Zooms or Primes - what lenses - rainforest trip

I will soon be re-visiting the Amazon on a solo adventure to capture thoughts

and shots of the amaze of the rainforest. I will also be basing myself from

now on in Honduras, and so the same theme applies. I need to re-kit completely

and I could do with some collaborative thoughts and advise. I've spent good

time as a ranger / photographer in the savannas of Africa, and my savvy from

my nature experience tells me that my concentration in the rainforest will be

on vegetation, some jungled-scapes, and the small fellows. Although I will

occassionally miss the big glass, I feel my time effort and money will be

better spent on 200m and below. Any comments on that? Here are my questions:

 

- Fistly, zooms or primes. Of course there is a plus from zooms in

compositional convinience, a plus for primes in optical quality. Which would

win for you? Fast glass vs image stabliser? What about the creative approach

that accompanies each respetively? Would anyone agree that, to a degree, a

prime is better at forcing the creative eye, because it doesn't have the

compositional fall back of a zoom?

 

- I far prefer, somewhat by way of idealism, natural lighting in nature. So

far so good. I know this will be challenging in a rainforest setting. Do you

think I would be mad in not kitting up with flash, or is there any support for

my thinking that the lack of it may help to keep one open, searching and

available to those sheer moments of natural brilliance? If a flash, what flash?

 

- Okay down to realities. These are two packages that I am contemplating. What

mix and match would you put together.

 

Zooms:

1. 16-35mm f/2.8L

2. 24-70mm f/2.8L

3. 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer

 

Primes

4. 14mm 2.8 or

5. 20mm f.28

6. 50mm f1.4

7. 135mm f2

8. 1.4x converter

 

Would love the 15mm fish-eye, but if I have to drop one out, I think that will

have to be it.

 

Macro

Probably the 180mm f3.5, but what about the 100mm f2.8 or even the 65mm 1-5x?

 

Tripod:

Benbo Trekker Mk2 (supports 17LB or 8kg)

 

Pack:

Does anyone have any tips on a good backpack, medium sized to fit the above as

well as bear minimum clothing, food and hammock?

 

Body:

If I can possibly squeeze into the 1ds MK2 I will, partly for the sealing,

partly for the resolution. If I can't afford it what would you recommend

behind it? Anyone with experience with the MK2, how long does a battery pack

hold up and what would you suggest is the best support battery? What about

storage possibilities? For both of these bear in mind that I am trekking solo

for two weeks.

 

Any other tips, are welcome.

 

Thanks for comments you can make on any of the above (or other).

This question will be better answered in the Nature forum. Beware fungus.

I have spent a lot of time in the jungles of Costa Rica and have also spent time in the Amozon (Peru) there are a lot of photo ops in the trees and a 70-200 2.8IS will be invaluable, the less you need to change a lens out there the better, my ideal would be 16-35 2.8, 27-70 2.8, 70-200 2.8 IS and 300 f4 with 1.4x, on a 1.6 and a FF.

get a laptop or a Epson P5000 to backup your pics.

Be sure to have something very wide (shorter than 20mm in full frame terms) and macro capability either via a dedicated macro lens or extension tubes etc. The MP-E 65 might be an overkill, though.

It can be really dark under the canopy, so you`ll spend considerable time in the tripod territory no matter how fast your lenses. For close-ups of small plants, fungi and bugs a flash is definitely good to have.

 

For full frame and unlimited $$$, my dream kit for such a trip would be: 15mm fisheye, 17-40/4, 35/1.4, TS-E 90/2.8, extension tubes for macro, 70-200/2.8 IS and 1.4x. Note that I`m trying to save weight here and there`s no real provision for wildlife shooting.

Humidity is a problem therefore weather sealing is desirable and so are plastic bags ;)

The 135 f/2.8 is not compatible with converters. I would think that the weather sealing on L zooms would be the way to go in the Amazon.

I have a few questions:<ol><li>What are you going to do for water?</li><li>Have you calculated the weight of the non-photographic things you will carry, and determined how much you can comfortably lug around?</li><li>To what extent will solar power be an option? I'm not sure how much the canopy blocks the sun, where you will be.</li></ol>

> Fistly, zooms or primes <

 

Zooms: sole rationale fewer lens changes.

 

> Fast glass vs image stabiliser? <

 

Both

 

> Body: If I can possibly squeeze into the 1ds MK2 I will, partly for the sealing, partly for the resolution. <

 

Sealing, apropos lenses is not; unless lenses too are sealed.

 

> Fast glass vs image stabiliser? <

 

Both

 

Bottom line: 1ds MK2 ; F2.8 x 3 Zoom set (70 to 200 being IS) and perhaps x1.4 teleconverter.

 

Alternative, lateral thought: 20D or 30D with 16 to 35 F2.8 and 1ds MK2 with 70 to 200 F2.8IS (no lens changes).

 

Regards,

 

WW

Sorry my post above should read, (more clearly):

 

HH> Fistly, zooms or primes <

 

Zooms: sole rationale fewer lens changes.

 

 

HH> Fast glass vs image stabiliser? <

 

Both, the decision is not exclusive.

 

 

HH>Body: If I can possibly squeeze into the 1ds MK2 I will, partly for the sealing, partly for the resolution. <

 

Note that `sealing`, apropos lenses, is not sealing unless the lenses too are sealed (ie various L series only).

 

 

Bottom line: 1ds MK2; the three F2.8L Zooms (the 70 to 200 being IS) and perhaps x1.4 teleconverter.

 

Alternative, lateral thought: 20D or 30D with 16 to 35 F2.8 and 1ds MK2 with 70 to 200 F2.8IS (no lens changes).

 

Regards,

 

WW

?Zooms: 1. 16-35mm f/2.8L 2. 24-70mm f/2.8L 3. 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer ?

 

Fairly classic zoom set-up. Downside of tele zooms is weight for reasonable speed. The IS is useful if working handheld. Might want to add the 1.4X to squeeze a bit more out of the long zoom. Not sure if this is an and/or on the zoom/prime thing, if and then you have it below.

 

?Primes 4. 14mm 2.8 or 5. 20mm f.28 6. 50mm f1.4 7. 135mm f2 8. 1.4x converter ?

 

A lot of people complain about the 20mm?s sharpness but it get the impression it is not bad on a full frame. I have to ask how much you will be working ultra wide. You may be better off basing this end around the 24/1.4.

 

The 135/2.8 can?t take the Canon TCs. You might want to look at the 135/2. If that is anything like its sister lens the 200/2.8 (and I understand it is) you should add both the 1.4X and 2X, it wont notice the 1.4X and will be great although slow on AF with the 2X.

 

?Macro Probably the 180mm f3.5, but what about the 100mm f2.8 or even the 65mm 1-5x? ?

 

Great lens the 180 is I have to say the 100 is more useful IMHO, particularly if you want to work handheld and doubly so in ambient light, also doubles a sharp medium tele. The 180 can be handheld but probably comes into its own on a tripod. I tend to use the 300/4 IS + tubes when I want more working distance. You could do the same with your tele zoom or a 200/2.8 if you got one of those.

 

The MP-E is a fantastic lens but you will need time to acclimatize to it and good stalking method for insects. In the field you will almost certainly need flash to use it above 2X even on a pod, I recommend the MT-24EX. If you expect a reasonable amount of macro work don?t forget things like a Wembley plamp and a focus slide.

 

Tripod: Benbo Trekker Mk2? Great things, I have had a MkI one for over 25 years although I find it too heavy these days for field work.

Use these water proof bags, cheap and work realy well for camera gear http://www.orgear.com/home/style/home/storage/storage_stuffsacks/HLS

For bag,

 

try here, http://www.kata-bags.com/index.asp

 

Mohammad

i wouldnt get many zooms because of weight. I would get the 16-35, the 14mm, 50mm

135mm, consider 24mm 1.4.