[lukulele]

As Na Horuk said, DA 15 is your(and my) friend in the cities and landscapes. Prague and Ljubljana with the 15. Framing is easy, use your feet.

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Last edited by lukulele; 08-12-2015 at 05:08 PM.

[teylix]

I took the liberty of picking a typical shot outdoors of yours, and using perspective tool (actually I rotated it, then perspective, and then crop).

The additional softness due to my edit--would not be a problem with a detailed original and if need be some additional final sharpening--but w/ the low resolution jpg it is!

It looks so soft I added a sharpened version--although w/ the low resolution the sharpened one does look a little too "cooked".

i use lightroom but never realized i should get rid of perspective. i always used the profile fix and CA fixes. good looking out.

I took my Q to Europe last year, and I only had two lenses with me - the 01 prime (47mm equivalent) and my 13mm Cine Raptar movie lens (that was for doing the artsy thing). It was a backpacking trip, so size/portability was a determinant. I really, REALLY missed having a wide angle with me, but gee - Pentax hasn't made a wide prime for the Q yet... (don't mention the toy lens) I should have taken my K5 DA21 combo with me. Live and learn.

Your DA35 would be able to cover you for most of your shots and will give you great IQ, but for goodness sake, take something wider or you will regret it. the DA15 has quite a following here, but the Samyang also sounds like a good choice, and you gain two stops in speed. Then the 50-135 for those telephoto moments to round out your kit (although I never really had a situation where I needed something that long - you may feel differently however).

I see you went to Bamberg - me too! Such a gorgeous town. Did you try the Smoke Beer? I was really cursing myself for not bringing a wide prime when I was at the Domeplatz!

here are some Q photos from that trip https://plus.google.com/photos/112926204174575391170/albums/5906076186685953...Ny47-r7i83UswE

If you are in the region of Coburg, I would recommend visiting. The fortress is impressive, and they have a bratwurst (the Coburger Rostbratwurst) that is amazing. buy two, they're cheap. hell, buy three!

maybe i will visit coburg and pass through bamberg again. bamberg was one of my favorite places of all. just had that nice charm about it.. i went on a sunday though so i couldnt really experience too much. ill have to try the smoked beer next time

i think im itching for the DA 21 LTD over the 15.

I would seriously consider the DA21. It is good enough wide open and is just the thing for street shots (Christmas markets etc.). The autofocus is quick and reliable. The DA15 is a bit too wide for this, pretty useless wide open and harder to get focused well if you are taking quick shots.

Mind you, the kit 18-55 at 18mm is not too bad either, but you don't have the WR version, which would be useful when it is raining or snowing, as it probably will

yeah im thinking DA 21 over 15 now. After seeing a lot of my shots, I feel i would benefit having a wide lens. do you really need 35 when you got a 21 though? ie 21 and 50-135? i guess 35 is still useful if you get a 15. i just wonder about when i'd actually bother to stop and change out the lens.

Weighed down by all the weisswurst and wheat beer in your stomach, a minimal kit of DA15, DA35 and DA*50-135 should be easy to manage. You'll be able to do landscapes, street photography, interiors, portraits and close-ups

If you go to Munich, do a daytrip to Neuschwanstein (Mad King Ludwig's castle aka Snow White's).

been to munich and did a trip to neuschwanstein before you can see them in this album:

https://plus.google.com/photos/113056256616270182527/albums/5795298513521023393?banner=pwa

the allgaeu was a really pretty place.. countryside was just so green it was ridiculous.

[clackers]

Nice picks, Teylix! After having seen a lot of impressive but dark Gothic church interiors in Europe, the bright Baroque ones in southern Germany made for a welcome change.

[emergo]

imaybe i will visit coburg and pass through bamberg again. bamberg was one of my favorite places of all. just had that nice charm about it.. i went on a sunday though so i couldnt really experience too much. ill have to try the smoked beer next time

i think im itching for the DA 21 LTD over the 15.

bamberg is the kind of town you could live in. very pretty. the smoked beer is worth trying, but the flavor was a bit too strong for me - I rather enjoyed the Dunkel variety of beer, though!

the DA21 is a great all-purpose lens. just wide enough, but not too wide to limit it to a special purpose lens. I think you could pair it with your 50-135 and be confident that you're covered for everything.

[Paul the Sunman]

I just had a few weeks in Europe with the DA 18-135 + DA 15 Limited + DA 40 Limited, which accounted for the vast majority of my shots, as well as the DA70 and DA 55-300. With your arsenal, I'd go with the 50-135, the 35, and something wider (DA 15 ideally).

[Tan68]

I use almost always 21 and 77mm. I have used 35 and 15 some... But 77 first and then 21.

The reason is I like to take pictures of details in church. I have found the 77 good for ceilings, even, in larger churches. It can be a bit long for some ceilings not in cathedral. Glass, door panels, tiles, figures, portraits of statues, even mosaic in floor (perhaps 50 better and I can stoop down, but it still works), whatever. It is hard to get any interesting wide pictures without other tourists so I turn to other things.. :^)

Often ISO 800, 1/60, f/2.4, and needing a lift at home...

The 21 can be good inside... There is use in a wider lens if you like pictures of whole interior, of course, but it depends if you like full interiors.. Worth buying the wider lens..? Perhaps stitch shots inside if push to shove.

Yes, you may want something wider than the 35. I just see so many small things to photograph. The 77 works so many places for me. Translate that to the 50-135. I think you will like having that lens with you.

If you are into support, take whatever tripod you can tolerate.. Most places disallow tripods/stands, but I always ask. You will get the go ahead at the weirdest times... I always take care to minimize any impact if I am allowed to use it.

+ No, i don't use the 35... i have taken it on a couple trips and i don't remember why. when it gets on the camera, i have used it... i don't dislike it. this is all so personal, but i add that because you asked about using 35 if 21 is available. i have several pictures with 21 stitched and i like them. 21 in portrait = vertical view of 15 in landscape.

21 & 50-135 would be closest to what i mostly use. but i don't try to document the vacation with SLR. i use the SLR and lenses i like for photographs. other interesting pictures, i don't mind using reasonably nice P/S.. so, i don't feel naked without all FL covered :^)

[steve1307]

If you are travelling with family, or primarily for a family vacation rather than just photography then less lenses is better.
This depends on how patient you family is of course. Less stuff is lighter carry around too

Having said that I think that something wider than your 18-55 is essential for typical European towns and cities. My admittedly biased recommendation is the magic DA15.

Out in the countryside with landscape an UWA fits all of the view in but this perspective also diminishes the impact of distant subjects, like those spectacular mountains in the horizon etc., so it's not always the first choice for landscapes.

Your 35 /2.4 would be handy for indoors , low light and it's small and weighs practically nothing so I'd put that in.

I think the 50-135 might be less useful for just scenery but lovely for family holiday potraits and for the zoo as you said. Weathersealed for the German winter conditions.



I just had a few weeks in London, UK countyside & Paris on family vacation.

I took DA15, FA31 and 18-135 (also a Sigma 8-16 last minute inclusion but i didnt carry it around every day)

We had really, really nice weather so these were mostly outdoors, and some places we went (castles/palaces etc) didn't allow photo inside


from a couple of thousand shots
18-135 was 57%
DA15 was 27%
FA31 was 14%
8-16 was 2% I only took it out once for some night shooting in Paris.

Very often i felt that the 18-135 just was not wide enough and most of my 18-135 were taken in the 18- 85 range and a handful at 135mm

What would have been ideal would be a nice weathersealed, silent focussing, DA 16-85 lens with decent IQ. I wonder where we could find on of those.

[DeadJohn]

SNIP... I don't mind weight really but changing lenses would be a downer since I just imagine taking the camera around my neck and not lugging around a bunch of lenses ...SNIP... yeah museums, zoos, buildings, scenery, going on top of a tower, etc.

I think the above quotes summarize your needs. You want a single lens that can do a bit of everything; I'll constrain the options below to a maximum of 2 lenses for your trip. You didn't specifically mention weather-resistance but I think that's important for travel, so I'll add that as a requirement. Most of your subjects need wide to medium focal lengths. Zoos need a bit of telephoto, but I don't know how many outdoor zoo exhibits will be open in Germany during the winter and you might be able to ignore telephoto images.

Is your 18-55 a weather resistant version? If yes, bring that. Make lens #2 for DA35 for image quality, or if you feel like buying a new lens get the DA15 or DA21 for wide image quality. If you want to cover the zoo, bring the 50-135 as lens #2 but then you're emphasizing zoom shooting rather than cities. (and bringing 3 lenses is too many)

Or buy the 18-135 for weather resistance, more zoom range, and better quality than the 18-55.

Or buy the DA* 16-50. Prices are high but Christmas gives you enough time to wait for Black Friday sales. Some reviewers knock the 16-50 as being unsharp but I think it's reasonably sharp just not as sharp as a prime lens. I love having the extra 2mm on the wide end. There's a significant difference between 16mm and 18mm indoors. Bring your 50-135 for the zoo.

[bassek]

Hey guys.

I'm going to be traveling to Germany for christmas time. I was wondering what you guys think would make for some great photos.

I have a K-30 camera and my current arsenal of lenses include:

18-55mm (kit lens)
DA 35mm f2.4 AL
DA* 300mm f4
DA* 50-135mm f2.8

Should I just bring the 35mm and 50-135mm? Or should I be buying a wider lens (18? 21?) for street/landscape photography? I don't mind weight really but changing lenses would be a downer since I just imagine taking the camera around my neck and not lugging around a bunch of lenses.

It might be cold so watch out for fogging of the lens. Is the kit lens WR? Then take it.
Unless you buy a DA14 or 15 you'll do just fine with the kit lens. Maybe the DA35 for low light occasions.
The DA* lenses are better lenses but too long and bulky for your descriptions.

Seb

[Ventzy]

I'm just return from traveling in EU - 5300km, 3 weeks. (Wien, Budapest, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Nurnberg) May be 95% of pictures was made with 31mm, f1.8



Here is my review and pictures...

[Tan68]

... May be 95% of pictures was made with 31mm, f1.8 ...

And this is why it is so hard to ask advice about these things !
I would have said the same about me and the 77mm.
And so it goes...

[ChristianRock]

I'm just return from traveling in EU - 5300km, 3 weeks. (Wien, Budapest, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Nurnberg) May be 95% of pictures was made with 31mm, f1.8



Here is my review and pictures...

Fantastic pictures!!!

[teylix]

I just had a few weeks in Europe with the DA 18-135 + DA 15 Limited + DA 40 Limited, which accounted for the vast majority of my shots, as well as the DA70 and DA 55-300. With your arsenal, I'd go with the 50-135, the 35, and something wider (DA 15 ideally).

OK I'm leaning towards this setup now: 15 / 35 / 50-135...

I use almost always 21 and 77mm. I have used 35 and 15 some... But 77 first and then 21.

The reason is I like to take pictures of details in church. I have found the 77 good for ceilings, even, in larger churches. It can be a bit long for some ceilings not in cathedral. Glass, door panels, tiles, figures, portraits of statues, even mosaic in floor (perhaps 50 better and I can stoop down, but it still works), whatever. It is hard to get any interesting wide pictures without other tourists so I turn to other things.. :^)

Often ISO 800, 1/60, f/2.4, and needing a lift at home...

The 21 can be good inside... There is use in a wider lens if you like pictures of whole interior, of course, but it depends if you like full interiors.. Worth buying the wider lens..? Perhaps stitch shots inside if push to shove.

Yes, you may want something wider than the 35. I just see so many small things to photograph. The 77 works so many places for me. Translate that to the 50-135. I think you will like having that lens with you.

If you are into support, take whatever tripod you can tolerate.. Most places disallow tripods/stands, but I always ask. You will get the go ahead at the weirdest times... I always take care to minimize any impact if I am allowed to use it.

+ No, i don't use the 35... i have taken it on a couple trips and i don't remember why. when it gets on the camera, i have used it... i don't dislike it. this is all so personal, but i add that because you asked about using 35 if 21 is available. i have several pictures with 21 stitched and i like them. 21 in portrait = vertical view of 15 in landscape.

21 & 50-135 would be closest to what i mostly use. but i don't try to document the vacation with SLR. i use the SLR and lenses i like for photographs. other interesting pictures, i don't mind using reasonably nice P/S.. so, i don't feel naked without all FL covered :^)

Thanks for the post. I think I would just be itching for wider if i got 21. So when I get to see nice landscapes I'll just bust out the 15 mm. Never will lug around a tripod on a vacation trip though. I got steady hands thankfully

I'm just return from traveling in EU - 5300km, 3 weeks. (Wien, Budapest, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Nurnberg) May be 95% of pictures was made with 31mm, f1.8



Here is my review and pictures...

Nice photos. 31/1.8 is quite a fantastic lens.

[Tan68]

I think you will also find 15 useful in town for some things as well as landscape
Sounds like a good spread of lenses

I have slowly pared away at the stuff I carry... Now ~ 20-23 lbs for any time of year any length trip but never tossed the tripod aside... :^)
11 pounds if I went with nice P/S only... but traveling internationally with only a small book bag would raise eyebrows.. best to carry the camera stuff :^)

[robthebloke]

Da21 and your 35. (Or just your 35)

Keep your kit minimal, and make sure it can take the best photos possible. When you're not taking photos, make sure you're enjoying your holiday, and aren't lugging around kit