Photography gear for Rome and Venice
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2016
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Photography gear for Rome and Venice
Leaving to Venice in a couple of weeks and was looking for some suggestions on lens to carry along for the trip. I have a Nikon D7100 with the kit lens 18-55mm and was wondering if I should rent a wider angle lens. I'd prefer not to stop and change lenses, so something that can be used most of the time would be my preference. I'm thinking 16-80mm f/2.8 or 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6. Any suggestions? Or would the 10-20mm be a better choice?
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
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I am not familiar with the D7100...but a quick google says it has a 1.5X crop factor. That means your 18-55mm lens is equivalent to a 24-82mm lens on a full-frame camera.
So you have the equivalent of a 24mm lens for a traditional 35mm SLR, which is fairly wide lens. I think that's plenty wide enough for most pictures. I have traveled with a wider lens than that; this May was the first trip (to Venice and elsewhere) where I had only a 24mm-capable lens with me. There were a few times when I would have used a wider lens...but I lived without those few shots. Not the end of the world.
The question is, is 82mm long enough? On my last trip, I had the equivalent of a 400mm zoom with me, the first time I had that kind of zoom, and I was surprised how often I used it. I zoom in often to 200mm or more, so 82mm (which is what your 55mm is equivalent to) is not nearly enough of a zoom for me.
In fact, I left my Canon DSLR gear home on that last trip - instead I bought a "bridge" camera, a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000, which gave me the equivalent of 24mm-400mm in one lens. It was a great choice. Much less gear to carry, no lens to change. It was an adjustment for sure, and the camera certainly has limitations vs. the DSLR, but I can't imagine I'll ever travel with the DSLR again.
So you have the equivalent of a 24mm lens for a traditional 35mm SLR, which is fairly wide lens. I think that's plenty wide enough for most pictures. I have traveled with a wider lens than that; this May was the first trip (to Venice and elsewhere) where I had only a 24mm-capable lens with me. There were a few times when I would have used a wider lens...but I lived without those few shots. Not the end of the world.
The question is, is 82mm long enough? On my last trip, I had the equivalent of a 400mm zoom with me, the first time I had that kind of zoom, and I was surprised how often I used it. I zoom in often to 200mm or more, so 82mm (which is what your 55mm is equivalent to) is not nearly enough of a zoom for me.
In fact, I left my Canon DSLR gear home on that last trip - instead I bought a "bridge" camera, a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000, which gave me the equivalent of 24mm-400mm in one lens. It was a great choice. Much less gear to carry, no lens to change. It was an adjustment for sure, and the camera certainly has limitations vs. the DSLR, but I can't imagine I'll ever travel with the DSLR again.
#5
Join Date: Sep 2011
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The kit lens will be fine for Rome and Venice. It is wide enough and small and light. Weight is a consideration when carrying a camera all day.
Much wider and you could suffer from distortion on buildings which will need work in post, which you may or may not be able to do.
Enjoy your trip, and take some great photos, but don't forget to look out from behind the lens too!
Much wider and you could suffer from distortion on buildings which will need work in post, which you may or may not be able to do.
Enjoy your trip, and take some great photos, but don't forget to look out from behind the lens too!
#6
Join Date: Oct 2013
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I no longer take my DSLR on trips, unless we're driving. After about an hour, I regret the weight. I have a little Canon S95 that takes excellent photos, and even my phone (a Sony Xperia X) is very good for photos.