prague and budapest

[abaazov]

i am planning a trip to prague and budapest in the end of august. would anyone have any suggestions, as to the places to see, as well as the time necessary. thanks in advance...
amnon

[glenerrolrd]

i am planning a trip to prague and budapest in the end of august. would anyone have any suggestions, as to the places to see, as well as the time necessary. thanks in advance...
amnon
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I just returned from a brief business trip to Prague and was able to get out a few times to shoot.  Three main areas downtown walking distance form most hotels.  The Bridge, the square and the castle.   I was there in June and unfortunately to get up at sunrise was 4am ..sorry I am not that tough...it was light until past 9pm.  The streets and the areas around the bridge were extremely crowded until after midnight.  The architecture is amazing you could shoot for a few days and never get tired of it .  Things I will do next time.....bring the tripod best stuff was a sunset or after dark.  Have a fast wide angle  and short tele for street sceens..great place if you have a M series.   If I had one I would bring a PC lens .  Also get inside the buildings amazing detail.

[Chris Sanderson]

amnon
Some quick thoughts: How much time? - in two of the most intriguing cities of Europe? that's tough. Prague can really only be seen on foot and then, if you wish to avoid crowds, really only between an hour before sunrise and 7:30am, so at least two or three mornings of walking up around the Cathedral. 'Pest is very different and bigger but again a couple of very early morning walks in the Castle area. My one regret and a risky (likely forbidden) but potentially rewarding recommendation for photography is the old Turkish Baths in Pest. If you can get a small camera past the steely-eyed attendants into the baths proper, you could get some amazing (very low-light) stuff (but I don't recommend the massages unless you feel a masochistic impulse to be beaten to a pulp). My recollections of visting this place are vivid and I wish I had some kind of record of it. I would walk both cities with a tripod in the very early morning and strictly hand-held through the days and the crowds. You will get some great documentary/street photography. Quite a switch from penguins!  
Chris S

[abaazov]

thanks for the tips guys.
i will have 11 days between those two cities. i will be bringing my 24-70, but im wondering whether i should go and get the 24-105? what about the 70-200? worth bringing it for the trip?
yes i imagine it will quite different than penguin shooting chris!! probably not as exciting, but hopefully just as enjoyable.
amnon

[glenerrolrd]

My experience in Prague was that because the streets are really narrow....my priority would be on wide angles.  and speed.  I have the both lenses but just received the 24-70 today so I can not compare the 2.8 vs 4.0 or the 70 vs 105 questions. Either lens will handle 90%. The 70-200 is aways great but may be too much for the street congestion... you may want a fast prime lens for the interiors...  the churches , opera house all require  a fast lens .  That said 10 days without the 70-200 would probably make me take it as well.  Michael has a good article on what he took to China on this site.  The only difference is the opportunity for some amazing interior shots.  Also assuming you are using FF Canon if not you need something wider than the 24. Sound slike a fun trip.

[Chris Sanderson]

Michael has a good article on what he took to China on this site.
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Good suggestion and [commercial plug here] have a look at the [a href=\"http://luminous-landscape.com/video_journal/vj14-street.shtml]street shooting in China sequence in LLVJ-14[/url] for a thorough look at both technique and equipment recommendations. A longer zoom that can be handheld with IS is great for the documentary people shots that Michael took there. My pref would be to walk with two bodies: one with a wide zoom and one with a long for people. But if you want to only have one, you must ask what your preference is - buildings/architecture or people? If it was me, I would go for people and detail and thus a DO longer zoom for the handheld which will be most of the day and evening. Have a great trip, I envy you. Michael & I will be working all night in Iceland again in a few days. I can already feel the sleep-deprivation  
CS