Selene03

I have photographed cathedrals and churches in much of the world. Rules differ (in Latin America--there are frequently no photograph rules, so you will buy their photographs--I haven't really encountered that too much elsewhere). I have had to pay fees for a "photography" permit in Russia. My experience has been that most cathedrals and churches forbid tripods, monopods, and flash in interiors but otherwise permit photographs. I don't always find this a problem, though my favorite lens is the canon 16-35 f4 with IS on my full frame camera. I would guess the 14-24 Nikon lens would work really well with your d750. I have generally found wider is better unless you want to work at setting up panoramas, but I suppose it depends on what you are most interested in shooting. I have gotten decent shots of details with a 24-105, but I could see if that were your main focus, you might want a longer lens. Others have given you good advice on shooting with lots of space so you can correct for perspective later if necessary. Obviously, the lens you choose will shape your perspective. I have been frustrated by not having a lens that was wide enough in the past, so I pretty much always take the 16-35 even if I take another lens too. It is light enough that it doesn't really add that much weight. Have fun! It sounds like a great trip.

SteveLew Loc: Sugar Land, TX

Often cathedrals are very dark especially on an overcast day. Churches that are in session usually allow tourists to take photos from the back as long as there is no talking. I did not use a monopod in the cathedrals but I wish that I brought one along since even with a very high ISO hand held it was still difficult to get you shot. However, if the day is sunny there should be enough ambient light in the cathedrals to take photos without ultra high ISO's.

TheDman Loc: USA

I was allowed a tripod in the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal. Instead of a wide angle, I shot about 25 photos with my 70-200 and stitched them all. Don't overlook this possibility.

(Download)

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

I would get a 1.4 prime, unless you’re only gonna photograph outside in the daytime!
SS

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

TheDMan, since you were using a tripod, one assumes that all photos were taken from the same position and therefore that some would have been pointed somewhat up. I'd expect convergence of the verticals under those circumstances, so did you employ some perspective correction? (I'd have expected some tilt correction, too.)

Nevertheless, it's a nice photo.

jefren Loc: Montgomery, Alabama

I also have the D750 and the 24-70 f/2.8. I've photographed a lot of cathedrals; it's a lot of fun. I think you have an awesome combination for cathedrals. Since you are pretty new to DSLR photography, I strongly recommend that you keep it as simple as possible, so you and your family can have a good time. The only other lens I usually take when on a tour is the 70-300 f/5.6-6.3, and I don't use it much (others might use it more). I also own the 70-200 f/2.8, which is a much better lens than the 70-300, but the 70-300 is much more portable. I have a neoprene cover for my camera (Op/Tech, I think), and an Op/Tech camera strap to spread the weight for long days. I have a case for whatever lens I'm not using, and I can keep my camera gear in a regular backpack. Don't worry about what you miss - just enjoy whatever you get. Have fun!

Jim Bob

You should be fine with what you have.

therwol Loc: USA

I went to the Durham Cathedral in 2015 (with a Nikon D810 and an older 28-105 lens.) No problem outside. No problem in the gift shop area. The inside had signs all over the place prohibiting photography, and with a camera like that, I couldn't exactly use stealth. I was a bit upset to see people sneaking photos with mobile phones inside.

The first time I went to the nice church in Carlisle in Northern England, I took video of every square inch inside and also about a half hour of video of someone explaining the history to my wife. The next time I went, probably in 2013, there were signs demanding donations for pictures, and you were given something to wear on your clothing to indicate that you had paid so you wouldn't be stopped.

I had no trouble inside of the St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin in 2001 and 2005 and also in the Cologne Cathedral in 2005. That was a long time ago, of course.

I think you won't know the policy until you get there or make a few calls ahead of time.

Oh, no pictures in St. Paul's in London either on one of my trips. Too bad. It's magnificent.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Avoiding convergence is easy with a std lens. All you need is enough wide angle to photograph what you’re trying to photograph while holding the camera horizontal(parallel to the floor) and all your lines will be straight.
True, half of your image will be the floor but you simply crop that out!
SS

Dan R Loc: Way Way Way Upstate NY

That is absolutely beautiful! I'm only 3.5 hours from there...thanks

TBPJr Loc: South Carolina

I have Canon equipment, so my recommendations are based on a quick trip to the Nikon site to see its offerings--they are for the fields of view and exposure conditions you will face, not any personal experience with the Nikon equipment itself. After checking what is available to you, I recommend you consider the 14-24mm f/2.8 zoom and the 70-200 f/2.8 zoom, if your budget and the ratings you read make those a good fit for you. The cathedral interiors are dark and high ISOs will be needed; the faster your lenses, the better. Unless you have special access (and more time than group tours ever permit), a tripod is really impractical, but a monopod will work. Of course, if you are traveling on your own, you may be able to arrange to use a tripod. I know the equipment I suggest will add to the weight and bulk of your gear, but you will really like the flexibility of the wider focal length range when you are taking the pictures (again, this assumes you will have the time to swap lenses and maybe a place to shelter from the weather). A superwide is great to capture narrow streets with several-story buildings and the occasional landscape, too--you will see lots worthy of your photography traveling in England.

I was on a Rhine cruise in the second week of December (miserable weather!). I found my 11-24mm lens invaluable for cathedrals, and I also used a 24-70mm and a 70-200mm--in museums, I almost always used my 11-24mm, but sometimes the 24-70mm. In England (I lived there 1977-1980), I had only 28mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4, and 135mm f/3.5 for my film cameras; I took many, many pictures, but it was frustrating trying to move from interiors to exteriors with films that were optimized either for bright or for dark, not to mention zooming with my feet--that problem is gone now with the camera you are carrying and the quality of zooms these days. You can adjust your ISO to match your needs for each condition.

This past summer, I followed the portion of the road tour of Tiffany mosaics installations in churches and cathedrals that were outside of New York City--I did only the ones in New York state (I went to the exhibit at the Corning Glass Museum, too, and found a video that showed a series of superb pictures of the same installations I visited, plus those in New York City and other places I didn't tour myself). I really enjoyed it, and I was lucky to photograph everywhere (there were some restrictions). I used primarily the 11-24mm, but occasionally broke out both the 24-70mm and the 70-200mm in churches not nearly as large as the cathedrals that you are planning to visit.

In the category of unsolicited advice: remember to adjust your exposure compensation (or bracket) for your pictures of the stained glass windows--unless your composition makes the glass almost the entirety of your picture, you will get badly over-exposed windows (the surer alternative method is to use a spot-meter setting and expose for the window--even then you will need to "chimp" and be sure your picture is what you want).

You will be fine with whatever you take, including if you decide to stick with the one lens you mentioned, the 24-70mm. The limits you meet if you do that will inform your judgment about what lenses you actually need or want later. You can also rent lenses for your trip (that may not be economical, since you are going for three weeks), and have that info instead of just going on the opinions of others.

Whatever you decide, good luck and have a great trip!

rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Your lens/camera combination should work fine. I did a lot of cathedral shooting in England and France, using a very similar setup. As for settings, I’d shoot from a large gorilla pod—you can attach it to a pew and not get tossed out—and use an aperture in the f/9-f/11 range, with an ISO below 800. I like the three exposure HDR suggestion and agree that you should avoid Photomatix. Good luck; I’m looking forward to seeing your images.

speedgraphic

Always consider the end use. Agency’s use large pix. If family pictures, then consider the size of the monitor (televisions in the 1950’s) size. Use an 8mm or fisheye, then let Photoshop Illustrator to adjust swings and tilts of Cathedrals. My old speedgraphic had a bellows to bring tall building into conformity with normal 55 mm lenses. When doubt go to a used bookstore or barns and noble, turn the pages of large books. This gives you the experience you want and need. Remember too that good weather may interfere with your objects.

puku8849

For cathedrals, you need a really wide lens and best of all a perspective control lens. These samples are taken with a Canon EF-S 10-18mm lens mounted on a sony 6300 and it's barely wide enough.

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

I got down on very wide angle and wanted a more conventional mm like 55mm 1.8 for a while. But recently I found
how useful wide angle is. And what looks good and what you need sometimes. I carry in my briefcase a Sony Zeiss
16-70 lens on a a6300. At a year end event for local schools the Chamber President rushed over and asked me if I
could bail her out and shoot stills. Group shots. Stage stuff etc. Wow you cant get a great group shot without a wide
lens. A great guy I follow online makes amazing video. They selected him to do the main promo for Singapore.
He admits his Sony 10-18 is his go to lens for video and stills.
You probably will find (just my opinion) that a wider lens that is fast (expensive) might be what you want some of
the time. Good luck and enjoy the trip.