Which lens to Washington DC

Hi,
Which of the lens (below in my signature) would you bring on a family (wife and 7 months old baby) vacation to Washington DC? I would like to travel light, but not regret it later.

Would you ungrip the body? Still bring two batteries...

Best regards,

wallace1837 wrote in post #14899032
Hi,
Which of the lens (below in my signature) would you bring on a family (wife and 7 months old baby) vacation to Washington DC? I would like to travel light, but not regret it later.

Would you ungrip the body? Still bring two batteries...

Best regards,

if you take more gear are you forced to carry it all with you or will you have a hotel room?

i would take at least 18-55 and 70-300L. and plenty of batteries.

ed rader wrote in post #14899045
if you take more gear are you forced to carry it all with you or will you have a hotel room?

i would take at least 18-55 and 70-300L. and plenty of batteries.

Hi,
I will have an hotel room, so I can leave some material in there. I am flying, so this may also limit my ability to bring material.

Best regards,

bring the 70-300 and 18-55.

I'd ungrip for sure. Just bring the body, extra batteries, 28-105, 50 1.8 and call it good.

I have been to DC numerous times to photo.

Your use of the 100-300 would be pretty limited.

The fast 50 f/1.8 would be essential for museum shots where a flash is not always permitted.

The 18-55 would be needed for plenty of wide shots of the monuments and key buildings.

Most of your shots would come from the 28-105.

Near the Marine Corps Memorial, you would want the 100-300 to get the classic shot of all three of the Washington Monument, the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. Other people will probably give you thirty more reasons to bring that long lens but it's the only one that occurs to me. (I guess if you want very closeup shots of any of the monuments, then you'd need it.)

I think I'd pack your 18-55 for general shots, mostly outdoors. Add the fast 50/1.4 for low light indoor work (I have taken hundreds of shots inside the Smithsonian...no flash allowed!), and if space/weight allows, take the 28-105 if you want something longer, although I think the 18-55 should work for most shots on the mall and viewing monuments.

for all intents and purposes, i live and work in DC. i'd recommend the 18-55mm and the 50mm f/1.4. as others have mentioned, your use of the 70-300mm are going to be so limited that i don't think it's worth the extra weight and space. there is very little that is worth photographing that you can't get close enough to in our fair city.

i normally use either my 35mm or 50mm when i'm out at about, and i'd say that the wider aperture for when the sun goes down is infinitely more useful than a slow 300mm here. the wide angles help when you get close to the monuments if you plan on spending a lot of time on the national mall.

alt4852 wrote in post #14900781
for all intents and purposes, i live and work in DC. i'd recommend the 18-55mm and the 50mm f/1.4. as others have mentioned, your use of the 70-300mm are going to be so limited that i don't think it's worth the extra weight and space. there is very little that is worth photographing that you can't get close enough to in our fair city.

i normally use either my 35mm or 50mm when i'm out at about, and i'd say that the wider aperture for when the sun goes down is infinitely more useful than a slow 300mm here. the wide angles help when you get close to the monuments if you plan on spending a lot of time on the national mall.

why not portray it as a 70mm lens with 4-stops of IS? just because he takes the zoom doesn't mean he is obligated to use the long end.

ed

wallace1837 wrote in post #14899032
Hi,
Which of the lens (below in my signature) would you bring on a family (wife and 7 months old baby) vacation to Washington DC? I would like to travel light, but not regret it later.

Would you ungrip the body? Still bring two batteries...

Best regards,

I'll agree, your 18-55, 50mm 1.8 and flash are going to most useful depending on what you see and do in DC

ed rader wrote in post #14900830
why not portray it as a 70mm lens with 4-stops of IS? just because he takes the zoom doesn't mean he is obligated to use the long end.

ed

because:

1. 50mm is a much more useful focal length for DC in my opinion
2. 4-stop IS brings them close, but i'd say the 50mm would still have the hand-holding edge because it's shorter and lighter
3. why carry more weight than you'll most likely use?

alt4852 wrote in post #14902298
because:

1. 50mm is a much more useful focal length for DC in my opinion
2. 4-stop IS brings them close, but i'd say the 50mm would still have the hand-holding edge because it's shorter and lighter
3. why carry more weight than you'll most likely use?

Just to make thing clear, I don't have the 70-300, it is an older 100-300 5.6L. It is heavy and big.

i'll be in DC in october (wife is doing the marathon) and i will carry 16-35L II, 24-70L, 70-200L f4 IS, 50 1.4, 1.4 TC and 15mm FE. i'll also have my tripod for night photography.

when i travel light i wear a vest and carry three lenses and one body. the unused gear stays in my room.

i buy my gear to use especially when i travel. the size and weight of all my lenses are taken into consideration when i buy them. the brick is probably the oddball because it doesn't travel well ... but it'll be history soon when the successor is available.

my tripod and ballhead (gitzo/markins) are just over three lbs. my camera and most lenses are weatherproof and can and have been used in the rain.

if you ever see me asking what lenses should i take? you'll know it's a rhetorical question used to announce a trip that i'm psyched about because i know what to take .

ed

ed rader wrote in post #14903149
i'll be in DC in october (wife is doing the marathon) and i will carry 16-35L II, 24-70L, 70-200L f4 IS, 50 1.4, 1.4 TC and 15mm FE. i'll also have my tripod for night photography.

when i travel light i wear a vest and carry three lenses and one body. the unused gear stays in my room.

i buy my gear to use especially when i travel. the size and weight of all my lenses are taken into consideration when i buy them. the brick is probably the oddball because it doesn't travel well ... but it'll be history soon when the successor is available.

my tripod and ballhead (gitzo/markins) are just over three lbs. my camera and most lenses are weatherproof and can and have been used in the rain.

if you ever see me asking what lenses should i take? you'll know it's a rhetorical question used to announce a trip that i'm psyched about because i know what to take .

ed

different strokes for different folks, i suppose.

i understand what you're saying, but at the same time, DC is not one of those places where lugging around 30lbs of gear makes sense. the city is very flat, so there aren't many places to get scenic views across long distances. the monuments and buildings that are worth taking pictures of look better close up.

our family friendly fare for tourists primarily consists of the monuments, the museums, the landmark buildings, and our food. it requires quite a bit of walking if you want to cover all the sights. when i went out to the national parks out west, you can bet that i took all of my equipment with me, but DC is simply not one of those places where i think it's worth it. i've grown up around here, and i can assure you that the city is more fun when you're able to run around without sore shoulders.

lastly, the OP did mention that he would prefer to pack light. the fact that this will be a family trip with a baby probably means that he'll already be carrying quite a bit of extra clothes, diapers, etc as is. he probably won't have the chance to set up a tripod and do long exposures of the monuments and memorials at night, because this is a family vacation, not a photography-oriented trip (although i could be wrong on that assumption).

have fun with it. DC is a social city and there's a lot to do. save the pack animal mentality for your week-long hike through the mountains. =)

alt4852 wrote in post #14903227
lastly, the OP did mention that he would prefer to pack light. the fact that this will be a family trip with a baby probably means that he'll already be carrying quite a bit of extra clothes, diapers, etc as is. he probably won't have the chance to set up a tripod and do long exposures of the monuments and memorials at night, because this is a family vacation, not a photography-oriented trip (although i could be wrong on that assumption).

You hit the nail... I like any advice, but I don't see myself with more than 3 lenses on the plane...