Best focal length and lens for travel photography

Important: all pictures in this blog were taken with a focal length between 24mm and 70mm. The lens and focal length used for each picture are indicated with the symbol "@" in their description.

Leonie in Positano
Canon EOS 5DIV + Canon EF 24-70mm @24mm f/2.8 L III IS/ ISO 100 - f/3.2 - 1/200 sec

Travel photography has become increasingly popular over the years, with many amateur photographers looking to capture beautiful memories of their trips. One of the most important factors to consider when taking travel photographs is the focal length of the lens you're using.

What is travel photography?

Travel photography is a type of photography that focuses on capturing images of people, places, and cultures from around the world. It often involves capturing candid moments, landscapes, and cityscapes, and aims to tell a story about the destination being visited. Travel photography can be done professionally or by amateur photographers looking to capture memories of their trips.

What is Focal Length?

Focal length refers to the distance between the lens and the image sensor when the lens is focused at infinity. In simpler terms, it's the measure of how much a lens can zoom in or out. A shorter focal length means a wider field of view and a longer focal length means a narrower field of view.

Choosing the Right Focal Length for travel photography

When it comes to travel photography, the ideal focal length really depends on the type of photographs you want to take.

Wide-angle lenses (less than 35mm) are great for landscape shots or capturing a wider view of a cityscape. They also work well for indoor shots where space is limited.
Standard lenses (35-70mm) are versatile and can be used for a variety of shots, from portraits to landscapes.
Telephoto lenses (more than 70mm) are best for capturing distant subjects, such as wildlife or architectural details.

It's important to note that while longer focal lengths can be great for capturing details, they can also be heavy and bulky to carry around. Wide-angle lenses, on the other hand, can distort images if not used properly.

Typical subjects in travel photography

Typical subjects for travel photography include landscapes, architecture, people, and food. It's important to consider the subject matter and adjust your focal length accordingly. For example, a wide-angle lens would work well for capturing the grandeur of a landscape, while a standard lens would be better for portraits and street photography.

When choosing lenses for photography, your choices will depend on what you want to photograph. What works for me may not work for you. Personally, I prefer to capture landscapes, people, and wildlife while traveling, and rarely take pictures of cityscapes or architecture. Therefore, my priorities are a telephoto lens for wildlife and landscapes, and a wide-angle lens for landscapes. While I also take pictures of people, this is my third priority, and I often use a wide-angle lens for environmental portraits. If I have enough space, I will take an extra lens, or depending on the destination, I may select different lenses to bring with me.

If you look at the table, you will see that the most important focal lengths that you may need are a standard photo lens and a wide-angle lens. That's why camera brands sell cameras with an 18-55mm kit lens for APS-C cameras or a 24-105mm kit lens for full-frame cameras. These focal lengths are what an amateur photographer may need while traveling, and I agree.

The always reliable 24-70mm lens

Choosing just one lens for travel photography can be a tough decision, but if you had to pick just one, a versatile standard zoom lens with a focal length range of around 24-70mm would be a good choice. This type of lens can cover a wide range of subjects, from landscapes to portraits, making it a practical choice for travel photography. Additionally, some standard zoom lenses have image stabilization, which can be helpful when shooting in low light or when you don't have a tripod available.

The Classic: Prime Lenses

On the other hand prime lenses, which have a fixed focal length, can be a great choice for travel photography because they are typically smaller, lighter, and faster than zoom lenses. A 35mm or 24mm prime lens can be particularly advantageous for travel photography because they offer a wider field of view, which can be great for capturing landscapes and cityscapes. They also tend to have larger apertures, which means they can let in more light and can create a shallower depth of field for portraits. Additionally, prime lenses can often produce sharper images than zoom lenses. However, it's important to note that prime lenses can be limiting in terms of framing and composition, as you cannot zoom in or out.

As you can see, the 24mm and 35mm prime lenses are both great options for travel photography, with a wide field of view, fast aperture, and sharp images. However, they are limited by their fixed focal length, which may not work for all situations.

The 24-70mm zoom lens, on the other hand, offers a wide range of focal lengths and is a good choice for those who want a versatile lens that can handle a variety of situations. However, it is more expensive and may not be as sharp as prime lenses. Additionally, it is bulkier and heavier, so it may not be the best choice for those who want to travel light.

Tongoy, Chile. This picture was taken at 24mm and is still a good portrait if you are aware of distortion
Canon EOS 5DIV + Canon EF 24-70mm @24mm f/2.8 L III IS/ ISO 100 - f/2.8 - 1/500 sec

Ultimately, the best lens for travel photography depends on your personal preferences and the type of shots you want to take. It's important to consider factors such as focal length, aperture, and weight when choosing a lens, and to experiment with different options to see which works best for you.

My personal choice

You may have already read about the lens that launch my carreer and it was the 24-70mm f/2.8

I can argue that with this lens, you can capture almost anything, but it is bulky and more expensive than an f/1.8 prime lens. On the positive side, it is perfect for capturing stunning landscapes and portraits. However, my favorite lens ever is the 35mm f/1.4. I love this lens! Unfortunately, I don't use it as much as I would like because it is bulky, heavy, and not as versatile as the 24-70mm. Nowadays, the extra aperture is not a huge advantage for low light because camera sensors are so advanced that they handle high ISO speeds very well, and some even come with in-body stabilization. The 35mm is more difficult to use because you have to move around to get your shot, but this has the advantage of improving your photography and composition. The 24-70, on the other hand, is easy to use, but if you want to become better and more creative, it could be dangerous because it can make you lazy.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the best focal length for travel photography depends on your personal preference and the type of shots you want to take. If you're unsure, it's always a good idea to experiment with different focal lengths and see which works best for you.

Another important point to consider when buying lenses is that if you are not completely sure what you want to photograph, it's best to prioritize. In my case, landscape and wildlife photography are my main interests, so I invest in high-quality lenses for those subjects. For other subjects, I may opt for a smaller, less expensive lens. For example, I can't bring an extra 50mm f/1.2 lens for portraits due to space constraints, but I can easily fit a 50mm f/1.8 lens in my bag and take it with me anywhere.