Trip to NYC: 24 1.4 MII or 17-40L?

aram535 wrote in post #13375060
I'm surprised nobody brought this up, but it really depends on if you're shooting architecture or not. Most people seem to like the "characters" of the city better than the landscape. For that you really need a 70-200 or longer as the last think you want to do is get in someone's face with a camera -- specially there.

From my brief experience in NY the people really don't care if you photograph them but I am not sneaky.

aram535 wrote in post #13375060
I'm surprised nobody brought this up, but it really depends on if you're shooting architecture or not. Most people seem to like the "characters" of the city better than the landscape. For that you really need a 70-200 or longer as the last think you want to do is get in someone's face with a camera -- specially there.

Just what I was going to say. I love my 16-35 for cityscapes and the like but I find that my 70-200 gets more use when I am just walking around. Things happen quickly and you often dont have time to cross a street or recompose.

But for the type of pics you describe top of the rock, BB, etc then the 17-40 will be great.

Hmm...that's a tough one. I would bring both, but if I HAD TO pick one, it'd be the 24L. 24mm is pretty wide on the 5D2 although obviously the convenience of the zoom is great. I am not into shooting buildings all the time, so those shots would be minimal and I don't even feel like I need to fit in the whole building, so 24mm would be fine. The f1.4 aperture would come in handy for low light or anything indoors. Plus there's the 85 for longer shots.

Would it be that difficult to just take both? Both are pretty light and you know once you are there you will wish you had the other :-}

bohdank wrote in post #13376435
From my brief experience in NY the people really don't care if you photograph them but I am not sneaky.

I found the same to be true. Everyone I photographed posed for the shot and waited for me to get it.

If you are renting, go for 16-35. gives you extra stop of light for night photography.

I am in NY shooting quite often.
It really depends on how much time and what it is you want to capture during your trip.
Since you will be there for a relatively short amount of time and you will limit yourself to a couple of lenses, I would take the 17-24 as it affords the most flexibility.
Remember to look up often in the city, as there are many great shots looking up. Look 360 degrees, the lighting will be dramatically different all the time.

I go into the city with my 5DII/24-70 and my 7D/70-200. I will change out to the 135 for some shots and I love the 50 1.4 . There is just so much to shoot, it is just about unlimited and only your ideas will limit what you decide to shoot.
I am not a "people" shooter, but recently I have been shooting people with the 70-200. 85% will not notice you shooting them, the other 15% do not care.