[pres589]

The 70-300 is very useful if used outdoors. Rome is full of "details" impossible to get close to. Think of statues on churches or other architectural elements as bells or the Colonna Traiana sculptures. Or maybe parts of Rome visible from some hill, like the Pincio. Have a look at this page

Panorami dal Pincio a Roma: foto

and judge by yourself.

I never doubted the sheer number of 'details' in a city like Rome. That said, what focal lengths do you think most of the pictures were taken at in the link you shared?

I think this is another adventure where my kit would be my 15mm Ltd and my 18-135. Maybe if the OP had a super zoom, like the DA 18-250, that might be nice, pared with something that does wide quite well.

[john5100]

HI buddy,

Not sure if you making this a photo trip or not. If not, then enjoy the trip and take photos when you see an opportunity. In saying that I took my KX with my DA 18-250mm, DA 12-24mm, fast prime, and my Sony HX30V. I used my little Sony P&S most of the time because it was convenient. A good P&S like a Sony RX100 could do the trick for you because it small enough to fit in your pocket.

Sony

Summer In Italy by John Rudolph, on Flickr

Pentax KX and DA18-250

Summer In Italy by John Rudolph, on Flickr

Sony

Summer In Italy by John Rudolph, on Flickr

Pentax DA18-250

Summer In Italy by John Rudolph, on Flickr

As you see there isn't a lot in it and the Sony was just a pocket super-zoom with a very small sensor. Low light, yeah then the Pentax pulls away from my HX30V. An RX100 would do really well in low light and it would be lighter to carry.

---------- Post added 08-15-16 at 12:08 PM ----------

On second thought, a Pentax MX1 might be nice too

[UncleVanya]

First I would not call the RX100 or the MX-1 or the LX7 a point and shoot any more than I would call the Q series a toy camera. These are smaller sensor cameras with big control over exposure and excellent lenses. Like any good beginning DSLR they include point and shoot modes but that's so far from their real purpose I can't even fathom how to express it fully.

Suffice to say as evidenced by my March trip to the UK and France I think a smaller enthusiast camera like these makes the most sense with any companions along that are not deeply interested in photography. Keeping the gear small and light makes the rest of the trip easier and also keeps you from obsessing over the perfect shot.

But I also think a simple kit of the K10d and the 18-55 or maybe the 17-50 or 17-70 sigma would really do nicely. Don't fret the detail too much.

[Belgarchi]

You need wide angles. Don't even bother to take your tele zoom. One light 135/2.8 or 200/4 is enough.
But you need at a minimum a 28mm, a 24mm + 35mm is better, a 20mm + 28 or 35 would be perfect but there is a risk you will not be able to use the 20mm properly, it requires experience.
Also, a wide aperture lens for museum and churches / cathedrals / exhibitions / performances could be useful, take a 50/1.4 or similar.
I am speaking in terms of Full Frame focals.

[yucatanPentax]

As both Lakeshore and UncleVanya suggested, the K10D and kit lens may be plenty. (unless your companions are indulgent of your photography hobby).

At the suggestion of several here, I tried stitching with a simple program like MS ICE. You might try a little practice with this program and your kit lens before you leave and see what you think. I found that pretty decent images are possible with hand-held shots and stitching them together to get a wider angle view.

Aside from that, I have both the Pentax 12-24 and the Sigma 8-16. They aren't identical in use, but they overlap enough that I don't usually carry both at the same time. I feel the Pentax 12-24 has the edge in IQ, but Sigma has that extra coverage that is sometimes indispensable. Wide angle would be my biggest suggestion for a different lens if you don't want to take multiple images and stitch.

But really, if you can swing it, pick up a lightly used Pentax K-5II or K-5IIs. Great image quality for a good price these days. I agree with that advice. And with those who say a lot of kit on a general travel trip (as opposed to a specifically photography-oriented trip) is more of a pain than it is worth. A couple suitable lenses and the best body you can bring along.

Enjoy the trip and let us see some of the results!

[Jacquot]

In a recent trip to France in varied situations, plenty of cities/towns and villages, street scapes, interiors, details, landscapes, etc., I took the 20-40mm Ltd only and was very happy with the results and versatility. It is pretty small and light, and very easy to carry around wherever. Perhaps I would have added the 15mm Ltd in retrospect, but I did not want to carry additional lenses. Summer is too hot for something with pockets. I have been in the south of France regularly the last 25 years, and decided that this was what I needed on the K-3. It worked very well, and did not interfere with any activity.

[john5100]

In a recent trip to France in varied situations, plenty of cities/towns and villages, street scapes, interiors, details, landscapes, etc., I took the 20-40mm Ltd only and was very happy with the results and versatility. It is pretty small and light, and very easy to carry around wherever. Perhaps I would have added the 15mm Ltd in retrospect, but I did not want to carry additional lenses. Summer is too hot for something with pockets. I have been in the south of France regularly the last 25 years, and decided that this was what I needed on the K-3. It worked very well, and did not interfere with any activity.

Jacquot - Sounds like a good call

[Lowell Goudge]

I spent 15 days in Italy last year, Milan, Florence Rome and Tuscany . Used my 70-200/2.8 for some wildlife shots but my sigma 10-20 and Tameron 28-75 about equally for 98% of the shots.

Really should have also taken my 8mm fisheye

If the op wants something ultra wide and cheap take a samyang 8mm fisheye

[UncleVanya]

In a recent trip to France in varied situations, plenty of cities/towns and villages, street scapes, interiors, details, landscapes, etc., I took the 20-40mm Ltd only and was very happy with the results and versatility. It is pretty small and light, and very easy to carry around wherever. Perhaps I would have added the 15mm Ltd in retrospect, but I did not want to carry additional lenses. Summer is too hot for something with pockets. I have been in the south of France regularly the last 25 years, and decided that this was what I needed on the K-3. It worked very well, and did not interfere with any activity.

I was happy with the 24-90 perspective (21-105 if you count some in camera format tricks) that the LX7 gave me. I would have missed out on many shots if I had nothing but the 30-60mm effective range of the 20-40. As an example:

[robgski]

Personal hands-on experience is a good teacher.

I'll add to this by saying, learn to use what you have to its best advantage. The better you know the equipment you have, the better your shots will be. For example, I have a DA 40 XS, and a used manual only Takumar 17mm, I will use either of these two lenses on my K-5 in any situation because I know them and their qualities so well, in combination with the K-5, and I feel confident of getting the shot I want, no matter the lighting, etc..

[pathdoc]

The last time I was in Italy, I did all the tourist sites and I had with me a Minolta Dynax 3xi film camera, which was most often loaded with 400ASA film. I'm pretty sure the kit lens was 35-70. I hardly EVER, EVER needed more zoom; there were many times I DESPERATELY wanted more width and I certainly wanted more ASA at times (there are places where both flash and tripods/monopods are forbidden). Most of the time the flash won't help anyway; stuff is either behind reflective glass or so far away that the flash won't do much good. If anything, you might want to take a circular polariser filter!

That fast fifty will possibly help in catching closer details in dimly lit places, so it's worth taking with you.

The 15mm DA has an approximately 21mm equivalent field of view. The 18mm end of your kit zoom is roughly the equivalent of a 28mm. But you will want to go wider than that. Everyone who's been screaming at you to rent (or buy) a wide rectilinear is spot on the money.

If you can afford it, that upgrade to a K-5 series body that others have recommended will be well worth your while in terms of shooting in poor light with no flash. A slightly noisy image is better than a dark, blurred one.

If this is the trip of a lifetime, take plenty of memory cards and back up often if you have the means. I went to Britain and Italy (Glasgow + side trips to Edinburgh; Manchester; London; Rome; Venice; Florence; Milan; Pisa; Pompeii and a few other places). I took FOUR HUNDRED film photographs, and that was picking and choosing, thinking I would be going back in a few years to fill in the gaps and retake the shots I screwed up. If I'd known that weren't the case (it was over twenty years ago), I would probably have taken several hundred more. I'd have given my eye teeth for a digital camera back then.

[ChrisPMR]

I don't have much to add to what's already been said, but my first thought was to bring a wide angle lens.
I was in Rome with a 18-55 kit lens and there were a few occasions I would have liked a wider lens. There is so much great architecture, often in small alleys/roads. I don't see much need for a long/telephoto lens personally.
Chris

[UncleVanya]

I don't have much to add to what's already been said, but my first thought was to bring a wide angle lens.
I was in Rome with a 18-55 kit lens and there were a few occasions I would have liked a wider lens. There is so much great architecture, often in small alleys/roads. I don't see much need for a long/telephoto lens personally.
Chris

Someone else mentioned ICE for stitching - did you try that? I only recently started using it and while it is pretty good I have gotten some glitches and don't really know how to fix things when it doesn't work. It does allow pretty nice high resolution landscapes with a wide perspective and most of the time works great - but I would like to be more adept at fixing glitches within it.

[mi2nc]

Wow! what a response! Y'all are great for your time. I have the green light from my wife to upgrade to the K5.

As I expected, I will need a fast, wide lens. I understand wide to mean less then 10mm ish to 50mm ish. As for fast, What is fast enough for the indoor shots? Do I need a 2.8 or can I go to an F4?

I found these on lensrentals.com

is Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 DC HSM for Pentax fast enough?
or do I need a 2.8 like Pentax D FA 15-30mm f/2.8 ED SDM WR.

I found these on Cameralensrentals.com

Maybe Pentax 12-24mm f/4 ED AL IF smcP-DA...is f4 fast enough inside the buildings?
Maybe Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 ED AL IF SDM smcP-DA

Lastly, We are staying at a house in a village in Tuscany. So I believe there will be opportunities to use all my lens' for the various scenes.

Thanks for the feedback. It is greatly appreciated.

[gabriel_bc]

Excellent news! Try to get a K5 ii. With a K5 series, I found f4 to be just fine inside buildings. Not only do you get better high ISO performance over the K10D, but you'll also have better shake reduction. F4 will be fine. I used the Sigma 10-20 f4-5.6 and it was great. Similarly for the FA20-35/f4. No issues.