Lens for Cuba trip: I will be join an exchange trip to Cuba over the Christmas and New Years and am interested in anyone's camera experience there. We will be in Havana for a few days...

For tBragg Guy Loc: Fort Bragg Ca

I will be join an exchange trip to Cuba over the Christmas and New Years and am interested in anyone's camera experience there. We will be in Havana for a few days and then sail to other ports. My situation is that I plan on taking my 100-400, 35-105, and 17-40 lenses. Would anyone that has been there suggest any other lens? How about something less than the 17-40 for wide angle shots?
Thanks

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

For what body?

For tBragg Guy Loc: Fort Bragg Ca

I have a Canon 1Dx and Canon 5D3. Thanks for reminding me to add that.

juanderfulpics Loc: central jersey

You may want to bring a faster lens for nights

Teacher22 Loc: Texas

I was there in June and used 24-70 2.8 for 90 percent of the time. Also took 50 1.4 for a lighter load with my 5diii. You will do a lot of walking so lighter the better. I also took my small canon mirrorless as a backup with 22 mm. With the 44 lb. limit on luggage, including carry on, this worked out well.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

juanderfulpics wrote:

You may want to bring a faster lens for nights

Sounds like a good assortment of lenses to take.

Lots of good night shots to be had in Old Havana. Not sure you want to lug a tripod, though. If nothing else, take a beanbag that you can put on a café table, a car hood, etc.

Djack41 Loc: Tennessee

All your lenses are F4 or higher. Unless wildlife is on the list, the 100-400 might see very little use.

I would opt for the EF 70-200 F2.8 IS and toss in a 1.4x teleconverter. Shot wide open, the 70-200 is a supreme portrait lens. Great for bokeh and background separation. A 1.4 or 2x teleconverter is light weight and compact means to achieve added reach.

Your 24-105 is a fantastic travel lens! So versatile. You could probably shoot it and leave the other lenses at home!

Djack41 Loc: Tennessee

Scott Kelby has a youtube video about photography in Cuba. Might be worth a look.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

For tBragg Guy wrote:

I will be join an exchange trip to Cuba over the Christmas and New Years and am interested in anyone's camera experience there. We will be in Havana for a few days and then sail to other ports. My situation is that I plan on taking my 100-400, 35-105, and 17-40 lenses. Would anyone that has been there suggest any other lens? How about something less than the 17-40 for wide angle shots?
Thanks

I know you're asking specifically about Cuba, but travel is travel. I prefer to travel light and carry one good camera and one good lens. Of course that depends on the purpose of your trip. If this is going to be a photography trip, then go all out. If you want to be a tourist, take pictures, and enjoy yourself, travel light. No matter how much you bring, you will always think of that one item you should have brought.

Remember the good old days, when we had one body with a 50mm lens?

anotherview Loc: California

Ditto: "Your 24-105 is a fantastic travel lens! So versatile. You could probably shoot it and leave the other lenses at home!"

I have found so in practice.

The maximum aperture of f/4 does capture half the light of f/2.8. Yet with the better noise performance of recent cameras (Canon 6D, for example), a photog can shoot at a higher ISO to compensate for this reduced light gathering capacity.

Further, image stabilization allows shooting at a slower shutter speed, again offsetting reduced light input.

Finally, I venture to say that photogs use the aperture setting of f/2.8 (and larger) less often than supposed -- in part because of the shallower depth of field it produces.

In using modern digital cameras and lenses, the aperture of f/4 suffices for most all shooting requiring low-light performance.

Djack41 wrote:

All your lenses are F4 or higher. Unless wildlife is on the list, the 100-400 might see very little use.

I would opt for the EF 70-200 F2.8 IS and toss in a 1.4x teleconverter. Shot wide open, the 70-200 is a supreme portrait lens. Great for bokeh and background separation. A 1.4 or 2x teleconverter is light weight and compact means to achieve added reach.

Your 24-105 is a fantastic travel lens! So versatile. You could probably shoot it and leave the other lenses at home!

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I was in San Juan, Puerto Rico for 4 days and spent my time in Old San Juan. I took with me a Nikon D-610 (full frame) and three lenses, the 24mm f2.8, the 50mm f1.4 and the 28-105 AF-D zoom. The zoom was my most used lens.
I found that 24mm and at times 28mm were all the wide angles I needed. 105mm focal length saw little use.

jro1010

Short, fast, prime. So you are able to capture the vivid colors that you will see. I had been in Puerto Rico (which is caribbean too and where you will find similar landscape than in La Havana) and it doesn't get better than that. Long lenses doesn't do it mostly because of the kind of landscape you will find. Probably if you were going to the Sierra Maestra that would be something to take into account. But La Havana is a city, the capital of the country and as in any Capital, you will be able to take all in day or night with a prime. Peace to you all. jro

For tBragg Guy Loc: Fort Bragg Ca

Thanks everyone for your input. I now have a better vision of what to do. I will watch Scott Kelby's video. I have met him a couple of times now and his dynamic persona is catching.

jmunny Loc: Buena Park, CA

I went during the month of December, 2013. Although I own a D810 along with the Holy trinity of lenses (14-24, 24-70, 70-200), I chose to bring my D7000 the 28-300, 50 1.4 for walking around and any night shots. Although pan handling is illegal in Cuba there are quite a few who take the chance and with massive gear you do become a target. I was not disappointed.

Enjoy

jcarlosjr Loc: Orange County

I agree with Jerry, travel light.

Where do you plan to hide your gear while you are sitting having breakfast or getting on a crowded bus. Enjoy the trip.