Rome Italy New 60D

I have just upgraded from a 20 to the 60D. I have 18-55 kit lens that came with the 20d about 8 years ago and a Canon 28-105 3.5-4.5 usm and a Sigma 70-300 1:4-5.6 that is also about 8 years old. I'll be inside and outside and really would like to just take one lens on the camera and one in the bag along with flash. I looked at a Sigma 18-250 new locally for $550 and they had a consignment canon 70-300 IS USM for 420. I'd like to keep my purchase max around $600. Once in a life time trip and would like to bring home some great shots and videos.
Thanks in advance for all your suggestions/recommenda​tions.

Oh, I will also be taking my S90.

Nick

If I were you, I'd buy an UWA, say a sigma 10-20, and just use the s90 for the non-UWA shots, and maybe a nifty 50 for low light when you can't use flash such as inside the vatican. Or alternatively a tokina 11-16, though you will be sacrificing quite a lot of flexibility for that 2.8 aperture, but this is mitigated by your having an s90 for the rest of the time.

I've been to Rome before, and you'll definitely want wide, trust me on that

I went to Rome a year ago with a 50D, EF-s 10-22 and EF-s 18-200. No flash, because I figured that in the locations it could best be used it wouldn't be allowed. I didn't miss it. I also took a P&S.

Looking at your price range and the lenses you already have, I too suggest you buy an ultra-wide zoom. Take that and the 28-105 and I think you will be good. On a crop sensor in the confines of the city I think your 70-300 won't see much use.

If you are traveling with a group you will have to work fast to get the pictures you want. I'm
pretty quick but in the time it took to nail a few shots the rest of the group was often a block ahead of me and I had to run to catch up.

I got some nice photos in Rome with the 18-55IS. There were some places where I could have used an ultrawide, and I just got the Tokina 12-24 for this purpose. The IS is useful, and an even wider lens would be great at the Coliseum, Forum, Diocletian Baths, Pantheon, and lots of other places. The recommendations for an ultrawide are excellent, but take your 18-55IS too. In most cases, the normal zoom will work fine, but you will need an ultrawide for some shots.
I did not need anything longer than the long end of the 18-55IS. I would have been very unhappy walking around Rome with the 28-105 - it is not wide enough for the large monuments, wonderful squares and narrow streets.
A pocket camera with a fast lens can be useful for taking with you when you are out at dusk on the way to dinner.

IMO, UWA is a must for Europe trip.

I'm glad I read this - heading to Italy this coming week on my honeymoon. This clinches the decision to bring the 8-15 in addition to the 16-35 & 24-105.

Thanks for the info, guys.

-Pat

Cubdriver wrote in post #13120768
I'm glad I read this - heading to Italy this coming week on my honeymoon. This clinches the decision to bring the 8-15 in addition to the 16-35 & 24-105.

Thanks for the info, guys.

-Pat

On full frame, the 24-105 should do most of what you would want, and the 16-35 should really do the rest. On a crop, the 24 isn't really wide enough for monuments or squares. I found that I wanted wider than 18 on my crop body in the Plaza Navona in Rome, for example.

Rome is a great place to visit, and I know people who go back every year. I'd like to go back, but my wife would rather go back to see Paris again. Be sure to have at least two normal/wide zooms with you, since it is always possible to have one go bad or break. I generally prefer primes, but not for travel.

you need at least 10mm on crop.. my 17mm on FF wasnt wide enough for Rome..

They're being used on a crop - should have mentioned that. I get the feeling that the 16-35 is going to get the most use. Thanks!

artyH wrote in post #13121822
but my wife would rather go back to see Paris again.

Take her to L'Ardoise restaurant

If you're using it on crop, I'd ditch the 16-35, and just bring the 24-105 and the 8-15, or a rectilinear UWA, not a fisheye.

Get a good walk-around for crop. Sigma 17-70, 17-50, Tamron 17-50 etc. Switching lenses while on vacation on location is a pain. You can always stitch pictures together where you need wider. This was about 5 shots taken with a 24-70 on my 5D2. 17mm is the same on your crop. You're too limited with a 10-22 or other UWA.

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A 10mm view from a 10-22mm lens on the D60 will get you the same perspective as this full frame from a 16mm view from a 16-35mm lens on the 5D2.

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eskimochaos wrote in post #13122076
You can always stitch pictures together where you need wider.

I chose that strategy once when going to Berlin, when still using crop.. 17mm was the widest I had.. I ended up stitching so many shots (taking weeks to get through it all) I decided after that; "Never again" and bought a 10-22...

I have a 60D and recently spent some time researching and trying to find a one lens solution for those times when lugging more than one lens and changing lenses is not practical or too much of a hassle.

I ended up with a Canon 15-85IS. It fills exactly the need I was looking for. I find myself using it more than my 17-55IS which I love.

I had gone into a local camera shop and had asked about the Canon 18-200, the Tamron 18-270 and a couple other similar lenses. The responses from the person helping me was kind of monotone and neutral on these. When I asked about the 15-85IS he said "now that's a nice lens." He became much more animated in discussing it and he highly recommended it over the other lenses I was looking at. I came home and started looking more closely at reviews of the lens and was sold.

It's a little over the $600 limit you mentioned but worth considering if possible.

Keith

Here is the Coliseum again at 18 mm on a crop. I would have wanted wider. Instead of the 15-85, I decided to go with a 12-24F4, since 24 is close to a normal view on a crop. The problem was greater with the Pantheon.

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