yamarch Posted August 8, 2016 Share #1 Posted August 8, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello, I'm taking a trip to Italy towards the end of August and will be there for 3-1/2 weeks. We'll be traveling through Milano, Verona, Venezia, Firenze and Varenna (Lake Como). My thought is to take my trusty T along with a Super Vario Elmar-T 11-23 + Summilux TL 35mm. However, I'd like to keep my load light so using a combination the Summicron-T 23mm + TL 35mm is an attractive option for me. Or would using a single lens (18-56mm) for the entire journey give me the most versatility? I primarily shoot architecture and landscapes. I'm not a 'street shooter' but on occasion may capture people shots. Would you have any advice? Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 8, 2016 Posted August 8, 2016 Hi yamarch, Take a look here Trip to Italy. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
otto.f Posted August 8, 2016 Share #2 Posted August 8, 2016 Take as less zoom as possible 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
can-photo Posted August 8, 2016 Share #3 Posted August 8, 2016 I try to limit to 2-3 lenses on a trip, and 1-2 lens on any day of the trip. For city break I would take 18-56 and a prime for indoors (museums etc) and night, for a landscape, country break 11-23 and a prime for night. 18 will be generally fine for landscape, but not architecture, so I guess the question is which one would you benefit more for the majority of your trip. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPP1 Posted August 8, 2016 Share #4 Posted August 8, 2016 The towns you plan to visit are very old towns with narrow streets (with the exception of some places like San Marco Piazza). You will be very close to any architectural target you plan to shoot. So, a super WA like the 11-23 is a must. Remember that a WA doesn't need to have a very wide aperture. The short focal length allows you to shoot at quite slow shutter speed. As for the places you will visit, don't forget Lago di Guarda, a few miles away from Verona. Enjoy your trip! JP 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamarch Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share #5 Posted August 8, 2016 The towns you plan to visit are very old towns with narrow streets (with the exception of some places like San Marco Piazza). You will be very close to any architectural target you plan to shoot. So, a super WA like the 11-23 is a must. Remember that a WA doesn't need to have a very wide aperture. The short focal length allows you to shoot at quite slow shutter speed. As for the places you will visit, don't forget Lago di Guarda, a few miles away from Verona. Enjoy your trip! JP Thanks for the reminder that many of the streets will be quite narrow. Therefore, taking my 11-23mm sounds like very good advice. Also, we're staying in the Veneto region for four nights so we hope to visit Lago di Guarda. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert blu Posted August 9, 2016 Share #6 Posted August 9, 2016 (edited) Having seen your portfolio (love those Alaska photos!) and knowing the place where you'll be, I assume with your family, I think the 11-23 plus the 35 will be a perfect combination. Enjoy your trip. robert PS: Varenna is beautiful! Try to visit the garden of Villa Monastero! From a landscape point of view Lake of Como is more interesting than Lake of Garda! Smaller but more varied. Of course just my own preference :-) Edited August 9, 2016 by robert blu 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamarch Posted August 9, 2016 Author Share #7 Posted August 9, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Having seen your portfolio (love those Alaska photos!) and knowing the place where you'll be, I assume with your family, I think the 11-23 plus the 35 will be a perfect combination. Enjoy your trip. robert PS: Varenna is beautiful! Try to visit the garden of Villa Monastero! From a landscape point of view Lake of Como is more interesting than Lake of Garda! Smaller but more varied. Of course just my own preference :-) Thank you Robert. The 11-23mm + 35mm seem to be the way to go. I look forward to visiting Varenna and the garden of Villa Monastero which I believe is near Hotel Villa Cipressi where we will be staying. Grazie mille! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brill64 Posted August 18, 2016 Share #8 Posted August 18, 2016 surely a zoom lens would help to compress all those beautiful, undulating landscapes at dawn & dusk & to capture architectural details in the city? a 35 is useful for street or low light evenings & the 11-23 when you're backed up in narrow alleyways. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom0511 Posted August 18, 2016 Share #9 Posted August 18, 2016 you might miss the 23/2.0 in the evenings in the city Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbealnz Posted August 18, 2016 Share #10 Posted August 18, 2016 I agree with Tom, and add that you "could" very easily do the whole trip with JUST the 23mm It's scary, I know, I did it a few years back with "just" an X1, so effectively the same. But it was refreshing, and really, honestly, if I missed 5% of the shots I wanted because of the fixed lens, I made up with always having it with me. I'm finding I am using almost exclusively the Elmarit 28mm M on mine at the moment, if I had the 23mm Summicron I doubt I'd want anything else. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropo54 Posted August 18, 2016 Share #11 Posted August 18, 2016 (edited) I just came back from a trip to Eastern Europe and Germany having only used the Leica Q (28mm). Would agree with Gary that it was quite satisfactory for 95% of my needs. If I was to have taken another lens it would certainly have the been the 11-23. Rob Edited August 18, 2016 by ropo54 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbealnz Posted August 18, 2016 Share #12 Posted August 18, 2016 Exactly Rob, to me the Q would have to be THE perfect travel digital. I don't have one though, it would be nice, but I don't. An advantage to me with the T is the ability to "share" lenses with the M6. I do agree though, the 11-23 does sound nice. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropo54 Posted August 19, 2016 Share #13 Posted August 19, 2016 I cannot say enough good things about the Q! Worth giving it a serious look if you have that opportunity. As impressed as I am with how well the T with 35 1.4 TL has rendered images, the Q is still is the better option - super fast AF, great viewfinder, more pop, richer images, and more depth. (And, more compact as compared to the T). But, alas, it is only 28mm and will never be anything else! (Though it does have the capacity to shoot at 35mm and 50mm, albeit not at full frame). Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbealnz Posted August 19, 2016 Share #14 Posted August 19, 2016 It's purely cost that has me by the short and curlies to be honest. I handled a couple of Q's when they hit the market 12 months ago, as we traveled through Singapore, and also while in transit at Frankfurt, loved it, but at the cost it was out of my reach, still is. I swore recently I'd not buy another digital camera again, simply sick of losing money, but the T at the prices they are going for now, well it made me weaken. Possibly if/when the Q does the same, maybe then, maybe. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropo54 Posted August 19, 2016 Share #15 Posted August 19, 2016 (edited) The Ts have plummeted which is why I got back in. Wanted a wide angle option so it was a great choice. The Qs have surprisingly held their price quite well on the secondary market. Perhaps 10% off retail price. Comparatively, I've seen SL 601s down 15-20%. And, the Ts can be found as low as 60% off their original retail. (Mind you, these are USA prices and are approximations). As to the Q I just went for it. It "hurt" only once, lol. When and if I decide on another latest-greatest (which I will at some point) I'll just flip it on the secondary market. (FWIW, the Sony RX1r is another fantastic deal right now on the secondary market. The user experience does not compare to the Q, but it sure renders a magnificent image. For $1200-1300 USD I think it is a bargain. While of a different character than the Q, the RX1r's image might even have a tad better IQ and be of a bit smoother character. I would describe it as a less earthy and grainy image). Rob Edited August 19, 2016 by ropo54 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbealnz Posted August 19, 2016 Share #16 Posted August 19, 2016 Cut it out Rob, you have me thinking, and as it happened my dealer had offered me one of these a while back (the Sony), but I didn't go any further with it. If I get itchy feet, I can blame you. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropo54 Posted August 19, 2016 Share #17 Posted August 19, 2016 Cut it out Rob, you have me thinking, and as it happened my dealer had offered me one of these a while back (the Sony), but I didn't go any further with it. If I get itchy feet, I can blame you. Gary Go for it! Flip it when you're ready. At the prices now there's really not much of a downside. (You will not be disappointed!) 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brill64 Posted August 19, 2016 Share #18 Posted August 19, 2016 you might miss the 23/2.0 in the evenings in the city that's because a 23 is a 35 in ff terms Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamdewilde Posted August 29, 2016 Share #19 Posted August 29, 2016 I did the whole 40 days around Italy tour (Milan, Venice, Rome, Florence, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast). Plus spent a few days actually working (shooting for work). Decided to bring SL+zoom + 35TL and the Q. IF I had to do it again, I would do T + 11-23T + 35TL (and a Nikon for the times I needed to work, since the SL is near hopeless w/no prime lenses) Hope this helps. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamarch Posted September 22, 2016 Author Share #20 Posted September 22, 2016 (edited) After contemplating on which lens to take for my Italia trip, I went the easy way out and used my 18-56mm + 23mm. I sometimes wished I brought my 11-23mm too but having the reach of the 18-56mm was often useful. In the end, its about framing the image with the lens you have. :-) Here's a shot I took looking toward the piazza at Duomo di Milano. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited September 22, 2016 by yamarch 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/263299-trip-to-italy/?do=findComment&comment=3116736'>More sharing options...
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