zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas

I agree that a 24-105mm lens for a full-frame body is the perfect travel lens. I use the Sony version of the lens as my main travel lens; often it does not leave my A7 III for days.

I do not agree with the implication that Paris is a particularly dangerous place. I try to avoid changing lenses in crowded spaces generally. Also there are a lot of dust particles that can settle on your sensor. If you travel with others, often there is no time to change a lens to get the perfect shot. So there indeed are a lot of practical reasons why changing lenses while traveling can be problematic and packing a good one-and-done lens is important. In my experience, the 24-105mm lens fits that bill.

This is the main reason why my prime lenses stay at home when I travel--with the exception of the tiny 35mm Sony Zeiss prime that I use for street photography and the 18mm prime for church interiors. (Churches are a great place to change lenses.)

denis.fr

Bonjour, le 24-105 est suffisant pour moi.
J'éviterais de porter deux boîtiers, et je mettrais ce que je transporte avec moi dans un sac en bandoulière, de façon à ne pas attirer les convoitises mais à être prêt rapidement.
Evitez les endroits où la foule est très compacte, mais évitez aussi d'être seul sur un pont en pleine nuit.
Je suis Français, j'adore paris la nuit, mais j'attends une occasion d'être 3 ou 4 pour sortir le matériel photo, je crois que cela est de la prudence !
Ouvrez les yeux, regardez en l'air, c'est une ville fabuleuse, et la nuit longez la Seine en regardant l'intérieur des appartements éclairés...
Je vous souhaite un merveilleux séjour, gastronomique également, prenez un livre-guide pour les adresses !
Et n'oubliez pas que les plus belles images seront celles qui resteront gravées dans votre mémoire, que vous partagerez à votre retour, et que vous rendrez plus belles encore à chaque fois que vous en parlerez.
Amicalement, Denis

Hi, the 24-105 is enough for me.
I would avoid carrying two bodies, and put what I carry with me in a shoulder bag, so that I don't attract covetousness but am ready quickly.
Avoid places where the crowd is very compact, but also avoid being alone on a bridge in the middle of the night.
I'm French, I love Paris at night, but I wait for an opportunity to be 3 or 4 to take out the camera equipment, I think that's caution!
Open your eyes, look up, it's a fabulous city, and at night go along the Seine looking at the inside of the lighted apartments...
I wish you a wonderful stay, gastronomic too, take a guide book for the addresses!
And don't forget that the most beautiful images will be those that will remain engraved in your memory, that you will share when you return, and that you will make even more beautiful each time you talk about it.
Sincerely, Denis

Julian Loc: Sarasota, FL

Based on your statement, would you change lenses in public in New York, Chicago, LA?…

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

I bought two pair of pickpocket-resistant pants before we went to Paris, and was happy to have them on several trips afterwards - useful any time you will be in crowds and/or traveling by bus/subway. They have zippered pockets - one has zippered pockets inside the regular front pockets and a zippered pocket inside the pants. Pacsafe makes a camera strap with a wire cable running through it to prevent slash-and-grab thefts. Unless you are doing a canned tour, get Rick Steve's guide book - it is full of great hints. For example, get a 5-day museum pass. This gives you two big advantages - one is that some museums like the Louvre have a separate entrance for those with a pass so you just walk in - no line. I enjoyed the fact that you could go several times and not feel like you had to see it all in one visit (it is massive). The pass - at least when I went - did not include the Musee d'Orsay - an old train station that has been magnificently restored and where much of the impressionist art is displayed. Don't miss Ru Cler - a street near the Eiffel Tower with great open-air stalls of produce, breads, and cheese. Have a great time. We speak only two words of French - "please" and "thank you" - and found that almost everyone was pleasant and helpful.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

A Canon R5 for walking around Paris - really ?? In my mind you would need some very SPECIAL reasons for doing this ie are you working for NatGeo .....ect.

I think I would rather take a Sony RX100 and enjoy the trip.
.

GrannyAnnie

All suggestions are good ones. I might add....if the weather allows and you are wearing your camera around your neck (with an anti-theft cable in the strap), wear a jacket on top, keeping your camera and your wallet on an inside pocket. If you need to, you can always zip the jacket. Not always ideal for photographing, but I found a missed shot was better than losing equipment!

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I’m wondering why folks with multiple lens and camera options need advice on what to use.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

IMHO, If you only want to take one FF body, a 24-102mm lens is really ideal for travel.
Be sure to make use of the Hop-On/Hop-Off busses, and sit on the top row, for a very different perspective.
They go to all of the "Special Places", and may stop at or near your hotel.
https://www.getyourguide.com/-l16/-tc9/?cmp=ga&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=6656467919&cq_con=79854276140&cq_term=hop%20on%20hop%20off%20paris&cq_med=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&campaign_id=6656467919&adgroup_id=79854276140&target_id=kwd-3113928431&loc_physical_ms=9008329&match_type=b&ad_id=395214755689&keyword=hop%20on%20hop%20off%20paris&ad_position=&feed_item_id=&placement=&device=c&partner_id=CD951&gclid=CjwKCAjwgr6TBhAGEiwA3aVuIU86NFY1DIaMTkPFg5YNk4Nw4NeclZuT4yzzOZX8bNNFVFCEAd4atRoClTUQAvD_BwE
Oh, I can't wait to go back to Paris, because Paris makes me . . .
Smile,
JimmyT Sends
Best Wishes

picsix

Thank you everyone for your suggestions!

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Sounds as if there is a story behind this comment. 🤔

knutte

I can't wait for my Parisian girlfriend to take me to Paris and show me the city I haven't seen since the 70's and see where she grew up. To see the sights and walk the ponts, maybe even go up la tour Eiffel!

pdsilen Loc: Roswell, New Mexico

Wheather or not you are traveling abroad or within the states, not only do you put black tape over the brand name of the camera, Make sure that the neck straps don't have the brand name of the camera posted on it! For you straps and accessory bags, keep them simple and unassuming.

Tony Hayman

Having lived in Paris, and traveled to the majority of cities in Europe my suggestion is to leave the Canon at home, bring the Leica, buy or rent the Leica 21mm... It will be wide enough for most things, and is fast enough for inside most churches etc. My last trip there was with my Nikon D750 and a 18-35mm lens, I don't think I zoomed in more than a couple of times. A 50mm is far too tight to be of much use, anything over 50mm is useless (Don't think you can get a great picture from the top of the Eiffel Tower or from Sacre coeur with a big zoom, the odds of the weather cooperating are against you) A DSLR is too big and too obvious and too hard to carry, you will look like a tourist no matter what you do, but don't stand out more than necessary.

knutte

The R5 has a shutter that closes to stop dust to enter.

Phossilphoto

I got good results with a Retina IB(50mm, f 2.8). As Leica fan you might consider a III a,b,c or f and one of the LTM collapsible lenses. Easy to carry and no worries about theft. Oh yeah, don’t forget b&w film.