Should I bring a third lens on my trip to Africa?

[Jilski]

Hello. Next week I'll be traveling to Botswana for a safari and then onto Capetown for a week. I'm bringing two XT-2 bodies. One with a 100-400 and the other with a 16-55. Both are heavy.  When I'm casually walking around Capetown do you think a small third lightweight lens would be useful? Which one?

Also open to any advice or tips from safari travelers! 

Thanks in advance! Jill

[ricadito]

Hi Jill!

I personally believe small lenses are very useful to take pictures on the streets. I could suggest one of three lenses, depending on your style of photography:

1) The smaller and lighter lens you can find is the XF 27mm 2.8. The resulting images are great, and your camera will stay almost only at the size of the XT-2 body! It´s really a very compact lens. The only drawback is that this lens is a bit noisy. Also, this lens does not have an aperture ring, and you have to change the aperture with a dial behind the camera. Some people consider this a problem, but I believe it´s only a question of practice and personal choice. I do not consider this a problem at all.

2) The other lens is the XF 35mm F2. The field of view of this lens is pretty close to the XF 27mm  F2.8. I can´t tell much about this lens because for the moment I choose only to buy the previous lens. But I´m sure, reading about it, it´s a very silent and good lens.

3) And lastly, the gorgeous XF 50mm F2. The resulting images are a pleasure to look, and it´s a silent and relatively small lens. Very lightweight. The size of XF 35 is smaller than the XF 50.

To be sure which lens will fit better at your style of photography, try taking some pictures with your 16-55 lens at the approximately same focal length of these suggested lenses, and see which one you feel more comfortable using.

Have a good trip!

[Jilski]

Thanks so much for your ideas. Think I'll go with the 35.

[kpp80202]

Alto think about the 23/2.0. Nice wide-ish field of view.

[CDBC]

On 5/3/2019 at 12:12 PM, kpp80202 said:

Alto think about the 23/2.0. Nice wide-ish field of view.

Couldn't agree more. Equivalent to a 35 mm lens on a 35 mm camera, with that 63 degree angle of view, so more universally useful. Plus, apart from the excellent specifications, it's pretty lightweight and compact. If I only had prime lens to go out and shoot with, this would totally be my choice.

 

[trutyjoh]

IF walking around and sightseeing/snapshots I would get the 18-55 f/2.8-4. Light, allows for framing from where you are at and the image quality (at least mine) is pretty good...