Travel Kit for 30D

[Jim Last]

Have been serverely agonising over this for months now!


After a recent trip to south Africa I am wanting a lens or maybe 2 lenses that will cover the following when flying to a destination for a short time. Also a kit that would be fine to take on as hand luggage.

Wanting to be able to have above average to very good quality for:


(a) Candids/Portraits of the children playing in groups of 2-8 without standing on their toes!

(b) Ability to shoot some of the beautiful landscapes.

(c) Average lit indoor hall shots of both the stage area and general shoots of the people in the room.

My thinking,


For the indoor shoots I think I would need f2.8 or better, with some reach probably at least 60/70mm

For the Candids/Portraits at times again f2.8 or better wold be good for background seperation.

For some landscapes I think something around 24mm (38mm on crop) would work as a compromise for single lens kit with possible post trip stiching of images

Currently have the 28mm f1.8, 85mm f1.8, 18-55 kit lens with the 30D, find myself managing reasonably well with the too f1.8's and using feet for zoom, but would love your views comments and suggestions.

[coldrain]

Hmm, I would ditch the 28mm lens, it is not something special and you do not need f1.8 most of the time with an 28mm lens.

I'd get a Canon EF-S 17-55 f2.8 IS USM to replace the kit lens and 28mm lens. Or a Sigma 18-50 f2.8 EX DC Macro, if that Canon lens is out of your budget.

Either lens will cover the landscapes, the group portraits.

I don't get the "standing on their toes" remark....

For portraits/candids the 85mm f1.8 is an excellent lens... no idea what lens would be more suited for it. It has a length that allows you to be at a distance, for candid portraits....

The only other lens I would then also think of is the 35mm f2, it is a nice light "standard prime" for the 30D, which would be great for "general shoots of people in the room". It will offer a stop more light than the Sigma or Canon zoom, and is lighter... so still it might be worth getting one.

So... that would be by 2 (or 3) lens kit for your requirements....
18-50 or 17-55 f2.8 zoom, for portraits, group shots, landscapes. And 85mm f1.8 for portraits/candids. And as 3rd lens the 35mm f2.

[Jim Last]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Went with the 28mm f1.8 over the 35mm f2 as I slightly prefer the FOV on the 30D with the 28mm (44.8mm) rather than the 35mm (56mm)