10D or 5D for Caribbean Cruise? Recommended lenses?

<p>*** My apologies photo.net for my first post in the wrong forum ***<br /> <br /> <br /> Hi fellow photographers!<br /> <br /> I haven't posted on here in years but I need your help today. I thank you in advance for your insight and recommendations!<br /> <br /> I'm leaving for a Caribbean cruise tomorrow and as I started to pack, I reached my dilemma:<br /> What body should I bring? My 10D or 5D?<br /> <br /> My destinations are as follows:<br /> 7 Nights Eastern Caribbean - Crown Princess<br /> Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, US => Princess Cays, Bahamas => St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles => St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands => Grand Turks, British Virgin Islands => Ft. Lauderdale<br /> <br /> Now I've already decided to bring just the bodies without their corresponding vertical grips to save on weight and size. I'm bringing a Lowepro Omni Sport for when I get off the boat. My casual / family shooting will primarily be covered by my Canon PowerShot SD790 IS (for around the boat, dinner, etc. - places where bringing a DSLR would be cumbersome)<br /> <br /> I'm primarily a wedding photographer (http://fj5.cjb.net/) but do wish to take some memorable pictures that could very well be printed and blown up and framed perhaps up to 14"x20".<br /> <br /> Reasons for the 10D:<br /> - I'm probably going to sell this body soon for a 50D upgrade and thus I'm not as worried about taking it around the beach and city with sand and dirt<br /> - 6.3 MP would save me some CF card space (although I know I can just size down the rez on the 5D)<br /> - crop sensor has more "reach" (but I know I can crop the 5D)<br /> - it's really the fact that I bought this years ago vs. the 5D I just bought a month ago (new baby)<br /> Proposed lenses to bring with this body => Sigma 10-20, Canon 50 1.8 mk I<br /> <br /> Reasons for the 5D:<br /> - higher rez and less noise for night shots<br /> - full size sensor for wider shots with same lenses<br /> - better weather proofing? or no?<br /> Proposed lenses to bring with this body => Sigma 10-20 (post-crop), Canon 50 1.8 mk I<br /> <br /> OR do I bring my EF 24-70 2.8L with my 5D?<br /> OR do I replace my 50 with my 85 1.2L II with my 5D?<br /> <br /> Should I even bring my EF 70-200 2.8L IS? I'd have to bring additional or bigger bags.<br /> <br /> Your advice is greatly appreciated!<br /> <br /> Thank you so much and Happy New Year!</p>

<p>- I'm probably going to sell this body soon for a 50D upgrade and thus I'm not as worried about taking it around the beach and city with sand and dirt</p>

<p>wow, buyer beware I guess...</p>

<p><br /></p>

<p>IMO and if I were you I would bring the 5D and 24-70 f/2.8L. 24 is wide on FF body and f/2.8 plus 5D's great ISO performance you would not need the 50 f/1.8 or the heavy 85 f/1.2L memmory is cheap just bring a lot, I'm sure as a pro wedding photog you have a lot of memory! Ideally you should bring the 70-200 f/2.8L IS too, but if you want to travel light the 5D and 24-70 combo is good.</p>

<p>Haha Bruce, it's a mindset thing, I'm not going to roll around in the dirt! You know what I mean! It's just older vs. newer and you tend to be more cautious about the newer.<br>

As a result, I may worry too much about the camera that I may not enjoy the trip or the photography as much.</p>

<p>Sinh, thank you for your advice! Hmmm...</p>

<p>I would take the 10D because the on-board flash, while generally negligible, could be useful for fill in some bright, sunny on-deck conditions around the pool or for rail shots of the family with some gorgeous Caribbean scenery in the background.</p>

<p>Have fun!</p>

<p>Michael J Hoffman</p>

<p>I would buy an underwater point&shoot camera.</p>

<p>I understand that you have the 5D, 24-70, and 70-200 for your pro weddings, but if you enjoy photography as much as I do then you'd want the best possible results on your exciting trip. That is the combo that I would take. The 50/1.8 is so small I'd take it for lowlight subjects. Take lots of memory. If you are going to rez down the 5D then there is not much point in taking it. </p>

<p>I would just take a professional camera like the new Canon G10 which I recently purchased. I traded in my 10D for the 50D and love it..I would be too nervous about the larger bulkier camera and lenses and as mentioned before, it might distract you from having fun on your cruise. Have fun!</p>

<p>Why are you asking us how to pack? You know your camera gear, your budget, your risk tolerance, your photographic needs and ambitions, and your itinerary better than anyone else. You decide. [shrug]</p>

<p>Thanks John, valid points!<br /> <br /> Colin, my gosh I want a G10! Can't justify the purchase at the moment though. Wish I had it for this trip. You're right, I do want to enjoy this trip.<br /> <br /> Hi Sarah, it's because it's my first cruise. I have no experience in this situation. Not sure if anyone else out there had my situation, brought something but wished they brought something else. Would like to avoid that. :)</p>

<p>Just remember, you can't use the 10-20mm on the 5D. I'd bring the 5D and the 24-70...</p>

<p>As long as you have a way to safely transport and secure the 5D and the L glass, I would bring the best possible equipment to get the best possible outcomes..... just make sure you stow it somewhere safe in your room so it doesn't grow legs and walk away.... ;)</p>

<p>Well, since you put it that way, FJ, you'll spend a lot of time on the ship, doing the usual cruise stuff. Photographically, that's a zero -- except for snaps of your co-travelers, etc. The photographic opportunities are at port. I went on a cruise with most of the same destinations, but it was a trip from hell for reasons of lost lugage, haggling with cruiseline reps, etc. I didn't get to enjoy the destinations as much as I would have liked. However, from what I saw, there were a lot more photographic opportunities in the cities/towns than on the beaches. If your cruise was like mine, you'll be shooting mostly in daylight, because you'll be at sea by night, sharing the same dinner table with the exact same dozen people. So my advice (based on the sorts of pics I like to shoot) would be to plan on taking lots of pics of the local color -- people, quaint cobblestone streets, markets, colorful stands, etc. There are some very pretty beaches too, but you probably won't spend much time photographing them. Your 24-70 on your 5D would probably be great for most of what you would want to do. (And no, there is no appreciable weather sealing on either your 5D or 10D.)</p>

<p>Regarding security, I think I remember my cruiseline (Carnival) providing safes in each cabin. They're tiny, but they should hold a camera and a couple of lenses (I think). Check with the cruiseline.</p>

<p>Hope that helps. Bon voyage! :-)</p>

<p>Thanks for all your help guys! I really did appreciate all your advice and read everything. Sarah, thanks for taking the time for your second post. I'm leaving in an hour and have decided to go with "less worry" and "lightweight".<br /> <br /> As per: http://www.photo.net/travel-photography-forum/00RzLl</p>

<p>10D with Sigma 10-20, circular polarizer, and 50 1.8!</p>

<p>THANKS AGAIN!</p>

<p>"Decided for less worry and lightweight.."<br>

Amen, that's exactly what I predicted my wife...: "At the end our friend will take the opportunity in leaving his brain."</p>

<p>Every time I looked at my photos I would be wishing I took the 5d and 24-70. < thats what I took on my honeymoon and only regretted it once when it cost me excess baggage ;-)</p>