recommendations for camera lenses

yooperdooper

i have an eos 30d with the following lenses:sigma dc 18-50mm 1:3.5-5.6 and digital concepts 2x af for canon eos.i will be going to wisconsen to the dells and other areas which include lakes, rivers, waterfalls ,lighthouses etc. any recomendations on additional lenses?

ziggy53

My travel kit (and so what I would recommend):

Canon 40D (your Canon 30D is fine)
Sigma 10-20mm, f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM
Canon EF-S 17-55mm, f/2.8 IS USM
Canon EF 70-200mm, f/4L IS USM
Canon EF 50mm, f/1.4 USM
Tamron 1.4x teleconverter (I may be getting the Canon version as the Tamron does not work so well with the 70-200mm)
Close focus adapter, 3.3 diopter, to fit the 50mm, f/1.4, gives about 1/2 lifesize.
Sigma 500 DG Super flash
Sunpak 383 Super flash
Charger and spare battery.

yooperdooper

thanks ziggy53

rpcrowe

I am very happy with...
I used to carry just about the same line-up of lenses as Ziggy but, I have the 12-24mm Tokina rather than the 10-22mm Canon w/a.

However, I seldom if ever carry the 12-24mm traveling these days. I am pretty darn happy with the 17-55mm f/2,8 IS and 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses with a 1.4x TC. This is a light weight outfit and I am not crazy about really wide angle shots unless I cannot obtain the image any other way,

These two lenses cover my needs pretty well. If I know that I will need to have a w/a lens (such as on a trip to some of the older cities of Europe) I will take the 12-24mm Tokina. If I know that I will need a longer lens (such as on a trip to Alaska) I will bring a 300mm f/4L IS.

I don't use w/a for my landscapes but much prefer to do panos.

I almost never travel with my 50mm f/1.8 Mark-I anymore since the 17-55mm by virtue of its IS and constant f/2.8 aperture is a pretty decent low light lens. I was never totally keen on the quality of the Mark-I wide open and if I am going to stop down a stop, I might as well use the 17-55 IS lens.

I do carry two bodies (It was a 10D and 30D but, now will be a 30D and 40D) and a flash everywhere. If I desire to carry an extra lens, I now will slip my 10D in my case. I don't like switching lenses in the field. Prior to obtaining a 40D, I would carry my 350D as an extra body. The problem with this arrangement is that would mean carrying a whole consignment of extra batteries, charger and remote releases. Now that I have standardized on 10D-30D-40D, all batteries and accessories match.

I really think that the 17-55mm f/2.8 IS and the 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses are the nicest duo I have ever had the pleasure of using.

claudermilk

My kit is a bit odd as it was driven by considerations other than travel as a main factor, but it works well for me:

Tokina 12-24/4
Canon 24-70/2.8L
Canon 70-200/2.8L
Canon 50/1.8 Mk I

It's on the heavy side, but covers about everything I run across in a typical travel situation. I'll cut down to just the 24-70 or 50 when I can, sometimes bringing the 12-24 along. The 70-200 comes along when I expect needing the reach or will be near the car, so the weight doesn't matter. I'm also a little bizarre in that the weight doesn't bother me.

yooperdooper

lenses
thank you

Jekyll & Hyde

yooperdooper wrote:

i have an eos 30d with the following lenses:sigma dc 18-50mm 1:3.5-5.6 and digital concepts 2x af for canon eos.i will be going to wisconsen to the dells and other areas which include lakes, rivers, waterfalls ,lighthouses etc. any recomendations on additional lenses?

J: The "Dells" is definitely a wide-angle kinda place.

H: Your 18-50 should work well. (although the new Stabilized version of the Canon 18-55 would help on the boat rides).

J: If you want to go ultra-wide, then the 2 really wide zooms already mentioned come highly recommended (I don't have one - YET).

H: When you're there be sure to take the Upper Dells Boat Trip (better than the more famous "Ducks").

J: And bring your swimsuits 'cuz the huge waterparks are loads of fun (I like "Noah's Ark" best).

H: You won't be able to see Tommy Bartlet's Waterski Show though as Lake Delton completely drained when the dam burst in that recent flood. Good news is that Interstates 90/94 have reopened as have most of the State Highways (some of the bridges are still out on the county roads though).

J: Outside of the Dells it's mostly just farmland. Although if you head about 45 minutes north you'll find the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, the summer hangout of the endangered Whooping Crane. And the Sandhill Cranes have been very Thick this summer in that area too. You'd need a telephoto lens for birding though.

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/necedah/

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=national+wildlife+refuge&near=Necedah,+WI&fb=1&cid=0,0,3992752728993258040&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=1&ct=image


H: Have a fun trip! Been to the Dells many times.

J&H

Aussieroo

If you were wanting something with a little more versatility and "Bang for buck" type lens you could also consider the 24-105 Canon L f4. This is my favourite walk around lens and for versatility is hard to beat. What everyone else says is all quite true but if like me you are limited to the number of lenses then this one plus the 100-400 L IS USM, covers you with L glass from 24-400mm in just 2 lenses.