18-55 kit or 35 1.8G - Pick ONE for travel

StandingBear1983 · Dec 12, 2012

My friend is going traveling and he wants only one lens...i suggested him to take the 35 1.8G because although he won't have the wide side of the 18-55 kit indoors, he still can shoot stuff at night and have more quality in general then the kit 18-55, what do you think?

JAC526 · Dec 12, 2012

35mm no question about it.

TheKenTurner · Dec 12, 2012

Does he own both right now? If so, why doesn't he just bring both?

I would go with the 35...

-Ken Turner

Solarflare · Dec 12, 2012

I almost always leave my 18-55mm at home, while my 35mm f1.8 is on my camera almost all the time, unless my 55-200mm is really needed.

So the 35mm gets my vote.

I have to add though that I mostly shoot people, and often encounter low light situations. If you want to do macro, or landscapes in bright sunlight, the 18-55mm is a much better lens for that.

shadowlands · Dec 12, 2012

35mm f1.8 all the way... just have to be more creative since you wont be able to get any more wide at times.

sm4him · Dec 12, 2012

Kinda depends what he plans on taking pictures of--if he anticipates a lot of low-light conditions, then the 35mm hands-down. If he anticipates a lot of hiking, outdoor shots, I'm not quite as convinced--I might just take the 18-55mm for the added range. Sometimes manual zoom is just not an option when you're on a trail, or in a tight space somewhere.

But, mostly, I agree with Ken. Good grief, both of those lenses are so small, I see absolutely no reason to NOT travel with both. Then you have what you want, when you want it.

shadowlands · Dec 12, 2012

Indeed, if you can swing both, bring both.
When traveling I often take photos of the inside of gread hotels, cathedrals, etc...
35mm wouldn't be wide enough for that sort of thing.

StandingBear1983 · Dec 13, 2012

Thanks

- I'll try to convince him to bring both...if not then the 35mm as i told him from the first place

greybeard · Dec 13, 2012

I have both and if I could only take one, it would be the 18-55. It's a wide angle, it's a normal, and it's a portrait lens. And, it will go to 1:3. I'm lazy, what can I say?