Buying New Lenses for Europe Trip

I'm heading out on a 5-day bicycle trip around Lake Constance in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria in August. We'll be covering 25-35 miles per day on "hybrid" bicycles. I'll also be spending about a week in France, mostly in the countryside and a day or two in Paris.

I'm in the market for a new lens or two, both the EF 24-105 f/4L and EF-S 10-22mm are pretty neat looking, and I think both are in my budget. What I'm currently trying to figure out is whether or not buying new lenses and strapping them to a bike for a week is a good idea, as well as if I should be looking at any other lenses. I'm anticipating mostly landscape/architecture photography, though the 24-105 would be excellent for some people photography as well.

I just bought the 24-105 and I absolutely love the quality of pics so far. I also bought it for travel, but have just used it at home so far. I don't think you would be disappointed in purchasing this lens.

ahclark wrote in post #8287680
I just bought the 24-105 and I absolutely love the quality of pics so far. I also bought it for travel, but have just used it at home so far. I don't think you would be disappointed in purchasing this lens.

Where did you purchase the lens? I just checked B&H and Adorama and they're both out of stock and I don't know of any other good shops to purchase from.

I don't think you could pick two better lenses for what you have described. Have a great trip!

You're going to have a wonderful trip. That is, unless you carry too much weight. I recently used the Canon 24-105 as my main Number 1 lens on a trip to Europe and thought it was just right because of its wide range, high image quality and optical stabilization. This despite slightly larger weight and size than what I would prefer but since we used a car to get around it was fine. On a bike? Try something more compact and light weight. I would suggest that you a least consider a Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 lens for a cost of roughly $340 to $360 versus about $1,100 for the Canon 24-105.

Now, you may be a soccer player and like to run up and down the steps on the bleachers over at the local school and can scoff at weight and size, but then again, maybe not. Don't laugh, I was on a 1 month long bicycle trip with a soccer player who did just that.

Send me a PM if you like and I can link you to my galleries that use mostly either one of the 2 lenses I have mentioned above. General galleries are at www.lightenough.com. The Canon 24-105 is a better quality lens than the Tamron, but that comes at several times the weight and cost. The Tamron is really good.

I have a nice Panasonic DMC-LX3 (which is very hard to find in stock) and it takes really clean and sharp RAW format images. The only catch is its all wide angle. The reason I mention it is there are a few really good point and shoots which will minimize weight and bulk far more than just using relatively compact sized DSLR gear. A Canon G-10 is also a good strategy.

Enjoy your trip and keep shooting!

I own both lenses and would agree that they are excellent choice for your trip. I''m not sure I'd agree with the Tamron suggestion above. Although I understand the arguement about weight, my guess is that the 24-105 will become your main lens after this trip and soi you should go for quality as it wiull be on your camera for 90% of the time and therefore be contributing to 90% of your shooting. Don't buy a lens just for one trip

If you can afford the 24-105, then by all means go for it. It's a sweet lens.
Where to get it? Just start with a Google search:
http://****/OqAp7
Looks like it's sold out everywhere in the sub $1100 range. How quickly do you need it?

I love my 10-22mm for capturing sweeping landscapes. It takes some getting use to if you haven't done much with a super wide.

You're looking at some good $$$$ to get both of these lenses.

If price is an issue, then you might drop down and consider the 17-85mm (that is, if you aren't planning on an upgrade to FF anytime soon!). It basically replicates the older 28-135mm lens on a FF, a range that many considered pretty good for all-purpose shooting (a la travel). Yeah, it'll over lap with your 10-22 some....but then anyone with a 10-22 knows he should be shooting down in the 10-14mm range most of the time!

Let us know what you get!!!

While I am somewhat concerned about weight, my plan was to keep the photography equipment in a bag on the bike, versus in a bag on my back. The only problem with that is shock and vibration, though I'm not sure it's any different from taking some photography equipment and putting it in the back seat of your car and driving on any road in New England... If I can keep the gear on my bike then weight is not an issue, it's only a problem if I decide I need to carry everything on my back.

I'm definitely looking forward with this potential purchase, I'm not buying a lens just for this trip, more this trip is a good excuse to go buy some new toys, which I'll then use (hopefully!) forever. If I do ever go to FF I have several friends who would be more than happy to get a cheap EF-S UWA.

Hi woloi!

Here is a link to a refurbished 24-105 at Adorama:http://www.adorama.com …rchinfo=recerti​fied+canon

I have bought a few refurbished items from Adorama and have been more than pleased! I cannot tell them from new!

I hope this helps.

ps. I just returned from a trip to Washington DC and absolutely loved my 24-105 on my 30D!

First off, have a fantastic time on your trip. Sounds like it will be wonderful. Second, I have both lens' and have taken them with me to Europe 3 times in the last year. They have been great. You can't go wrong with those.

One idea I have been toying with, and you should consider, is to just pack the 28-300mm F3.5-5.6L IS. You can get it online for $1500. I got this idea from reading Scott Kelby's blog. He has gone to taking only one lens of approximately the same focal range when he travels overseas. It works for him.

Lastly, with regard to shock and vibration. That might be a problem but if you look around I bet you can find a very good case to protect this. Don't forget to protect against the elements too! If worst comes to worst and the lens is giving you problems when you get back I bet it will still be within the warrenty period so you could probably just take it back and exchange it for a new one.

Have fun! Looking forward to your pics from the trip.

The only reason I'm considering the 10-22mm is because the entire trip is circling a lake. I have the Sigma 20mm f/1.8 and I enjoy the wide angles, so I was thinking that some UWA action around the lake and in the narrow town streets could be fun.

woloi wrote in post #8292666
The only reason I'm considering the 10-22mm is because the entire trip is circling a lake. I have the Sigma 20mm f/1.8 and I enjoy the wide angles, so I was thinking that some UWA action around the lake and in the narrow town streets could be fun.

I love my 10-22mm lens, especially when you have gorgeous skies with beautiful scenery! You might take a look at the Tokina 11-16mm, if you need the f/2.8. I'm sticking with my Canon, but these Tokina's sound fantastic.

As far as packing these babies....when I backpack, I usually drop my extra lens in a double-sealed Ziploc baggie and then wrap it with some extra clothes inside my pack. As long as you don't get massive weight on top of it, it should be just as good as a regular camera pack! I suppose you could also wrap your sleeping back around it, if you don't need quick access for changing lenses on the fly.

DanStar wrote in post #8290248
One idea I have been toying with, and you should consider, is to just pack the 28-300mm F3.5-5.6L IS. You can get it online for $1500. I got this idea from reading Scott Kelby's blog. He has gone to taking only one lens of approximately the same focal range when he travels overseas. It works for him.

This is just a wild guess....but I bet Scott Kelby DID NOT buy the 28-300mm for $1500 at Stop and Shot Digital!!!

Too cheap for this lens....by a mile!

Be leery of ANY store that won't give you ANY physical address in their "customer service" section! Little red flags should be going off by now....

I have a Europe trip coming up. I was thinking of a similar 2 lens combo. Tokina 11-16 and the the 24-70. I am a little concerned about the weight of "the Brick" but I will be on a T1i which is so light it kinda makes up for it. I just really feel like i need the 2.8 since I will be shooting in lots of places where flash is not an option (both on the trip and back in the real world). Sound like this won't be an issue for you so I think your 10-22 / 24-105 combo sounds perfect.

Bottom line -- unless you need more length on the long end for things like wildlife, the 10-22 and 24-105 would be an excellent combo in quality and weight.