Help Me Choose: Travel Zoom Lens

[enlighten_me]

I'm planning a backpacking trip to South America or India/Nepal, and have narrowed it down to the Tokina 24-200 ATX or the Canon f/4 70-200 L. Currently, my lenses are the 18-55 EF-S kit lens, the 50 1.8, and a terrible third party 70-300 zoom.

I know most ppl will tell me right away to go for the L lens, but here are my reasons:

Tokina 24-200: Price, decent quality. I'm backpacking, so it's compact. I'm thinking by taking the Tokina, I might be able to drop the kit lens to lighten my load. Also didn't like switching lenses all the time on my last trip, and only used a tele 10% of the time also.

Canon 70-200 L: Excellent sharpness and quality. The weight is just as good as the Tokina. Downfall is that it really sticks out - I really like a low profile when I travel. I'll also have to carry the kit lens and switch lenses often.

On pbase.com, I wasn't impressed by the Tokina samples, though there were only a few photographers submitting images for this lens. I'm not a professional, but I still like to take nice photographs.

Or.... should I be looking into replacing the lower end (kit lens) first? Note that my budget maxes out already at the price of the f/4 L lens...

Thanks in advance!

[Andy_T]

Hey, we're here to enlighten you :D

Welcome to the forum!

If I were you, I would go for the Canon 70-200/4.0.

As you mentioned using Tele only for 10% of the time, another option would, of course, be the Tamron 28-75/2.8 XR DI, but it would not give you much more reach than your kit lens. It has great image quality, though.

Best regards,
Andy

[Skip Souza]

Oh, the f/4 L, the f/4 L, pick me, pick me.:lol: Without a doubt the best choice for the budget/quality/reach. You can always add a 1.4 TC that will give you the same reach as the Tamron 70-300. (Tamron is optimistic)
Do not sell the kit lens short. Just keep that puppy stopped down to at least f/8, f/11 is better, and you will get very good results.
Below is 100% crop only. Shot with kit lens at 21mm, f/11, 1/125sec.

[condyk]

I've been to India several times and to be honest you will be driven bonkers by the constant questions about your gear ... and everything else! A white L lens is going to even more prominant. That's one up for the Tamron Andy mentioned ... but would also consider the Sigma 24-70 f2.8 because it goes a wee bit wider. The photo opp's are everywhere!

It all really depends on exactly what your travel priorities and interests are. If cities mainly then just take the Tamron 28-75. If mainly mountains then a wide to walkaround(ish) like the 17-40 L might work well ... but over budget I think. A similar size, but cheaper Sigma or Tamron, Tokina may do the job as well.

There is always the 28-135 IS but you lose a bit on image quality, while gaining length and IS. But again, you only need the length if you ...erm, need the length. So, what are you going to be doing?

[KevC]

70-300/4.5-5.6 DO. Tiny little thing, it's only 10cm long!

But that's most likely way out of the budget. I'd take the 70-200/4L, but you're right. It's big and white, and the last thing you need on vacation is a theif watching you.

I'd keep the kit lens with you just in case. It's a cheap wide angle, and you can get those nice architectural shots.

The Sigma 24-70 (or even 24-60) or Tamron 28-75 are both extremely nice "photojournalistic" lenses. Extremely fast @ f/2.8, and gives you just the reach you need for the "one lens does it all". I'd pick up one of these (the Sigma seems to do slightly better in the focussing department)

Good luck!

[condyk]

I'm rewinding ... remembering my backpacking days I think I'd take something like a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5, and awesome Leica optical zoom x10 and excellent image quality. Small enough to carry around, easy to pack, lots of 'SLR' style features, less interesting to curious locals. I had the FZ3 and truly a great P&S.

[Tom W]

I had a Tokina 24-200 for a few days. It just didn't work well for me, though I probably shouldn't have expected great performance out of such an extreme zoom range anyway. It would have been a useful travel lens if only it provided the image quality I was wanting.

[Croasdail]

I agree with condyk - a really good quality non-slr can be the thing for trips like these, light weight, ofter take only AA batteries that are easy to find, inconspicious, some do have a lot of control like SLRs do. I have gotten some spectacular images from enflight from my window on a street corner where you don't want to call attention to yourself. There are a lot of times yanking the old SLR out just isn't fast enough or situation appropriate. Food for thought here and a good one will cost about the same or less some of the lenses you are talking about. Cheers.

[Raj]

I'm planning a backpacking trip to South America or India/Nepal, On pbase.com, I wasn't impressed by the Tokina samples, though there were only a few photographers submitting images for this lens. I'm not a professional, but I still like to take nice photographs.

Thanks in advance!

1. try having a look at sigma 18-125 mm f3.5-5.6 DC lens. Small, lightweight & IMO the best general purpose lens covring reasonably at both wide & tele. I have it & I am happy with it. It has got some decent reviews. Plus I never heard of compatability issues between canon camera & this lens.

2. if you decide to travel to India, regardless of white or black, your gear may get attention depending where you are. If you go to a place like Khajuraho, there will be tons of tourists with their gear, if you are in Delhi city you will stand alone.
Anyways, be careful when you travel. If you commute by a train within India then purchase a chain & a lock. Trains have hooks below sleeping berths in all classes where you can chain & loack up your gear. Its not as bad but its always better to be safe.
#2 is not pertinent to your question but just wanted you to be safe. Feel free to PM me anytime if you travel India & need any help or have any questions.

Cheers

[tim]

I'm rewinding ... remembering my backpacking days I think I'd take something like a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5, and awesome Leica optical zoom x10 and excellent image quality. Small enough to carry around, easy to pack, lots of 'SLR' style features, less interesting to curious locals. I had the FZ3 and truly a great P&S.

I agree with this - can't say i've used a Panasonic camera, but i'd rather have a P&S when i'm on holiday than a big SLR. Sure, it'd be frustrating at times, but it's way more portable, less likely to be stolen, etc.

[Raj]

I agree with this - can't say i've used a Panasonic camera, but i'd rather have a P&S when i'm on holiday than a big SLR. Sure, it'd be frustrating at times, but it's way more portable, less likely to be stolen, etc.

I use my cybershot or G3 for such occassions.

[condyk]

One thing to clarify about what I said about India ... the potential for crime is there, especially in the cities, but same in any big city anywhere, and scam attempts will occur daily in some areas; but they are almost laughably obvious unless you're a half wit who hasn't bothered reading about all this kind of stuff!! I have ALWAYS felt very safe in India.

What I was really saying was that many Indians by nature are very friendly and curious and love talking to travellers and practicing their English. So, this is nice if it happened now and again, but can get very tiresome every hour of every day.

Carrying a big camera and beacon lens is the perfect excuse to be asked lots of questions, by lots of people, for LOTS of the time. Once you speak to one person then soon you'll be speaking to a whole group and how ever friendly you are and how ever much a saint you may be (and I am both ;-) much of the time) soon you will be forced to eat your own head in frustration :-)

That's a good reason the take a smaller P&S, let along the practicals of improvisation and street shots, weight and security. When you get back sell it. The Panasonics have good resale. I bought two FZ3's as low prices by shopping around and made money when I sold them. The FZ5 has 5mp, the FZ3 has 3mp, otherwise, very similar. FZ5 is very new so if you're away for say 3 months then value will still be high when you get back ... then you can use the money to buy a lens for back home use.

I'm saying go this P&S route if backbacking ... if in vehicles on safari or on a guided tour type thing then SLR issues less of a problem.

[enlighten_me]

Thanks for the tips. Seems like I'm getting a lot of recommendations to cover the low end. I'll definitely look into the Sigma and Tamron lenses. I probably won't take a P&S because I really love taking pictures and creating a visual journal of my trips. Thus, the pictures I take on my trips encompasses everything - landscapes, people, low-light situations. Although I didn't use a tele much in my last trip through Turkey, I was really happy with the shots I got when I did pull it out. It gets me right into the action. I haven't used the tele much because I'm still adjusting and not used to spotting good shots to take with it. It's great for shots of ppl because it's not as intrusive with the distance.

I do expect stares and some harrassment by travelling through in-your-face kind of countries, just trying to minimize it. I won't be walking around with the camera around my neck - just pulling it out of my pack when I see an opportunity. I have the Digital Rebel btw.

[enlighten_me]

On suggestion of many here, I looked into the Tamron line of lenses. Any thought on the Tamron SP AF24-135MM F/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical (IF) Macro? It's got an acceptable range, but I'm not sure about the quality...

[condyk]

It's had good reviews over at FredMiranda, but doesn't seem that popular for some reason or hold lots of value. I think it's a great option if you're keeping it long term.

Watch out for the 'razor sharp knife slitting backpack and nicking DSLR' trick BTW :-) :-) Popular on London Underground and ... India! Don't think of Nepal as populated only by serene Buddhists either. Ripping off tourists is very popular.

But have a great time wherever you end up and never leave valuables in your hotel or hostel ... carry all that camera stuff with you. We stayed next to a Danish couple in one place and they left their room window open slightly overnight (it had thick bars on it!) Next morning they found their camera gear and day packs with money and passports gone. They had nothing but their clothes and toiletries left. It was like a ghost had been in the room and took everything!!! Spooky ... they they then learnt that a popular trick is to shine a small torch around the room in the dead of night and then use a very long pole to lift bags out from where they are standing.

India is a place of genius ... be awake every second. You need to be enlightened to enjoy it really :lol: :lol:

[enlighten_me]

Did some further research. How about the Tamron 28-75 plus Tamron TC 2X?