{Which lens} Spain

hey all

travelling to spain - Valencia, Altea, Granada, and Madrid. All i have in my kit is my 6D + 35 f/2 IS.

excited to visit the Alhambra in Granada, as well as other sights along the way, so was planning to rent a wide angle lens to help capture the landscapes and architecture both inside and out. not sure if i would be better off with a 16-35 II or III (is the III worth the premium?),

however, i also will be taking photos of my gf/myself, street photography, etc... is something with a more traditional range like a 24-70 f/2.8 II or 24-105 f/4 better for me, over a UWA? obvi the 24-70/24-105 is much more versatile, but im looking to have a light kit with me. also i am used to making do with my 35mm prime

I went to Spain on a family trip this summer. We spent 3 weeks in Madrid, up north in Leon, and then down south in Cordoba, Granada, Ronda, and Seville.

For what it's worth… I took my 5D2, a 16-35 f4 IS and a 24-105 f4 IS. Out of the 2200 photos I took while there, 1550 were on the 16-35 and 650 were on the 24-105. I usually only carried one lens each day and decided which one to take based on what we were planning to do. Anything indoors and I would take the 16-35. Mostly outdoors I would stick with the 24-105.

I would definitely prefer a 16-35 for the Alhambra. Having that ultra-wide just opens up so many possibilities for indoor photos. Make sure you get your tickets ahead of time, otherwise you'll be stuck paying tour prices the day of.

Also, if you haven't solidified your itinerary yet, I would highly recommend checking out Ronda. The bridges and architecture are pretty amazing, and it's a great place to do a little bit of hiking to get the typical Tuscany-style countryside views. It was one of our favorite stops on that trip.

Hard to say what I'd recommend for your situation. If you bring a 16-35 or a 24-__, you really wouldn't need your 35 prime because you would already have that focal length covered. A 16-35 is really ideal for Europe, but I'd also want to have something with a little more reach. Maybe an 85mm or 100mm prime if you didn't want to carry two heavier zooms.

As far as picking a 16-35, I went with the 16-35 f4L IS and have found it to be great for travel. The IS is really effective, it's much sharper than the 16-35mm f2.8 II, and relatively light weight. The 16-35mm f2.8 III is supposedly a small bit sharper, but doesn't have IS (I shoot mostly handheld) and is a lot heavier and more expensive. Even if price was no object, I'd still pick the f4 personally.

When I was there I used a wide angle zoom 90% of the time, Fuji Xpro2/10-24.

If your traveling light I'd go with the wide zoom and maybe a light prime like a 50 or 85 1.8 for those photos of the GF etc

I live in Spain, currently in Valencia and previously lived in Madrid for four years. As such, any questions, feel free to ask ... here or PM.

Mike's definitely right to suggest getting the Alhambra tickets sorted in advance. I don't even know if it's possible to turn up on the day anymore.

If you're used to making do with your 35mm prime, I'd actually suggest doing that. For the past few years I've been shooting with one prime lens on my travels and I'm not haunted by missed monument photos. When travelling with someone I find it ideal as well - even if supportive, a travel companion is rarely as enthusiastic about photography as the photographer (unless also a photographer) and having one prime and making the best of it also helps make the best of the trip with that person. The really important photos will be ones of your girlfriend and you two together, and the little things that make your trip personal.

Probably my favourite set of travel photos were the first ones I took with just the 40mm pancake around Portugal for a week. I left a 24-70 at home and I never missed it, and my then girlfriend was much happier than previous trips we had done together where I had been a bit "pesado". I later sold the 24-70 and still generally go out, or travel, with one prime lens.

thanks everyone

in the hustle bustle of planning the trip, i forgot to rent a lens, so just went with my 35 f/2IS. there were definitely times where i wouldve wanted a UWA/zoom, but i was overall happy with the shots i got.

the alhambra was breathtaking. that's probably the only place i felt limited by the 35mm, but it was so crowded that i wouldve just wound up with extra people in the shot! other than that.... it made for a compact, light-weight kit, and i didnt feel bogged down with gear

one thing i definitely felt that i was missing was some sort of travel tripod, but thats a different post for a different time.

I travel heavy to Europe. This summer in Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona, I carried the usual 2 Gripped 5D Mark III's, 16-35 f/4 L IS, 24-70 f/4 L IS and 70-200 f/4 L IS. For me, having a 70-200 is crucial for the Architectural details that grab my eye. If I was forced to take only two, the 16-35 f/4 L IS and 70-200 f/4 L IS hands down, for me. Like anywhere, be aware of your surroundings. We all find our comfort zone that allows us not having to say "I wish I had the....".

I would go with the lightweight as possible. Travel with heavy stuff kills the travel.