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Going to England - lenses


Ms_Tex

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I'll be going to England (Cornwall & London) next May. I know the weather there can be unpredictable. I don't plan to be out in a downpour, but I don't want to let a little drizzle or sand stop me.

 

I have an XT1 body. Will the 18-55mm be okay? Or should I consider the 16-55mm, just in case?

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If you're happy with the 18-55mm and only want the 16-55mm for this trip then I'd say either rent it or skip it. If you're worried about WR then why not consider the new 23mm f2? Much cheaper, faster and an intro to primes, assuming the 18-55mm is your only lens?

 

 

Agreed. I went to Ireland with a Rebel and non-WR lenses and it was totally fine.

 

If you really want the option to zoom in the rain, I'd say rent the 16-55mm instead of buying it. It is a really good lens, but IMHO no one will be able to tell a difference between shots from that and the 18-55mm; if the rain is your main reason for buying it, I'd say skip it and just rent.

 

Personally, I don't think it will be an issue at all unless you want to be able to shoot in pouring rain. If so, I'd say skip the 16-55mm and pick up the 35mm or 23mm WR. Both will be fine in the rain, and they each offer something different than your 18-55mm, so will be more useful back home, too.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the replies. I've been considering everything y'all posted and think I'll stick with the 18-55mm since I like the idea of carrying something lighter, and I have no desire to go out in a pouring rain to see the sights or photograph anything (I'm more a "sit in the pub and get to know people" type on rainy days). I guess I was a little wary of the weather since the only time I've been to London was ten years ago when I was stranded there by fog on my way to Germany.

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I live in the UK, neither the body i use X-T10 or any of my lenses are WR.

none have died because of the weather.

 

Granted don't go out in the rain for personal photography, because why would I?

I wouldn't worry about the weather that much, it is very rare if it is a sunny day (your traveling in early summer) you'll get caught in a down pour by surprise.

 

If you are wanting to buy a new lens. It would depend on what type of photography you ae going to be doing, to what I would suggest

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The UK is pretty much like any other country. Sometimes it rains, sometimes it doesn't. Although they do say that up in Scotland there are just two seasons: Winter and June. This said, I think WR is the way to go wherever you live. After all, why would you only want to be able to take pictures of your world in certain kinds of weather and not in others?665e5778c61fc9ea1aa312f848450926.jpg

 

 

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Believe it or not it does not constantly rain in Britain!

 

I know, but sometimes it seems from my friend's fb postings and emails that it's often raining there - a lot more than it does in Texas. Then again, watching some of the "extras" from the Poldark series I saw that the weather didn't cooperate during filming; it was too nice and sunny! I just worry about worst case scenarios.

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Keep in mind that it rarely rains inside in most countries so use the lens you have. If you want to use the X-T1 in the rain get a 23f/2 35f/2 or 18-135.

 

If you want a permanent solution to rain and 100%+ humidity get the FinePix XP90 - http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/xp/finepix_xp90/img/index/img_main01.jpg it fits in a pocket and that can even be a wet pocket, or hang it around your neck outside your rain-coat so it is ready. They are truly cheap compared to running down and getting an emergency replacement on the day of your best friends wedding for a lens you though was OK but now has mold all over the glass.

 

I expect to break down and get one next summer for using on my sailboat as I am a bit reluctant to hold my X-Pro2 w 18-135 our over the railing down and down near the water on a "selfie stick" - this little gem is build for that.

Edited by asathor
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Cornwall is one of the most stunning U.K. counties, surrounded by sea, incredible light.. sometimes green, sometimes blue sometimes grey, sand, cliffs, renowned for art, ceramics and culture. May is one of the best months here, when it is daylight from 4.0ish am to 10.30 ish pm. Yep, it rains.. a soft gentle mizzle that lasts all day or a harsh storm off the Atlantic with driving sheets or rain and howling wind. Being there and taking in the experience is what is important. Maybe you have a XF35mm lens to slip in your pocket alongside whichever zoom you decide? Use this for those early morning and dusk experiences at Cape Cornwall and St. Ives when the light is just right and the sun is glowing huge and red, behind banks of cloud and the sky is on fire behind you and in front and you sit in amazement![maybe bring a polarizing filter too]

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We basically have the same climate, and I have never bothered about WR really. I even shot outside in the rain with a Canon 30D (no ill effects, but of course I would not advise it). I personally would go with two primes; a wide angle and a short tele.

 

Of course, being near salt water would mean extra care!

Edited by johant
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Lucky you, I went to Cornwall armed with my Xe1 and 35mm and found it was a bit tight,

Wide would have been better, I think you will be fine with the 18-55.

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No matter what you decide for lens I would buy a couple 2-packs of those OpTech USA rainsleeves and practice attaching them to your camera before you leave.  These are so compact and cheap, you should stuff in them in all of you camera bags.  

 

In other systems, a filter was needed to complete the seal at the front of the lens.  Not sure about Fujifilm, but, I do have a set of UV filters just in case it does rain or I am shooting at the beach.

 

I've rented the 16-55 and 18-135 a few times.  I found that if I decide to not swap lens out too often, I didn't mind the extra bulk and weight of these options.  

 

I find myself shooting with my Sony X100 M4 as my standard zoom and use the Fuji with primes and the wider and longer zooms more than my Fuji standard zoom.  

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My usual advice for travel photography is long, wide and fast.  The exact lens selection depends a bit on where I'm going and what I expect to shoot.  For the UK (I've been there a few times) I would take (in order of utility) 18-55, 55-200 and 16 f/1.4.  I find the interior of churches and old building to be fascinating, hence the 16mm/1.4.  For street scenes the 18-55 is a very nice lens, backed up by the 55-200 when more distance is useful.  For landscapes (and urban gardens), the 18-55 works nicely, but I would also like a macro lens for these situations.  I sometimes carry the 56mm f/1.2 if I expect to shoot some portraits, it's a beautiful lens for such use.  

 

If I were traveling to Africa or South America for wildlife photography, I wouldn't use my X-T2, but instead stick with my big Canon gear.  I hope this helps, but bear in mind, some redundancy is necessary in case a lens or body fails.  I've had something go wrong often enough that I always carry two bodies and multiple lenses. I'm heading off to Iceland just after the holidays and will take a combination of Canon and Fuji systems.  I'm curious how well the X-T2 will work out in somewhat adverse conditions, so stay tuned for more.

 

Safe travels...

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