jcofer Loc: Sandy, utah

I am planning a May 2024 Viking river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest.
Would like to take close up photos of the castles along the Dandube and Rhine rivers. I plan to take either a 140m or a 200m zoom (not both) using a Nikon D7100. Which would be best to use? Thank you for your assistance.

lwerthe1mer Loc: Birmingham, Alabama

Get ready for a wonderful experience. I took a similar river cruise 4-5 years ago. It is my recollection that the castles were high on some hills or mountains. I suggest you take your longest lens.

azted Loc: Las Vegas, NV.

I just got back from a Cruise from Budapest to Nuremberg. I had my 70-300mm lens attached to a Sony A7Rlll. This got me close enough to the castles and ruins that were high up on hills. I have yet to really process them, but I will be able to crop substantially due to the high pixel count of that camera. It is hard to practice before you go, unless you have someone drive about ten miles an hour and you take photos of stationary objects from the passenger seat!!

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

I was able to easily cover the river portion of our German trip with an OM 12-100 f4 (24-200 in 35mm terms). Renting a lens with a 300mm or 400mm long end would probably even be more ideal - and more size and weight than I would ever want. The 200 end may require cropping a very small percentage of your longest shots, but I think the trade-off in size and weight more that makes up for it.

Take the lens that goes to 200.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

I took the similar Rhine cruise. Take the 200mm.

Ghery Loc: Olympia, WA

We've got reservations for the same cruise, only in 2025. Have a great time.

I would take the 200mm zoom.

photoman43

I have done both the Rhine and Danube river cruises. I took a 70-200mm f4 zoom lens in addition to a 24-85mm zoom. For castle images, 200mm was barely long enough for close up shots. If you have a 1.4x tc bring it too.

Do not forget to plan for night time shots from your ship. I would try and include a fast prime lens that is not that heavy, like a 35mm or a 50mm prime, f1.8 or f2.0 or f2.8.

rcurrie Loc: Kingsport, TN

It sounds like you have a Nikon 18-140mm Dx lens. If you do, take that one. It is a great versatile lens.

Bubbee Loc: Aventura, Florida

That worked for me on my D7100 on the same cruise..excellent everywhere!

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

As you can see, some think the 140 will be enough and some think more than 200 would be better. If your 200 has a wide end of 24, I still believe the 24-200 will meet your needs. If you really want very close up shots of the castles from the river, going 300 or more will be needed. But I was very happy with my 24-200 angle of view and cropping some of the long shots for what I wanted. And my camera is only 20mp and I had no problems with what little cropping I had to do.

If wide angle is more important than long shots, then an 18-140 might make more sense. But if you want to be just a little closer to the castles from the rivers, then a lens like a 24-200 would make better sense. And there is always rental of a lens that might be wide and longer, but watch out for weight and/or slow aperture - along with rental costs. If you have a 1.4X teleconverter that works on the 140 or 200. It might be worthwhile taking it with you.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

It's been a number of years since my wife and I did our Rhine cruise. Perhaps we are just a little jaded, but it did not take long before our response became, "oh, another castle." We felt that the setting was equally (or more) important than the castles, so closeups quickly became boring and repetitious. If we went back next week, I'd take a lens that was reasonably light and nimble. There's actually a lot more of interest to see and photograph than just the castles...railways on both sides of the river, other boats, bridges, ...

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

Just rent a 28 to 300 and you'll have everything covered.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Ditto, good advice.
Best Wishes,
JimmyT Sends

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

I think you’ll need a longer lens. The best advice I got was to get a monopod for my Alaska cruise.

Gatorcoach Loc: New Jersey

I'll be on a Rhine cruise next spring andI will be taking my Nikon D750 and two lenses: my go-to 28-300mm and a recently purchased (used) 150-500mm along with a monopod. Why? Because I have them! They will cover any needs I will have for castles along the river as well as any situations walking around the towns or countryside.

The long lens and monopod will stay on the boat as it is more than I will need and is too heavy to schlep around. In the unlikely event that I need wider than 28mm I can shoot a pano.

I shoot what I want to shoot whether they be for memories of the trip or for my photographic interests which are architecture, landscapes, people. unique signs...whatever.

I am considerate of others when on a tour and if I want to stray a few steps away to capture something, rather than listen to the lecture, I do discreetly but never delay the tour.

I use whatever equipment I want and do not care what others use (cell phones) so long as they are not obtrusive or obnoxious with multiple group selfies or elaborate tripod setups blocking the scenes for others.

Over the years I have taken numerous trips to Europe, National Parks, New Orleans, Alaska, etc. and have never had any problems I feel due to the courtesy I show others and the patience I (usually) have for others.

Enjoy your trip and don't sweat the small stuff. You're not on assignment for NG so if you miss a shot it's not a big deal.