[Conqueror]

What to take to BC?

This is what I have:

15mm DA
16mm SAMYANG
31mm FA
55mm DA*
100mm DFA
55-300mm DA (not WR )

Thinking of taking three of the above
-16 SAMYANG for wide/night
-31 for majority of the shooting
-100 or 55-300 - undecided which to take

What would you take?

Part of me thinks go with the 100mm, though it will be less flexible focal length wise, I will at least have a WR lens with me then

[c.a.m]

Which BC? British Columbia (Canada)?

If it's the Canadian destination, photo opportunities range from vibrant downtown city streets to majestic mountains, wildlife galore, ocean and harbour views, magnificent wilderness parks, etc. It's a large and diverse province.

What are you thinking of seeing there?

- Craig

[Bagga_Txips]

I'll make it easy for you. Don't take the Samyang. Take all the others.

[normhead]

I'll make it easy for you. Don't take the Samyang. Take all the others.

I'm with him ^.... nice set of lenses by the way.

[UncleVanya]

15mm DA
16mm SAMYANG
31mm FA
55mm DA*
100mm DFA
55-300mm DA (not WR )

Thinking of taking three of the above
-16 SAMYANG for wide/night
-31 for majority of the shooting
-100 or 55-300 - undecided which to take

What would you take?

15,31,100,55-300
Here's why, I would take these.
15 - I'm familiar with it, it makes great photos and is light and easy to add to the kit.
31 -a legend I would like to try, great low light capabilities, normal lens perspective.
100 - I like macros, it can pinch hit as a portrait lens if needed, it is a reasonable short Tele, and wr
55-300 - light addition for more reach and the gap between the 100 and the 31.

If it has to be three, then 15, 31, 55-300 and I cheat and bring a Raynox for macros.

---------- Post added 03-22-15 at 12:00 PM ----------

The 16 might be a better choice than the 15 if you are planning some astrophotography, I know that there are other lenses they make that have excellent reputations in that area.

[Conqueror]

Yeah its Canada

The reason for taking the Samyang will hopefully be for night in the wilderness... don't know if ill manage that on the trip, but hoping to! Though it is significantly bigger than the 15mm.

FA 31mm total no brainer as mentioned so far.

So that just leaves me with the dilemma of something longer for mountains/hiking and possibly trying to bring a WR lens along...

I'm thinking I might struggle to take more than 3 lenses and the body... coming from UK

[Mistlefoot]

Post a bit about where you expect to go in BC as well as the month. Many BC people here (including me) who might be able to offer some advice....

[tibbitts]

Many people who visit BC never see any wilderness, just the city of Vancouver. Well, maybe some trees/flowers in Stanley Park. So you really need to be more specific.

[Conqueror]

Haven't fully decided but its likely to be Vancouver (+immediate surrounds) and possibly a brief trip down to Seattle or Portland

[JefferyA]

Being a vancouver resident depending on the time of your visit or planned activities I wouldn't say you NEED a w\r lens with you... As for wilderness in the Vancouver area there is much more than just a few trees and flowers in the park!
Taken a 40 minute drive (and hour hike up) out of the city.

[Trigger Happy]

15,31,100,55-300

+1. Those would be my choices too. But I think you might want to trade the 55-300 for a 55-300 WR before you go. If you're going to be in southwestern BC, you can expect rain any time of the year.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of those lenses yet :P My travel kit would be my 18-135 WR + I would buy a SMC DA 15 for the trip. But with just those four you have wide to tele, WR, macro, and portrait capabilities... very versatile.

[tibbitts]

Being a vancouver resident depending on the time of your visit or planned activities I wouldn't say you NEED a w\r lens with you... As for wilderness in the Vancouver area there is much more than just a few trees and flowers in the park!
Taken a 40 minute drive (and hour hike up) out of the city.

Yes, but my point was that a lot of people visit Vancouver on business and never get out of the city - they might have just a few hours after work to see the sights. I've been to Vancouver enough to know that starting at rush hour on a weekday night, you're lucky to make it to the other side of the metro, much less far out of the city, before dark.

[arkav]

Being a vancouver resident depending on the time of your visit or planned activities I wouldn't say you NEED a w\r lens with you.

Yeah. I hear it's been drier than average in the recent past, but it's not unusual for it to rain A LOT in the Vancouver area.

To the OP: Think temperate rain forest. If your only WR lens is the 100mm, you may find it a bit limiting. Something like the 16-85 or 18-135, or even a WR kit lens might be very handy if your arrival coincides with a week's worth of drizzle ( not unusual in Vancouver ). If you're strictly a fair weather photographer, and you need to limit yourself to 3 lenses, and you do NOT want to buy any new lenses, then I'd say 15+31+55-300 will give you maximum coverage. If you think you're going to want to be shooting regardless of the weather, then I think you're going to need a lens in the wide-to-normal range that is WR.

If you were anticipating doing a lot of wildlife shooting, or maybe doing on a whale watching cruise or something, then a 55-300 WR might come in handy. Otherwise, I'm not sure you need the long zoom at all, depending on what other lenses you decide to bring.

One option might be to price out a WR zoom in advance. If Canadian prices are attractive compared to those back home, you could line up a source in Vancouver and if the weather goes against you, buy the WR lens there.

[Mistlefoot]

A week ago there was an Orca feeding frenzy off Stanley Park. Eagles are also a common site. Unless you never plan to leave the City (and your drive south implies you are) I'd bring the 55-300 for sure. The 15 or 16 (and you seem to prefer the 16, so bring that guy) and then either the 31 or 55 (and you seem to prefer the 31 so that one). So I'd go with 55-300, 16 and 31.

I just really don't think that the 100 is long enough and I can't imagine a week on the coast without my 55-300. You really cover all ranges with this trio as well.

One last thing.........I'd recommend a day trip from Tswassen (Vancouver) to Victoria. It's a beautiful Ferry. I'd then take this Ferry to Washington State. WSDOT - Ferries - Schedule: Spring 2015 Sailing Schedule for Anacortes / San Juan Islands / Sidney B.C.

Makes for a fantastic day or 2 on the Island and gives you some beautiful scenery through the Southern Gulf Islands on both Ferries. There is a cost to the Ferries....and time of course, but at a minimum I'd recommend seeing if it fit into your schedule.

[dave2k]

I have a few WR lenses and others that are unprotected. If I'm shooting for an extended period of time in the rain, like an outside sporting event, I will use a WR lens or a plastic cover. But if I'm traveling and shooting scenery, I will just use whatever lens is the best for the subject and minimize the time it's exposed to rain. I'll dry it off as much as I can, but this is not like shooting continuously in the rain. I also make sure the camera and lens(es) are in a water protected case when I'm not shooting. Most of my preferred lenses are not WR but that's not going to stop my from using them when it's raining. I haven't had any problems yet, but maybe I'm just lucky. Plastic covers are pretty effective if you are not swapping lenses.