Is the 70-200mm f/2.8 too much to carry on holiday

Hi,

For those that head off to coastal cities for holidays or whatever, do you take your 70-200mm?


I am heading off to a coastal city soon for a 1 week getaway and have decided to take my 17-40mm and 24-105. Would you guys see the 200mm worthwhile in such a location?

I figure the 105mm would be great as a walkaround and the 17mm for beach work and cityscapes. Just on the off chance if I went to the zoo I considered the 200mm.


Your views?

lensfreak wrote in post #14954560
Just on the off chance if I went to the zoo I considered the 200mm.

What are the chances of that? Even so, how is that different from your local zoo?

I personally would leave it at home

I think 17-40 + 24-105 is a good kit, maybe bring a fast prime?

It's heavy...but if you have a way to bring it but securely leave it somewhere should you choose to go out for a day without it, I would bring it. It's a horrible thought to go away on vacation, leave a lens at home, and wish you had brought it. But if you are planning on taking mostly wide beach shots and cityscapes, I don't think you will really need the 200mm IMO. But it could be useful at a zoo, but 200mm is still fairly short for that, unless you are lucky and the animals are close.

Heavy is relative. It is not heavy.

if you are seriously planning on going at a zoo or wildlife then yes bring it with you but leave it at the hotel unless you need it on that day. its not a lens you want to carry all day with you.

otherwise just leave it at home and enjoy your holidays

on my trip to san diego i used a 100-400 only for the safari and zoo. seaworld we used our pana ts3 and it served well.

If you had 85mm lens and 24mm lens would you buy another prime such as 50L or maybe 70-200 2.8? For pure fun.

I am not bothered by the heft of the 70-200 when travelling, and here is one of many shots I wouldn't have had if I left at home during the last trip I guess a lot depends on what you plan to shoot, people are always on my list so the 70-200 seems to always be tagging along.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/ephur/667188157​1/

I use the 200m f/2.8 prime instead.

Has the additional advantage of being less expensive if you drop it, drown it or get it stolen.

uOpt wrote in post #14954852
I use the 200m f/2.8 prime instead.

Has the additional advantage of being less expensive if you drop it, drown it or get it stolen.

Insurance = I don't care where, when, or what I shoot.

Eight_Blade wrote in post #14954865
Insurance = I don't care where, when, or what I shoot.

Insurance doesn't make something weigh less or shrink though.

Sirrith wrote in post #14954899
Insurance doesn't make something weigh less or shrink though.

Reference what I was referring to.

uOpt wrote in post #14954852
I use the 200m f/2.8 prime instead.

Has the additional advantage of being less expensive if you drop it, drown it or get it stolen.

Yes! The lightweight, smaller black beauty comes in handy as opposed to the big white monster. Regarding zoo photos, the zoos I go to, you'd need a lot longer lens than 200mm.

Eight_Blade wrote in post #14954907
Reference what I was referring to.

Read your references properly before getting all snippy.

uOpt wrote in post #14954852
I use the 200m f/2.8 prime instead.

Has the additional advantage of being less expensive if you drop it, drown it or get it stolen.

I'd bring it, I wouldn't think it is too heavy; but in today's world I see posted up and down on blogs and even POTN I'm not possibly enjoying my vacation if I lug around so much as a Rebel with a 40mm pancake lens as it's too much camera to be able to relax. Mind you I don't own anything near as small as the 40mm pancake and tend to wear cargo pants to keep spare lenses at the ready if I'm not on a hike deep enough to load up a backpack, for me making photos is half of the enjoyment and not work like it is to others.

So it's really all relative and how much you'll use it and enjoy it. If it's you're go to snapshot lens while at home, odds are you're going to want it while you're out and about as well, so bring it and secure it in the boot of a rental car or take a photo backpack or some other bag you can carry it comfortably in and still have access to it if you wish.

i rarely leave home without it, local wandering around i might not carry it, but anything far from home and a 70-200 is with me.