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
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
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.
Hi Im Darren
www.darrengrayphotography.com
SONY A850 (FF)] + GRIP | SONY A350 (APS-C) + GRIP | SONY NEX-5 +16 2.8 + 18-55 E-MOUNT LENSES | CZ 85 1.4 | 50 1.4 | 28-75 2.8 | 70-200 2.8 | 2 x 42AMs | 24" imac | LR | CS4 | + loads of other junk
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.
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.
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.
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.
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/
Last edited by Andych; 26-05-2010 at 5:59pm.
I'm not Crazy just a little Unwell
Canon 550D with 18-200, Canon 100 F2.0, Canon Nifty Fifty, Canon 75-300, Soligar 19-35 (77mm), Panasonic TZ3 P&S
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.
Cheers
Wilky "We have taken a vow of poverty, send money to annoy us".
I know you believe you understand what you think I said,
But I am not sure you realise that what you heard , is not what I meant
Canon Eos 450D Linux user