[chucuyuco]

Hi all,

I've got a honeymoon to Italy coming up and I've been thinking about what lenses I want to take. I'll be taking my K-01 and leaving the K-x at home. Side note: this trip helped me convince my wife that I needed a K-01 and someday it will be hers Here's what I have so far:

K-01
40mm/2.8 xs
DA 10-17mm fisheye (I can use this for non-fisheye wide angle at 17mm)
Tamron 28-75mm/2.8 (great walk-around lens, very versatile)

In question:

Do I need the DAL 55-300? It's a solid lens but does have some weight to it. Just not sure how much I would use it but may be nice to have some reach for those historical details?

Not planning on taking the 18-55 kit lens. Leaves me with a small gap but quality is inferior to the tamron and I can cover wide with the 10-17.

Thanks for any input.

[PBandJ]

Smart wife you have-- not even married yet and you already have to get her approval! :-)

I'd leave the 40/2.8 at home, and if you already have the 55-300, take it. you can leave it in the hotel when not using it. if not, I personally wouldn't buy it for this trip. you're there for the honeymoon.

Take a tripod too.

[Thesorus]

I went to Rome last September with only the DA18-55 and the DA 35mm LTD. ( I think I also had the 40mm ltd, but I don't remember using it that much)

For the city, that was enough.

There was a few times when I wanted something longer, but for walking around, being lighter was the key to a better "tourist" experience.

Max.

[demp10]

Don't bother with any telephoto lenses (over 50mm) unless you are into architectural details on roof tops. You can get close to almost everything and you can always crop a wider scene for the proper composition.

If you plan to photograph monuments and sites, you'll need wide angles. The most versatile lens will be the kit lens at the 18~35 range; just don't used it wide open, set it to F8 and leave it there. Sometimes you will need much wider (especially inside) so the 10-17 (at the 17mm end) will be good. With SR on, and proper techniques, you should be able to handheld as low as 1/10 sec (or lower) with the 10-17 and still have good images in very dark places. If you like fisheye effects, you can get very dramatic pictures at the 10mm end also as a bonus.

The Tamron will be too long most of the time and too heavy for long walks.

[Jean Poitiers]

Don't bother with any telephoto lenses (over 50mm) unless you are into architectural details on roof tops. You can get close to almost everything and you can always crop a wider scene for the proper composition.

If you plan to photograph monuments and sites, you'll need wide angles. The most versatile lens will be the kit lens at the 18~35 range; just don't used it wide open, set it to F8 and leave it there. Sometimes you will need much wider (especially inside) so the 10-17 (at the 17mm end) will be good. With SR on, and proper techniques, you should be able to handheld as low as 1/10 sec (or lower) with the 10-17 and still have good images in very dark places. If you like fisheye effects, you can get very dramatic pictures at the 10mm end also as a bonus.

The Tamron will be too long most of the time and too heavy for long walks.

Good advice here ... the telephotos are definitely too long. I lived in Paris for 8 years, and if I had to shoot there, I'd use the K-01 with the kit lens and take the 10-17 as well.

Things will be (too) tight to use most anything other than a WA or 18-55 stopped down ...

If you have the space, I'd take the 40, but then again, I am just a fan of fixed focal length lenses ... plus this would be your most compact gear combo ... J

[chucuyuco]

Okay, now you have me thinking I should take the 18-55 kit. I'll definitely take the 40xs because it's sooo small and good. Lol we are actually married already, just waited a few months to go on the honeymoon.

The Tamron is bulky, even moreso than the 55-300 but it's good in low light and doesn't hunt for days like the 55-300. I think I'll leave the 55-300 and now I just need to decide on the tamron. I'll see space wise if I want to carry the 28-75 and the 18-55.

Thanks for the help!

[Kerrowdown]

I've got a honeymoon to Italy

And your here discussing lenses, photography is not what supposed to happen on honeymoons.

[JETninja]

I spent 14 days (most in Italy) in 2011, I took my 18-55mm and my 55-300mm.....I wish I'd had a 10-20mm Sigma. (just bought one yesterday finally) You will see so many landscape/building/church interiors where the very wide can get you some spectacular photo's. I'm ready for our next trip.

And we fit in the Spanish F1 race at Barcelona at the end of our trip, so the 55-300 was perfect for that.

[Nick Siebers]

For my honeymoon in Italy a few years ago I took a K1000 and a 28mm prime. Worked out great!