What lenses to take to Peru

[gumchain]

Hi all,

I'm having quite the dilemma. I am going to Peru (3 week trip) in a month and I'm trying to pack light, however, I also want to take all sorts of pictures.

The two main trips that I will be doing are hiking the Inca Trail and taking a 4 day journey into the Amazon rainforest/jungle. I will also be hanging around Cusco and the Sacred Valley and going on a 4-day white water rafting trip (sans camera, though).

I would like to rent a lens for the trip, but what should I get? I could rent the 105 Micro to take close ups of bugs and flowers, I could rent the 80-400mm to take shots of wildlife in the jungle from viewing platforms, I could rent the 70-200mm f2.8 plus a teleconverter to take low light zoom shots in the jungle, or I could rent the 12-24 wide-angle to take amazing landscapes. I want them all! However, my wallet and my back can't take them all, so how would you narrow it down, what would you bring? I'm leaning towards either the wide-angle or the macro lens. I am well aware that they do very different things, I'm just trying to decide which type of shots I'll want more of.

When you go on vacation, how do you choose?

Thanks!
=) gumchain

[toverman]

If I were taking just one lens, I'd make it a zoom that goes wide (at least 24) to medium telephoto (70-80-100-ish). They are versatile, can be heavy but not nearly as heavy as some of the ones you mentioned. I guess VR is good in case you want low-light shots, or just shoot in bright light. You don't need a photo of everything ... relax and have fun!

[Ruben Dario Cruz]

The Tamron 28-300 VC is all you need.

Look into it- It's awesome and small and controls four stops of light

[gumchain]

toverman - I will be bringing my 18-200 VR. I love it as a walking around lens. I'm mostly trying to figure out what the second lens I bring will be.

[luis_relampago]

If you have the 18-200 what else you planning to shoot? maybe a fish eye or a ultra wide a 10 mm to get some interesting shots.

[crazeazn]

take your 18-200 and take something very wide and fast. thats my bet.

[gumchain]

That's where I'm leaning, too.

[carrbowl]

Contact Angelo, he went there recently and if I remember correctly, he has either lived there or has family there. I'll bet he'll help you out.

[Richard DeYoung]

The Tamarron 18-300 VC is a great lens for what your describing. I use one quite often and get good sharp photos except in dim lighting situations. Sounds like a once in a lifetime trip.

[laawaaris]

i am going to Acadia National Park for 4th of July

i too have a 18-200 VR, but my only hesitation in taking it is that I do want something with a lower F-Stop to induce more blur in some of my subjects

i guess i will have to get good at inducing blur according to the lens details, but i really want to shoot foreground/middleground/background shots - where there is a sufficient amount of blur in the foreground ...

[rockin-photos]

Originally Posted by gumchain

Hi all,

I'm having quite the dilemma. I am going to Peru (3 week trip) in a month and I'm trying to pack light, however, I also want to take all sorts of pictures.

The two main trips that I will be doing are hiking the Inca Trail and taking a 4 day journey into the Amazon rainforest/jungle. I will also be hanging around Cusco and the Sacred Valley and going on a 4-day white water rafting trip (sans camera, though).

I would like to rent a lens for the trip, but what should I get? I could rent the 105 Micro to take close ups of bugs and flowers, I could rent the 80-400mm to take shots of wildlife in the jungle from viewing platforms, I could rent the 70-200mm f2.8 plus a teleconverter to take low light zoom shots in the jungle, or I could rent the 12-24 wide-angle to take amazing landscapes. I want them all! However, my wallet and my back can't take them all, so how would you narrow it down, what would you bring? I'm leaning towards either the wide-angle or the macro lens. I am well aware that they do very different things, I'm just trying to decide which type of shots I'll want more of.

When you go on vacation, how do you choose?

Thanks!
=) gumchain

I can't believe no one has suggested this yet:
Bring ALL the lenses, AND ME, and I'll carry half the equipment!

[rfortson]

I took the Tamron 18-250 on my trip to Peru last year. It was all I needed. Someone mentioned either the 18-200 VR or the Tamron 28-300 VC and those are also good suggestions. I had the 28-300 and the 18-250 and found that I used the range between 18mm and 28mm more than I used the range from 250mm to 300mm. However, they were both stabilized on my Pentax, and that helps with low light shots inside cathedrals and other dark places where tripods aren't welcome.

Here are some of the shots I took there (overlook any PP issues as mine, not the lens problem). I was plenty pleased with the one lens and didn't feel like I missed any shots. Plus, my wife wasn't waiting on me to fiddle with lenses.

I also had a blurb in the latest Tamron newletter based on my shots taken with the 18-250. Hope this helps.