Organising a Trip to Europe

We are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel to Europe in October. The question always arises as to what photography gear I will take. On a trip to Thailand last year I took the Canon G11 point and shoot. While it was great due to the compact size, there were quite a few occasions when I wished I had the 5D Mark II in hand. Dashing around on the beach at the Railay Beach resort at sunset comes to mind. Most observers would dismiss my actions as just a tourist (which I was) but would have they taken another look if I had the 5D with the killer (and heavy) Canon EF 70-200mm L f2.8 IS II poised for action.

In planning our trip to Europe I am going to compromise. Take the 5D but with only one lens and flash. So what lens to take? I currently use the wide Canon EF 17-40mm L for my real estate and landscape work, however 40mm really is quite restrictive from a touring point of view. Two possibilities come to mind:

Canon EF 24-70mm L f2.8  and

Canon EF 24-105mm L f4 IS

The 24-70 is a favourite for weddings and is heavier and bulkier than the 24-105. With the slightly more compact feel, longer reach and image stabilization, I think the latter might be the choice as the walkaround on tour. What do you think?

 

Comments

[Samuel Wells]

A neat way to travel in Europe is to use the InterRail pass, which is accepted on nearly every train in Europe (not on high speed trains). You can travel down through Italy visiting Venice, Pisa, Firenze, Rome, Naples and then take the ferry from Bari to Greece.