer is good...Id also take one flash and a small table top tripod such as a gorillapod

[bobt]

Having travelled a lot in Europe and elsewhere I'd have to say that the smaller your collection the better. You don't want to pack it in your hold luggage (it'll get pinched) which means taking it all into the cabin. The limits on weight restrict that on-board slection to a minimum anyway of 7 kg. When you're on the go you never have time to stuff around with lenses, so taking one that'll do everything is a better way to go.

If you want to take wide angle (and there will be those shots where you can't get back far enogh) then all you do is take a quick series and stich them together when you get home. Better to focus on your storage needs and take a netbook with a small portable HD. By the time you have the netbook, camera and lens in your on-board luggage you've used up your weight allowance anyway.

Have a good trip!

[mongo]

Mongo has never found a use for a very long lens on this sort of trip (except Canada where there was some serious wildlife). Most of the time through Europe it was street and landscape photography - ergo a wide to short tele lens - ergo the 18-105. Also, Mongo would take the 5100 over the D300 for the weight advantage (resolution and ISO are much of a muchness). This combo gives you about 27 - 150mm which will do about 85% of what you want. In a perfect world, it would be nice to get down to between 20 to 24mm at the wide side. The 24-70 is a great lens (and Mongo is looking at getting one) and would be all you would need on a FX body but it is only about 35mm wide on DX bodies and is heavy. So, it does not achieve as much as the 18-105 for your purposes.

[Warbler]

You might find something like this useful too, for taking pictures against the glass bus windows. The polariser will help too.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Big+Rubber+lens+hood&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=vLU&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=KP47UP2gFeejiAfhzIDwCw&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1297&bih=662

Cheers,
Tim

[ameerat42]

You might find something like this useful too, for taking pictures against the glass bus windows. The polariser will help too.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Big+Rubber+lens+hood&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=vLU&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=KP47UP2gFeejiAfhzIDwCw&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1297&bih=662

Cheers,
Tim

Not to denigrate your effort, Tim, but even better is to not take such pics. I learnt this from Lurch and Crunch (of camera equipment against bus hardware).

I found that cupping my hand around the lens and holding it against the glass WHILE WAITING for the motion to stop yielded a couple of useful results from many tries.:(
It's the motion of the bus/train that you have to avoid. (Maybe a polariser for reflections, but at the cost of light) and holding camera even a little away from the glass gave even better results.
(Sometimes.)
Am.

[Rattus79]

When it comes to a UWA, I'd just use the 24-70, and stich to get the desired results.

Regardless of what glass you take, you will find a time (or 2) when you wish you'd brought something else.

Me, I'd take the 24-70 - 70 - 200 and the 50 1.4
But I dont' mind carrying the extra weight.

[Warbler]

but even better is to not take such pics

Wish it was that easy, but 27 days on a bus is going to make it hard to avoid having to take some from inside the bus. I found putting the camera as close as possible to the glass went a long way towards not getting reflections of the people across the aisle.

Have you worked out the travel-speak from the brochures yet Fredo? "Maybe take in" means an optional extra paid side tour. "See" means as the bus flashes by, and if you're on the correct side. "View" means we drive past it slowly. "Visit" means we'll actually get off the bus.

Have a good trip!

Tim

[Fredo]

Thanks everyone.
All good stuff as usual from this group.
I would find it very hard to leave my trusted D300 behind but I hear what you are saying about weight.
Gee its hard to make yourself go back to a 'lesser' lens but your common sense regarding the width and weight saving of the 18-105 says I have been a F2.8 snob to long.
Thanks all. . . Really appreciate it.
Fred

[ktoopi]

I'm not a Nikon user but I have a crop sensor Canon 7D and the the lens I by far use the most (almost all the time) on all my travels is my 15-85mm so I reccommend the 18- 105!! Good luck and have a reat time:)

[Tommo1965]

Fred, I shouldn't worry about the differences between the D5100 or the D300 mate , your not going to be taking sports or fast moving action shots needing better AF...plus the D5100 does video if you wanted to use that ...

in my experience its all about the weight...if it {camera} starts getting too heavy and weighing you down..its a pain in the arse ..your gonna be on a bus with a load of other holiday makers and believe me enjoy the moment rather than what F-stop your using...stick the lens on F8 and have a ball......your not going to have time for much else . and your predominantly going to be using the camera to record your holiday snaps rather than in depth field work and if you do get a chance at any in depth images..Im sure the D5100 and a portable tripod will do the trick

so as long as the 18-105 performs good at F8 or even F5.6..then for me its a no brainier

D5100
18-105 mm
50 mm
Flash
Small tripod
batteries
storage for both camera and back up

travel insurance for all that and you :)

[bobt]

Wish it was that easy, but 27 days on a bus is going to make it hard to avoid having to take some from inside the bus.

Yup ... probably the worst way of taking photos, but I have also taken some competition entries from a bus window, so it can be done. The main thing is to use a decent shutter speed to compensate for the movement, and to hold the lens pretty close to the glass with your hand as a shock absorber. I have been lucky with a few, but it's pretty much pot luck, and better avoided. However, when you're in a place once in your life, better to try and fail than never have a chance of capturing it.

[Fredo]

On ya Steve,
makes goo sense mate.
Ta

Fredo