Mad I know, but should I?

Gary Kinghorn

Gary Kinghorn

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I'm off on my family holiday in a couple of months and always take a camera with me. It's a typical all inclusive resort and I take loads of snaps of my kids and the area etc.

Now my dilema is lens related. Bearing in mind this is a family resort and I only want to take one non HUGE lens. They can be a bit over powering if you know what I mean.

So what one lens do I take?

I have

24-70L - A little short for some occasions

70-200L - too big and white and a little long for some occasions.

50mm 1.4 - Love the lens but not perfect for this?

135 F2 - not ideal

12 - 24 - nope.

So should I take the 24 - 70 or should I do something different and buy a cheap 28 -135 as a walk round, use it for my holiday then keep it or flog it on after? I'd feel happier with a £170 lens than a £1,000 one for this sort of holiday.

Decisions decisions - any other thoughts or options?
 
In your position I'd just take the 24-70, make sure it's insured and don't be self-conscious with it. :)

But hey! That's just me, and until I get a compact system camera it's what I actually do. Except I usually pack a 17-40 as well with my 5D because I like going wide. :D

If you do feel self-conscious then you may be better off taking a compact like one of those nice waterproof ones so you wont worry about its size and conspicuousness, as well as any little poolside accident. :eek: :)
 
Personally I'd leave the DSLR at home and take a MFT with a wide aperture prime for quality and low light shots and my LX5 for additional width/zoom in good light.

That's what I've taken the last three times I've been abroad, although I did take a 5D+50mm f1.4 last time too for a particular days shooting but the rest of the time I had the MFT+LX5.

I know all that doesn't help you much :D
 
If it's just for a bit of fun and holiday snap memories I think your suggestion of an inexpensive 28-135 is the most versatile option.
Apart from that then I'd go for the 50mm you like so much and zoom with my feet, sometimes it's enjoyable to limit yourself so you can put your efforts into composition, you can always crop and zoom in PP.
 
Boring I'm afraid, but I'd go down the M4/3's route. Not too familiar with the 24-70L, but if it's anything like the Nikon 24-70 it'll be a big beastie. I'm offski in September and will be taking Panny GF2, 14mm, 20mm & 45mm primes (all miniscule), little Metz 24 flash, and 45-200 "just in case". I feel that covers a lot of bases, and takes up no more than the bottom of a rucksack, maybe the space equivalent of three pairs of socks and undercrackers :D Obviously depends if you get on with primes or not...
 
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I have a good compact, but it's not the same as taking a dslr in my opinion. I'd feel naked without it.

Might take my 24-70 with crop camera which will give a little more length than the 5d. Only problem is no full auto so my wife won't be able to use it. Still for those, me and the kids in the pool shots she can use the compact.

Might keep an eye out for a cheap 28-135 in a few weeks too for a different option
 
Take the 24-70mm f/2.8L I reckon.
 
5D2 + sharp 24-70 gives plenty of cropping potential. Even a 1/4 frame crop from a 5D2 will more than fill a full HD monitor/TV and print up to 10" without a fuss.

f you stick the lens on a crop body you'll lose a load of width but you won't gain any true length - you'll just have a hardware crop instead of more options for a carefully considered software crop later on.

In other words you'll keep 24mm at the wide end and can software crop to the equivalent FOV of 140mm or so at the long end. If you stick the 24-70 on a cropper you'll lose the option for the 24-38mm FOV completely and still have no real gain at the long end.

Just a thought about the 5D2 though - what about flash for daytime fill and nighttime pop? Could a crop body offer any benefit there?
 
Its all down to personal opinion and needs at the end of the day, but if I were in your position I'd take the 24-70L.
Ultimately only you can decide as you'll have an idea already of what type of pictures you're likely to take and whether you're family will help you keep an eye on your gear if you have to pop off to the loo or whatever.
I'm sure you don't need to be reminded to look after your gear as you probably already do that, so taking a £1000 lens shouldn't be too much of a worry over taking a £170 lens.
That's all in my opinion, of course. :)
 
I'd just take a compact or a cheap 28-135mm you can flog on later and enjoy your holiday without worrying about your expensive glass smashing.
 
Micro 4/3rds all the way.

If I'm on a photography holiday I'll take the 5D2 and some lenses, if I'm out for some decent snaps, micro 4/3rds wins hands down. The bag that I store everything (GX1 + 3 lenses) in is around the same size as the 5D2 body - let alone adding a grip, lens, flash etc...

The other advantage if it's a proper relaxing holiday is you blend in with everyone else. There's a lot to be said for that...
 
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