China trip - what equipment to take

[ted_kletnick]

<p>We are leaving for a three week trip to China in a week- touring plus 8 day Yangze River cruise - and I am concerned about how much equipment to take. Tentatively, I've decided to take an E-30 with 14-54 and 11-22 lenses and E-P2 with 14-150. That means I am leaving at home a 50-200, a spare dslr, and assorted kit lenses because of weight concerns. Does anyone think leaving the 50-200 is a mistake or have any other thoughts?</p>

[starvy]

<p>Does the 14-150 work on the E-30? If it does I would use it as the only zoom and have 11-22 for those special shots.</p>

[GerrySiegel]

<p>I advise leave it at home if you are on the fence. One could buy an EC-14 converter for the 14-54 , useful anyway even later on, and keep it in the bag most of the time. Ted,have a great adventure. Sounds like a winner.</p>

[Greg M]

<p>Starvy,</p>

<p>The 14-150 on the E-PL2 is, no doubt, the micro 4/3rd's lens, and itwill not work on the E30.</p>

<p>Ted, if it was me, I'd find a way to grab the 9-18 micro lens and just take the E-P2 and the 9-18 and 14-150 two lens outfit, or get a 4/3rd's to micro adaptor and take the 11-22 you already have. I'm starting to become a big micro believer with this E-PL1 and VF2 finder I recently bought. Over the next few months I'll be adding the 9-18 and 14-150 micro lenses myself. That's going to be my carry-all-the-time and trip outfit.</p>

[joe_taylor5]

<p>Only take what you can easily haul around with you all the time. If you leave it in the hotel room it will be stolen. I would take two zoom lens one in the 17 to 80 mm range and one 80 to 200 mm range. And a mono pod or light weight tripod plus lots of memory cards. A flash would be good also.</p>

[ted_kletnick]

<p>I love the E-P2 and initially thought about just taking it, but the auto focusing is a major negative at least for me. The 14-150 micro lens is a significant improvement over the kit lens. Plus the E-30 with the 14-54 lens is a great dslr. I am sort of going in the other direction - and leaning toward taking the 50-200 too based on comments on the other oly site and looking at a lot of China photos taken by other travelers using tele lenses. I need to think about the EC-14 converter comment because that might be a good compromise. All my electronic equipment is fully insured for world wide travel, etc. I'm adding the FL 36R to my bag.</p>

[Greg M]

<p>Back in 2006 I took my full E-system to Paris for 13 days. Hauled the E300, 7-14, 14-54 and 50-200 around the city and metro system. Wonderful images, and a sore neck every evening! We went back the next year for 10 days and I took my Panasonic FZ50 instead...</p>

<p>If you're up to it, the DSLR outfit is outstanding and should provide you with excellent results. I still have a full Olympus DSLR outfit with the E30, 9-18, 12-60 and 50-200 SWD's, but it won't be going on anymore of those long trips. The Pen body is excellent, and built-in EVF is a revelation to use. I've seen the excellent reports and images captured with the 14-150 Zuiko, and if the Panasonic FZ50's AF system was good enough for the city of Paris and the various dark chateau's, museums and such (and it was), the micro system's AF performance is plenty good. I won't be taking the Pen to shoot at a hockey game or the horse races anytime soon, but fast action sports about all I do anymore where the DSLR is really a requirement.</p>

[rapyke]

<p>Having been in China a few times I would agree with an earlier suggestion that you should be able to carry your full kit with you - the hotels are not always safe.</p>

<p>If it were me, I would go with the E-30 kit with the lenses you have suggested. You also say you have various 'kit lenses'... including the 40-150 f 4-5.6? This is a competent lens, if slow, but, it is LIGHT! I did most of my travelling wearing 'pocket pants' and carrying gear this way is relatively safe and pain-free... one camera around neck and one lens in each lower leg pocket (preferably zipped shut). Your flash, which I think is a good idea, can slip into a back pack or inner vest pocket, etc.</p>

<p>I would take a couple of beanbags and a gorilla-pod rather than a full tripod, unless you plan to have a lot of un-scheduled time specifically for photography. A tripod is also a signal flag that you are doing something serious photography-wise and it may attract attention you do not want (police).</p>

<p>If you are going soon, China is still hot and HUMID. Plastic zip-lock bags with silicone de-humidifiers can be handy when moving from +35-40 degrees into 21 degree hotels...</p>

<p>China is a stunning place and a photographer's dream... I would go back in a heartbeat.</p>

<p>Have fun!</p>

[joe_taylor5]

<p>My remark about equipment being stolen was not abut just China, Photographic equipment is a high thieft item anywhere, even down at the local "No Tell MOTEL". Record your equipment's serial numbers body and lens. If you are staying in a big hotel most likely they will have safe storage at the front desk. If you have to leave your valuables ask if there is safe storage available.</p>

[nicolasraddatz]

<p>I'd tend to agree with the less-is-more approach. I don't understand why you'd need both the 14-54 and the 14-150. Their focal lengths are overlapped, I'd pick one of them (the one you enjoy shooting the most) and so be it.<br>

The more gear, the more you'll be worrying about not losing something, not being robbed, etc, etc, so for me it's a no brainer: less is more. 1 body (2 tops, for backup or having a different lens on), 2 lenses, a small flash, cf cards, notebook and cleaning kit would be my list. f I was pressed hard, I would even leave the backup body at home. 2 lenses may sound like too little, but that forces you on concentrating in the focal lengths or lens characteristics you feel most comfortable with, which in the end will give you a tighter set of pictures. I think that carrying around every focal length just in case is a bad approach. You'll waste time trying to capture every single bit of china, instead of a subset that really touches you.<br>

In my experience, unless you have lots of time and very good transportation, i'd avoid a tripod like the plague. I'm not a landscape shooter, and ymmv, but travel photography doesn't lend itself very well for tripods. They are heavy, cumbersome, and a barrier between you and the "real world"/local people. I'd rather spend the energy (both mental and physical) of carrying a tripod walking around, and getting a deeper sense of the place i am. I have a gorillapod, I think I've only used it once. <br>

As for bags, I love lowepro or kata bags in terms of absolute quality and usability, but they look too "techie" and scream "steal me!!!". I'd rather have a unconspicuous bag such as domke's, or thinktank or crumpler.<br>

I know i'm answering things you didn't ask in the first place, but I thought i'd give you some general advice, your trip sounds like da bomb, I hope you have a great time!<br>

Best of lucks!</p>