“I’m going to visit [X]. What lens should I bring?”

[rdenney]

"What lens should I bring?”

All of them.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Rick "we have a winner!" Denney

[Heroique]

When I was last in Alaska, I reached for my 240 more often than my 110 – and that surprised me. Your landscape interests & travel plans may be different than mine, but you may quickly discover just how useful the long end of your convertible lens will be.

If I could do it again, I’d consider exchanging my 110/240 travel kit for a 180/300 kit! That’s just how my eye worked on lonely, unimproved roads in Alaska. Below is one example from the “Trains” thread. Many times I came across middle-distance landscape details – like these abandoned tracks – w/ mountains serving as a back-drop. A “near-far” shot of a different sort.

Have a great time – and look forward to seeing your photos when you return...

Tachi 4x5
Fuji A 240mm/9
Old Fuji Pro 160s
Epson 4990/Epson Scan

BTW, before someone reminds me about this old contribution to a thread titled “Lens for Landscape in Alaska” – I plead guilty & admit that I learn from my mistakes, and I’m a different (and better) person today. (To better understand the OP’s needs, just click the blue arrow and you’ll be taken to the thread.)

I think the advice I offered is fairly representative of “the illusion of help” mentioned above.

We never heard back from the enthusiastic, Alaskan-bound forum member. Well, at least not in that particular thread. Maybe it’s because our lens advice disappointed him – maybe it frustrated his personal picture taking efforts. Maybe he realized our guidance had little or no relationship with what he wanted to do after his arrival in Alaska & exploration of the terrain. And in the end, perhaps he was too kind to tell us about the unhappy results.

In any case, I’m certain he now knows which lenses to bring for future visits!

[cdholden]

Generally speaking "popular" photogenic places are what I avoid.

I'm not a fan of tourist places either. Photogenic places don't have to be "popular" to be shared or enjoyed.
As part of my responsibilities at work, I do a lot of driving around middle and eastern Tennessee some times. In the past week, I've started marking GPS coordinates of places I want to go back to photograph later when my 12x20 is functional (soon!). I figure if I continue on this trend, as well as marking a few points when I go hiking, I'll have a hefty set of GPS points to refer to. That set of points would keep me and the camera busy in off hours for a time filler wherever I am throughout the state in the future.
As long as I don't stop, I'm getting paid to scout my future photos.

[Louie Powell]

I loath threads that ask:
"What is the best....(camera, film, developer, lens, shutter, flavor of ice cream, etc....you name it) ".

It is the dumbest question anybody could ever ask and generally leads to everybody pridefully chiming in with whatever they have in the category...all are a useless waste of time and space.

I totally agree.

My response is usually "the plaid one".

[Brian C. Miller]

Here's the obvious flip side: bring one lens, and use it well.

My SuperGraphic came with a 135mm. And what did I do? I learned how to use that one lens well. For years I used my Pentax 6x7 with only a 90mm lens. How many people have used a Rollei or other TLR? Lots of people, and lots of fine images. An 80mm lens has sufficed for all of those images.

Or if someone must have many choices, find the convertible lenses. Lots of excellent images have been made from those.

Asking what lens to bring is like asking what film to bring. Make a choice. Go for it!

[Brian Ellis]

Actually I think it can be helpful... if the right questions are asked. For instance, I'm going to Chicago soon and plan on bringing my 4x5. I'm flying so I would prefer to keep the kit small. It will be winter and I will only have a day, maybe a day and a half in between college visits with my daughter. I have never been to Chicago and I would like to do some building shots, It's hard to judge (from TV, from other photographs) how much distance I would actually have. I have a 75, 150, 210, 240, 300, 450 and 600. If I could bring just two, which would they be? I think that's a fair question.

My rule of thumb is if you can't bring them all bring the widest. You can always crop. It's hard to add what isn't there.

[jcoldslabs]

Advice threads such as these are often problematic at best. The two likely outcomes would seem to be:

A) You take others' advice and bring the lenses/gear they recommend. This may or may not turn out to be the best choice, and it may leave you wondering why you did what someone else suggested.

or

B) You reject the advice given in favor of your own.

Either way it doesn't seem to do much good. I say bring the equipment that suits you and if it turns out it wasn't suitable, change up next time around.

[r.e.]

This whole discussion is bogus.

Do a search in the sub-forum "Location and Travel" in the title line for the word lens.

You will get two meaningful hits.

The first is for a guy who started a thread last August, apparently with the intent of being amusing, about what lenses he should take on a road trip.

The second is for a guy in the year 2000 who wanted views on which of two lenses he should take to Norway.

Try a few related search terms, and you'll get the same results.

[Heroique]

Bring one lens, and use it well ... Make a choice. Go for it!

When it comes to “Which lens for a specific destination?” – here’s the reply I like best.

If only the forum software could sense the dreaded thread when it appears, automatically make this the first reply, then lock the thread for all time.

PM sent to forum designers.

[Heroique]

And let’s not forget the all-too-common variation! ;^)

“I have a lot of lenses & can’t bring them all to [Y], which lens should I leave at home?”

Below is the typical reply, exaggerated for emphasis – but just slightly! – discouraging someone from bringing [X] lens to [Y] location:

“I’ve been to [Y] (ed. note: “Y” for Yosemite, of course) several times, and I’ve never used my 180mm,” says the expert advice giver. “Well, maybe once or twice, but the shots were lacking,” he admits. “Usually, the 180mm sits in my bag. Just dead weight! For Yosemite, you need a longer or shorter lens – better, you need a longer and shorter lens. For example, a 135mm and 300mm would be an ideal two lens kit. Long story short: Yosemite just doesn’t mix well w/ a 180mm lens. You’ll either be missing one shot because you need wider, or cropping another because you need longer. If you have other lenses, bring them, and leave the 180mm at home. Have a great trip! ”

(Satire is so much fun.) In other words, “don’t take that lens” advice is akin to “take this lens” advice – give either a moment of critical attention, and you’ll see through the soothing illusion.

-----
Hmm. My personal reply would be:
“Bring one lens, any lens, and use it well ... Make a choice. Go for it!”
(Source: Brian Miller, post #16)