what lens for trip?

[mrfourcows]

i'm going on a 2 week trip - switzerland, france, and finally london to see my sisters.

i really wish to travel light and was thinking of maybe just bringing one general slow zoom and the rest primes. so basically i was thinking maybe the following:

tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6
canon 35mm f/2
canon 50mm f/1.4
canon 85mm f/1.8

i'm using a 350d. will i be needing a telephoto? or a wide-angle wider than 24mm?

all suggestions and feedback appreciated.

[mrfourcows]

anyone?

[KCMO Al]

I can only give you my personal preferences and personal biases.
I would try to get something wider in the mix. The 24 is the equivalent of about 38mm in FF (which is the way I think) and for me, that would not be wide enough, given the vistas that you will be enjoying and the narrow nature of the streets in the towns. 135 is the equivalent of 216mm which, for me, would be long enough. I have travelled most recently with the equivalent of a 28 - 200 on my PRO-1. I could have used wider alot, and could have used longer less often. 200 was long enough for me to isolate most details. I find from my experience, the first time I visit a place I most likely shoot wide the vast majority of the time. Then as you become familiar, long kicks in because now I am looking at details. On the wide. On the 350d I would not be able to do without something in the 16-18mm range or even wider.
I hope this helps. I'm sure there are others with very different opinions. btw I've travelled extensively through Europe and have the luxury of working there for long stretches, so that's what I mean by becoming familiar. I spent most of a year in Switzerland (Zurich) and have been working in Prague for more than a year (4-6 weeks here, 1-3 weeks back in the States.

[StewartR]

I second that about the wide angle. If you're visiting any of the mountainous parts of Switzerland you'll definitely want to go wider than 24mm. I have a zoom that opens out to 18mm on my 350D and even that's often not wide enough in the mountains.

[Woolburr]

Without knowing your budget or what you already have...it is tough to make many suggestions. I would think the 17-85 IS might be one option to consider.

[mrfourcows]

Without knowing your budget or what you already have...it is tough to make many suggestions. I would think the 17-85 IS might be one option to consider.

i don't own any ef-s lenses except for the kit lens - but i think that the tamron 24-135mm should cover its role right?

i basically have got myself covered from 17-200mm w/ zooms - but they are heavy. i just need suggestions as to what to bring as i don't want to say, lug a telephoto along for two weeks and then realize that i hardly used it.

[KCMO Al]

24mm on a 1.6 crop equals 38.4mm FF. That's not nearly wide enough for my taste and style but if you only want to carry one and are not planning on buying any more, then that's the best alternative given what you have.