Backpacking in Tuolumne Meadows

[wild_moments]

<p>I am going on a 10day/9night backpacking trip in Northern Yosemite with my new 5dMark11. Looking for recommendations on what to bring and what not to bring and any tips. Below is what I am definitely planning on bringing. I am trying to really keep the weight down as I am less 90% physically right now:</p>

<p>5Dmark11<br>

16-35L 11 f.2<br>

24 - 105L is f.4<br>

82mm & 77mm warming polarizers<br>

.06 hard Lee GND<br>

.09 hard Lee GND<br>

.09 soft GND Singh-Ray<br>

.06 soft reverse GND</p>

<p>(I hand-hold GNDs)<br>

I also have 3 batterys and I am thinking about buying a 4th<br>

I have a bunch of other filters plus several less expensive Sigma zoom telephoto lenses, a tripod case, camera case, cleaners, microfibers, extra tripod and extra head. No back-up camera at this time.</p>

<p>Looking for general or specific advise on people that have traveled in the backcountry with high $$ equipment for 5 plus days and recommendations/suggestions/cautions,etc.... </p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>Michael</p>

 

[ShunCheung]

<p>Make sure you have sufficient battery supply, assuming that you won't be able to recharge during those 10 days. Therefore, that 4th battery is a good idea especially if you tend to review your images on camera.</p>

<p>How about memory cards? Do you have sufficient card space? Since this is mainly a landscape shoot, I suppose you won't be shooting that many images (compared to wildlife/sports).</p>

<p>Are you bringing a flash?</p>

[lilly_w]

<p >Get your camera-carrying system dialed. I find easy and immediate access to camera while hiking is a 'must'. If I have to drop the pack, open lid, remove camera from camera case, etc. and reverse these steps before moving on, then I'm not stopping very often to get the easy 'grab shots' while hiking. For the more serious and involved compositions the pack is coming off anyway. (Using Nikon D200 or D300) I hang a holster-style case from the pack's sternum strap (shoulder strap of cam case = loose back-up around neck). Don't wait 'til you're on the trail to get this sorted. Hanging a camera from waist is awful...try it yourself to learn just how poor it is with a big pack. The mantra: 'EZ access'.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >All other photo gear is in top of main pack (smaller items in lid) for EZ access. Aside from a dedicated and lightweight camera case, use clothing, etc. for padding 2^nd lens, tripod and other items. Cases are bulky and heavy. No more lenses; too heavy and they won't see much usage. If macro holds interest: Canon 500D close-up diopter (and 82-77mm step-down ring?).</p>

<p > </p>

<p >If needing tripod/head recommendations: I've been very happy with a Gitzo 6X 0530 CF tripod, RRS BH-25 Ultralight Ballhead (w/ clamp and 'L' bracket). Rather than a padded case I opted to pad each top-most leg section w/ light pipe insulation. I keep the ballhead mounted full-time on tripod, protected by a piece of clothing wrapped around it and contained with a small stuff sack. Tripod is EZ access via FastexEx buckles on exterior of pack. Keeping the head mounted reduces fiddling, encourages shooting.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Misc: cable release, sensor cleaning kit, one ND in the 3 to 5-stop range, one warm-pol (get 77-82mm step-up ring), stout zip-locks for rain protection, keep Deet off rubber, use manual focus (conserve battery juice).</p>

[matthew_newton]

<p>I'd personally bring less gear, or at least lighter gear. Last trip I took an OM-1n, 24/2.8, 28/2.5, 50/1.4 and 85/2. Total weight (consider how light all of those little manual focus primes are) was probably half what you are looking at and I still though I could have used shedding a bit more. I also took an uber cheap tripod because it weighed in at less then a pound.<br>

Are you planning on traveling far each day? If so I would deffinitely cut do to say just the 24-105/4 or if you happen to have it say a 20/2.8 and a 50/1.4 or 1.8. With as much gear as you are going to need for 10 days back country camping you are going to have little space or endurance for much in the way of camera gear. I would leave the tripod at home unless you want to go with a really light setup that isn't going to be overly stable (my cheap targus tripod was okay in light winds with any of my lens I took backpacking for exposures from 1/8s to around 7 minutes for a star trail picture...but that is with less then half the weight of what you 5DmkII and a 24-105/4 would be).<br>

Leave the flash at home, just too much weight and too little use. Deffinitely no backup tripod or head, take ONE and take a light one. If it isn't 2lbs or less, leave it at home for something this long.<br>

Unless you go really nuts with taking pictures in 10 days I doubt you'll go through more then a pair of batteries, so take all 3. I realize we are talking film here, but I ran through something like 50-55 exposures in 2 days of backpacking. Even if you triple it you come out to only around 75 a day for 10 days, about 750 exposures for a 10 day trip which at least accorind to Canon is about the limit for 1 battery, let alone the capacity of 3.</p>

[savagesax]

<p>Bring something for tics. There's alot of them in the meadows, the wet and dry tall grassy areas. Nasty little critters! For some reason pouring liquid soap seems to get the tics to let go of their grip allowing you pop them off.</p>

<p>if you can handle the weight, the 70-200 or the 100-400 for the bear sightings. Most of the bear shots I've gotten are always in the woods/shade hiding from people so keep that in the back of your head as far as high ISO ratings.</p>

<p> </p>

[jwallphoto]

<p>Nice to have a little point-n-shoot, like a Panasonic FZ-28, in a small case on the sternum strap if you can't put your real camera there. You definitely don't want to have to get into the whole kit and caboodle every time you want to take a shot.</p>

[craig_gillette]

<p>Remember, you are starting off with the least altitude accommodation when you have the heaviest packs. Don't over do the routes, etc., for the first day or two.</p>

[peter_e]

<p>It depends on how much of a photography trek this will be, who you are with, how far the hiking distance etc? If photography is the primary purpose of this trip for all participants you probably want a point and shoot backup, a tele lens, and a tripod. Maybe you can share lenses. If hiking is the primary purpose and you are with a group of non-photographers who are in better shape than you are, and they set the pace and the distance, you are probably better off with only the point and shoot, or the SLR with a single zoom lens. The first rule for trips like this: keep the weight down without sacrificing on safety.</p>