lyndacast

I am traveling on Viking from Copenhagen to St. Petersburg to Stockholm next week. Rethinking my Sony lens combo for light weight travel. Have the Sony 24-105mm which is awesome, but a bit big/heavy. Could leave it home and just take my Sony 10-18mm and my Sony 50mm 1.8.

What challenge would it present to not have a focal length beyond 50m for this trip?...

I think for architecture and street photography, I will be okay with those two light weight lenses....but will I miss the reach of the 24-105?

Camera body = a7iii
TIA

ELNikkor

You don't mention your camera, but if it is the 6xxx series, just stick with the two smaller lenses. You only shoot at 1 focal length at a time, so no need to burden yourself with a big, uncomfortable-to-carry-all-day lens.

lyndacast

Sony a7iii

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

I read this question numerous times on the blog and so I asked myself what would I do if I were faced with the same dilemma . The 24-105mm is a hefty lens but manageable as long as you don't mind not being able to hide it's obvious girth. The combined weight of the 10-18mm & the 50mm would probably nearly equal that of the 105 and they don't offer the reach that it does. And you are carrying two lenses plus the camera's weights. The 24-105 is my favorite every-day-lens so I have a bias for sure.

Now if it's bulk makes you feel encumbered or possibly an easy mark for a potential pick-pocket assault , the I would get a pocket-sized Bridge Camera with 700mm zoom capabilities.......they are quite remarkable cameras and very affordable and you would not stick-out in public areas like you would if you were toting that 105 baby. And you wouldn't be on guard 24/7 about it's security or be forced to leave it in the hotel safe when you want to attend a dinner event where camera would not be appropriate...?

If I could afford a trip like this , I think I would consider the acquisition of that smaller camera for all of the obvious reasons I just referred to.

Hope I didn't bore you with my ramblings. Stay safe and have a great adventure.


JIMBO

schaferj1

I will be sailing with you next week on the Viking Sky. I will carry my Sony rx 100 vi. Having done two previous trips with Viking, I recommend you go small and light. Their shore excursions move along at a pretty good pace leaving little time for changing lenses. That argues for a zoom. I personally feel safer carrying a pocket camera (than a dslr) in crowded cities. Just my opinions.

zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas

Neither of the lenses you mention will be great companions for your A7III. The Sony 10-18mm is a crop-sensor lens, and the 50mm 1.8 generally is not considered one of the finest lenses. I would go with the 24-105mm. It is a superb lens and very versatile. You definitely will miss your lens on this trip. I also think that there will be situations where you will want a lens longer than 50mm.

I use a Sony A7III and travel a lot--my A7III and 24-105 are on their third European trip. (I am doing research at a library in Germany right now.) I own smaller primes as well, but the 24-105 always is in my travel bag. In my opinion, this is the optimal travel lens for the A7III. There is not really a better option on the full-frame market in terms of weight and versatility. The Tamron 28-75 weighs four ounces less, but its reach also is significantly less.

If you really want to lighten the load get an a6000, take your 10-18mm and get a 18-135mm to go along with it. The other cameras in the 6xxx series would work as well, but they all are heavier.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

We took that trip two years ago, except on a different brand of ship. The our favorite photos came from my wife's small ZS100 and my small LX100. Excursions to the great places are packed with people. Maneuvering with something small and discrete helps a lot. Going to restaurants or locking up in the room safe, small works so much better.

Her camera has a 1" sensor with lots of zoom range. Mine has a bigger sensor with less zoom range. Both have excellent auto modes for when tourist situations are too chaotic for more deliberate shooting. Hers has 5 axis stabilization that can help inside the palaces for slow shutter speeds.

SonyBug

Just took that trip and I may have used a 10-18 inside some of the churches if I had one, but otherwise the 24-105 would be optimum. I have a tamron 28-75 that stayed on the camera the whole time and did not use the tele that I brought. Have fun, it is a great trip and we really enjoyed it.

Here is a taste of what you will see.

(Download)

traderjohn Loc: New York City

I would think the lenses you use in any other city would also work in the cites you are going to visit. I don't think there is a lens made for "Baltics"

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

A 10-18mm is a bit wide for a travel lens. Maybe try taking pictures in your neighborhood with that lens and see how you like it. Although the longer lens is larger and heavier, it covers a pretty good range. How about buying a compact with a decent built-in zoom?

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/top-10-best-pocket-zoom---travel-zoom-cameras-2016-19720
https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/2016-roundup-consumer-long-zoom-compacts
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/2016-roundup-compact-enthusiast-zoom-cameras
https://www.ephotozine.com/article/top-10-best-pocket-zoom-digital-cameras-2015-19720
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/0692551582/2015-roundup-advanced-zoom-compacts/01

zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas

The Sony 10-18mm is an APS-C lens so at the the full-frame equivalent of 15-27mm it would be workable as a travel lens. As the OP has an A7III this lens is not really suitable. As I said before, I think that the 24-105 would be the perfect lens for this trip. If it is too heavy the Sony 6xxx series or the Sony RX100 VI would be lighter alternatives.

sailorWB

I can't comment on the lens as I have a FZ1000 which works great for my needs. We took that trip one month ago and had a terrific time. If you are taking Viking's tours (as with most tours) you won't have a lot of time at any given spot to take your pictures. Also expect the Hermitage to be a zoo. (Albeit a magnificent zoo.)

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

We were on a similar cruise a few years ago. I used a Nikon D800 and the 24-85 f3.5 lens for everything. Do not miss seeing the Vasa (I think that is the name of the ship) that was sunk for over 300 years. Then it was discovered and raised. Well worth seeing in Stockholm.

Dennis

Stan Wieg Loc: Fair Oaks, CA

It is a wonderful trip! I used a Tamron 18-270 on my Sony and found it all I ever needed, indoors and out. That lens has been from Asia to Antarctica with us, and I only swap it out for birds and distant animals. Good luck.

Lagoonguy Loc: New Smyrna Beach, FL

I’ve also taken that trip and now many others in Europe and I settled on the 24-105 f/4 on a D750 as my primary setup, the rig weighed 61 ozs combined and yes it was a little heavy after toting it all day but it was the correct lens for travel at least for me. I carried a 16-35 f/4 & a 24-35 f/2 also with a spare D750. Photos were great but alas the years caught up with me and now I use a Panasonic G9 and a PL 12-60mm f/2.8-4(Micro 4/3rds, 24-120mm FX equivalent and supplement it with an PL 8-18mm f/2.8-4 & 16mm f/1.4 Sigma prime, it all weighs 59.9 ozs. No matter the camera though the 24-105 or 24-120mm equivalent lens still is the most versatile for me. I can barely discern a difference in the quality of the images between the two formats. I always take my G15 f/1.8-2.8 on my belt as well. I could probably use either format 24-105 or 120mm equivalent along with the Canon G15 and be content. I used the wide angle and fast lenses about 5% each on the average trip. Happy travels and don’t let the equipment control your fun.