Travel with Primes Only?

I'm off to the UK this summer to see London, Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh and I'm lacking that mid-range zoom. Contemplated the 24-105 and 17-55 but they're getting more and more expensive in our current economy. Then started wondering if I could get by with what I have plus maybe a 28 f/1.8 or Sigma 30 f/1.4? Have you guys ever gone on vacation with only primes? This is my current lineup:

XTi, 40D, EFS 10-22, 50 1.4, EFS 60 Macro, 85 1.8, 70-200 f4 IS

I was planning on bringing either one of the bodies, the EFS 10-22 for sure and then things got fuzzy for me after that. I'm trying to keep it as lightweight as possible to fit in my Lowepro Fastpack 100. Any recommendations?

I usually only take my prime lens out when I go shooting. I can live the rest of my life without a midrange zoom honestly, as I found that I used my 24-70 as either a 24mm or 75mm prime. A 30mm and 85mm combo would be perfect, tho I would definately tuck the 10-22 in the bag just incase.

I'm going on a trip soon visiting relatives in a city and am taking the 18-55is and 70-210/3.5-4.5 zooms and Canon 35/2 and 50/1.4MF Nikkor primes for likely lowlight-indoor shooting...

If I were going on a rural outdoors nature trip I'd leave the 35 home and take my 300 and either my 105 or 135...I'd always take the 50 for really low light situations...

Thinking about it, I guess I don't mind carring more gear in the country, but would want less gear walking around in a city...

cpm440vee wrote in post #8044796
I'm off to the UK this summer to see London, Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh and I'm lacking that mid-range zoom. Contemplated the 24-105 and 17-55 but they're getting more and more expensive in our current economy. Then started wondering if I could get by with what I have plus maybe a 28 f/1.8 or Sigma 30 f/1.4? Have you guys ever gone on vacation with only primes? This is my current lineup:

XTi, 40D, EFS 10-22, 50 1.4, EFS 60 Macro, 85 1.8, 70-200 f4 IS

I was planning on bringing either one of the bodies, the EFS 10-22 for sure and then things got fuzzy for me after that. I'm trying to keep it as lightweight as possible to fit in my Lowepro Fastpack 100. Any recommendations?

i don't know how aften you get to take a trip like that but i'd be taking two bodies, a tripod, three zooms and a fast prime for low light as well as accessories .... at a minimum .

ed rader

I find I'm usually wanting wide or long more than in the middle. Without spending any money, I'd be tempted to get by with your 10-22, 50, and 70-200.

If you wish to spend money, then consider the Tamron 17-50 (poor mans 17-55), or maybe a used 28-135 IS. I just picked up the 28-135 for my outdoor/travel/only want to carry one lens on an outing lens.

Ive traveled all over Europe twice, India once, Peru twice and Panama once with only my 30mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.8 and they were wonderful for my style of shooting. It can definitely be done, as long as it suits you. I put them with my 30d in my Domke F-5xb and it was the coolest small package to travel with. Enjoy!

For travel, zooms are the way to go, in my opinion. Wide & mid range for sure and more if you can carry them.

I have been abroad more than a dozen times and bring all the gear I can carry.

Check out my signature. Everything fits in the smallest Lowepro Slingshot 100 AW. It is an ultra compact kit. It + a nice tripod, it is all I ever need. I'd go anywhere like that and be super happy with what I have.

If it were me, I'd bring 10-22, 30/1.4 and 85/1.8.

Did Amsterdam, Brussels and Bruge last Dec/Jan with 5DII + 24, 35, 50 and 85 (didn't use 50 and rarely carried them all). Did Hawaii (Kauai and Maui) last Nov with 20D + 10-22, 24, 50, 70-200/4IS (used it a bit but hate carrying it, can't imagine traveling with the bigger 70-200's). I enjoyed the Europe kit more, but I enjoy using primes more, am ok missing shots due to limited lens lineup or lack of time to swap out lenses if the situation doesn't allow it, very much prefer the smaller form factor hanging from my neck (with the weight of the extra lenses in neoprene covers in a urban type sling bag), I tend to shoot wide, and I don't bother carrying a flash or tripod so end up shooting fast a lot. I could probably go FF with 24, 35 and either an 85 or 135 and do 99% of what I want to do photographically on a trip with your itinerary. I could probably carry a 35 only and be pretty happy. But a 10-22 on crop or 16-35 on FF in the mix is tempting...

I didn't get a chance to thank everybody for their responses.

I ended up bringing the XTi with 10-22, 85 1.8 and I went out and bought a used 18-55 IS. Yes, I actually went out of my way to buy a kit lens. It worked out pretty good actually. I don't think travelling with just primes is possible for me.

I always travel with my 17-55mm zoom attached for day shooting in cities. I rarely have the need for something faster than f/2.8 in the daytime so this lens suits my needs perfectly.

The 35mm I use for night shooting or walking around once the sun goes down. When not in cramped territory (cities) or where I don't need the 17 or 24mm of the zoom I usually keep it on the camera during the daytime as well.

The 135mm always goes on when I want to capture street life or landscape details. I also carry a 1.4x TC for when I need something longer than 135mm.

This to me is my basic travel kit. Don't see the need to carry anything else. When I intend to go hiking I sometimes take my tripod along.

Of course primes are best for travel .. I only take a 24L1.4II and 135L2.0 no flash no accessories and I get much better pictures then the times I was with zooms, I can take photos inside dark church, pubs, in the night in the streets and so on ...
I will never go with anything else than these two lenses.. I just bring the TC1.4X and TC2X but I don't use them that much...

if i was going on travel, i'd get a 24L II + 50L + 135L. i am 1/3rds there hahaha...

It is hard to beat the 18-55 IS for travel. I'd also pick up a Canon 35F2 - Along with your 85, you should have most bases covered.

I was able to get almost everything I wanted in Rome this summer with the kit lens. I just wish that I had the 35 with me.

Spent 10 days in Paris recently and made a choice beforehand to bring only my 5dII and the 24-105 L. I wished a couple of times for my 17-40, but other than that, the one camera, one lens lineup worked perfectly. There was enough light in the dim churches to get the shots I wanted for the most part--high ISO was wonderful. I don't think I would be happy at all with primes only on a trip like that. (of course, I'm not a prime shooter)