Going to China, Japan, Korea-What to Bring

[bill_deegan2]

<p>Hi Everyone,<br>

As the subject says. I'll be traveling for 3 weeks. This is what I have:<br>

D90, D70<br>

SB-800<br>

18-70<br>

35 1.8<br>

50 1.8<br>

85 1.8<br>

70-300 VR<br>

This is what I think I should bring, all except D70, 70-300 VR, 50 1.8. In addition, should bring monopod, portable HD, laptop, several 4GB cards. Your comments are really apprecitive. Thanks in advance. <br>

Bill</p>

[robert_hooper1]

<p>I recommend an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lenmar-AC5-World-Travel-Adapter/dp/B00013BL18/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1268678142&sr=8-3">adapter plug set</a> to include adapters for the <a href="http://international-electrical-supplies.com/electricguide.html">countries you are visiting</a>. Shun Cheung once offered a great idea of bringing a standard multi-outlet extension cord while traveling to plug into the adapter. I have since used this handy trick many times. This offers several standard, (your standard), outlets to plug your accessories into, assuming they will all operate on the countries' voltage. Nikon battery chargers, my Apple Macbook charger, and Epson P-2000 Multimedia Photo Viewer will adapt automatically to the electrical voltage of most countries.</p>

[oskar_ojala]

<p>Sounds good. These countries are fairly southern, so it will get dark early in the evening and it will get dark quickly, so evening photography is best done with a fast lens and/or tripod. The 70-300 is the least useful, so most likely a good move to leave it out. hoods might be useful, bad filters on lenses counter productive.</p>

[ArthurRichardson]

<p>I would definately bring the 70-300! It's not too heavy, gives good results, and is very versatile IMHO.<br>

<br />Skip the laptop if you want to save weight, that's what I would do.<br>

<br />Furthermore Robert has some good suggestions. Take your cleaning stuff along and make sure that you have acces to places that can take out the humidity out of your gear.</p>

[ArthurRichardson]

<p>I got a little overexited, sorry!</p>

[dan_south]

<p>- Don't forget your battery charger.</p>

<p>- Lens cleaning cloth.</p>

<p>- Circular polarizer for your most frequently used lens (18-70).</p>

<p>- I'm not sure if I'd take a laptop. Maybe a portable backup storage device would be better, i.e. some sort or portable hard drive that can transfer files from your cards.</p>

 

[RaymondC]

<p>Tell us what you shoot and how you travel?</p>

<p>There is a huge differene if you are backpacking in a hostel vs a hotel tour guide package with door to door transportation included from the moment you land. </p>

[RaymondC]

<p>SB-800 might be massive, just look at the dang thing. On your neck the whole day. </p>

[bill_deegan2]

<p>Robert-Good ideas, thank you<br>

Oskar-Great minds think alike, thank you. All lens have hoods.<br>

Arthur-I'll give the 70-300 a second look, I really do like this lens though, thanks.<br>

Dan-Battery charger and maybe some lithiums<br>

Ray-Good points. Travel wil be for business. Door to door service provided by others. Staying in more upscale hotels. Figure a week per country. My gear is flexible so I shoot all in day & night. Any thoughts on backpacks. I have lowepro 200AW. Actually SB-800 isn't all that bad. What about on camera flash? Good enough. Thank you.</p>

[robert_hooper1]

<p>If you aren't taking your laptop, or even if you are, I recommend the Epson Multimedia Photo Viewers. Store and view your images and video, watch movies, listen to music, and more. You can even create albums and slide shows. Right now the <a href="http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&infoType=Overview&oid=63061067&category=Products">P-3000</a>, (40GB), is on sale, but the P-6000 & 7000 have more capacity if you need it. The viewing screens on these units are absolutely astonishing.</p>

[bill_deegan2]

<p>Robert-Thanks for your time with my question. I was thinking laptop. I have 2, one for business, 1 pleasure. Business one is coming for email etc as this is a business trip first, pleasure trip secondary.<br>

I'd love an Epson Viewer. Present budget doesn't allow it.</p>

[Rene11664880918]

<p>Don't forget your airplane tickets and passport! :) And cash!!!! Lot of it! :)<br>

Enjoy it!</p>

[photo5]

<p>I would bring the 70-300 VR for sure, even if you don't think you'll use it much. SB-800 I'd go without. Also, it might not be a bad idea to pack the D70 as a backup body in case something happens to the D90. I had a friend who traveled through China 20 years ago with a Bronica GS-1, which is a massive 6x7cm medium format camera. Your kit is micro-sized compared to his, not to mention you don't have to pack all the rolls of 220 black and white film he did.</p>

[bmm]

<p>I'm frequently in your position of travelling to great places for business and having a few hours to go around and shoot between meetings or in the evening.</p>

<p>If it was me I'd take the D90 and the 3 primes. You have great low light ability across a useful focal length range with those 3. (Indeed my most common kit for similar overseas travels is just my D80 with my 35/2 and 85/1.4 and thats it).</p>

<p>No flash, no zooms, no second body. Micro-tripod (my fave is the Gorillapod Focus) at best if any support at all.</p>

<p>Enough cards to cover you (for me roughly I need about 10G per week when travelling) and a USB card reader to back up to your business laptop ... why take 2 PCs instead of just transferring them over when you get home.</p>

<p>And if the main reason for your travel is business this is a light, easy and enjoyable kit to go wandering around with in the evenings or on weekends. Basically you are in a situation where you will not have heaps of time for exploring, and where you will want to relax and enjoy, potentially after long days at work. So don't treat this like a primarily photographic trip. Keep it light, fun, and agile.</p>

<p>Be prepared for the smog/haze by the way... the air pollution in that part of the world can get crazy!</p>

[tony_cooper5]

<p>Agree with the D90 and primes, you will likely be in close everywhere you go.<br>

35 for interiors and street, 50 as a sort tele and 85 for the reach.</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>Two laptops seems a bit of an overkill - can't your business laptop serve for photo backup to an external hard drive and photo viewing as well?<br>

I'd take both cameras, the 18-70, 70-300, and the 35/1.8.</p>

[bill_deegan2]

<p>Rene- Yes. good idea. I should have some "play" time while working. Thank you for responding<br />David Lee-I know, the 70-300 is still tempting me. This one maybe a last minute decision. I have thought about a back up. May have to go with D90 and cross my fingers. Thank you for responding, much appreciated.<br />BM Mills-Great thoughts. really appreciate it. Yes, traveling light is attractive. I do enjoy using those little primes. Need PC for business email. Yes, I do have to work some, darn. Thank for your time in responding.<br />Tony-We are thinking alike, much appreciate your responding.<br />Dieter-Interesting perspective. Yes, I was thinking of laptop HD as primary and backing up to WD 500GB portable HD as secondary. My need to reconsider 2nd body. Would be miserable if D90 went down. Thanks for your thinking and responding.<br />All you guys have been fantastic. Taking time out of your life to answer my question. Much appreciated.</p>

<p> </p>

[Jerry_]

<p>To save some weight, you might look at the AF-S 55-200mm DX <strong>VR</strong> Nikkor lens. It uses 52mm filters, just like your 35mm and 50mm lenses. Add a close-up filter and you have a sort-of-macro zoom lens.</p>

<p>The monopod? Some places in Japan (the Golden Temple, for one) won't let you use a tripod (or monopod) according to the nice guard that watches over the visitors. You may grind your teeth some, too, as a few interesting places have a sign inside that hints at 'No Photography Allowed' after you have bought a entry ticket.</p>

<p>Having spent Oct. 1987 to Jan. 1993, in Japan, you won't have enough time to see a lot of the country. The trains are very good, and the Japanese are friendly if you <em>are polite</em> .</p>

<p> </p>

[sasvata__shash__chatterjee]

<p>Bill, I have traveled several times to China, mostly with the D70, once with the D300. I'd recommend taking the D90 with you. I have taken the 18-70 once with the D70, it is a good lens, but there were many times during dusk I wished I had a faster lens or lower-noise/higher-ISO. For daylight, the 18-70 will be just fine. I'd carry the 35mm for lower-light situations, leave the 50mm at home, but take the 85mm for people photography. If you get to rural areas where you can do some landscape photography where you can compress the scene with a telephoto, the longer end of the 70-300mm will be handy. </p>

[RaymondC]

<p>Definitely a 55-200mm DX is an option for the OP. With the tripod monopod thing, I am extreme, I photog mainly in low light so I take one, I got a $$ Gitzo 5 or 6 section folds down to 35cm, even with daypacks they fit side ways, horizontal (!), so they are space efficient too. </p>

<p>Japan yes, 1st visit was advised so I didn't take one, I had no tripod back then either. Think it was advice from Jerry :) My 2nd trip last year, I totally forgot about it, I was told off by the security guy. There were signs up showing tripods and monopods are not allowed. </p>

<p>But for travel, I find that you need to find a vantage point that is safe with pedestrians before you can pop it up. Don't pop it up expecting people to accomodate you. In daytime, at home I do but on travel I don't bother, handhold is pretty good, esp when you have digital's high ISO and your primes. Yes, there are places that say no photography esp indoors at temples, some galleries, museums etc .. of course the locals do and other foreigners, but I don't flout the rule.</p>

<p>SB400 maybe better if you use the flash for portraits. I found that a prime lens is better, light travels further too.</p>

[vasudevan_navneeth]

<p>As somebody said don’t forget the tickets. Personally have used SLR's and am now hooked to the Rangefiners (FED and Zorki).Given up on my SLR's. Amazed by the simplicity of these camers and the quality of pics they still can produce. Dont end up carrying tonnes of equipment & also keep looking out for them. <br>

Guess the manufactures have forced people to constantly uptrade and uptrade...an endless ego satisfying game .</p>

<p > </p>

 

[pc_sh]

<p>These 3 countries are generally very safe. Take as much as you feel comfortable carrying. If you stay in good quality business hotels, you shouldn't worry about leaving stuff in the room when you go out, so you don't have to carry the stuff all the time.<br>

Don't forget a polarizing filter to use on one of your faster lenses, perhaps the 35mm. You'll probably spend a lot of time on the road, and see a lot of interesting sights you won't be able to get back to later. The filter will come in handy if you want to take pictures through the windows of the car/bus.</p>

[leonard_van_der_zwan]

<p>Extra charged batteries for your camera and flash.<br>

If you travel to places at high altitude haze/uv filter may be useful too.<br>

To travel light: One camera body instead of two if you travel most of the time through cities were repair and replacement for your camerabody are available may be an option.</p>

 

[bill_deegan2]

<p>Jerry-Thank you for your insight and time.<br>

Sasvata-Was thinking about leaving the 50mm at home. Still a toss up on the 70-300 though. Thankd for your time.<br>

Ray-Agreed. Primes will be going with me. Maybe leave the monopod at home. Thanks for your time.<br>

Vasudevan- Yes, lighter is better. Maybe take just the 2 primes and that's it. Thank you for responding to my question.<br>

Peter-Filter sounds good. takes up no space etc. Thank you for responding.<br>

Leonard-Good idea's on the batteries. Just ordered voltage adapters etc. Torn on bring the SB-800 though. Not convinced on board flash will be good enough for fill in bright light. Thanks for your time.</p>

[igor_smirnoff]

<p>JAPAN<br>

In Japan, I shoot mostly with primes. But it all depends on your style, how you photograph, etc. Japan is great for people photography, as far as I am concerned. You can shoot everywhere and nobody objects. <br />One body will do, if you shoot digital. Obviously, you'll need a laptop or some other storage as you are going to have tons of files. I usually bring film cameras as well and shoot whatever I feel like on that partucular day.<br>

The electric sockets are similar but being two prong you need an adapter which you can get at a local store. I'd skip filters and other junk (flashes, tripods, etc.) You often see tourists loaded with gear, they look ridiculous. A small point and shoot is probably ideal.<br>

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2496/4182603843_65aa00c586.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="447" /><br>

Subway train, Fukuoka - Japan <a href="http://www.igorsmirnoff.com">www.igorsmirnoff.com</a></p>