16-35mm f/2.8 L

[kelccm]

So f/3.5 ok for shooting inside the cathedral, meusum, or other indoor places of interest?

All I can say is that usually it is quite dim inside. If you want to shoot handheld, you'll have to increase your ISO, and find ways to support yourself. Also if the place allows, use your flash where neccessary. The best is to use a tripod, but there are some churches and museums that frown on the use of tripods, so you may want to consider a monopod. Also, there are also some places that don't allow photography inside their buildings.

I had used my Tamron 19-35mm f/3.5-4.5 around Europe, and I don't find it a problem.

 

[kelccm]

Just shoot wherever and whenever you can. When you find that you can't take any proper photos due to low light or the places don't allow, then just take a break from photography and enjoy the tour with your family.

 

[jsbn]

Personal thoughts for ur holiday.

Forget all ur 2.8 lenses, get all f4 lenses.

 

[sweat100]

So f/3.5 ok for shooting inside the cathedral, meusum, or other indoor places of interest?

Hi, based on my personal experience with 16-35. You will use the f2.8 in cases of dim places and using of tripod at those conditions will be cumbersome. For example would be night street photography (pasar malam etc...). I need to use f2.8 most of the time, even then the iso is already very high. If I am using iso100 film, sometimes f2.8 also not enough. If places that permits you to use tripod, you will not use the f2.8 to shoot. So take a pick and ask ur self, will you be shooting alot of times at night without tripod. If answer is yes, get the 16-35. If not, then can get the popular 17-40. As for the tele range, why not get a 28-105 as a "buffer" lens. After your trip, you see whether you use the tele end often. If yes, then can sell the lens and get the 24-105L. Personally, i seldom use tele during trips, wide is more often used. Just my 2 cents.

 

[sehsuan]

That advice makes most sense. You're there to enjoy the sights and sounds, not to be a technical photographer on assignment.

 

[lewong]

Yap....definitely!. I have been there many times over the pass decade but it will the first time I am bring an DSLR - felt the pics taken by the compact cameras in the past were not very good.

I love the pple, the place and the culture in Europe...so would like to take some nice memory back...with my families in the pictures of course

Thks for all the advice given! I think the 24-105L may suit me better as the 16-35L may not have the focal length required for these photos. Maybe match with 10-22 for wide angle but hopefully still can use in poor light condition (indoor churches etc).

cheers.

 

[kelccm]

Yap....definitely!. I have been there many times over the pass decade but it will the first time I am bring an DSLR - felt the pics taken by the compact cameras in the past were not very good.

I love the pple, the place and the culture in Europe...so would like to take some nice memory back...with my families in the pictures of course

Thks for all the advice given! I think the 24-105L may suit me better as the 16-35L may not have the focal length required for these photos. Maybe match with 10-22 for wide angle but hopefully still can use in poor light condition (indoor churches etc).

cheers.

Good choice. When you get your 30D and lenses, do play around and experiment with it before you go for your tour. A DSLR is a different cup of tea compared to a P&S camera. It can be a steep learning curve, and you may not get better photos initially, but once you get the hang of it, it can gives you lots of amazing photos. Have fun for your tour

 

[trlnlty]

Good choice. When you get your 30D and lenses, do play around and experiment with it before you go for your tour. A DSLR is a different cup of tea compared to a P&S camera. It can be a steep learning curve, and you may not get better photos initially, but once you get the hang of it, it can gives you lots of amazing photos. Have fun for your tour

best advice in the thread.

it took me about 3 months to get "okay" pics.

 

[lewong]

So what went wrong?

 

[Belle&Sebastain]

You missed my point completely.. Maybe it's because I wasn't too direct.. BTW, come to think of it, my answer has no leverage on whether I work in Canon or not..

Personalyl, I would invest in L lens 1st before even thinking about a 5D.. I find no point using 5D with normal lens, then might as well just continue with 350D or 30D 'cos the pictures won't look much different abit the higher resolution.. A normal cam with normal lens give you normal pics.. A normal cam with better lens give you better pics.. But a better cam with normal lens will still give you normal pics.. Then I'd rather just stick to better lens and a normal cam.. No offense, this just my personal POV..

Anyway, let's leave it at the fact that different pple got different point of view.. If not, there won't be a need for different camera brands and models

i beg to differ, since you work in canon, you should know that there are other non L lenses that produce different results, how can you say just buy L lenses?

If i wanted a fisheye effect with a SLR 5D, for the matter, what are my L choices?

If i needed a tele Shift/Tilt Effect, i cannot be just buying the 24mm ts/e f3.5L right? i need the 90mm which is a nonL.

I do not think you should advocate in this matter, lenses, L or not has its uses. L is just a name. Usage of lenses should be by need, not by the L brand.

 

[sidder]

lewong

If you get a 30D, 24-105 is not wide enough. You need something with 17mm - trust me I have done a few Europe trips and the 17 end you will need. If you have a 16-35 and a 24-105, you have a good range and I would personally drop the 70-200 idea. You can always crop the 105 end.

If you get a 5D, then a 24-105 plus a 70-200 would probably be about right.

My next trip will probably see me with a 10-22, 17-40L and a 85 1.8.

Another thing - reduce the amount of other baggage as much as possible. I only bring 4 changes of shirts and 2 pants max and I end with less than 10kg including camera gear.

Brudder, dun scare me sia. 70-200 really not a useful range for the 1.6x DSLRs? is there really no situation at all that u might need it?

 

[NorthernLights]

Some times, there may be more logic getting a full frame.

With that, the 24-105 f4 IS would be the perfect lens.

5D + 24-105 = 4800 + 2100 = $6900. You get the range from 24mm to 105mm and can cover both wide landscapes and also tele landscapes if you need a tighter composition.

Taken @ 110mm I think

a 30D may be cheaper, but you need more lenses because traditional 35mm or full frame lenses are neither here nor there with 1.6x crops. Once you consider the EF-S, you will start asking yourself for how long you will stick with the 1.6x once the FF becomes affordable in the near future.

30D + 10-22 + 24-105 = 2200 + 1200+ 2100 = $5500.

It may be a $1400 question, but it sets you off covered with one lens and also gets you the quality with the 5D option.

 

[lewong]

Hi, it does make sense getting a 5D. If I do that however, I may not be able to afford a speedlite 580ex flash. Do you think its ok with just the 5D and 24-105L is sufficient for the holiday? Hope its ok for indoor churchs and museums.

Btw, your price of S$4800, where did you get the quote? does it include GST and can I pay by visa?

I think FF is the the industry is heading. Afterall we never ask for smaller negative in the past! what do you think?

What else do I need? 5D + 24-105L + filter? + spare batteries (do I need this) + Harddisk (bought) + Compact Flash card (4G ??) + Flash (?) = thats quite alot of money, almost a month's salary brother!!!! Wife will kill me haha

Anyway, hope to hear from you soon!

 

[AReality]

Almost all churchs/museums in Europe don't allow u to use tripod and flash. U can bring them around for protection though...

 

[lewong]

Just wondering if I can don't buy the flash first if I am getting the 5D, too much to spend at one go!

 

[ozora]

I have been through backpacking Europe together with my wife last year. Just to share my experience. I brought a 350D with only the kit lens (coz just bought it few days before my trip). Was glad that I didnt brign too much camera equipment coz it was really heavy with all the other stuffs in my backpack.

Kit lens was only 17-55mm range and I found that most of the time it was very gd range. In Europe, most things u tend to shoot would be landscape. So the 17mm is gd enough for most landscape. Bigger lens tends to be heavy and bulky for travelling in Europe. Ur 30D itself is already quite heavy and imagine a 70-200mm L lens mounted and hanging on ur neck, u shag out easily. Makes u dont feel like shooting anymore. Most of time ur backpack is kept in the hostel or hotel. But imagine if u move from 1 city to another and having to take a pack train ride with ur backpack and suddenly along the way u wan to shoot something really interesting! Damn u wish u dont have so much stuffs.

But since u have the budget of bringing a better lens, u can consider 17-85mm coz I find this is quite a gd range to have for travelling. If u can afford the weight, bring a flash and tripod. Will be useful for some shoots.

Things to note in Europe:
a. Some places does not allow u to use tripod. Such as Lourve museum in Paris.

b. Some places does not allow flash, such as Art museums or museums with paintings coz flash might spoil the paintings.

Some sample of my photos with kit lens:
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c219/ozora77/IMG_5530.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c219/ozora77/Sunrise and Sunset/Sunset01.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c219/ozora77/Sunrise and Sunset/Sunset02.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c219/ozora77/Sunrise and Sunset/Sunset03.jpg

Hope these are useful to ur decisions!

 

[USM]

Bro, still undecided huh? :dunno:

 

[AReality]

Ok la, some advice for u, since today I'm in a good mood.


Seems like you need this cam JUST for your Europe holiday. Considering that only, I suggest get a fast lenses, at least f/2.8, and a cam that can shoot iso1600 with noise acceptable to you. the 30D/5D seems good enough in this area.

The churches in Europe forbid flash and tripod. Using flash also spoils the mood. Get the 16-35mm f/2.8 if possible, or 3rd party solution if u'r wallet's hole is already too big.

Bring a light tripod along. I have the Slik sprint Pro, relatively small and light. Enough for your camera. People say blow away by wind, but I still have my camera with me. or if still too heavy, get those table-top tripods, just for backups.

 

[AReality]

For flashes, i only used it less than 5 times. All on my friends, coz they want those posey travel pics. Get a small one is enough if u really need 1. the new 430EX is not bad, or a Sigma 500 DG Super for a cheaper option.

 

[AReality]

How wide can u go?

16mm on a 1.6x crop is the narrowest you want. if u wanna save some $ and not get the 5D,
2nd option is get a film body, a 2nd hand eos 30 now only $300, shoot slides for those ultra wide 16mm shots.