Camera lenses needed for Rick's tour of Scotland

I've often heeded the wise words of Ken Rockwell when assembling a system for traveling:

http://kenrockwell.com/tech/assembling-a-system.htm

While in Scotland last year I only brought a 17-40 f/4 on an APS-C sensor and never once wanted to reach for the telephoto I didn't bring. Although it was late in the season and light was sometimes scarce, I also didn't regret not bringing faster lenses. The weight can really be a drag after a full day!

What model camera body? In particular, is it full frame or crop sensor?

If you have a full frame body and if the 24-70 is the excellent f2.8, that would be all that I would carry.

I don't like lugging big cameras or lenses anymore because of the bulk. I use a Canon S120. On my last trip, i carried a Canon rebel (crop) with a new 24 mm f/2.8 pancake lens (about a 38mm equiv). To adapt to the single focal length, I just zoomed with my feet. I found the bulk just tolerable. It was fun to shoot with the dslr after so many years. But i still found i went back to the S120 at least 50% of the time.

Thanks for your recommendation. I was thinking of the 24-70 f4 and possibly a fast 55 since it is small and light.

The camera is a Sony A7rii full frame. The 24-70 and 16-35 are both f4's and the 24-240 is a 3.5 to 6.3. Thanks everyone

When I was in Scotland by myself several years ago I had an entry level digital camera, the Canon Rebel, with just the lens that came with it (which I think was a 28-80), plus an older 75-300 1:4-5.6. NOT high end equipment. I also took a decent tripod with me. I found the tripod a nuisance when going into museums and stores and ended up leaving it in the car most of the time. I used the zoom lens a little bit more ,such as at the highland games to get shots of contestants across the field, or to get shots of the details at the top of buildings (especially in Glasgow). When I did the tour of Venice/Florence/Rome I had a newer digital (Canon Rebel again) and the stock lens with it is 18-55, and I again took the same zoom lens (75-300). I did find sometimes that the gap in the two lenses was a bit of a problem (one didn't get close enough, the other got too close), but not often enough to worry about. I also found that being with the tour group I tended to just stick with the stock lens as I didn't always have time to stop and set up the photo I really wanted as we moved pretty quick some days. There were not too many occasions where I wished I had wide angle lens, but is was nice to have a longer lens to get shots of things at the top of taller buildings, or sometimes a building or castle in the distance.

As a former newspaper travel editor, I've fussed with camera gear for years -- principally, the normal 18-55 and 70-300 lenses. I found I seldom took the time to switch to the longer lens and soon realized that for my purposes it wasn't worth the trouble of changing on the run. But I did want a zoom from time to time. I finally came to use a Canon Rebel with a 18-200 IS lens. It suits me fine. And while it's not as small as some of the newer cameras (which often are of very high quality) I have found it small enough to be easy to take on long hikes or long days walking city streets. And because it covers a wide range (18-200) it's quick, too, in most shooting circumstances.

Thanks for the comments. It looks like a standard zoom will do the job. My zoom that begins at 24 full frame is wide enough. The question I need to answer is if 70 is long enough or do I go to my super zoom that goes to 240 full frame. The later is a load to carry but covers almost everything. For just a few shots it is not worth carrying. Will I use it in the countryside and find enough distant detail shots in the city to warrant the weight over the 70 of the smaller zoom?

Don't know how big you want to blow up the shots you take, but with the 42mp sensor you've got you can also crop quite a bit to "zoom in" and still get good image quality.

Dana you are correct. I can't make a picture wider but can crop it. Between panarama on the wide and cropping to get long the 24-70 may cover most of my photo opportunities. Thanks

I agree. Simple is better. If it's complicated, you won't use it. And it's always possible to enhance at home on the computer.

what Rick Steves tour of Scotland are you taking??? I may be on the same one.

Using a Canon 60D with an 18 - 135 lens , I have not bothered with other lenses . The 18 - 135 has been nearly perfect for me and has enabled me to go with a single arrangement . You might want to PM Ken , from Vernon , Canada , a VERY regular poster here and very skilled for his thoughts , I'm certain what he has to say will be very useful .

John I am taking the Oct 4-13 tour.

Thanks for the cannon 60d and 18-135 comment. That lens is not very heavy and has a great range but not very wide. I am happy to hear that it is wide enough. Also good to hear that the lens is fast enough.

I have a Canon EOS T5 and seldom need anything more than the 18-55 that came with it, when on trips. I do have a telephoto lens that I occasionally take on trips where I'm spending less time in cities. In cities you probably would seldom need a telephoto lens. It does take up space so it's a matter of whether it's worth lugging it around for the few photos you'll take with it. On a tour you, won't have the leisurely pace you would if traveling alone and continually swapping out lens can be a pain.

Thanks for your thoughts. The consensus is a standard zoom which for me is full frame 24-70 f4. The 24-240 is probably too much to carry for the few telephoto shots. If I was going to Rome I would bring the 16-35 f4 full frame but for Scotland the 24 seems to be wide enough. Thanks