tinplater Loc: Scottsdale, AZ

Personally, as a fellow amateur but with a lot of experience with lenses, I would opt for just a single carry around lens and my overwhelming first choice is the Canon EFS 18 - 135 with IS 3.5 to 5.6. It is LIGHT, covers the most important focal lengths, and with ISO available on your camera, will even be fairly useful inside without flash. The 18-135 produces images that rival my much heavier (and more expensive) 24-70 2.8.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Have you considered the 15-85? Combine that with your 70-300 and your covered at both ends. Just a thought.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

You nailed it!

wingnut1956 Loc: chicago

My camera came with an 18-55 & a 55-200, and I replaced then with the Tamron 18-270.although it didn't change what I had that much, what I gained was the convenience of carrying just one lens and not constantly changing lenses in the street to get a shot.that being said, there are times I wish I had a good prime lens as well as a wider angle.So, if you want to make things easier, get the tamron (they also have a 16-300 now), but otherwise get a nice prime or a wider angle. (Sigma 11-24 is supposed to be a good one)

RCheal Loc: Brandon, FL USA

Your current lenses may be enough for you. However, if you want to go wider the Canon EFS 10-22 (equivalent to a 16 - 35 mm on your APS-C camera) is a nice lens to have. I usually take mine, along with the EF-S 18-200 on trips like that. I keep the 18-200 on my camera and switch when I want to go wide.

Best regards
Richard

JimGuy

28/35mm on canon crop sensor wouldnt even be considered a wide angle. 28mm would = 44.8 mm, 35mm would = 56mm, hardly wide enough for the wide shots one would want inside a cathedral.
I think I saw a $500 ballpark budget mentioned. That is why I suggested a canon 18-200, which would handle most situations and not break the bank too badly. I should have suggested a portable tripod for the low light situations.
f2.8 is fast, I use them with no issues...BUT rarely use them wide open for anything that requires any dof.
For an architectural or most wide angle shots you want a longer dof which means you will need to stop down if you want most of the image sharp. So you will be shooting at f5.6-f11 or smaller most of the timeif you want sharp near to far.
A 2.8 will focus faster even when stopped down since it focus's at 2.8 but takes the shot at aperture selected. This isnt that big a deal since in most situations there is plenty of light to focus at f5.6 or smaller.
F2.8 lens's are often heavier and larger.
If there is more money to spend there are some decent third party ultra wides. The Tokina 11-16/f2.8 is a fast ultra wide, and would be equivelent to 17.6-25.6 in fx. 2.8 would be plenty fast although you still might want watch your shutter speed and increase iso slightly to compensate for low light if necessary, or use the tripod rather than shoot wide open.
I would still want a longer lens along. I wouldnt want an ultra wide as my only lens. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=tokina+11-16&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

JimGuy

good advise

Marionsho Loc: Kansas

I totally agree. I use my 10-22 for lots of things. It's great for closeups.

Marionsho Loc: Kansas

Whatever you decide, enjoy your trip. Safe travels.

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Interesting advice. I have, had or have used all most all the equipment mentioned, (Nikon excluded).

When I am shooting by myself I have lots of equipment and it is spread out. When shooting with another Photog I am greatly inhibited. When our photo club took a snowcoach into YP I was amazed and learned much. The lesson was flexibility.

I would love to shoot Rome/Italy with dream gear and time.

In 1999 was was in Rome and down the coast with a tour group traveling from Israel. I had stopped shooting film years before and would not start Digital before 2009.

Clothing was very thought out and utilitarian. I carried a small backpack. When I was in an area where pick pockets maybe I would wear it on my chest.

But what would I suggest you do. IMO the 70-300 too long. I would leave it home. I have been amazed with the 18-55 mm. It's a great lens. On camera flash, CPL filter, an extra battery with charger and you will need a converter as they have different electricity. No laptop, cards are inexpensive on sale, so load up, I have ten. Some small stabilization can be used.

I have an acquaintance that could be a pro, I have seen him now leave his D4 & 800 home and use a Sony Nex. If I find one at price I am in.

Enjoy blend in and become part of the scene! J. R.

Bubu Loc: Out of this solar system

You said it, you are an amateur. You don't need new lenses to learn how to use and be interchanging all the time. If any, i would suggest something like a 18-200 f/3.5 that i have from Sigma so that you would not need to change lenses often. Add a Tamron 1.4tc. And you are covered with one lens. This will make you sell those kit lenses.

That is why they are kit lenses, they have you covered with little money for almost every situation. Get to know them by heart. And you wont need anything else.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

I'm a Nikon shooter, with a crop frame D300. I love my 18-300 Nikon lens for travel photography. The 18-270 would be a great choice, especially if it has VR. It has a good reputation on the blogs. Go for it. take a fast 35mm or 50mm if you want something for indoor images.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

You have been offered a huge amount of advice in this thread, so much that it may be no help at all! I have very similar equipment to yours (see http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-202741-1.html#3430214 )

The problem with this thread is that none of us know what your priorities are. Perhaps you could give us more clarity on what your goals and decision making criteria are. For example, do you want to go to Rome to take some great photographs, or do you want to go to Rome to have a great vacation and come back with a few good shots? Either one of those would yield very different answers.

I suggest you ask yourself some questions, beginning with the one above.

If you want to travel light, take a smartphone or a reasonable point and shoot. My old Canon A710 still does a great job. Leave the real stuff at home.

If you are willing to lug your gear around to get good pictures and the pictures are a top objective of your trip then the decision process is different.

Perhaps the most important question is what do you want to do that your current set up doesn't do?

Are there better lenses out there than yours? Sure, but I would only go there if you are not happy with the quality of your results, and that would be very expensive from the equipment perspective.

If you want to have your T3i, but just one walk around lens, then you could consider the Canon EF-S 18-135mm IS zoom. You could probably find a decent used one on ebay for under $300, but it won't do anything that your current lenses don't, just be a bit more convenient.

If you want a lens that does things that your current gear does not do, then I also would go wide, and get the Canon EF-S 10-22 zoom. It's a really good lens and I know it will be useful in Rome from a previous visit many years ago (Canon T90 with an FD 20mm prime to 500mm reflex). With an APS-C camera (T3i) you want to go with EF-S wide lenses because the EF lenses will not give you the same wide angle coverage (16mm EF = 25.6mm EF-S). You could get a decent used EF-S 10-22 zoom on ebay for around $500.

Other considerations are a decent, but compact and light weight tripod. Essential if you want interior shots.

Finally, if you are going to take lots of gear and still be comfortable and versatile walking around - you will walk * A LOT* - then you need a decent camera bag. Don't know what you have, but see this thread for discussion: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-145700-4.html#3376933

So, long response short, once you have what you want to achieve clearly thought through, you should be able to make good decisions from all the good advice that has been offered in this thread.

As an example, you can do the first of the pictures below (T90, 100mm - 300mm zoom) taken at the Colosseum with what you have. You cannot do the second one taken inside San Pietro (T90, 20mm). You need to go wider for that.

Have an excellent trip to Rome!

PhotoGenesis131 Loc: Michigan

You already have pretty good focal coverage. I would by the fastest and widest prime you can. Then just take the tele. I'm Rome you will want simethin fast and wide for inside. And wide outside.

Bill Emmett Loc: Bow, New Hampshire

While I was visiting Rome a few years ago, I took a tour. The tour bus dropped all 55 people at the Trivi Fountain, where the tour director began the tour. The place was packed, it seems that is where all the tour buses drop their people off. The Fountain area is only about 50 feet deep, and the fountain is about 40 feet wide. It takes a ultra wide zoom to fit the entire fountain in the frame. As the tour progressed to the other sites, it is evident that changing lenses would be inconvenient way to see all the sites. I used a Tamron 18-270 for the entire trip. The tour directors have to move you along at a very fast pace, since the buses have to remain on schedule, since they cannot park in Rome. You will have to keep the pace to keep the pick-up schedule. The same situation is at the Colosseum. If possible wait until Tamron comes out with the new lens, which gives you more range, at both ends. Enjoy your trip. Take good comfortable walking shoes, the walks are all either paved, or slate.