Trip to Malaysia any lens advice kindly!

[h_._jm]

<p>Dear photographer;<br>

I'm planning to go for my honeymoon to Malaysia for 12 days.<br>

I am going KL; Langkawi; Penang and possibly one of: Cameron Highlands or Melacca</p>

<p>I aim to get 1 or even 2 photo shoot packages by a professional photographer there.</p>

<p>So this is still me taking photos in travel; with more focus off course on honeymoon; me and my wife to be photos portraits; or single photos of just me or just her since both of us will probably need a tripod to do both of us in a photo.<br>

So; I have the following kit and I seek your advise:<br>

I definitely won't carry everything; but I'm happy to even carry up to 5 lenses and 1 camera.<br>

I will go butterfly park (1 or 2) and so Macro would be awesome.<br>

My kit:<br>

Cameras: Canon 6D; Canon 5d MkI<br>

Lenses: <br>

17-40 L<br>

24-70 L<br>

35L<br>

85 1.8<br>

135L<br>

100 Canon macro f2.8 USM<br>

70-200 F4 IS L<br>

Do you recommend any nice travel tripod?<br>

Previous experience tells me 70-200 and either 17-40/24-70 or all 3 is a must! What you recommend for portraits out of the 3 primes? or any other suggestions. I plan to take the 6D only and leave 5DI.<br>

My aim is to shoot: us two; nature; buildings; culture; amusement parks; zoos; etc...<br>

As you know portraits of us two is highest priority off course</p>

<p>Regards!<br>

Hydar</p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>I just got back <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.577712925624033.1073741833.171846589544004&type=1">from Battambang Cambodia</a>, I took one body, 24-70, 35L, 135L. That was lots. <br>

My next trip I'm going to just take a 50mm.</p>

[mightypir]

<p>Are you going on your honeymoon or a photo holiday! ;) <br>

Seriously, you don't need to carry all that kit. On my honeymoon (also to Langkawi) I just took a small compact Olympus camera!</p>

<p>I have returned to Malaysia on several occasions since then. Its a wonderful country!</p>

<p>My suggestion would be to take as little as possible. My first time back I carried a lot of lenses and discovered that all I really used was my standard zoom (18-70). The 70-300 was used at the bird park and zoo at KL but otherwise not at all. You may also want to use a fast standard (50mm) for use if you go to visit the aquarium at the bottom of the KL towers as they don't allow the use of a flash. Make sure that you take a photo with the shark jaws at the end!</p>

<p>Make sure you go to the Menara tower on a clear day, you can see Indonesia from up there. Going to the twin towers is also an experience but it more limited as normally you are taken to the bridge level.</p>

<p>I also went to the Genting Highlands. Again here my D200 and standard zoom was all I took. BTW, keep an eye out for mist/fog as this is a real problem in the hills. We spent most of the day inside the huge amusement park as the fog was really dense out side. Did not bother with the cable cars as a result too. </p>

<p>Langkawi is another place where your tele zoom may come in handy as there is a crocodile park which you may want to visit. You should also take a ride in the cable cars to the top of the hills, and again, try and time your visit on a clear day...you can see forever!</p>

<p>There is a lot to see in Langkawi and one of the best ways to see some areas (like fishing villages etc) is on a mountain bike. Your hotel should be able to arrange a tour, so again carrying a lot of equipment is not a great idea. For longer distances you will have to be in a car.</p>

<p>Malacca is a day trip from KL and also full of photo opps. Lots of historical stuff and there are a couple of museums there too. They also have a tower with a huge deck that rises to the top near the sea. </p>

<p>So lots to do and photograph in Malaysia. You should also be aware that while its relatively safe in the country, of late there have been some instances of mugging in KL, mostly at night. A friend of mine got held up right outside the twin towers. So do be careful and smart.</p>

<p>Have a great time!</p>

<p>regards<br>

FGA</p>

[sarah_fox]

<blockquote>

<p>Are you going on your honeymoon or a photo holiday! ;) Seriously, you don't need to carry all that kit. On my honeymoon (also to Langkawi) I just took a small compact Olympus camera!<br>

I have returned to Malaysia on several occasions since then. Its a wonderful country!<br>

My suggestion would be to take as little as possible. </p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yeah, I was thinking pretty much the same thing. Carrying around a heavy bag of equipment and spending hours per day photographing things may be really fun for you, but it might not be as much fun for your new wife. My advice would be to limit your photography only to memory-type snapshots (shots that your wife would want in the honeymoon photo album, not macros of flowers and shots of cool cracks in concrete walls), and enjoy your first weeks of marriage. I'd limit my equipment to one camera and one lens. In fact I'd probably buy a compact P&S for the trip. Hey, you'll only have one honeymoon with your new wife!</p>

[daniel_macomb]

<p>+1. I'd take the 70-200 and the 17-40. Done.</p>

[tdigi]

<p>I vote to keep travel gear to a minimum. 2 to 4 lenses total and most of time I am out shooting I will only take 1 mounted and maybe an extra lens. It just depends on the trip, all the gear you mention is good. For trips that I just want family snaps I go with my G15.</p>

<p>When using a DSLR the key is also the right bag. IMO a thinktank Retro 7 is pretty ideal and it's great for holding all the extras ( keys, phone, maps etc. )</p>

<p>For travel tripods check out the Benro Mefoto tripods. Pretty decent and very affordable. </p>

[h_._jm]

<p>Thanks everybody!<br>

Less focus on photography..more on the occassion and us 2; less to no macro is a good idea!<br>

Farooq: your travel advise is highly appreciated; I will get a fast lens like 35L for the aquarium<br>

Tommy: I will check out the benros'<br>

I think I will limit the whole lens number to 4; and only take 2 with me at any time; and only 1 camera offcourse<br>

regards to all<br>

Hydar</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>New spouses and new additions of any kind to the family definitely suggest the minimalist approach.<br>

Go light and have a wonderful time. Wish I were there. :)</p>

[brad_trostad]

<p>For a honeymoon, don't get too carried away on the photography. Actually, this seems like a great time for something like a smaller mirrorless with a std tele zoom and one moderate prime. To answer your question:</p>

<p>Take With:<br>

17-40L (this focuses relatively close at 40mm and with some cropping might cover your macro needs) <br>

70-200mm<br>

50mm (if you have access to one, preferrably the 1.4 but 1.8 would be fine)</p>

<p>Leave Behind<br>

24-70 (wonderful lens, but heavy, big and expensive to replace)<br>

135L (awesome lens, but the 70-200 on your 6D will cover this good enough)<br>

85 1.8 (small + awesome but I think you'll want a slightly wider prime than this for dinners, evening strolls, etc)<br>

100mm macro (awesome lens, but also heavy. Now, if you are addicted to macro bring it with.</p>

<p>...this way you can always have all 3 with you as the 50mm prime is quite small. Hopefully, you have a good polarizer option and maybe one ND for any fun water shots at waterfalls, hotel fountains, etc.</p>

<p>The only other addition I would consider in place of another lens would be a small rebel crop body. If you had that then I would take the 35L instead of a 50mm. And that gives a you a backup body or even a second camera if your bride is into photography</p>

<p> </p>