Trip to Japan, too much gear?

[joshuat syd, aus]

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>I'm very shortly heading off to Japan and after packing my camera bag I feel like I may have too much gear.<br>

I intended on travelling light but this is seeming more and more unlikely. So far we have...</p>

<p> </p>

<ul>

<li>Canon 400D (XTi) body</li>

<li>Canon 10-22mm USM (+ lens hood)</li>

<li>Canon 17-85mm IS USM (+ lens hood)</li>

<li>Canon 50mm f1.8 II (+ lens hood)</li>

<li>Canon 70-200mm f4 IS USM (+ lens hood)</li>

<li>2 batteries</li>

<li>Mini travel tripod</li>

<li>Remote trigger</li>

<li>CamPod bean bag</li>

<li>All standard accessories (charger, adapter, card reader, laptop, external HDD, etc.)</li>

</ul>

<br />

The weight isn't an issue as much as it is a space thing.

<br />

Is there anything that you guys would leave behind?

<br />

Are lens hoods essential? Do you guys notice a huge difference with/without? I've always just used them and never really tested with/without.

<br />

Also take into consideration that I am travelling with 3 other people all using P&S that cover an equivalent range of (FF) 28-135 and I am keen to capture something different that they will not.

 

[matthijs]

<p>I'd go the other way around.</p>

<p>What do you really want to bring?</p>

<p>My order would be (and yours will certainly be different):</p>

<p>1. 400D body plus standard accessories (charger, memory cards) (Maybe you guys can share laptops, cardreaders and external HDD backup facility so you can leave some of those behind.)<br>

2. 50/1.8 (shallow DoF / Low Light)<br>

3. 70-200 (reach)<br>

4. 17-85 (to shoot the shots that they do, only better)<br>

5. CamPod beanbag (long exposures)<br>

6. Remote trigger (hands free / slow shutterspeeds)<br>

7. 10-22 (true wide angle)<br>

8. Mini travel tripod (more options than a beanbag)<br>

9. All the extra equipment that your friends take and I suggested to share at number 1.<br>

10. Lens hoods (unless your shots are habitually washed out you might not need those.)</p>

<p>Just keep adding stuff from the list to your luggage until you think it's close to too much.</p>

<p>I hope this thinking helps, even if my order of the list does not.</p>

<p>Matthijs.</p>

[rainer_t]

<p>How long will you stay there? ... Eventually just bring enough flash cards and let the laptop and external HDs at home.</p>

<p>From your equipment, my minipack would be:<br>

- 400D (incl. charger + enough memory cards. + batteries) <br>

- 17-85(with hood)<br>

- 10-22(without hood)<br>

- minitripod<br>

- 50/1.8<br>

skip items at the end of the list to minimise even more.</p>

[ken schwarz]

<p>I'm a big fan of traveling light. You could take wonderful pictures with the body and 17-85 alone, and never bog down with lens changes. In order of priority, I would add the 10-22 (with hood) and then the 70-200 (with hood). The 50 is small and light, so why not throw that in? Japan is a very safe country, so you don't need to worry about thieves swiping your gear. Be aware that most of urban Japan is a big visual jumble and very challenging to photograph with a mid-range zoom. You will be glad to have the 10-22 for strong wide-perspective and the 70-200 for selective framing. The 50 is good for shallow DoF selective focus. I would be tempted to leave the mid-range zoom at home, especially if your companions will cover that range. But once you get out of Tokyo and hit the usual tourist destinations, it will be most useful. I think you can safely omit the remote trigger, and choose either the beanbag or the mini tripod but you probably don't need both.</p>

[yakim_peled1]

<p>

<p>I'd leave the 17-85 at home and take everything else, lens hoods included.</p>

<p>Happy shooting,<br>

Yakim.</p>

</p>

[luca_stramare2]

<p>Back in 1997 I spent a month in Japan with a N90x, the 35-70 2.8 and an SB-27. But I am a fan of "normal" perspective and for me that range was enough.<br>

I would leave either the minipod or the bean bag at home. The remote trigger also is not necessary (I always managed with the self exposure timer). As far as lenses are considered, I leave to your preferences, I don't know what lenses you use/like most. I rarely go below 28 and above 100 mm, hence I am no help.<br>

Just keep in mind that in Japan you will use public transportation a lot, I used almost only trains, taxis and buses, and carrying tons of gear on your shoulders for a whole day is not a nice experience.</p>

[yakim_peled1]

<p>

<p>Forgot to add. As weight and space are important in trips, consider buying the 55-250 IS as your tele, instead of the much heavier 70-200/4 IS.</p>

<p>Happy shooting,<br>

Yakim.</p>

</p>

[david_wu6]

<p>I was there a few months ago, brought only 5D + 24-105 kit with a backup DLux-3 (for flash shots too) and didn't feel the need of shorter or longer reach. Ofcause, it all depends on what one's interests are.</p>

[tim gray]

<p>If you have to ask, yes. Haha.</p>

<p>I did a two week trip to China once and took a 300D, 100/2.8 macro, 50/1.4, and a 28-135 zoom. Way too much to lug around everyday for me.</p>

<p>I recently took a trip to Paris and took two small rangefinders and a couple lenses (I often left one of the cameras in the room). A much smaller package and made for a much more enjoyable trip.</p>

<p>Take the 17-85. If you want a second lens, take the 10-22.</p>

[sofie_dittmann]

<p>I concur w/ David W. Do you really want to haul all of that around whereever you're going?</p>

[madza_zulu]

<p>If I were you I'll bring these:</p>

<ul>

<li>Canon 400D (XTi) body</li>

<li>Canon 10-22mm USM (+ lens hood)</li>

<li>Canon 17-85mm IS USM (+ lens hood)</li>

<li>2 batteries</li>

<li>Mini travel tripod</li>

<li>All standard accessories (charger, adapter)</li>

</ul>

<p>I won't be bringing these, instead I'll get more CF cards, it's cheap these days.<br>

card reader, <a href="00SGL1" target="_blank" >laptop</a> , external HDD, etc.</p>

[andreasb]

<p>Have you considered picking up a Tamron 18-270mm and leaving the rest at home? I have a Sigma 18-200mm IS lens that I use for hiking and situations where I cannot haul a lot of stuff along. The real world results might surprise you. Mine have been pretty good so far. Also there are some great little portable devices for under $100 that you can download your photos onto so you can leave the laptop, etc... at home also.<br>

Have a great trip!</p>

[andreasb]

<p>Have you considered picking up a Tamron 18-270mm and leaving the rest at home? I have a Sigma 18-200mm IS lens that I use for hiking and situations where I cannot haul a lot of stuff along. The real world results might surprise you. Mine have been pretty good so far. Also there are some great little portable devices for under $100 that you can download your photos onto so you can leave the laptop, etc... at home also.<br>

Have a great trip!</p>

[lmwalker]

<p>For me the problem isn't getting there with everything, I have a backpack that efficiently carries my notebook, 2 bodies, 4 or 5 lenses plus external HD, batteries, cards, etc. It won't fit in the overhead on regional jets, but it is fine on most other planes. The problem for me is I hate to carry a lot of equipment after I get there and am out doing the tourist thing, so I usually find that I leave most of what I brought at the hotel and never use it.</p>

<p>Tripods are always nice to have along just in case, but 99% of the time I can find something else to perch the camera on in a crunch. And with IS lenses and high ISO cabability, I find I rarely end up using one when I bring it along.</p>

<p>Telephoto lenses are also something I find I rarely use on trips, unless there is a specific activity planned such as safari or whale watching. If you like to sneak people shots from a distance then a telephoto can be useful, but otherwise, and if you don't have any specific activities planned, are you sure you need the telephoto? I carried a tripod and telephoto (same 70-200 you have) all over Europe last fall, and the only time I used either one was shooting some nightshots of ruins from the hotel balcony, that I could have gotten without the tripod and using my 24-105. But I hadn't used either of them during the entire trip, so I broke them out and took a few shots to feel better about lugging them around for two weeks.</p>

<p>I always take my notebook computer because I like to see and work on my photos during the trip, and I also need to be able to log into my office in the event of some work emergency. But, if you are only bringing the notebook for storage, there are better alternatives such as standalone HDs with built in card readers.</p>

<p>I would seriously consider bringing only the following it were me:</p>

<li>Canon 400D (XTi) body </li>

<li>Canon 17-85mm IS USM (+ lens hood) </li>

<li>Canon 50mm f1.8 II (+ lens hood) </li>

<li>2 batteries </li>

<li>Remote trigger </li>

<li>All standard accessories (charger, adapter, card reader, laptop, external HDD, etc.)</li>

<p>The 17-85 on the XTi is comparable to the 24-105 on my 5D and that is the lens I use 90% + of the time. 50mm is small and light and comes in very handy in low light. Remote trigger also is small and light and useful without tripod if you prop the camera on something as a makeshift tripod. 10-22 can be very useful depending on what and how you shoot. An alternative is to substitute panoramic stitching in PP in place of carrying a wide angle. It is a personal choice though. I usually throw mine in the backpack and then leave it at the hotel after I get there. I guess it gives me the peace of mind of knowing I can go back to the hotel if I find something I just have to shoot with it, but that has never actually happened.</p>

[joshuat syd, aus]

<p>Thanks for the input so far guys. After reading the suggestions and some serious considerations here is where my head is going...</p>

 

<ul>

<li>Buying another lens is beyond me at the moment unless I find a nice used specimen in Tokyo for a great price. (Super zooms, read 10x+, also seem to make me very lazy)</li>

<li>Laptop is definitely coming (checking work e-mails, booking the next night's accommodation, etc... storage and reviewing pics purely a bonus) but aside from the flights will reside in my luggage. It will also be shared by all 4 of us so no kdoubling up there.</li>

<li>The bean bags will also give some protection to my gear in the bag and I've got the perfect little nook for the <a href="http://cam-pod.com.au/">mini-tripod</a> so I have decided they will stay.</li>

</ul>

After packing and repacking many times I feel I need to leave <b>ONE (1)</b> lens at home. I am leaning towards the 17-85 IS USM. It was the first lens I had, most of my photos have been taken with it, the other 3 cameras will cover very similar ranges and since I got my hands on the other 3 lenses I have been addicted to my photography again, chasing completely different photos.

<br />

Now I'd like to hear from you which lens I should leave and your strongest reasons why?

 

[yakim_peled1]

<p>Leave the 17-85 at home. Reasons:<br>

1. Its IQ is the worst.<br>

2. Its FL is covered by other lenses.</p>

<p>Happy shooting,<br>

Yakim.</p>

[rainer_t]

<p>Don't leave the 17-85 at home ... Reason:<br /> you will hate it to swap lenses that often.</p>

<p>Leave the 70-200 at home instead.</p>

[luca_stramare2]

<p>I would leave the 70-200 at home. Big, heavy and cumbersome to carry around and use in a crowded town. With digital you can always shoot at the maximum resolution and crop a little after. While it is true that all the others cover the same foca lenght with their cameras, if I were you I would like to take the pictures of the places I see the way I like.</p>

[lmwalker]

<p>I second both Luca and Rainer.</p>

[matthijs]

<p>The 70-200/4 IS is not the beast that the 2.8 is. After the 50/1.8 that's the first lens I'd bring.</p>

<p>You clearly stated that you wanted to capture shots that the other camera's couldn't.<br>

That would mean a true wide angle (10-22) and a lowlight (50/1.8) lens.</p>

<p>But... it's your decision.</p>

<p>(-:</p>

<p>Note: with a little footzoom or cropping the gaps between 22 and 50 and 50 and 70 are managable.</p>

 

[paul_dymond2]

<p>Hi there Joshua,<br>

just to give you a bit of background, I'm a pro travel shooter who spends a lot of time in Japan. In fact I'm headed up there next week for 3 weeks. My wife's Japanese and I shoot a lot of stock up there.<br>

If you intend to shoot any nature stuff at all then I would recommend you take the 70-200mm. Not because it's hard to get close to pretty flowers and such, but because you usually find it all in the middle of an urban sprawl.<br>

Using a wide-angle or even short telephoto gives you such a wide angle of view that you can't help but get bits of concrete, fencing and other nasty stuff in. The longer telephoto really gives you that narrow angle of view to enable you to just focus on the nature and the background of your choice.<br>

Living here in Australia I always used a wide-angle for my nature stuff and never thought twice about it but found it didn't really work in Japan unless I was in the middle of Hokkaido somewhere, and even then it often took a lot of fancy framing to avoid the power lines!</p>

<p>I've posted an example of what the cherry blossoms look like with a wide lens, and then the telephoto here:<br>

http://pauldymond.blogspot.com/2008/04/messy-nature.html<br>

I would leave the 17-85 at home. It's pretty much covered by the other lenses and the extreme wide-angle can give you some really unusual views that will separate your images from the P&S ones.<br>

Have a great time. I hear it's pretty cold there at the moment.<br>

Paul Dymond</p>

[joshuat syd, aus]

<p>For anyone interested, I've been in Japan now for almost a week and after reading and heeding everyone's advice I repacked AGAIN and managed to squeeze it all in.</p>

<p>Now my updates and thoughts...<br>

 

<ul>

<li>Glad I brought every lens because I have managed to use them all a lot! (decided to start each day with a different lens and have some very different, for me, very good photos)</li>

<li>At the end of a massive day walking and carrying everything (even minus the laptop) it does get very heavy. </li>

<li>In hindsight if I had to leave a lens behind it would have been...<br /> 1. 10-22mm, once we left the in your face, over crowded Tokyo I haven't used it nearly as much<br /> 2. 17-85 IS USM, covered by the other ranges and though I have used it quite a bit I could have done without it.</li>

<li>I have thoroughly enjoyed using the 70-200 f4 IS USM. It was very long in Tokyo for people pics, but almost every image was spectacular with it.</li>

<li>If you haven't been to Japan you simply must go... Get out of the cities and off the beaten track (we've done Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima*, Mt Fuji** so far). The people are so kind, helpful and beautiful. The culture shock is simply spectacular.</li>

</ul>

Finally, I'm going to have to get a membership and post all of my favourite photos when I get home. Let me know what you think and if you have any questions.

* A must see and must do, Peace Park and Miyojima are moving and photographic

** Didn't actually get to see Mt Fuji but the mountainous area was fantastic never the less.

<br />

PS. Also hoping to raid the big 2nd hand camera stores in Tokyo just before I leave hoping for a pristine bargain.

</p>

[yakim_peled1]

<p>

<p>I'm glad to hear your trip was enjoyable and satisfactory.</p>

<p>Happy shooting,<br>

Yakim.</p>

</p>