What setup do you usually bring when traveling

[maurycy]

I was wondering what setup do you guys usually bring on a casual vacation trips?

I am talking about the one-week vacation where you leave your hometown and go to

one of the popular destinations in another country (like Paris or Yellowstone).

Question is not for those going for a photo assignment or one in a lifetime

safari trip :-)

 

I know that most of you would probably want to bring your whole camera closet

with you but being realistic, that's not always possible. My current setup is

not big (two zooms, one macro lens) but next time I go somewhere I think I will

pack my DSLR and Sigma 17-70mm only. I might pack my other zoom 70-300mm, but if

I am out with a small backpack, I will most likely leave it in the hotel.

Another option would be a superzoom but I am still young and can use my legs to

zoom in and out while my pictures have better quality than superzoom can offer.

 

Thanks.

[doug grosjean]

Bear in mind my trips tend to be in a Jeep or on a motorcycle, can be hard on passengers and gear. So I don't really want anything that's too fragile or fancy.

 

35mm Widelux swing-lens panoramic camera, which does this:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard-uploads/00Nyp4-40918384.jpg

 

Medium format Rolleiflex or Rolleicord, with some close-up lenses, panoramic adapter, cable release. Square 6cm x 6cm format.

 

Carried the above, and a bit more, into and out of the Grand Canyon and some other hikes this past summer. Not all the way, about 1.5 miles (1200' drop) and then out, in 100F sunny weather.

 

Then:

 

Tripod. Big one if in a car, maybe a smaller one if on the motorcycle.

 

Me: Weather-resistant 35mm Olympus Stylus in a little fanny pack. Great to hand to strangers to take a pic of all 3 of us, or to grab pics in rain / snow.

 

Son & girlfriend: Point-n-shoot digital on each of them.

[SCL]

If it's not a hiking or backpacking trip trip: 1) if I'm taking my film camera/s one body, one 35mm lens, a 50mm lens and one 90mm lens, a folding tripod. That's it. 2) If digital, one body, a battery recharger, a flashdisk, a 20mm lens, a 50mm lens, a 90-100 mm lens, a folding tripod. I like to travel light. Did it for a 9 month trip to Europe many years ago and found I rarely needed more.

[nate_kinnee]

My basic travel kit is the Canon 10-22, Canon 24-105, and (optionally) the Canon 50 f/1.4 (on a 30D).

 

I carried the Canon 70-200 f/4L around Europe for two weeks, and found that I did not use it enough to justify the weight.

[keith_leonin]

<i>popular destinations in another country (like Paris or Yellowstone) = Maurycy</i>

<p><p>

Well, what I bring to Paris will be very different than what I bring to Yellowstone.

<p><p>

In any case, for a typical big city trip, I ALWAYS bring 1 or 2 RF bodies, 3 or 4 lenses, plus lots of B&W film, and a digital P&S. That sounds like a lot, but remember that RF bodies and lenses are relatively small, compared to DSLR bodies and lenses.

<p><p>

My big decision point with each trip is whether or not, in addition to the above, to bring my Nikon D200 and 2-3 lenses (12-24mm and 24-85mm, and sometimes, an 85/1.4).

[keith_leonin]

BTW, gear obviously depends on what and how one shoots, but if you look through my Mexico, Paris, London and Spain galleries, I shot those with my RF rig and a digital P&S. I left the DSLR at home.

 

http://klix.smugmug.com

[charles_stobbs3]

One small camera (Retina, Konica C35, Oly Pen D) and lots of transparency film (Kodachrome, Elite Chrome).

[denise_d]

Most of my trips tend to be international business trips with free time at the weekend for sightseeing and photography. My gear has to be able to fit in a backpack carry-on along with laptop and IT gear required for my job. Lately, I've been taking a Nikon D40x body and 18-70mm DX lens or an Oly E-500 body and 14-54mm lens. So, one lens, one small DSLR body and I zoom with my feet (I get to see more of the world this way...).

[brucecahn]

An Ebony SW45 with 55,90 and 135mm lenses, a box of film and a dozen holders. Also a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod, cable release and a roll of black duct tape for converting almost any room into a changing bag at night.

[matthew_newton]

For general trips, such as business where I will have some spare time, or non-wildlife related trips I bring my

Olympus OM-1n, vivitar 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5, vivitar series 1 70-210mm f/3.5, zuiko 50mm f/1.4 and sigma 24mm f/2.8 along with film, a few filters and a shutter release cable all packed into my lowepro Nova 2 AW which is in turn tucked into a backpack when not actively taking photos.

 

For something that involves wildlife...pretty much the same kit, though I would leave out the 50mm f/1.4 and bring along my vivitar 300mm f/5.6 (that I just got).

 

Of course if it was a once in a life time trip or heck even just a really expensive trip I might try to get a nicer lens or two that would be more suited for the trip, like maybe a better/faster telephoto for a wildlife trip or a faster wide angle for a European trip like a 28mm f/2 or 24mm f/2.5 or f/2 if it demanded wide angle like the grand canyon I would probably try to get a wider angle prime like a 17mm f/3.5, 20mm f/3.8 or 19-35mm zoom.

[mariosforsos]

I always subscribed to the idea that photographing while travelling - especially on small

one-week trips - was to be able to capture as much as possible without turning that trip

into a photo expedition. Sure, travelling to China for a month would require a lot more

gear than a week in Paris and the environs.

 

Anyway, to cut a long story short, for short trips, up to two weeks, to places that combine

both outdoors and city life, I bring my D200 with a 20-75 f2.8 always mounted on, a 70-

300 f4 for those awkward times when i wanna reach out and "capture" someone. And if

I'm not carrying tons of other stuff on my shoulder bag (like guides, water, rain poncho,

etc), I throw in my trust 18-135 just for those landscape shots when I cannot decide on

the framing.

 

A light Manfrotto tripod (originally made for camcorders) gets strapped to the bottom of

the bag and follows me around. Not the sturdiest of supports, but it works.

[william_bean]

Depends on the nature of the trip. I travel a few times a year sometimes for photography and sometimes to accompany my wife who is traveling on business. For the photo trips I take a 40D with: 17-40L, 28-135IS, 100macro, and 100-400IS. I have a smallish Manfrotto with a small ballhead and a larger Manfrotto with a larger ballhead with the length of the trip (big suitcase or small suitcase) determining which one I take. On photo related trips I don't ever want to say "...I wish I had my (fill in the blank)."

 

If I'm traveling with my wife I may take the 40D with the 28-135 and no tripod but usually I take a G9. I'm not sure why but the wife gets a bit cranky if I spend too much time shooting when I'm traveling with her.

[User_3804048]

I generally go to Acadia and the Maine coast for a week or so every year. I have taken an F3 with a 35-105 zoom, or a D200 with the same zoom, or a D200 with a fixed 50mm or a Rollei 35. It may be more fun with the Rollei or a single prime on the SLR. Sure, there are some shots that you can't get with such a simple setup, but there are still an infinite number of shots that you can get, and it's both fun and educational to find some of them.

[znabal]

I take a 5D w/16-35II/24-70/70-200 2.8Ls in a Lowepro Mini Trekker AW backpack. The only decision point is tripod or not, and which one. If the trip is by car, a tripod will always be squeezed in whether I end up using it or not. I do think that each person's idea of "casual vacation" may vary wildly though. i.e. Paris would probably be considered a once in a lifetime thing for many from the U.S. (how many "Which Film/Lens for Europe?" threads are there anyway :) -jeffl

[maurycy]

Thanks to all of you for sharing. From all the responses, I see that superzooms are not that popular. Most of you either carry two or more lenses including multiple primes.

 

We'll see if my one zoom approach is going to work out on my next trip (this or next month). Hopefully, I am not going to say what William Bean tries to avoid: "I wish I had my...." :-)

[roseberry guitars]

Like a number have said, it depends on the nature of the trip. But on my last trip to Europe (Scotland) I went "Classic" and took my Zeiss Ikon Contina 35mm fixed lens rangefinder for everyday shooting, a Zeiss Ikon Nettar 6X9 for B/W and my Minolta Autocord for color. It was one too many cameras for the way I usually like to go...light, but worked well none the less.

 

Most often though, I take a film SLR, 24mm, 58mm and 100mm lenses, along with my Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 6X6 for MF. Now that I have slipped into digital I'll most likely take my DSLR and assorted stuff to keep it running (batteries etc.), a 16-45mm, a fast standard prime for low light and throw in my trusty Ikonta folder for those big B/W negs.

[RaymondC]

I do overseas vacation trips. Thou I am serious with dusk and dawn I still take v few stuff.

 

 

One dSLR body, 2 lens like a 18-200 and a 10-20, no flash, no laptop, no portable hdd, maybe no charger and take extra batteries, no camera bag since I just use my daypack - my only bag via my travels.. I take a compact 40cm folded tripod carbon fiber and a ballhead for low light and other times I just use image stabiliser.

 

Apart from photog, the stuff I bring is that one daypack, one top, one trousers and 3x socks, underwear and t-shirt, no spare footwear. I take a Goretex Paclite jacket and if mild weather I take a thermals set. If its colder, I wear one and take one set. I switch paclite for a full goretex shell and a fleece jacket, gloves and a wolly hat. Toiletries are poured into plastic containers (100ml) which tends to be half full. Liquid soap, shampoo, no conditioner, a 50ml of deodorant bottle, antiseptic and small first aid, shaving cream the one from a non-can so they can be allowed on the flight (some airlines prohibit). Because of the razor blade they still have to into checked luggage. No sleeping bag since places have bedding.

 

So all in all, with photog and all my stuff, my backpack is just a daypack and it weighs about 6-7kg or 12-14 lbs.

[RaymondC]

My goal is that when you check out of accom, you can hold on all your stuff while you walk around and go into places to eat .. and you don't need to waste time going back to pay for locker and get your stuff and re-head out again. Less stuff is also better for travelling. If its raining you can run a bit, practice that foreign lingo. Hold a map and a compass and navigate to your accom. Use public transport and really learn a lot from that place.

[r22eng]

The photo equipment you bring depends on what else you need to carry for the trip. For a 10 day trip through Asia, I took an Olympus Stylus Epic 35mm 2.8 and a Yashica T4 35 f3.5. The P&S combination was lighter than the two Nikion FMs with 35, 50 & 105 kit.

 

The Olympus had ISO 400 Fujicolor film for general shooting. The Yashica was loaded with Fuji ISO 100 film or slide film for more considered landscapes and scenics.

 

It was a fun exercise to just compose with the 35mm focal length for 10 days. Carried both cameras with me the whole time. Was able to move about (with a folding tripod) without a problem. Watched others climbing up the Great Wall and other sights with their SLRs and equipment bag and thought that could've been me.

[phil_marion]

In the last 2 years I was in Petra, Prague, San fran, Paris, Yemen, Amsterdam and India. In all cases I packed a Canon 30D, 24-70 L, 10-22 and 70-200 IS L lense in a Tamron Velocity backpack. Left the laptop in the hotel. Didn't stay in the same hotel for more than 4 days so I didn't pack my Benbo tripod as I was in transit a fair bit.

[caterina_lenards]

bring all the things that you can carry that would not spoil your travel.... keep in mind that anything you pack, you will carry. transports like busses, taxis, trains, will not usually help you with your bags. It can be a long journey with lots of gear, and it can put you at risk for losing things, for being robbed and for being so tired...

[fredrik_steffen]

Nikon D50 + 28mm 1.8 + 70-300mm 4-5,6 + charger + SD cards.

 

Grand total of weight = 540g + 500g + 435g + ~100g = 1.5kg = 3,3lbs. Will also add a 50mm and a portable harddrive in the near future, so that'll probably make another 300g (0.6lbs) or so.

[aaron l]

D200, 18-70 lens, charger, 24GB in CF cards, lens paper. That's my standard travel kit.