Ireland this Summer!

[jamsus]

After Norway (with no Reflex at all!)
After France (with no Reflex at all!)
After Scotland (with only the 40mm & 70-300 'cause 18-55 went broken 2 days before the trip)
After Paris (with just 18-135 and it was perfect!)

This summer we will enjoy Ireland with my girlfriend Asia, arrive 9th August - 20th August leave!

I will, for sure, bring the 60D + 18-135 IS STM because it's my actual favorite travel lens, but i'm also wondering if the 100-400 L IS USM II would be a good choice. It's a bit engumbrant and i'll have to switch it very often.

I would like to ask you what do you think about it, if it would be a good lens choice

Many thanks

[Dave Throgmartin]

If you have room and it isn't a hassle to bring it along I can't see it hurting anything. Do you expect a lot of tele opportunities on your trip?

Dave

[Kayaker72]

With travel photography, I usually find that I bring too much and primarily use my general purpose lens. There is no doubt the 100-400 L II is a great lens, but it is big and heavy and on crop, it is really long. You have ~29-216 mm (FF equivalent) covered. That is a great range. So, as Dave says, if you don't mind the hassle, sure, bring it. But, unless you are planning a specific type of photography where you need it, my guess is that it sits in the bag.

Before I travel, I usually search the internet (primarily Flickr) looking for images I like and want to capture. This does 2 things, 1) helps me know what I'll shoot and even what gear I need to bring and 2) helps me identify potential locations I might want to go to. So, you might do that with Ireland overall and where you are going specifically.

I studied in Ireland. Amazing place. At the time, I only had a (film) P&S camera. The general purpose focal length will be the vast majority of your shots. If anything, I think you might want something wider (EFS 10-18, EFS 10-22, or Rokinon 14 mm f/2.8), and able to handle the indoor shots (bounce flash or fast prime). The UWA lens for landscapes (lots of Irish landscapes) but also for the narrow streets. A wider focal length lets you capture more in close spaces and also gives you more latitude to correct perspectives in post. The faster lens might be good for pubs and poorly lit/narrow streets. I'd also consider a tripod even if it is something simple like a gorillapod.

With all that said, I would really encourage you to think about how you want to document the trip. What it is that you are trying to capture, and bring the tools to capture those shots. At least for me, I am always tempted to try to bring too much gear because, deep down, I want to be able to capture every single shot imaginable (as you might be able to tell from above). But that just is not practical. And, really, even going to amazing locations and bringing an single capable lens, you would be able to capture amazing images. Just think of what you did with the 40 mm in Scotland. I sometimes think about getting away from the general purpose range and doing something like shooting a locations with just the 14 mm f/2.8. I love my gear, but we can only shoot one lens at a time. So having more gear is really about having options. What options do you want to have in Ireland?

[Busted Knuckles]

+1 for something wider.

I the tele would be good if you are going for some specific shots, wildlife, etc.

Mike

[peety3]

Another +1 for something wider. 18mm on APS-C isn't that wide - it's 29mm effective. Considering I usually start my day with a 16-35 on FF and switch to a 24-70 when the mood strikes, I can't imagine 29mm as my lower end. Heck, 16-35 on APS-H wasn't enough for me years ago.

[HDNitehawk]

Many things to consider that only you can answer.
Are you traveling by train and packing light?
Are you planing on going to events you need the reach?
I would imagine visiting Scotland would have been a similar trip, in regard to the things you like to photograph, did you find yourself needing the longer lens.
When I went to London, I rented a car and traveled all over from Dover to the west coast.
I took a tripod, my general purpose 24-70 II and 70-200mm. I only used the 70-200 once and could have left it at home. With a rented car weight was not an issue.

[Sheiky]

First off: Nice! Ireland is on my bucketlist as well
Second, what is your main goal during the holiday? Will it be city hopping or driving around countryside?

Personally I think the 18-135 sounds like a good do it all lens for general shooting and city-hopping. I would definitely bring the 100-400 if you will go into the country-side more and if you don't mind the extra cargo you carry along.

In my most recent trip to norway I took the 16-35, 24-70, 50 1.4, and 135 2.0. And our fellow travellers too their 24-70 and 70-200.
I took about 1200 shots in total. I ended up with 137 keepers out of which:

103 with the 24-70mm
4 with the 50mm
22 with the 16-35mm
5 with the 70-200mm (friends)
3 with the 135mm

So basically I could probably have been taking photos with only the 24-70. There were only a few times where I "needed" the other focal lengths.
This was on a mostly hiking/nature-trip so it might not be entirely relevant to you, but it might give you an idea.

For city-hopping I would stick to the 18-135 and maybe add a wider lens.
For more nature/country-side you might want to carry the 100-400 along.

[Sheiky]

So...kinda hyjacking the thread a little, but it might be interesting for Andrea as well.

I'm going to Dublin for a few days this thursday morning. Since we only take 8kg carry-on luggage I can't bring a lot and I'm debating what I would take.
For anyone who has been to Dublin, what would you recommend?

I have a 5D2 paired with either:
- 16-35 F4L
- 24-70 F2.8 VC
- 40 F2.8
- 50 F1.4
- 135 F2
- 300 F4(albeit this isnt a serious option.

Please let me know what you think

[Kayaker72]

I haven't specifically been to Dublin in years, but in traveling European cities with my gear I would lean heavily toward:

1. General purpose zoom (24-70).
2. Ultra wide angle (16-35).

If you still have room/weight to play with, I have been traveling with a 50 f/1.4 to "be creative" or for "low light" but in practice, it has seen almost no use.

[jamsus]

I did not reply until now but i read all replies, really thank you all!

Probably the kit will be

60D
18-135
35 f2 (more for emergency than for real use)

the 100-400 will stay at home