Trip to Tuscany, Italy

We are planning to be in the Campania Region 3 or 4 weeks in next spring.
I'll take the 6D with 24-105 and a Sigma 12-24 for architecture and some landscapes. I have had the 70-200 with me on many trips and for nothing, only death weight.

marcheseg wrote in post #17076461
A group of us, 5 couples, are planning a trip to Tuscany next year for 7 days. We are going to rent out a villa. I want to capture everything and want to go as light as possible, which is probably very difficult. I thought of 2 options. Option 1 was was to take my 6d with my Canon 24-105, and my 650d(T4i) with my Canon 70-300L. And I want to buy the new Canon EF-S 10-18 to put on the 650d(T4i). Option 2 would be my 6d with the 24-105 and the 70-300L, 1 body 2 lenses and that's it. What would you do, with the equipment I have.

thanks

Since you are going with five couples, I'd have to assume you won't be the only one bringing camera equipment. I'd start by seeing what others are bringing and work out some plan for sharing digital photos when the trip is over. The only real issue is getting the equipment to the villa and home again so take what you are comfortable traveling with and accept you might not use everything you bring. You also (obviously) can't use what you don't bring so err accordingly. I would bring the 6d and the two lenses from the choices you offered. If the purpose of the trip is to enjoy Italy and bring home some very nice photographic memories then bring an upscale point and shoot like a canon 1gx rather than schlepping 10-15 pounds of camera equipment when you go out and about from the villa IMHO. You will take many more pictures and enjoy the trip rather than worrying about what lens to use.

Since you already got plenty of great advice re: gear, let me give you some (unsolicited) advice on places to visit, and yes, 7 days will not be enough...

Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice, Siena, Chianti wine route, Perrugia/Asisi, Pisa/Lucca, San Gimignano

Great food, great sites and great wine.
Enjoy!

andrikos wrote in post #17077941
Since you already got plenty of great advice re: gear, let me give you some (unsolicited) advice on places to visit, and yes, 7 days will not be enough...

Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice, Siena, Chianti wine route, Perrugia/Asisi, Pisa/Lucca, San Gimignano

Great food, great sites and great wine.
Enjoy!

I'll agree, beautiful places, but too much to see in one week.
There are not wide piazza's, there are narrow streets. You need wide angle lens to catch the buildings.

I'd travel light with 6D and 24-105, as it's not going to be a phototour but a vacation with other 9 people who may not be so glad for you to get the "perfect shot".
Don't miss San Galgano, the roofless abbey!

Tapeman wrote in post #17077539
I believe you will get the most use from the 6D and 24-105. Bring lots of gear & leave what you don't need for the day in the villa.

Right on.

Because whatever you leave behind you will absolutely wish you had taken it. It's a corollary to Murphy's Law.

My last trip to Europe my 24-105 failed me (notorious cable failure) and I used my 16-35 more than I would have. It is good to have backups.

I was out there last year and ended up using nothing but my 24-105 (on full frame) - covered everything I needed. A TSE lens would have been nice but I wasn't going to buy one for just 1 trip!

Tuscany is known for it's nice, smooth hills. It's nice to have something what will allow you to flatten the perspective - 200mm should be good.

Make sure you have a fast lens for lowlight shots. Many churches museums allow photography without flash.

I used a 28 1.8 on my last European trip and that lens did well for me.

Thank you everyone for all your advice. You can keep it coming if you like. Many great ideas on this thread.

Glenn NK wrote in post #17077527
Don't be stuck with one body - if it quits you will not be able to get it fixed.

I was in Tuscany last summer for four days - I used my 24TSE quite a bit but found that there are many situation where I didn't want wide, but a longer lens to pick out a distant building. Fortunately I also took my 24-105 and my 70-200 f/2.8. So if I had your kit, I'd take both bodies and three lenses. I also took a tripod for use with the tilt/shift lens. I bought the gear to use and I used it (four legged tripod fit in my suitcase with the ballhead off).

It was heavy but I'd do it all over again.

Glenn

Glenn.
You are like me.
I will be heading to Paris and Dublin. I will be packing my TS-E 24 L as well as my 17-40, 24-105 and 70-200 f/2.8 Mark II along with 5D Mark III and 7D. Was in New Orleans last month and foolishly left my tripod at home as weight was an issue as I pack my Manfotto 190XPROB in my suitcase. Ended up investing in a MeFOTO Globetrotter to take overseas. Holds 5D Mark III gripped with 70-200 attached very nicely. Wish I had bought it earlier. Lenses, like tripods are best when they are with you.

marcheseg wrote in post #17077380
I never thought of my 15-85 which is on my crop 95% of the time.
I am liking the idea of the 10-18, 15-85, and my 28 2.8

I tried many different combinations for old Europe. First I gave up on a long telephoto. When I brought it with me, I used it occasionally just because I had it, but mostly it was a dead weight. The next one to be left at home was my Sigma 30mm 1.4. I used to use it for indoors, but with decent ISO handling by the 70D I decided I did not need it that much after all. Eventually I ended up with a two lens travel kit on the 70D - the 15-85 plus the 10-20. If you take the 6D, it will mean the 24-105 and any UWA. The former takes about 70 percent of all shots, with the UWA picking the other 30. The streets are narrow, the cathedrals huge, just no space to back up. Yes, sometimes I did want to use a telephoto for architectural details, but it was not worth the trouble.

Another thing to consider that you are going to be in a large group, and you may have to adjust to the other people for whom photography is may not be as important. Stopping and changing the lenses is not going to be easy.

And finally, as many people here said, a week is nearly not enough. I did the same a few years ago, rented a villa with another couple. We stayed two weeks, and did not see everything we wanted to see. So you will have to be very very selective. Florence, Siena, San Gimignano. Pisa and Lucca are futher away. You will surely have no time to get further, let's say to Venice or Verona or Cinque Terre. So chose your destinations wisely.

Personally 24mm is not wide enough even on FF.

if you are going into cities, and smaller towns, i'd definitely want an UWA...if you are mainly in the country side i'd definitely want a telephoto...