Ok, so I never thought I'd actually feel the need to share my thoughts on this, but here goes. I've got the list of lenses in my sig. Problem is, on the one hand, I know taking the 70-200 VR will probably be overkill, but on the other, I've hardly used it since I bought it, and this is the one time I'll be able to get some use out of it that doesn't involve the back garden etc. Most people will say don't be such a wimp. I've read of people going on trips with d3, 14-24, 24-70, 70-200 lol. Anyway. I kind of wish I had the 16-35 to pair with the 50mm prime and 70-200VR instead but hey. I'm going with the 24-70, 70-200VR, 35 f2, and 85 1.8. The primes are what I'll have mounted most of the time, the zooms are what will be in my back pack for anything the primes can't do. (any wider, tele than what the two primes offer). Am taking 3 8gb cards (1200 pics, lossless compressed raw files). Going by myself, staying in a hostel (single bedroom en suite). Wish me luck
Hi Greg, I had a similar conversation (with myself) over my upcoming trip to Peru. My philosophy was to pack light (only bring the bare minimum) and pack safe (from thieves). I also considered the types of subjects I'd be shooting. In my case that's people, buildings, and landscapes. I decided to bring two lenses: 24-105 f4 85 1.8 The 24-105 will do just about everything and I can switch to the 85 if I want to try some portraits (something new for me) If I could bring a third lens, which I won't, it would be my 70-200. I own a 17-40, but I didn't see a lot of potential for something that wide in an urban setting. Looking at your list of gear, my choices would translate for you as: 24-70 85 Hope this helps!
Take the D700, the 24-70/2.8, and one flash. Leave the rest at home. I can't think of one thing in Rome worth shooting that needs a tele lens. Ok, maybe the 35/2. And if you don't eat at least one meal at La Carbonara then you have wasted the entire trip. Just avoid the old lady at the bread station. She cuts bread like she works for a hit squad. Great food, and a wine list that is respectable. Actually the best Italian food I have ever had in Italy. Not counting the pizza joint in Venice, but that was definitely a beer and pizza place. And, for a really cool trip, visit the Vatican's modern art collection.
70-300VR it is then LOL. As much as everyone goes to rome for the museums, architecture etc, I can't resist a bit of street photography if it presents itself. Leaving the 85 and 70-200. Taking 24-70, 35 f2 and 70-300VR. Flash? Really? Can't say I've ever needed flash except for work :/ Worst case scenario, I'll use the 35 f2 and popup flash. What are the prices like at la carbonara? Looks like it's going to out of my budget :/
Hey guys, last night in Rome. Heading back tomorow morning. Pics by the end of the week. Am glad I didn't take the 70-200VR LOL. I really wish I had managed to rent that 14-24 if only for the ultrawide look. I had plenty of room to get the shot in and just compose upwards above the crowds and shoot my shot with the 24-70. The weather was overcast for all but two days that I was here, so getting my exposures looking right was a pain in the arse. I shot Raw for all of it except 40 odd photos inside the vatican museum, when I forgot it on Jpeg BASIC no less..DOH. (The plan was to take a photo of the tag of each painting I thought was worth taking a photo of). Oh well. As for being here for 5 days, I probably could have got away with a day less. Arrived on thursday morning, leaving tuesday morning. I reckon I could have left on saturday evening and have seen the main sights. Everything was close enough to walk to. I walked on average from 10am till 4 to 6 pm each day. Judging from the map, must be around 6 kilometres or so. Now had I been jogging that, with nothing but shorts and a t shirt on , that seems like nothing, but with a D700,24-70, 70-300VR, and either the 35 or 85mm prime, it took it's toll. It's not so much my feet that are sore, but the hip joints, and my back. I didn't eat out at all, apart from buying the odd bit of takeaway pizza. 5 euros for two decent sized pieces. I suppose being alone I thought why bother sitting down and eating somewhere. Anyway, just thought I'd pop on to let you guys say I told you so Hey, on the one hand I wish I'd just brought the 24-70, on the other I wish I had had a 20mm prime, 50, and 85 and that's it xD
You know, if I was there for longer, and felt there were actually any people worth taking photos of, then I would have. Go to the Greek islands, and you can easily find yourself shooting the local people. Shame that in Rome, everyone looks the same lol.
The weather was crap in that it was overcast, and I was constantly having to either bracket 3 raw shots, or just expose for the landscape and not the sky. Out of the whole lot, I used my 35 for two photos of which I'll probably throw away, the 85 not one shot, and the 70-300 for maybe 8 photos. All the rest were with the 24-70. I was travelling alone, so didn't sit down at any restaurants, if I had sat down I might have taken some close ups with the 35. I also wasn't as comfortable doing street photography, and a lot of the photos I could have taken just seemed trivial, or cheap street shots (A shot inside the pizza takeaway joints, etc). There was no market on that I was aware of, or could be bothered to find (we have markets here in Greece, so not really something I was that big on seeing), other than that, I didn't see really any interesting characters on the street, apart from for 3 photos in which I made a point of using the 70-300VR. 5 nights wasn't necessary, and by the fourth night I was revisiting places I'd already been to get better photos. At night, rather than in the day with overcast grey skies. This definitely paid off. I wish I had done this for all the photos, but I suppose you can't have all the photos looking the same. As far as thieves go, I seldom had my camera hung around my neck with the 24-70, and if I did I had it slung over my side, behind my arm as I walked, only really visible as I walked past people. I never felt like I was being stalked, and if I ever felt like I was being followed I just stopped to look at a shop window to let the person pass. In Greece there are plenty of nigerian etc selling things, and our fair share of beggars so it wasn't something I was new to. I laughed when some indian dude tried to sell me one of those tiny tripods that are meant for point and shoot cameras, for my D700 & 24-70 combo haha. Anyway, here are the highlights, notice I tried not to include any museum photos xD; You can tell which ones were with the tele. (4,5,6,7,13) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Wow those are very cool pictures, I've been in Rome myself and I must say these pics remind me of my trip there last summer. Great pics!!
