Advice Needed for Two Canon Lenses for Costa Rica

Coming soon for me is a trip to Costa Rica! I need some help to decide what lenses will best suit my needs in Central America.

I have: 1d Mark ii and Rebel XS

17-40mm f/4
50mm f/1.4
70-20mm f/4

Most likely, I'll bring my Rebel because I'm most comfortable traveling with it. The Mark II is just a little too much. Plus, the charger is way too big!

So, the question is, what lenses to bring of the three? As the title states, I'd like to only bring 2 so that I'll have one mounted and one in another side pouch. And no, I can't buy any additional equipment!

THANKS!

leave the 70-200

Leave the 50, there is a straight flash on Xs. 70-200 might be nice for isolating subject.

i'd leave the the 70-200, but i like to travel light. Personally, the wide angle on the rebel would be enough for day time and the 50mm for evening. 70-200 may get heavy.
I guess it really depends why you are going. If its vacation, by all means travel light and enjoy yourself.

If you plan to take any wildlife images (and I can't imagine not doing so in CA) then you'll really want the 70-200.

leave the 50 at home, landscape and wildlife

I was just in Costa Rica the other month and tortured myself with the same question of what lenses to bring. If you want to capture any wildlife, and you probably do, I would definitely bring a long lens. At least in the areas that we were, most of the wildlife we saw were up in the trees. I am tempted to say that that the 70-200 isn't going to cut it for the reach that you will want. I know you said that buying new gear isn't an option, but what about renting? If you are open to renting, I say rent a 100-400 which will give you nice range and reach when you are out doing any wildlife/nature tours. If you aren't open to renting, at least bring your 70-200 so you have something on the long side.

Then bring your 17-40 for your landscapes and walk-around and leave your 50 at home.

When I went, I rented a 17-55 2.8 (was before I purchased my sigma 17-50) and 100-400. I also brought along my 50 because it is so small and lightweight but it never made it out of the hotel safe and on to my camera once.

Bring the 17-40 and 70-200, which would cover everything from moderate wide angle to tele. Depending on whether you want to shoot at night, you can take the 50 along, it is quite small anyway.

litlefiter wrote in post #12624610
Bring the 17-40 and 70-200, which would cover everything from moderate wide angle to tele. Depending on whether you want to shoot at night, you can take the 50 along, it is quite small anyway.

+1 I think you would need the 17-40 for wide and the 70-200 for people and wildlife. I can't imaging that you couldn't find a spot for the 50MM even ifit's in a jacket pocket. It wiould come in handy for night time low light shots. I'd take them all.

Well I know for sure that I'll bring the 17-40mm then!

I'd take all three lenses. No big deal. There would be little reason to leave any of them home.

If just shooting for fun, then yes a single camera might do, depending upon how important it is to you. I go on trips specifically to take photographs, even if they are just for myself at the time. So I wouldn't travel with a single camera. If anything goes wrong, well it's often next to impossible to replace or repair on the road.

What's a "50/1.4 mk II", as in your signature? I've never heard of a Mark II version of the 50/1.4.

Honestly, I would probably take the 1D Mark II and the two Ls. Weathersealing is really nice to have in rainforests, not to mention how strong it would be for wildlife (and it would be wider for landscapes).

I have a 1DsII (same size and charger), and I feel that the weight isn't significant compared to the build and featureset it has over a rebel. However, it certainly is a lot more to carry.

I was in Costa Rica just three months ago. The main reason to go there is to see the wildlife and the nature: tropical birds, monkeys, flowers, butterfly, insects. Unfortunately, most of it is either high on the trees, or on the other side of the rivers. You will most often need a telephoto, and I will tell you from my experience, a 200mm lens is just not enough. I had a Tamron 70-300, and still had to do some heavy cropping to get nice photos.

You may want to have a 17-40 with you, to take shots of the volcanoes, in the jungle, and some general landscape shots, but you will hardly use a 50. I had it with me too, and used it a few times in bars, but just because I had it!

There are a couple of threads here on the forum on Costa Rica, you may want to do a search.

17 40 walk around
50 for jungle its dark in there
100 400 rent

I went 3 years ago with a 70-300 and it was barely adequate. I bought a 100-400 shortly after I got back. I just don't see how you can leave a long lens home if you go near a river or jungle. If you can swing it rent a 100-400. Have a great trip and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.