When it comes to travel photography, it's important to consider the size and weight of the lenses you're carrying. You don't want to be weighed down by too much equipment while you're out and about sightseeing. So, it's better to focus on getting a smaller number of lenses that work well in a wide variety of situations.
There are some good travel lens options out there, but it's hard to find a lens that does everything well, doesn't cost too much, and is lightweight. My suggestion would be to invest in two lenses - a walkaround lens and a fast prime. An f/1.8 50mm would be the ideal.
If you're looking to invest in just one lens for your travel photography needs, then a good walkaround lens is what you need. It's a lens that "does everything" and covers a good range of focal lengths, meaning you can get wide angle shots as well as zoom in on further away objects.
If you invest in a camera, it will often come with a lens that will suffice as a walkaround lens. However, these lenses tend not to be the top quality lenses. If you're more serious about photography and your budget allows, I'd recommend that you buy your preferred camera "body only", and then invest in a nicer walkaround lens, such as the ones I recommend, rather than the standard kit lenses. Don't be surprised if the lens is more expensive than the camera either - good lenses are expensive, but they're a worthy investment.
What to think about when picking a lens for travel photography
Price considerations – how much to spend on a camera lens for travel photography.
It's true that more expensive lenses tend to be more capable, but they can also be heavier, which isn't always ideal for travel photography. I've done my best to provide a range of lenses across various price points, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs and budget.
For those who are budget-conscious, I understand that not everyone has a big budget for a new lens, so I want to provide some good value options.
Let’s take a look at some of the key terminology and other considerations you need to be aware of when looking for a lens for travel photography.
Aperture
An aperture is a hole within a lens that permits light to reach the camera’s sensor. The size of this aperture can vary, with a larger aperture allowing more light to enter, and a smaller one permitting less light.
This concept can be likened to the pupil of an eye. In bright conditions, the pupil contracts to limit light entry, while in darker settings, such as at night, it dilates to admit more light.
The key factor for lens apertures is the maximum size to which the hole can open. This determines the lens’s performance under low light conditions. Additionally, a larger aperture provides more control over the depth of field.
When examining the specifications of a lens, the widest aperture is always listed as a key feature. This is represented by a number such as 2.8, 4.0, or 5.6, or formally denoted as f/2.8. The smaller this number, the larger the aperture.
Certain lenses, especially walkaround lenses, possess what's known as a variable maximum aperture. This means that the aperture size changes as you zoom in or out, or alter the focal length. As the lens barrel lengthens, the maximum aperture decreases.
For instance, a lens may have an aperture of f/3.5-5.6. This indicates that at the widest angle, the aperture is f/3.5, but as you zoom in, the aperture reduces, going down to f/5.6 at full zoom.
In travel photography, and indeed most types of photography, a wider aperture is preferable. More light entering the lens improves low-light performance, making the lens more adaptable for various photographic scenarios. This is especially beneficial for capturing images of stars or the northern lights.
However, lenses with wider apertures are typically larger, heavier, and more costly. These factors are taken into account when selecting a lens.
Focal Length
The focal length of a lens, measured in millimeters (mm), determines its level of magnification. As a general rule, a higher number in millimeters corresponds to greater magnification, while a lower number indicates less magnification.
If you've used a compact camera, also known as a point-and-shoot, you might be familiar with the term 'optical zoom'. For instance, a camera with 10x optical zoom means that the magnification difference between the least and most zoomed-in settings is tenfold.
The focal length of a lens, which is measured in millimeters (mm), is directly proportional to its magnification. For instance, a 100mm lens will magnify the subject twice as much as a 50mm lens.
However, the effect of focal lengths can vary across different cameras due to differences in sensor sizes, leading to what is known as a crop factor.
Consider Canon DSLR camera systems as an example. They offer two main types of cameras: the APS-C size cameras like the consumer Rebel line, and the full-frame sensors found in more professional models like the Canon 6D or 5D line.
Some of Canon's lenses are compatible with both these camera systems, but they yield different focal lengths. On full-frame cameras, the focal length is as stated. However, on the APS-C sensor, which is smaller, there's a "crop factor" of 1.6. This means a 100mm lens on an APS-C sensor will produce an image equivalent to what a 160mm lens would on a full-frame camera.
Fortunately, all lens manufacturers adhere to the same focal length standard. So, when purchasing lenses for your specific system, you only need to know the crop factor. You can then multiply the crop factor by the focal length to obtain the equivalent focal length.
If this seems complex, don't worry. For the lenses I recommend, I will provide both the actual and equivalent focal lengths. The equivalent focal length is crucial as it allows for effective lens comparison.
For travel photography, a lens with a wide range (16mm – 30mm) on the wide end and a fairly zoomed range (70mm – 150mm) on the narrow end is ideal. This offers flexibility, allowing you to capture wide scenes like city streets and buildings, as well as zoom in on details. A 24-70 f/2.8 lens is often the preferred walkaround lens for professional photographers.
There are walkaround lenses with much greater focal lengths, exceeding 200mm, which are included in some of my recommendations. However, be aware that while these lenses offer great versatility, they often compromise on weight and image quality, particularly image sharpness at the longer end of the zoom range (usually beyond 200mm).
I’m not saying not to invest in these lenses, just to be aware that there’s no such thing as a perfect lens for all situations!
Filter Thread
When purchasing a lens, it's recommended to also acquire a UV filter for front protection. You might also consider adding a polarising filter or a neutral density filter to your collection.
These filters are available in various sizes. The size you need is determined by the filter thread size of the lens, which is measured in millimeters. Essentially, this measurement is the diameter of the lens where the filter is attached.
Image Stabilization
Camera lens manufacturers use a variety of terms for image stabilization, including IS (Canon), OIS (Panasonic), VR (Nikon), OS (Sigma), and VC (Tamron), among others.
Despite the different names and technologies, the goal is the same: to counteract any movement by the person holding the lens (you) and enable shooting at slower shutter speeds without resulting in blurred photos.
A common guideline is that the minimum hand-held shutter speed for a lens is the reciprocal of the focal length. For example, for a 200mm lens, you wouldn't want to shoot at shutter speeds slower than 1/200th of a second. For a 50mm lens, it would be 1/50th of a second.
Image stabilization technologies are designed to allow shooting at even slower shutter speeds. They are typically rated by the number of additional "stops" they provide. In photography, a "stop" refers to a halving or doubling of light.
For instance, if you change the shutter speed from 1/100th of a second to 1/50th of a second without altering anything else, that's considered 1 stop.
Modern image stabilization technologies offer between 3 and 5 stops of stabilization. To put that into perspective, if you're shooting with a 200mm lens at 1/200th of a second, 3 stops would allow you to hand hold down to 1/25th of a second. With 5 stops, you could hand hold and still capture sharp images at shutter speeds as slow as 1/6th of a second!
Image stabilization can make a huge difference, and it is definitely worth thinking about when looking for a lens. Of course, as with everything, there are tradeoffs, and an image stabilized lens will often be more expensive and slightly heavier than an equivalent non-stabilized version.
Weight
When choosing a travel lens, weight is a crucial factor to consider. The premise is that you'll be using the lens while travelling, and carrying less can make the journey more comfortable, especially when you're on your feet all day. Therefore, it's important to take into account the weight of the lens you plan to purchase.
Size
In addition to weight, the physical size of the camera lens is another important aspect to consider. For travel photography, portability is crucial, especially if you’re travelling with only carry-on luggage. Therefore, when deciding on a lens, it’s essential to take into account its physical dimensions.
Mount Compatibility
Attaching a lens to a camera body is akin to solving a two-piece puzzle - the lens must be the correct shape to fit and securely lock into place.
Moreover, the camera needs to interact with the lens to adjust settings such as aperture, focus, and zoom. This requires the electronic connections between the lens and the camera body to align and be compatible.
This system is referred to as a lens mount, which essentially allows you to "mount" the lens onto the camera. Most camera manufacturers have their own lens mount systems, so when purchasing a lens, it's crucial to ensure its compatibility with your camera's mount type.
It's worth noting that many manufacturers offer multiple lens mounts, depending on the camera model. For instance, Canon cameras can feature an EF-S mount, an EF mount, an EF-M mount, or an RF mount.
When purchasing a lens, it's crucial to ensure that it has a lens mount compatible with your camera. Some lenses can work with multiple lens mounts. For instance, an EF lens can operate on both an EF and an EF-S mount. However, an EF-S lens is only compatible with an EF-S lens mount, not an EF mount.
Typically, the mount type is indicated in the lens's name. For example, the Canon EF 16-35 f/4L IS is an "EF" lens, as evident from its name. Therefore, it's compatible with both Canon EF and Canon EF-S camera bodies.
If you're purchasing a lens from a third-party manufacturer like Tamron or Sigma, be aware that they often produce multiple versions of each lens, each with different mounts. So, always ensure that you purchase the version that fits your camera.
That concludes the overview of the various factors, features, and terminologies to consider when buying a travel lens.
Next, let's explore some specific recommendations across various camera systems to give you an idea of what's available at different price points.
Please note that these recommendations primarily focus on walkaround lenses suitable for travel, rather than lenses designed for specific functions like macro photography or astrophotography.
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