From small streets in a city and the vibrant culture of a local market to beautiful views and landscapes. Travel photography is incredibly diverse and therefore choosing the right lens is essential when it comes to the character of the image you want to capture. At the same time, you are traveling and you have to take into account practical considerations such as weight and portability. In this blog I therefore share which lens you can best choose for travel photography and what else to pay attention to.
Which lens is best for travel photography?
When you travel, you usually have limited space in your luggage and you don’t want to walk around with a heavy bag all the time. As a result, you usually can’t take many lenses with you when you travel. But as a photographer, you naturally want to be able to take all the photos you want. That’s why you have to think carefully about which lenses are best suited to the type of travel you’re making and it’s best to choose a small selection of all-rounders so that you can continue to take photos in as many situations as possible.
When choosing a lens, pay attention to the aperture, indicated by the F-number. Beginning photographers sometimes tend to buy an all-in-one lens, such as an 18-200mm. That can certainly be an option if you don’t have much of a budget, but even then I would advise going for the lens I’m mentioning as tip 1. A lens with a larger range often also has a higher aperture number. This means that you can’t take photos as well in low light and you get much less depth of field in your photos. Therefore, it is best to look for a lens with a minimum aperture of f/2.8 or higher (= lower number) or f/4.5- f/6.0 for a telephoto lens.
Zoom lens 24-70 mm
If you don’t have a big budget for multiple lenses or are just looking for a good all-rounder, a 24-70mm f/2.8 is ideal. With this lens you are almost always right. For example, the lens is suitable for travel, landscapes, portraits and street photography. With the zoom option you can sit a bit closer to your subject and with the 24mm you also have a bit of wide angle at your disposal. With an aperture of f/2.8 or higher (= lower number) you can also create very nice depth of field in your photos.
Wide angle lens 16-35mm
If you want to capture a larger whole in your photo, a wide-angle lens of 16-35mm is also recommended to take with you. With this lens you can capture more in one photo. Think of vast landscapes, cityscapes and architecture. If you choose a wide-angle lens with an aperture of f/2.8 or higher (= lower number), you can also take very beautiful photos of stars or the northern lights in combination with a tripod.
Telephoto lens 70-200mm or 100-400mm
Are you interested in photographing (wild) animals while traveling? Then you can also consider taking a telephoto lens with you. A 70-200mm is the minimum to take with you, depending of course on what kind of animals you are going to photograph. A 100-400mm has a much larger range and is more suitable for animals that you can only admire from a greater distance. You can then zoom with your lens instead of with your feet and certainly with wild animals this is safer. Keep in mind that a telephoto lens is very large and heavy to take with you on a trip. Only choose this lens if your travel plans require it. For example, because you are going to spot wildlife or go on safari in Africa. Telephoto lenses with a zoom function generally do not have such a high aperture (low number) as regular zoom lenses and wide-angle lenses. However, the zoom function on a telephoto lens also allows you to create depth of field in your photos. Preferably look at a telephoto lens with an aperture of maximum f/4.5 – f/6.0.
Conclusion: Which lens is best for travel photography?
For a complete set of lenses suitable for travel photography, you should look at a 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens, a 16-35mm f/2.8 wide-angle lens and possibly a 70-200mm f/4.5 – f/6.0 telephoto lens. You will then have a suitable lens for almost every situation. Do you have a small budget or do you prefer to travel minimalist? Then choose the 24-70mm zoom lens as a good all-rounder.
