wondering...zoom better for travel?

I bought the 18-55 deliberate for travelling. The gap between 18 and 35 in primes is too big for me. I took it to Dubai and Oman and performed flawless. I also brought the 35 just for low light shots. If you're certain you don't fast lenses I'd say take just the zoom.
 
zoom vs prime is more about shooting style. For a long time I used only 40mm prime, than I switched to the zoom and figured out most of my photos were shot with 40mm. So I decided to go back to my prime.
 
Joe

This thread really made me think about why I have gotten away from using a zoom theses days vs when I had the Nikon dslr as my primary...

For me, back when the norm was 6 to 10 mp sensors... Minor cropping w/ prime lens ok, but anything of significance like getting a 50 fov from a 24 fov prime lens and I would really eat into what I wanted for my max print size (13x19) w/o having the photo sw do up-Rez.

These days w/ 16mp and greater sensors and the new noise reduction algos built into the cameras, the old techniques I used to use in my film days are back for me... That is 21/40 as my favorite pairing and cropping 21 to 24 or 28 fov and cropping 40 to 75 or 90 fov when I was using my Leica/Minolta CL.

The only time these days that a zoom is needed for me is really due to price point of a dedicated long lens (300 and over fov) vs a zoom that covers the range if I want a autofocus lens from that manufactor.. Otherwise adapting a manual focus lens is the way to go.

A while ago when u were selling your Fuji zoom, it dawned on me but it took this thread to really get me to put it down someplace about prime vs zoom for me.

Given that I got the xe1 w/ a zoom for a price I could not refuse.. We shall c 🙂

Gary

Ps. Back in the film days my max was smaller 11x14 when I was printing..
 
Last edited:
Given the quality of the Fuji 18-55, the zoom is a really good option for a travel lens. I'm personally saving up for the upcoming 10-24 to be my travel zoom as I primarily shoot wider.
 
back alley said:
what do folks think about the 18-55 zoom instead of carrying the 18/35 primes?

a one lens travel kit...?
Click to expand...

Uh, that's such a personal thing, someone is more of a zoom photographer and someone works better with primes, in any case, in my opinion, the feeling of the lens and consequently how you shot the lens is much more important than the optical quality most of the times. Look at some of the first digital works of Mc Nally (you can google the very first all-digital service he did for NG for example), D1X, few Mpx, zoom lenses, slow cards and...great images and of course you can look at any picture from your favorite RF photographer done all with primes and they are also great... It's the guy behind the camera so to answer the question: why not? If I were you and had not done this already (uh from which century are you 😀 ) I'd go out anly with the zoom for a while and see if what you produce is up to your own taste then take you personal decision.

GLF
 
just as an fyi...this thread was started by me because i have been thinking about this stuff lately...i guess because i am doing a bit of travel these days...but i originally wasn't thinking about buying the zoom again...
i don't want you guys thinking i have completely gone bonkers...

many of my threads are for discussion and not meant to be my present, personal situations...
 
GaryLH said:
Joe

This thread really made me think about why I have gotten away from using a zoom theses days vs when I had the Nikon dslr as my primary...

For me, back when the norm was 6 to 10 mp sensors... Minor cropping w/ prime lens ok, but anything of significance like getting a 50 fov from a 24 fov prime lens and I would really eat into what I wanted for my max print size (13x19) w/o having the photo sw do up-Rez.

These days w/ 16mp and greater sensors and the new noise reduction algos built into the cameras, the old techniques I used to use in my film days are back for me... That is 21/40 as my favorite pairing and cropping 21 to 24 or 28 fov and cropping 40 to 75 or 90 fov when I was using my Leica/Minolta CL.

The only time these days that a zoom is needed for me is really due to price point of a dedicated long lens (300 and over fov) vs a zoom that covers the range if I want a autofocus lens from that manufactor.. Otherwise adapting a manual focus lens is the way to go.

A while ago when u were selling your Fuji zoom, it dawned on me but it took this thread to really get me to put it down someplace about prime vs zoom for me.

Given that I got the xe1 w/ a zoom for a price I could not refuse.. We shall c 🙂

Gary

Ps. Back in the film days my max was smaller 11x14 when I was printing..
Click to expand...

...and for me...i don't like zooms as i find them actually slower to use than primes...with a prime i 'know' what i'll see in the finder before i put the camera up to my eye...not so with a zoom.
 
as it gets closer to flight time and because i can't sleep i've been thinking about what i'm taking to new york this week...
thought i had it set with both bodies and 14/35 lenses...nice and simple...then went to x-pro1 with 14/35/60...now i'm thinking about the 14/18/35, leave the second body and 60 at home....shoot with 18/35 mostly and have 14 if needed/wanted...really more useful to me than having the 60 in the bag...part of me likes the simplcity of one body with 18/35 only but the 14 is such a sweet lens i hate to leave it behind.

internal debates like this make having only an rx1 seem so pleasant...
 
Forgot to mention.. My version of simplicity is either a x100 or dp2m (one main camera) + p&s for backup (rx100).

Gary
 
i forgot, the rx100 is packed in my bag...ya know, just in case!

what's really nice is the 18 on the x-e1...nice small kit...it makes me want that 27 even more...if i had the 27 now, i would be taking the x-e1 with 18/27...talk about small...
 
It actually gets down to what u naturally c in... That is, when you're looking for photographs, does your mind look for 28 or 35 or 50 fov... After years (14 years) of using the Leica CL... I am really a 40 fov person. The 50 is as close as I can get until the 27 comes out.

Gary
 
GaryLH said:
It actually gets down to what u naturally c in... That is, when you're looking for photographs, does your mind look for 28 or 35 or 50 fov... After years (14 years) of using the Leica CL... I am really a 40 fov person. The 50 is as close as I can get until the 27 comes out.

Gary
Click to expand...

I see in 35mm and 50mm... depending on what I'm using I can adjust very easily. Trying to get that way with 28mm, but I just don't use it enough so I have to think when using that.
 
I am the same w/ the 28... Maybe about 10-25 percent of my shots are w/ the 28 from the dp1m or the Fuji 18..

Gary
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
If you could travel with just one focal length or lens, what would it be?
7 8 9
Replies
174
Views
10K
Russ@SVP
Russ@SVP
A
Fast mid-long zooms - why not?
Replies
18
Views
963
Ko.Fe.
Ko.Fe.
H
Nikon S Curtain Travel Times and Curtain Bounce
Replies
1
Views
366
Timmyjoe
Timmyjoe
mrtoml
Fuji 16-80mm anyone?
3 4 5
Replies
80
Views
10K
Yokosuka Mike
Yokosuka Mike
BillBingham2
Which medium telephoto prime do you use/like on your X body(s)
Replies
15
Views
2K
Taipei-metro
T
Back
Top Bottom