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1 year backpacking around the world - need lens suggestions!


annbryan

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Hey, in November 2004 I'm hoping to take a year off to travel. I've

been into photography for about a year and a half...for equipment I

have a Nikon F65 and the standard 28-80, 70-300 zooms that came as a

package. I also have the sigma 105/2.8 macro lens. I'm going to

see my too zooms ASAP. I've been throwing around some different

ideas about lense combinations to take...the best I've come up with

is getting a 50mm 1.8 for low light...and getting a zoom in the 24-

135 range. I've been looking at the Sigma 24-135/2.8-4 but there

isn't many reviews out for it yet. Is it a wise choice to get this

or should I go for maybe the Nikon 28-105...even though I'd like to

have 24mm over 28?

 

Also note that the Sigma 24-135 is currently has a $160 (CDN) rebate

at henrys.com. I need all the help I can get! Thanks for any

comments everybody!

 

For those interested I'm hoping to spend 3 months in New Zealand, 6

months in SE Asia/Nepal and the rest of the year in Europe.

 

-bryan

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You should look for a (maybe) manual Nikon body: a FM2n or FM3a to serve you on the trip. If a battery dies, the camera will continue to work. If, for some reason, the F65 needs a battery and you are way out in the trek: no battery = no camera operation. Plus the rugged F65 is not that solid compared to one of the manual-everything Nikons.

 

 

 

Nikon makes a very good AF 24-50mm f3.3-f4.5 Nikkor lens. And there is a older Ais 50-135mm Nikkor, too. Both lenses use 62mm filters.

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I second the recommendation of an FM3a (might as well get something that is still

made). The Sigma, Tamron,, etc and lightweight Nikkor zooms are not particularly

rugged -- but then again they are not as heavy or as bulky as professional level

Nikkor zooms either. <P>I would suggest 4 primes: an 18mm or 20mm Nikkor; a

35mm f/2 Nikkor, a 105mm f/2.5 AI-S Nikkor and (maybe) a 180mm f/2.8D AF-

Nikkor (smaller, less conspicuous and lighter than the manual versions of this

legendary lens). You might take a tip from David Alan Harvey andSteve McCurry (look

them up on the web on in a bookstore) and keep the photo gear to a minimum: a

28mm or 35mm and either an 85mm or 105mm. Less gear meansthere is lots less to

fuss with, to guard, to be mindful of, to get in the way, make you stand out, to be

indecisive about, to weigh you down, etc.

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Agree with Ellis, but I would even consider skipping the 180 -- I own one BTW and love it, but doing people photography a 180 is really too long, and my last trip to the Middle East I left it at home.

 

You almost just want a 28 and an 85. I round out my bag with a 20, since it doesn't weight anything (more than I can say for my 28 1.4).

 

Cheers and good luck!

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Gerald: I'll definitely look into the FM3a...I hope I'm not too much of an amateur for it though. I'm going to try and sign up for some more photography lessons in the next few months.

 

Ellis: If I went with primes I think I'd go 24mm, 50mm, and take along my 105mm macro. Do you think the 20mm/28mm/85mm combo is a better choice?

 

Hansley: Nope, I'm not older...I'm 24...my girlfriend and I have been working for the government for about three years...we don't have a car...don't have a house or student loans. We'll probably have about $80k saved up by then...and if that's not enough then we'll work along the way and volunteer for room and board. We're going to be living as cheap as possible...camping...hitchhiking (New Zealand/Australia). That'd give us each about $100/day for the year.

 

Tuomas: Yeah, if I went with that combination I'd probably also throw in a small prime wide angle...would be nice to have in places like Nepal!

 

Dave: We're very excited about it...our bosses have both given us the approval to take a year off. We're going to be writing a daily log and will hopefully have tons of pictures and I'd definitely share it on here with everybody.

 

One more question...since I'm pretty amateur...I always use print film...would slide film be better for a trip like this? I've been reading a lot about how to handle my exposed rolls...ie send them home...get them processed in developed cities then send them home to avoid mail X-ray scanners. Any suggestions there? I've heard wrapping them in tinfoil helps...anybody else hear this?

 

Thanks a ton everybody for the comments...really appreciated...keep them coming...especially if you've gone on a trip similar to this!

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For one, tin foil will not stop x-rays from your film. A plastic bag may help waterproof film or negatives: negatives do not have a 'harm' factor from x-ray exposures.

 

 

 

If you seach the archives of Photo Net, there were some lens recommendations for Nepal (i.e., lighter is better, as you have a lot of high altitude hiking to lug your gear. Remember going up is work, and working down the other side is faster, but still work, and sometimes less gear to tote is good.

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X-ray and films: in pro-photo shops I often see film boxes to protect from X-rays. They are covered in lead, which is an impenetrable barrier for X-rays.

 

budget: you can live on a LOT LESS than 100 USD a day here in central Europe. For a couple, 100 bucks can last a week or two down here. Heck, I have even been to Spain and we (me and my girlfriend) spent only 400 USD in 6 weeks.

 

Have fun, I hope I will be able to do a similar trip sometime in future.

 

jan

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Hi Bryan, My wife and I went around the world two years ago but for less time,eight months. I took all my camera gear, which consisted then of three Nikon lenses:a 24mm, 50mm 1.8 and yes the tank-like but sweet 80-200mm 2.8 plus two Nikon bodies, filters etc. to shoot B&W and colour slides. We tented/hitchhiked/cooked on the cheap for much less then you are forecasting. And for such a wonderful trip I did not mind the extra weight and it was substantial. With careful planning, my backpack weighed in at 33 pounds including camera stuff. No regrets. This is a trip of a lifetime... maximize the possibilities. Namaste.
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Now that Nikon has the VR lenses out in several useful zoom combos, I'd definitely look into them (I use a Canon system, and my 28-135 IS lens is my preference in 90% of shooting situations)

 

I'm also a backpacker/"Advanced Amateur/ Tourist 1st Class" shooter, and the anti-shake system has saved many a shot that suddenly appeared and that even an f/2 max aperture wouldn't have allowed. You probably know the type: you're tired, a little winded, pack feels like it weighs a ton, end of a long day, nowhere to brace yourself when something/someone just shows up and it's a great shot, but low light, if you don't shoot NOW you'll lose it.

 

On a trip like yours, I can imagine a LOT of those. The lenses are pretty expensive, but...

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Hi Bryan & Ann!

 

I guided a fellow who went hiking in the Andes for a month, and his goal was to keep it light, since he was up in the mountains. He also took along an N65; but because weight was at a premium he only took along the smaller (62mm filter size) Tamron 28-300 f/3.8-5.6 lens.

 

I told him to go to a good camera store, try out (in his case 3) the store stock with a test roll, get it processed and pick the best of the lot. These lenses are controversial; but if you grade and sort them you'll find a good one.

 

I concur with using a different body than the N65, though, since the last thing you want is dead batteries out in the boondocks. At least with an N90 (or better, N90s or N100) it uses AA batteries, instead of (sometimes hard to procure) lithium batteries. You don't need the battery grip accessory; but I would recommend (for the N90/N90s the MB-26 data recording back, which will imprint the date, time and camera settings in the margin just outside the frame. This will make preserving your memories and syncing them up to your journal MUCH easier.

 

If you also want a lens for indoor, low light situations then grab a Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF-D; or even better, a Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S.

 

Lastly, go to a good camera store and try out lightweight tripods & monopods: Even a monopod will help tremendously when handholding just won't cut the cheese.

 

-----

 

Lastly, there was a bit of FUD above about the film: First off, do NOT pack unexposed or unprocessed film in your checked baggage, as even with a lead shield, the operators simply turn up the power until it's penetrated, destroying your film. Also, x-ray damage is cumulative, so unless they force you to put your film on the hand-carried baggage x-ray belt at gunpoint, request hand inspection. Remember, those lead lined bags are HEAVY!

 

Aluminum foil will indeed absorb *some* x-rays; but not enough to protect film. HOWEVER, it WILL "short-circuit e-beam sanitizing that's now used for anthrax sanitizing. BUT, you have the best idea of all in getting your film developed locally, and then mailing it back in batches.

 

I recommend shooting a mix of E6 color slide, C41 color print, and B&W film; though you might have to "hang on" to the slide film for a few extra days until you reach a place that has more than just a C41 minilab. Also, you can shoot Kodachrome in Australia, since they have a lab there and you buy the film with prepaid processing... These are probably available in New Zealand as well. Kodachrome is by far the best for preservation, since the slides will keep until you're both senior citizens.

 

-----

 

One last tip -- And this one is not camera related: Make SURE you each assign power-of-attorney to separate people, to tend to any matters that unexpectedly crop up. You should use two people you trust, if only for redundancy. My parents travel a lot all over the world; and my mother's sister has one POA, while our family lawyer has the other POA.

 

Have a wonderful trip... And when you get to an Internet cafe, keep us up to date on your adventure of a lifetime!

 

Cheers!

 

Dan Schwartz

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When traveling one must make choices. Film is your first big decision. If you want top quality images, shoot Provia F and take fast lenses. You can push Provia F to 200 ISO and be fine; just remembeer to ask for a one-stop push when you have film processed. If weight is an issue, my sugestion is a 24 mm f/2.8 and an 85 mm f/1.8. Also take a 50 mm f/1.8, a Nikon 5T diopter and perhaps the 6T as well (they turn the 85 into a macro lens), and a circular polarizer. Also take a good flash unit with a cord that will enable you to get the flash unit off the camera.

 

If weight is not an issue, take an 80-200 f/2.8 zoom or a 180 f/2.8 lens. for the longer glass with this film, you will need a tripod.

If color print film is your choice, or you specialize in B&W, shoot 400-speed print film. Then you can consider hand holding a longer lens. Otherwise get a tripod.

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For me, if this was to be a photo trip (ie. photography was an integral part of the itenery) I think I'd grab two FM3a's, 24mm, 35mm and 85mm lenses, a PK11 extension tube and a small bouncable AA powered flashgun.

 

If photography was to be 'ohh the Effiel tower, quick stand there and I'll get it coming out your head' then I'd go with a 24-85mm zoomy and a Mju II for backup.

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unless you are going for a around-the-world-photography-trip, you don't want to have your photo gears take up more than 1/2 of your backpack, plus i bet you will not enjoy the constant changing of lenses for your shoots too. i won't.

 

disclaimer -- i am talking from an amateur photographer point of view, whoes aims is to capture nice and wonderfully composed photographs of memories of the trip; i.e., not some professionals who shoot photos for a living. sorry if i offended anyone here.

 

i think your original suggestion is good - nikon 28-105 lens + 50mm fast lens. maybe you might want to think about N80 for your camera instead. adding a lightweight tripod will be a plus.

 

as for the battery, i don't see there is any issue here. you are traveling to new zealand, se asia, and europe - not to the amazon jungle! - they do have batteries for your nikon camera but just make sure you always have one extra backup battery pack with you.

 

how much to carry is a subjective issue. however, imho and from my travel experiences, do only carry a minimum yet sufficient photography gears to capture your memories and stories of your journey, don't make it your liability/burden to carry so much gears and ending up not enjoy your trip; do your research and get the best quality lens(es) within your budget.

 

i would also consider what type and quatity of film to bring, reputable camera shops to restocking and processing films along your journey. please beware that film processing quality in southeast asia is range from good, ok, bad to horrible! (as i learned my lesson.)

 

have a wonderful journey of your life.

 

-eng

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Thanks a ton for the responses everybody...really appreciated!!

 

Jan Zaborsky - Hey Jan...so 400 USD for 6 weeks in Spain?! How did you manage that? Are there any specific places that you'd recommend we'd visit? Any advice for how to travel so cheap??

 

Rick Gray - Where did you go on your round the world trip? What were your favorite/least favorite places? Glad to hear that it was pretty cheap...we don't want to be broke when we get back! At the same time I don't want to regret not doing something just because of money. 35lbs with all that camera gear huh? You must have packed really well...any tips there?

 

Jack Floyd - I was thinking about the NIKON VR's...possibly the 24-120 but it's gotten some bad reviews...maybe just a first batch thing but I'll wait on getting one of those.

 

Dan Schwartz - I definitely like the idea of having a camera with AA batteries rather then the CR2's that the N65 uses. The MB-26 huh? So where does it stamp the date at? on the negative? I'm hping I can get a 50mm 1.4 at a decent price. We were thinking about just getting a table top tripod but I think I want a really light full size one...seems way more pratical. I'm a little hesitant about getting film developed locally but I can always just give them one roll to see how they do then pass them a bunch more if it looks good. If I use print film I can send the prints home in one package and the negatives in another just to make sure I get one at least one of them...with slides...would I be able to do the same thing? Oh yeah, one last thing...how do I assign a POA? Is that just incase I don't make it back??

 

John Wall - Instead of the 24/50/85 combo with diopters I could replace the 85 with my 105mm 2.8 macro lens. I have an SB-26 flash but would want something smaller. The 80-200 2.8 would be sweet but weight is definitely an issue. The lighter the better.

 

Nige Buddy - I don't know much about the FM3a...it's manual right? I'm still amateur enough to like some auto features...Any recomendations for an auto-focus camera?

 

 

I have some pics loaded onto photo.net if anybody wants to see how amateur I am...that might help with the suggestions for lenses...just click on my name. I haven't been at this very long but I want to make sure i can take the absolute best pictures possible. Photography isn't the primary reason for this trip though...experiencing the different cultures of the world is definitely higher. I don't want to experience it through the lens of a camera and I don't want to be limited by the weight of my backpack. Sometimes I'm tempted to just take a 50mm lens a simple body and nothing else. I don't think I'd do that though...I think I'm leaning towards a 24mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4, 105mm 2.8 macro, lightweigh tripod, N65 as a backup, N90/N100 as a primary body...and a polarizer. I'll look into a small flash as well. What does everybody think of this? Anything I'm forgetting? I should probably practice with some slide film before I go shouldn't I?!

Again...thanks for the help...keep posting your input...I want to hear it all!

-bryan & ann

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If you're heading for F100 body I'd leave the N65 home. But since you allready have F65 and it is lighter, smaller and has a built-in-flash it might have some advantages. 6 pairs of CR2s won't break your back and will keep the camera powered quite long time. I would not recommend taking tripod, imho that is too much to be carried around on trip like this. The idea of one lens + body is indeed good.
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Just wanted to agree with the FM3A suggestions. I spent 6 months travelling through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile in 2002. I took an FM3A and 24mm f2.8, 45mm f2.8 and 105mm f2.5 lenses. I wouldn't change anything - camera and lenses were small, unobtrusive and extremely rugged. Highly recomended.
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Bryan, a FM3a is manual focus. It has an aperture priority auto mode which requires the cameras batteries to function, but can also operate all shutter speeds (lightmeter won't be working) without batteries (some cameras have one mechanical shutter speed that will work when the batteries give up the ghost). With some basic knowledge (sunny 16 rule) you'd can still make exposures. It also does TTL flash with the appropiate flashgun. The batteries it uses are button sized ones and they should last a long time since they only power a small number of things, shutter in auto mode, lightmeter (ie. there's no power wind on / rewind, AF).
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I'd chuck in a Sigma 17-35 f/2.8-4 - bloody good lens and you'll really want those wide angles. I'm going to do similar and I'd strongly recommend a second or better body - if you want to stick with auto, I'd recommend the F80, but get the MB16 battery grip with it too. The F65 isn't particularly tough... When I travel I'm going to go with F100, 17-35, 28-70 and 70-200 Sigma f/2.8's plus a 2x TC - grab yourself some circular polarising filters for all your lenses and a robust but small / light tripod. All fits nicely in a Lowe Pro mini trekker. I'm very jealous! Neil
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Did you write your plans in the travel photography section. Would love to hear the List of areas you are going?

Philippines is cheap and cool. Go to Boracay. Backpackers dream island.... the backpackers discovered it 20 years ago. Now they own the island. Pretty cool. Philippines is nice. Many speak english.

Anyhow... Keep it simple. I shot 65 rolls in Philippines. Only one lens. Especially if you are not shooting for a job. Good luck!

Me...just a Minnesota Girl that loves to travel too!

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Hi Bryan-

 

it's important to set your budget (money wise and bulk/weight wise). I have and n65, f100, and MF equipment. Ever since I started shooting MF, I never bring my f100 (becuase it is expensive and heavy) and bring my n65 as a backup camera and meter (granted my trips haven't been longer than 2 weeks!). I use the f100 when I need fast accurate AF and fast flash sync (weddings or events). If you shoot negative film, shoot 400 speed film, so you can get away with slower lenses. I shoot slide, because I don't expect to make prints of most of my shots and I like looking at positives. Anyways, lens suggestions 24-85mm3.5-4.5, add a 35mmf2/50mm1.8 (35mm is a little more versatile in indoors and adds one more stop in hand holdability). This is all you really need, especially if you only shoot print film. The n65 is fine as long as you don't drop it (which might be hard to do for 1 full year of use) and lots of spare batteries. The fm3a would be nice if you could afford it. I would not forget a table top tripod with ball head. Before I got my leica table top tripod with large ball head I used the bogen table top with 3007 ball head (works very well). I often brought the gitzo 001. it is very sturdy, small, and compact. I just used the table top ballhead (good enough). have fun. don't forget to invest in small neoprene wraps for your camera and spare lens. I tend to bring 1.5 rolls/day, but this would be alot for a full year!have fun darron

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