Advice - what to take to Europe

[wtlloyd]

Toss the 50 f/1.8 and get a 40mmSTM. On a 6D it's as close as you'll get to a compact snapper, and the 40 is hands down superior to the 50.
Absolutely take the 85 and shoot wide open as you state - one or two flattering shots of your wife with notable landmarks softly seen in the background, and she'll become a lot more tolerant of your picture taking
That 70-300 is problematic. You probably won't use it as much with several lenses to choose from, and it's darn heavy in the kit. I've made several trips with too much gear, and frankly it's a mistake to take so much unless it's solely a photography expedition - you won't use it in museums, stores, theaters or on subways, and after 2 or 3 hours you will regret packing it.
And what bag will you take out each day, anyway? What about a small flash for the 6D? That 90EX works quite well for the 40STM and is cheap, but don't stint on batteries, those AAA's poop out pretty quickly.
That gorilla pod won't hold the 70-300, which is where you really need it.

 

[dppaskewitz]

Hi All,

I will be travelling with the wife, who can't understand why it can take longer than 15 seconds to take a photo, and why would you bother walking around to find another angle. So I am normally under time pressure which also means that constantly swapping lenses just ends up annoying the wife, which in turn end up annoying me. But I am sure a lot of you can understand that situation !!!

When my wife and I were last in Paris, I very nearly ruined everything by being too preoccupied with taking photos. Since that experience (over six years ago at this point), we have come to realize that having some separate time when she can shop and I can snap is invaluable to continuing our loving relationship. If your wife is amenable, try to have some apart time when you can take the time you need to get your photos and she can do whatever she wants to do. She will enjoy the photos; what she hates is standing there while you are fussing and she is getting bored.

Looks like you are getting a split of advice between the wide angle folks and the telephoto folks. I fall into the latter camp and would not go on vacation without at least my 70-200 f4 L IS. For that reason, I recommend that you take your 70-300 for capturing detail. I agree with the 16-35 as well. The harder one is the 24-105 vs the 50. In your case, I would opt for the 24-105 because often you won't have time to swap out to the UWA or telephoto and much of what you want will be in the 24-105 range. I would echo the 40 pancake. If you can, pick one up and have it for an ultra light option.

 

[JPAZ]

My most recent trip to Paris I carried my 17-40, 24-105 and 70-200. The 24-105 was on the camera 90% of the time, the 17-40 a few times for narrow streets, and the 70-200 was used once. This might just be my own style and bias.

Since then I've had a couple of changes and I thought my new travel kit would be the 17-40, 24-70 f/2.8 ii, and the 70-200 f/4 IS. I have a Gorillapod SLR Zoom than can hold the 5diii with the 70-200 if needed and did use that for night shots. But, I am thinking about bringing the Eos M for a crop sensor if I need some "reach" and maybe trimming down to 2 lenses.

I am very lucky that my wife understands my insanity. We often wind up with her in a shop looking at antiques while I am around the corner taking some photos. It works well for us and we both enjoy the trip. The bottom line is that this should be a great time for both of you.

 

[martti]

The French do not like their pictures taken without their permission. This is one of the reasons why French street photographers mostly exhibit pictures from Maghreb (North Africa) and Far East. I have been in a situation where a lady started screaming for police when she happened to be in a shot. (My son who is young and handsome has no such problems with ladies.) For people pictures, fluent French and good social skills are the alternative for a small, discreet camera with a fully tilting screen.
There have been quite a lot of famous photographers spending time in Paris. All the museums have books and postcards for sale. There are treasures there. For instance for a casual tourist to 'document' places like Versailles, Louvre, Tuileries, Orangerie etc. is a pretty hefty task. there have been professionals there with all the necessary permits and access, equipment and the time to get the lights and the compositions right.
As for lenses and stuff, the best results usually come with the equipment you are familiar with.
I like the short normal 35mm, especially when it has f/1.4. Paris is very photogenique at night when it rains a bit. A fast lens is nice when shooting in the metro or anywhere inside and in the shade like the shops of the flea markets. There also, it is polite to ask the owner if taking photos is OK. A Gorilla, a monopod or a bean bag make miracles happen to the sharpness of you 'lense' in the night time.
I have been carrying the 100-400 zoom along as a partner for the 35mm prime. I got it second hand and it does the job. The 70-200 f/2.8 might be a better choice as for picture quality but I like the reach of the 400mm. One body, two lenses, a support and a quality compact for the backup. Books and postcards. Crazy Frenchmen. (Less and less of them as Africa is taking over Paris)
Amusez-vous bien. Bon voyage!