Recommendations for Trip to Italy

[Sootchucker]

Hi guys,

In a few weeks the wife and I and a couple of our best friends, are going on holiday to Sorrento - Italy. We be be visiting Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and tours around the Amalfi coast area, as well as general sightseeing around Sorrento and Naples.

I will be taking only my M4/3 system but just need to decide what to take as I always take far too much, and never use most of it. For lens choice, I have the Olympus Holy trinity (7-14, 12-40 & 40-150 F2.8), as well as the Olympus 12-100, 17mm F1.8, 45mm f1.8, Leica 25mm F1.4 and the Panasonic 8-18mm & 100-400 available.

This year I'm thinking of travelling really light and am considering just taking the following and would like thoughts please from anyone that knows the area or has been there.

Ungripped OMD-EM1 MK 11 body (with 2 spare batteries)
Olympus 12-100 F4
Panasonic 8-18 F2.8-4 (brand new)
Leica 25mm F1.4
Tiny supplied Olympus flash
My Lee Seven5 system (little and Big stoppers, ND grads and Polariser)
My small foldable travel tripod.

I can get this lot in my smallest backpack and will give me the focal length equivalent of 16mm-200mm, with a fast 50mm for occasional evening work. Will that be enough ? I'm sort of trying to get back to the whole point of M4/3 which is a small and light alternative to my Nikon DSLR's ?

 

[retiredfromlife]

I like to travel light on holidays. I think the Olympus 12-100 and 17mm F1.8 for night low light should be all you need.

If you are really into landscape the 7-14 and Lee filters may come in handy. But since you will be with friends unless they are all really into photography you may wear out your welcome with too much gear you probably may never use.

The small tripod and flash should come in handy as well. Try to find out if the buildings you will visit will allow monopods. Most do not like tripods inside.

Looks like a good trip, have fun and post your best shots.

 

[Hypilein]

Your suggested kit is what I would have recommended from your incredible choice of gear. I went to the Amalfi Coast last year and used the P7-14 and P35-100 f2.8 and P20 f1.7. I don't think I ever needed the larger aperture on the tele zoom though so the 12-100 should be good. You will be mostly shooting in fairly harsh sunlight with too much light available, unless you specifically get out for shots in the evening where you may well be on a tripod. One fast prime is plenty for the occasional hand held low light shot.

Make sure to visit Capri. It's touristy as hell, but still very beautiful. Same can be said about the overpriced (but in my opinion still worth it) visit to the blue cave there. With the f2.8 on the 8-18 you might even get away with a decent enough picture. It is very dark in there...

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[Sootchucker]

Ah thanks Hypilein, yes forgot that we wanted to also see Capri as well - wow this is going to be expensive. Unfortunately I don't think we'll be seeing the blue cave as the wife is terrified of being in small boats !

 

[Sniksekk]

I can only speak for myself.
Going to north Italy this summer.
I'm planning on Pana 8-18, and maybe 12-40 and 45 or 75.
I wouldn't take the 40-150 2.8, to heavy and to long FL for my vacation.
Also a ND filter and a small tripod.

 

[Hypilein]

If your wife has fear of small boats then definitely don't do it. The entrance into the cave is adventurous to say the least. You have to duck while the boatman pulls you in along a cord as the gap is too small to use the paddles. They also have to wait for the waves to not be too high.

 

[lchien]

Take three batteries. I usually go though about 1-1/2 batteries on a day tour. I took two on a trip and lost one so I limped through until I got to a camera store and bought another at a rather inflated price. Now I always bring three.
Just to keep weight down I bring the Oly 14-150 f4-5.6 and the bodycap 9 mm fisheye everywhere. I take the 75-300 f4.8-5.6 but leave it in the room unless I think I'm going to need it. I bring a fast 25 mm f1.8 but use it so seldom I think I'm not bringing it on the next trip. And I bring a circular polarizer that fits both zooms (same thread, thank you Olympus).

 

[Mike Wingate]

I would take the fast 17mm, if you are going to take shots inside churches and cafes. I am going to Lake Como, then into Switzerland with my P7-14 and P14-140, polariser and rotating ND filter, not sure about a tripod or monopod. Enjoy.

 

[pdk42]

8-18, 12-100 + 25/1.4 sounds like a great combo. Go with it and enjoy the holiday! Add the 17/1.8 if you must have another lens.

 

[Sootchucker]

Well it's not like taking the 17mm F1.8 as well is going to break my back is it (the beauty of M4/3 primes)

 

[greenjp]

I just got back from a trip to Italy myself. I packed light, took only the 14-140 v2 and 20 1.7 along with my GX7. Took 1 extra battery, no pods or anything else. Definitely take the 12-100 and 8-18. I'd recommend the 17 1.8 based on how much I used my 20 1.7 for interiors and general walking around. The 25 1.4 might be a little redundant at that point so unless you have some particular shots in mind that you couldn't get with the 12-100 or 17 I'd consider leaving it. Depends on how light you want to travel.
jeff

 

[Sootchucker]

Cheers all, some very useful and insightful views here.

 

[bassman]

Just got back from two weeks there this spring. I took the E-M1.2 (GX7 as backup, never used). My keepers were 62% with the 12-35/2.8, many at 2.8. The 35-100/2.8 and 25/1.4 split most of the rest. I used the 9-18/4-5.6 only for hotel room interiors, and could have stitched panos from the 12-35. So your kit of the 12-100, 8-18 and 25 would have worked for FoV, but not aperture, for me.

For the first time in many years, I didn't bring a big tripod and never missed it. I had a tabletop tripod which I never used.

I did bring 6 & 10 stop NDs and a CP, none of which were used.

With the E-M1.2, I never used a full battery in a day, so the two I brought were fully sufficient. I averaged about 100 images a day. Actually, I've never exhausted a full BLH-1 in a day.

 

[RichDesmond]

I would take just the 12-100 and the 17mm. It tends to be indoors where you need the faster lens, and I would find the 25mm too long. I have the 20mm as my fast short prime, and I want it a touch wider a lot more often than I want it a little longer.

 

[Phlash46]

I like to travel light on holidays. I think the Olympus 12-100 and 17mm F1.8 for night low light should be all you need.

If you are really into landscape the 7-14 and Lee filters may come in handy. But since you will be with friends unless they are all really into photography you may wear out your welcome with too much gear you probably may never use.

The small tripod and flash should come in handy as well. Try to find out if the buildings you will visit will allow monopods. Most do not like tripods inside.

Looks like a good trip, have fun and post your best shots.

I'd add the 8-18 and you'll be set.

 

[jeremyrh]

With the E-M1.2, I never used a full battery in a day, so the two I brought were fully sufficient. I averaged about 100 images a day. Actually, I've never exhausted a full BLH-1 in a day.

Last Sunday I shot over 3000 images and used about half a battery! I mostly was using electronic shutter ( L<silent> ) so that may not be comparable to your shooting style

 

[bassman]

I use the e shutter as well.

 

[Phlash46]

Hi guys,

In a few weeks the wife and I and a couple of our best friends, are going on holiday to Sorrento - Italy. We be be visiting Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and tours around the Amalfi coast area, as well as general sightseeing around Sorrento and Naples.

I will be taking only my M4/3 system but just need to decide what to take as I always take far too much, and never use most of it. For lens choice, I have the Olympus Holy trinity (7-14, 12-40 & 40-150 F2.8), as well as the Olympus 12-100, 17mm F1.8, 45mm f1.8, Leica 25mm F1.4 and the Panasonic 8-18mm & 100-400 available.

This year I'm thinking of travelling really light and am considering just taking the following and would like thoughts please from anyone that knows the area or has been there.

Ungripped OMD-EM1 MK 11 body (with 2 spare batteries)
Olympus 12-100 F4
Panasonic 8-18 F2.8-4 (brand new)
Leica 25mm F1.4
Tiny supplied Olympus flash
My Lee Seven5 system (little and Big stoppers, ND grads and Polariser)
My small foldable travel tripod.

I can get this lot in my smallest backpack and will give me the focal length equivalent of 16mm-200mm, with a fast 50mm for occasional evening work. Will that be enough ? I'm sort of trying to get back to the whole point of M4/3 which is a small and light alternative to my Nikon DSLR's ?

Ben there and you have made excellent choices. Don't let anyone talk you out of the 8-18! Believe me, you'll use it.

 

[Starfleet]

Whatever you bring, keep an eye on that, especially in the cities at crowded places like metro, buses, train stations. And watch out for the gangs of gypsies (usually little girls and boys).
Wide angle and fast glass will be very useful. I'd say stick with the 12-100, 25 f/1.4 and the ultra wide zoom (the 8-18 more than the 7-14 because of the longer reach - you'll probably use that one mostly). Anything else would most likely not get much use.

 

[mannukiddo]

An UWA is a must, so that 7 or 8 mm zoom must go in especially for the beautiful interiors of those amazing Italian buildings. Then pack a 1.4 or a 1.7 fast normal prime for low light situations and a 45 1.8 for portraits. Frankly that is all you need for light but a high IQ kit for Italy. Pack a CPL and a tiny tripod for those amazing sea shots and night long exposures.