Japan trip

[blui]

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Hello everyone!

Next week I'm flying to Japan for 3 weeks. From Kyoto and Tokyo I'm planning trips to the surrounding area.
My camera is the SL3 and the lens combination is:

Super-APO-SUMMICRON-SL 1:2/21mm ASPH.
APO-SUMMICRON-SL 1:2/35mm ASPH.
APO-SUMMICRON-SL 1:2/75mm ASPH.

I'm not taking the 16-35 and 24-90 with me on the trip this time.

I'd like to take a longer lens with me, either the APO-VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 1:2.8-4/90-280mm or the Sigma 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS | Sports + TC1.4.

Leica weighs about 200g more than the Sigma with converter.

I have never been to Japan, so I don't know if I need a long telephoto lens or if I should cover the range from 90-280. But maybe 280 is sometimes too short?
My question to you who already have experience in Japan: what would you choose? The weight is not important for me, but I only want to take one telephoto lens with me. Many thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Kind regards

blui

[elmars]

I was in Tokio last year for one week and had a 35 mm and a 50 mm with me. Never missed a lens. But everyone has his own needs and photography.

[BWColor]

I’ll follow your posts.  Just came back from three weeks in Korea and Japan is next on my list of places to go.  I was thinking of a quick three day trip from Osaka to Jeju island in Korea.

Please post some photos as you go…   BTW.. I took the M11M and a 21mm f/4.5 and 35mm APO and never felt the need for something longer.  I’m a big fan of limited lens choices and fit your world within those focal lengths.  Just got an Mpix photo album back from the trip and it was spectacular.  Have fun…

[frame-it]

3 hours ago, blui said:

My question to you who already have experience in Japan: what would you choose? The weight is not important for me

actually, just take the 24-90, that covers everything except distant landscapes but 60mp and 90mm should be ok.

and a typhoon is gonna hit Tokyo and the north east next week

[egrossman]

4 hours ago, blui said:

Hello everyone!

Next week I'm flying to Japan for 3 weeks. From Kyoto and Tokyo I'm planning trips to the surrounding area.
My camera is the SL3 and the lens combination is:

Super-APO-SUMMICRON-SL 1:2/21mm ASPH.
APO-SUMMICRON-SL 1:2/35mm ASPH.
APO-SUMMICRON-SL 1:2/75mm ASPH.

I'm not taking the 16-35 and 24-90 with me on the trip this time.

I'd like to take a longer lens with me, either the APO-VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 1:2.8-4/90-280mm or the Sigma 500mm F5.6 DG DN OS | Sports + TC1.4.

Leica weighs about 200g more than the Sigma with converter.

I have never been to Japan, so I don't know if I need a long telephoto lens or if I should cover the range from 90-280. But maybe 280 is sometimes too short?
My question to you who already have experience in Japan: what would you choose? The weight is not important for me, but I only want to take one telephoto lens with me. Many thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Kind regards

blui

I just came back from a 3 week trip to Asia which included 2 weeks in Tokyo and Kyoto. I brought the SL2S, 35mm & 75mm APO-Summicron-SL lenses and the Q3.

At the end of the day, I spent 90% of the time using the Q3. It was just so light and the image quality was just so good. Japan is HOT (95 degrees or more) with hummidity over 80% and I'm sure that was a contributing factor. I found 28/35 and 50mm the most useful focal lengths. I would have had no use for 90mm or greater.

Erik

[Manicouagan1]

Most of my photos in Kyoto/Nara were taken with a 24mm, 35mm or 50mm with a M7.    In general changing lenses is hard because of rain and the fact that most things you want to see require walking between buildings without any cover or in crowded areas.   Getting close to subjects is rarely a problem.  I would venture if you took the three lenses listed, you would find the 75 rarely used.   Aside from the bulk, the 24-90 seems ideal with its vibration reduction or stick with the 21mm and keep a 35 or 50 in your pocket. 

[BWColor]

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I forgot to mention that when I was preparing my photo book, I did encounter images that would have been better if shot with a panoramic camera, or with a telephoto lens. Luckily, my lenses were very sharp, low distortion and shutter speeds relatively high, so if I nailed subject, lighting, timing and focus, panoramic and telephoto were easy in post.

[jbb]

hello blui,

I would suggest to take the 24-90 which is the best workhorse I have ever used. the only advantage with your primes is 1 stop but you loose versatility which is key in such a trip.

in addition, if you need a longer lens, the 90-280 is a very good solution. only drawback is the weight.

I have used this combo for years and it is amazing.

 

[egrossman]

The heat and humidity is likely to make carrying the SL3 and the 24-90 a bit of a chore. Just my 2 cents.

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Edited August 15, 2024 by egrossman

[Virob]

So you have done trips with your 24-90 in the past, and have decided to go with the 3 apo primes instead this time. You are then aware of the pros and cons, I won’t be second guessing your choice.

As for the tele lens, that is totally up to you. Doesn’t matter if it is Japan or anywhere else, if you know how to use it, can see with it, like the images it produces, and don’t care about the extra weight and bulk, go for it. Personally, I wouldn’t know what to do 99% of the time with a 500mm prime plus 1.4x TC while traveling unless I was to shoot wildlife, and would leave both tele lenses at home, but that doesn’t mean you should.

 

 

[blui]

Dear everyone,

thank you very much for your answers so far, which will definitely help me! I am spoilt for choice. 😉 

I really like the 24-90 and have also really enjoyed using the 16-35 on many past trips with the SL2. Both together weigh about the same as 3x APO. The 24-90 as a single lens is not wide enough for me and the 16-35 is not absolutely necessary at 16mm, although I like the focal length. The 24-35 overlap is twice that of the 24-90. Changing APO lenses is not as convenient as using the 24-90 permanently, but I have time because it is only a vacation trip and I can try to protect it from the weather when changing. The 24-90 is also built with a weather seal, but I don't want to use the external zoom.

I will probably have the 35mm mounted on the camera most of the time, and in cities I will often also have the 21mm and the 75mm if I want to be more discreet or if I cannot be closer to the scene.

I also think that there are fewer wild animals in Japan, so the 500mm telephoto + TC 1.4 is probably less important. I love the 90-280 because of the fantastic image quality and it is also an APO. So far I have mainly travelled in Europe in a camper van, so I could take all kinds of equipment with me. Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately this is limited by plane. In Europe I also used the 90-280 for landscapes and various animals that were not very far away. At the moment, based on your feedback, I am actually not thinking of taking on of the two telephoto lenses with me. Perhaps a possible compromise: I also have the SIGMA 105mm F2.8 DG DN MACRO | Art, which is compatible with the TC 1.4 and weighs a third of the 90-280 and would be 105mm or 147mm. Luckily I still have until Monday morning to decide, then my taxi will go to the airport. I'll take my iPad with me and try to show a few photos if I have time to edit them minimally. I prefer to edit the pictures at home on a big screen. Thank you so much so far and I look forward to hearing all your experiences and opinions PS - Sorry, English is not my native language, I hope you can understand everything reasonably well, if not, it's Google Translate's fault. 😉 

[blui]

Hello dear everyone,

I forgot to ask a question: did you take a tripod/monopod with you to Japan?

thank you 

blui

 

[frame-it]

21 minutes ago, blui said:

Dear everyone,

thank you very much for your answers so far, which will definitely help me! I am spoilt for choice. 😉 

 

by the way, changing lenses is easy, just go into a nice air conditioned 7-11 or other convenience store

[blui]

vor 3 Minuten schrieb frame-it:

by the way, changing lenses is easy, just go into a nice air conditioned 7-11 or other convenience store

that would be my plan too 😊

[blui]

vor 11 Minuten schrieb frame-it:

by the way, changing lenses is easy, just go into a nice air conditioned 7-11 or other convenience store

Or I go to the Leica Store again and again and make a pit stop and the team changes the lens and cleans the sensor 🤪😜

[frame-it]

1 minute ago, blui said:

Or I go to the Leica Store again and again and make a pit stop and the team changes the lens and cleans the sensor 🤪😜

this will help

 

[egrossman]

20 minutes ago, blui said:

Hello dear everyone,

I forgot to ask a question: did you take a tripod/monopod with you to Japan?

thank you 

blui

 

I did bring a tripod but never used it.

[lightsourcekauai]

Blui, It is great to hear that you are going to Japan! I am actually going there next month. But I will be in Hokkaido. So my immediate needs will be a little different than yours. But once upon a time I lived in Japan for nearly 10 years. I have been to Kyoto, Nara and Tokyo many, many times. I have been to and photographed many of the temples that you might visit, as well as the beautiful countryside of this amazing and somewhat curious country. I even completed the Ohenro, an 88 temple pilgrimage around the island of Shikoku. So I am very excited for you. You will have an absolutely wonderful trip!

Again, I will be in Hokkaido, which is VERY different than the more traditional areas of Kansai and the commercial and political hub that is Tokyo and the busy surrounding areas of the Kanto plain. However, this is what I am taking to Japan:

• Q2
• SL3
• SL2
• 21 APO 
• 90-280 APO
• Sigma 500 f/5.6-- Hokkaido has wonderful wildlife-- grizzlies, eagles, deer, foxes, and blakistone's fish owl (the largest living species of owl!)

Even though our trip personas differ, much of our gear overlaps.

In your case, I would leave the Sigma 500 at home. Unless you actively seek out wildlife in Honshu, you are unlikely to get a good, photographic encounter. And the deer in Nara are more pet than wild. So no telephoto needed for them. 

The 90-280, however, is an essential lens I feel. You may find yourself at a countryside ryokan outside of Tokyo and the rolling mountains stretch out before you. Or you might be taking a walk one morning and a crow does something interesting or you might see a line of school children in their uniforms and matching backpacks walking towards a vending machine with a line of buildings running in a perfectly compressed background . Or perhaps you catch the wing of a temple pagoda amidst the modern din of a sprawling metropolis. I could see these scenarios and others where the 90-280 would be useful. But of course weight is a factor and if you are only staying in the cities, it is of less importance I think. But if you are going to the country side on day trips or for an overnight excursion then I think it would be useful. But perhaps not as useful as the 24-90.

When I did my 88 temple pilgrimage I had only one lens-- an old Canon 28-135. The zoom was very, very helpful. And I probably used the 28-90 range more often than the long end. So if you are mainly doing cities and temples then I think the most useful telephoto would be the 24-90. But if you prefer the IQ of primes then your APO set should get you through the trip. 

I am envious of your 35 APO. That's what I am considering buying before I go. I think it would be the perfect walk around lens for any travel scenario. But I will likely use my Q2 at 28 and 35mm instead...

As for tripods and monopods-- I take a tripod for landscapes. For city and temples, no. However, sometimes there are special events at night when the temple is illuminated and a tripod may be handy. But there are also many places that do not allow tripods. So if you are trying to save weight leave it at home with the Sigma 500. This is another plus for the APOs. 🙂

Have fun, and if you get the chance, visit one of these lovely temples in Nara:

• Hasedera
• Asukadera
• Muroji
• And of course the big ones-- Todaiji (unfortunately the pagoda at Kofukuji in Nara Park is closed due to renovation), Horyuji, Yakushiji

Kyoto

• Toji
• Ninnaji
• and the famous, Kiyomizudera

Itterasshai!

Lee

[lightsourcekauai]

6 hours ago, egrossman said:

At the end of the day, I spent 90% of the time using the Q3

My wallet is happy to hear this. I’m considering purchasing the 35 APO before I go to Japan. But hearing that the Q was so useful for you I think I might be able to hold off. Maybe… 🤔 

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Hallo,

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[Mute-on]

For what it’s worth, and notwithstanding the excellent advice above, the following is my impression from 6 trips to Japan, all touring Honshu, and including Tokyo and Kyoto.

I used lenses in the 24 to 100mm range. My main camera (Leica M) has been equipped with 28 and 35mm. I have taken over 80% of my preferred style of images at 35mm or wider. As has been mentioned, Japan in September is HOT (and HUMID). My last trip was September last year. I was a little overwhelmed with the heat and humidity. You really do not want to be carrying any extra weight, since it will all feel twice as heavy when you are sweating your eyeballs off, and just want to sit in a bar and drink beer ….

Anyway, I generally think most photographic opportunities fall in the 35mm and wider range (say 80%), with a smaller proportion 50mm to 100mm (20%). You could very easily use the 16-35mm and the 75mm, and not miss anything. Having said that, I don’t know your preferences. Certainly 16-35 and 24-90 would set you up for 95% of opportunities. You might also find the 16-35 stays on the camera most of the time.

Personally, I would take 16-35 only in a bag just big enough for that setup, with some spare batteries. Also get an insulated water bottle and buy a water bottle sling to fit at Tokyu Hands (in Tokyo or Kyoto). You will be too hot and sweaty to carry a backpack loaded with redundant camera gear. My only other advice is that the real beauty of Japan is not at the tourist attractions or cities, it is out in the regional areas beyond city limits. Make sure you see both.