jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Stick to one question at a time. Personally, a zoom lens is better for taking on a trip. Or take a good point and shoot.

A 2x teleconverter doubles the focal length of a lens but they only work on fast lenses like f/2.8. You will suffer some image quality loss with a doubler.

SonyBug

Be careful over in Italy. They still believe in witchcraft!

RichardE Loc: California

Italy twice; Northern and Southern. Paris twice. My Sigma 17-50 f2.8 saw 85% of the sights and mostly at 17 of 50. Which is 26 and 75 FF equiv view. Next trip to Southern France will see the 17-50 and my new 10mm f2.8 (15FF).

Enjoy your trip. You will need a wide for inside shots and fast lens as no flash most places. Remember, a wide like my 10mm is not for close ups of people, but great for street scenes and landscapes.

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

I just did a Med. cruise. I took my Rokinon 8mm. Got some spectacular photos with it. I added the Fisheye Hemi PS plugin which let me straighten our barrel distortion (When I wanted--many times that's one of the charms of this lens.)

A very wide lens will be nice for the amazing architecture.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

I'm currently on a Viking River cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. With the 6d, I brought the 24-105 f4 and the 50 f1.8 STM. It's worked well so far for 99% of the shots I've wanted. I also brought a SX50 bridge that my wife is using. My only wish? A lighter camera. The 6d gets heavy by the end of the day. I think the happiest person on the trip with a camera in hand is a Alpha6000 user with the 2 kit lenses.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Travel is one time I'm much more inclined to take zooms, instead of primes. Unless you are going on a specific photo shoot, it's hard to know in advance what gear you might need at any particular location, and zooms are so much more versatile.

For a very minimal kit, I'd take a 16-35, 24-105 or 28-135, 70-200 and possibly a 1.4X teleconverter for use on the telezoom.

I used to travel with primes only: 17 or 18mm, 20 or 21mm, 24mm, 35mm, 85mm, 135mm, 200mm, 300mm and 1.4X or 1.5X teleconverter. But today's zooms are so much better than older ones.

If I'm going to be doing a lot of portraits, I like to take 85/1.8 and 135/2 primes. If I expect to do some wildlife or sports shots, I'll take a 300mm and 1.4X.

A 2X teleconverter will do you no good on 24-105. It's a bad lens to try to use a teleconverter on. It's f4 would become an effective f8 (two stops of light lost to the TC), unable to autofocus on your 6D. Image quality would be crap, too.

So, first, I would recommend no stronger than a 1.4X TC. That "costs" you one stop light loss on whatever lens you use it with (so an f4 lens becomes an effective f5.6, which will AF on your camera). A weaker TC also does considerably less "damage" to image quality.

Next, with a few exceptions, TCs work best on prime lenses, rather than zooms. Canon 70-200s and the new 100-400mm work pretty well with 1.4X. But a lot of other zooms just see too much loss of image quality and any combo that gives less than f5.6 aperture will not be able to AF on your camera.

Finally, with a few exceptions, TCs work best with telephotos primes 135mmm or longer. The Canon teleconverters have a protruding front element that needs to fit inside the rear of whatever lens it's fitted to, so cannot even be physically mounted on a lot of the zooms and shorter focal lengths. In some cases, the rear element of the lens moves and can interfere with this type TC, too.

Kenko teleconverters are an alternative that can physically mount on more lenses (no protruding front element) and are lower priced than the Canon version (which costs about $450). The Kenko Teleplus Pro 300 1.4X DGX is currently selling for $130 is rated very highly and is what I'd recommend for use on a full frame camear. They also offer a cheaper Teleplus MC-4 1.4X DGX (about $110) that gets good reviews, but isn't as sharp in the corners (fine on a crop sensor camera, but I'd not recommend so much for full frame like 6D).

There are also some good Sigma and Tamron teleconverters. I'm just not as familiar with what they offer right now, as I am with the Kenko (which has the same parent company as Tokina lenses and Hoya filters).

If your longest or only other lens is the 24-105, I'd recommend you forget about using any teleconverter on it. Instead get a 135/2 + teleconverter or a 200/2.8 (also usable with 1.4X, if you wish)... if you feel you need/want this strong a telephoto for your trip. Some people simply don't need that much "reach". Will you be shooting sports/wildlife? In that case, you'd probably want even longer lens. Canon 100-400, Sigma 120-400 are reasonably portable, not much larger than a 70-200/2.8... Up to 150-600mm are available (Sigma and Tamron), but also fairly large to travel with.

For city shots, I'd want wider than 24-105 offers. I use a 20/2.8... but my top choice for travel would be the 16-35/4L IS USM.... reasonable size and great image quality.

For low light and unobtrusive street photography or portraiture, I'd take 24/2.8 IS USM, 35/2 IS USM and 85/1.8 USM. I may substitute a 90mm or 100mm macro for the 85mm, just in case I need macro too... it can serve dual purpose as a portrait lens, though I prefer the 85mm for that.

If I planned to do a ton of architecture shots, I'd take Tilt Shift lenses... 17/4L, 24/2.5L and 45/2.8L. I'd want a tripod to use with them, as well. These are fairly heavy lenses, manual focus only, and a bit slower to work with.

I would not take 24/1.4L or 35/1.4L... both are too big and heavy. I also wouldn't want to travel with 50/1.2L or 85/1.2L, unless I know specifically that I'll be doing some portraiture that require the super large apertures.

Bugfan Loc: Toronto, Canada

Thirty five years ago I travelled only with primes. At that time I'd have a 24, a 50, and a 200 (on a crop sensor that's 16mm, 35 mm (approx.) and 140mm). Those allowed me three views that enabled me to capture just about anything I wanted.

If I had to do it again I'd select the same three primes. If you can only take one pick the 50 (35 mm on crop sensor)since that gives you a natural perspective similar to what our eyes see.

When I travel today though, my crop sensor has an 18-300 and my full frame sensors have a 28-300. That's less weight and bulk compared to carrying three primes but more weight and bulk compated to a 35 or 50 mm prine.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

The 28mm f1.8 .......crop as needed with well applied pixel enlargement. I would not be without 28mm on full frame !

PhotosBySteve

50mm f1.4

Rob66 Loc: Indiana

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Teleconverters are secondary lens whose function is to enlarge the central part of an image obtained by the objective lens. They produce the same effect as increasing the focal length of the lens. For example, a 2X doubles the focal length. Usually available in 1.4×, 1.7×, 2× and 3× models -- of which the 1.4×, 2×, and 3x are the most common. Unfortunately, teleconverters also decrease the intensity of the light reaching the film (by a factor of their power squared) as well as causing a significant reduction in resolution. I'd avoid them in low-light work or when seeking the highest possible resolution, but they are certainly nice to carry and "good enough for general work."
You can buy one at any well-stocked camera store--either local or online (BH, Adorama) etc. Another possibility is to check the manufacturer. Prices there are often a bit higher than the discounters, but optical quality may be better.

Jim Ermer

Just got back from a cruise and friend had a good idea. You are looking to bring only one prime. Other quotes are zoom lenses. He bought a 35mm for his full frame Nikon D810 camera and set up the function key to crop it. So he had a 50mm lens as well.

gsmith051 Loc: Fairfield Glade, TN

Last Fall I took my Canon 6D and 24-105mm f4 plus a 16-35mm f2.8. Worked for me and doing same in October to Germany. Have a great time Italy is fun.

Wickspics Loc: Detroits Northwest Side. Cody High School.

My Son recently Retired from USAF at Aviano and took me to Venice and a few other places. I used my 6D and a 24-105 the older model. Never needed anything else. Travel light as walking is big and remember to travel in pairs or more. Going alone is asking for trouble as strong arming and taking your money and passport is out there. I think Venice and Florence are must see's but that's my opinion. The Bullet Train is awesome and smooth at 105 or so. You will find near everyone wearing jeans and carrying Tech. Friendly and never stop talking.

From the water taxi


Busy and enjoy but keep your eyes open.

rbfanman

There is not, never has been, and never will be, any always, all around, overall, best under all circumstances anything....not camera, not lens, not filter, etc. So much of photography is subjective, and what seems best to one person looks like crap to another person. I know one guy who loves his 16mm lens, but you couldn't pay me to accept one as a gift. Anyone who thinks they can get by-on a trip abroad-with just one prime lens has another think, or two, or five dozen, coming. Pick a lens-any lens-which gives you the perspective, Bokeh, etc, you like best. The last time I went abroad, I carried three prime lenses. I made do with fewer other things-clothes, etc-and it worked out fine.

gsmith051 Loc: Fairfield Glade, TN

Wickspics - You are right the 24-105mm lens is fine for most trips. I take along a wider lens as well for a few night shots, but it generally isn't necessary. By the way, your pictures look great. George