How do you manage your equip on travel?

[RaymondC]

<p>This isn't travel per destination so I put it here as it can apply to travel as well as at home with some events going. Today we had event that runs a few days - asian food market. </p>

<p>For someone who generally shoots off a tripod, I had my backpack, tripod, a dSLR and a film body and a few lenses. There wasn't any higher vantage points to really use that and very quickly that 20lbs pack and one hand always holding that tripod becomes an issue. </p>

<p>You are at home or overseas. You plan to shoot some images off a tripod at various spots. In between you also plan to visit galleries, museums, malls, and of course the local street food markets where it can be crowded. Going to the hotel 2x a day to drop stuff off isn't possible, plus where your hotel is and where you end up may be a few stations away also. You rely on public transportation. </p>

<p>Simply forget larger equipment as a blacklist? Spend a day just on photog and come back to hotel eat dinner there or near the hotel call it a day and alternate the next day doing tourist stuff with a point and shoot? Get a take away meal in a box and eat it while standing or sitting next to the tripod? Just do the photog stuff and forget being a tourist and forget experiencing the local stuff. <br>

Thoughts? </p>

[MichaelChang]

<p>I travel light with the bare essentials - DSLR with 2 lenses; a 3:1 zoom at the wide end, and a 3:1 zoom at the tele end, lots of batteries, a flash, and that's about it; everything fits in a small bag.</p>

<p>The DSLR can record 720 or 1080 video which I use as well.</p>

<p>I might also carry a Canon P/S capable of high quality 720p video and decent stills for grab shots. It has upgraded CHDK firmware to extend its capability and modified to run off a power bank so it can be powered all day to fill its 32G card if necessary.</p>

<p>Also in the bag is a telescoping monopod, a small clamp with 1/4-20 thread, and a couple of filters.</p>

<p> </p>

[rossb]

<p>Usually I take a 50mm lens along with my FM2n, a single yellow filter and an extra roll of HP5. A 28mm lens and a flash is optional depending on what I am doing. I always carry water. </p>

[Hector Javkin]

<p>For me, it depends on the trip. Traveling by car, I'll take everything I expect o use. By air, I've carried as little as a point-and-shoot and as much as two bodies, flash, lenses 28 to 400mm, and a solid tripod. Usually, it's a single SLR or DSLR with a couple of lenses, which I can carry everywhere.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>. . . alternate the next day doing tourist stuff with a point and shoot?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>When I'm doing tourist stuff, it's with the best camera that came with me on the trip.</p>

[Sandy Vongries]

<p>As a young single guy, I would vacation on self assigned photo jobs, shooting all weekday working hours, socializing at night when friends I made were off work. Weekends were photo balanced with social. Nowadays, long married, every day is a mix of photo, tourist, etc., I nearly always have a camera, favorite lens mounted, with me, the full bag only when the day's mission is entirely photo.<br>

The tripod never goes on trips, I even stopped carrying the Leica tabletop tripod. Usually two bodies, four lenses, batteries, chargers, filters, etc. All in a neat relatively small Thinktank Suburban Disguise 30 which fits under the seat on every aircraft I've been on. Traveling by car, I add my big 80-400 in its own case. I recently traveled with one FX body, 3 lenses and a small mirrorless as backup -- that never came out of the bag, but was available if the primary camera failed. It is a plan I may use in future, as it left extra space in the bag and was considerably lighter. No difference I could see in the photos, but it was also a clean environment, so no reluctance to change lenses.<br>

Whatever plan you develop has to work with your personal style & photographic "Needs". Good luck with it!</p>

[SCL]

<p>For years it was one camera (film) + 2 lenses. Small table tripod if needed. These days, often with a DSLR, one or 2 lenses (depending on whether one is a zoom). Rarely, but again if needed, small table tripod or monopod. Camera gear in hotel safe when not used.</p>

[yockenwaithe]

<p>Being used to shooting using a Leica, I generally only keep 2 lenses at most [1 on the camera 1 somewhere easily accessible], though now that I have a digital camera I usually keep a wide range lens [i think mine is a Tamron 18-200] and a 50 [the 50mm f/1.8]. I don't really bring a tripod unless I want long exposures/I'm shooting in dark areas/using the full 200mm to save space and a lot of hassle</p>

[Jochen_S]

<p>I leave tripods at home, rely on OIS and digital ISO that can become cranked up. I'm planning to buy a lighter tripod though and I surely don't want to carry it in hand. - When I was young I was fine with 2 SLRs 2 zooms and a 2kg consumer tripod on me.<br>

I'm also dreaming of a cargo bicycle converted to a LF carrier. - Maybe that one will offer a lockdown option.</p>

[Norman 202]

I travel a lot and, given I only shoot for the web, use mainly a Ricoh GR for daylight photography and a RX100 mk 1 for

flash photography at night. I've found that the resolution of both those cameras let me crop to the extent that i'm using a

cam with focal length 28-50 which is fine with me.

[Norman 202]

In fact, the Ricoh GR comes with crop modes for 28, 35 & 50 mm effective focal lengths all available at the touch of a

button.

[Sandy Vongries]

<p>Can't comment on the GR, but the mirrorless I mentioned in my previous response is the Ricoh GXR. Even with the 10 or 12 MP modules, the resolution is astounding. It is not great for low light. Very small!</p>

[johne37179]

<p>It depends. These days I make detailed shooting plans for the locations I will visit. I take all the important images (between my ears) before leaving home. I match the equipment to the shots I set out to capture. I learned this years ago from a month in Yosemite with Ansel Adams. He had a particular shot in mind that he wanted. We went out every day to try and get it. One day we did. For that whole month we were in the field for hours every day -- one sheet of film got exposed during that time. It was the shot that matched the one he had "pre visualized." <br>

Planning your shots is a lot more productive than going out and taking thousands of shapshots the don't measure up to your standards. Clicking the shutter is far into the process of taking a photograph and not the starting point.<br>

When I was doing this commercially as an advertising photographer or photojournalist on assignment the shooting would be worked out well in advance with the art director or the editor. Shooting to plan makes a big difference.</p>

[yockenwaithe]

<p>While I can see what you're saying about pre-planning a shot EJ, that may not be good for all types of photography. I myself like doing portraiture and candid shots and I find that the spontaneity of the environment and the people within can lead to great shots that you weren't trying for. That being said if you're shooting medium or large format film [especially large format] it is pretty important to know what you're shooting to avoid wasting a metric ton of money on wasted shots</p>

[david_henderson]

<p>I don't use a tripod when wandering round a town or city. It would cost me more than I'd gain from it. I'll carry a tripod only when I know I need it to get a specific shot or two. <br>

When working intensively in a city or large town my hotel is almost certain to be in that city/town, not miles away. Even in big cities like NYC or Hong Kong or Paris I can get back to my hotel to pick up or drop off a tripod in a half hour or so and may well choose to incorporate a rest . <br>

I don't use backpacks unless I'm walking across difficult countryside for a fairly long time. When in a town I always use a shoulder bag that permits me to change lenses without taking the bag off my shoulder and photograph in seconds. The idea of needing to put the bag down to change a lens, a filter , a film (in the old days) doesn't work for me at all. <br>

I would never walk around carrying two systems. When I used film cameras I decided which of my two MF systems was best for the day, morning or whatever and stuck to that. The idea that you have about everything you own to hand when making a photograph works for me now with only one system, but historically would not have been tenable. Even my spare body is back at the hotel until I need it. </p>

[ilkka_nissila]

When I'm traveling for photography, I do take a full backpack of gear and a tripod with me. If I'm in a city I typically choose

what I need that day and only bring those items. I often plan some of the shooting but I make some time for unplanned

walking around and shooting. It's an adventure. Since I do a lot of candid photos of people there is no way to plan those

shots to the letter. One can choose a location that is conductive to good photography but ultimately what comes out of the

process depends on what the subjects decide to do. When traveling, usually the location is not something I know well but

some research helps. Of course, when photographing something near one's home one has the advantage of knowledge

and experience but when traveling to faraway places, the novelty and excitement of being in a new location helps

motivate the activity. Also one can forget the daily life temporarily.

 

I basically use the same equipment when I'm near home as well as when traveling but some items are not transportable

by plane which limits their use.

[dcstep]

<p>My bodies have excellent high-ISO performance, so I leave the tripod in the room, unless I'm going to night shooting with slow shutter speeds. Even at night, most street scenes are shot at ISO 6400 and hand held.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>If your travel is on some kind of "base camp" (e.g., cruise liner) take the kitchen sink but have a "day bag" for any particular day.<br>

On the other hand, on one trip that was primarily business all I took was a single body and a wide to short telephoto lens. On older occasions, I had my main rig fail, and ended up shooting with a little cigarette-pack-sized Rollei 35.<br>

Both experiences were strangely liberating, but I still take too much gear as a rule. Just in case, you know.</p>

[User_6502147]

<p>I guess it depends on a situation. When I had a vehicle with me (in the SW), I took more eq, but when I went to Asia for 7 weeks, I chiseled down lenses to comfort level. Gees, too hot-humid to hunkaround with a 3-legged thing. Ha, still took my 300mm, tho sometimes I used it with the aid of a beanbag. Sure, by the time you add some nutrition, drink (or get that enroute) + water...the backpack can get on a heavy side. V. often I get side tracked and it would take me hours to return to the hotel/hostel/airbnb.....so most of eq would be with me. Perhaps I'm still in the F2A frame of mind, that I'd never need a back up camera, tho I'll have to change this mo a bit and get something just in case. Unless I'm expecting to do a massive amount of night stuff, the tripod would likely stay at home or in a veh.....normally I have plenty of ISO's for the situation.</p>

<p>Les</p>

[Robin Smith]

<p>I don't use a tripod unless I am out hiking and take it with me (depends how far), or I am working from the car. I use a table top tripod and ballhead if I need a firm shot of an interior etc - or at least I did in my film days. Nowadays this is pretty rare as modern cams allow great quality up to ISO 3200 (FF). Image stabilization also gives you a stop or two.</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>My travel list is continually evolving. I tend to travel heavy on vacation by car. My primary goal is to capture scenery and points of interest. There is always a tripod, even though I use it less these days, and up to two camera systems, Hasselblad MF and Nikon DSLR, in backpacks. I have never been a point&shoot person.</p>

<p>As I say, it is evolving. I could count the number of MF photos taken without a tripod on one hand. the Nikon was for streets, beach and grandchildren, half on, half off the tripod. Now I rely on a Sony A7Rii, which has virtually displaced both larger systems. Since it has in-body image stabilization (IBIS), I rarely use the tripod, even for bracketed HDRs and multi-frame panoramas. The tripod is needed for closeups, consistency or hands-free operation, not resolution.</p>

<p>I have experimented using a small shoulder bag for short excursions, to a park for example, with two or three lenses. I find the shoulder bag is harder on my lower back than a backpack weighing 2-3x as much, and not much more accommodating for lens changes. Since the backpack contains all the gear I'll need for most applications, I never have regrets for what is left behind. Its contents evolve too, but more slowly and thoughtfully. A really small shoulder bag with three primes (e.g., 25,50 and 85) might work, but three zoom lenses - NOT!.</p>

<p>I don't recall the last time I've actually used a dedicated macro lens on vacation. I have one slot left in my backpack for a 90mm Macro or a second (A7ii) body. I think the macro will take a rest next time (unless I change my mind). Rather than a "day" bag for walking about, I'll take one camera with one lens (25,35 or 50), which is welcome in most museums and points of interest (bags and tripods must be checked).</p>

<p>Half the fun of a vacation, for me, is planning for a week or so which gear to take. Personal items are packed hours before departure (which drives my wife to distraction).</p>

[michael_maher1]

<p>What to take is always a problem issue. When I'm traveling local (by car) I take it all, which in my case is relatively minimal but always adds up to a lot and it all get to go. Tripod, monopod, 2 camera bodies and lenses for both (one is a Canon 7d the other a small Fuji X-T1) plus a whole host of auxiliary stuff, most of which doesn't get used. Oh and then there is the MBPro.<br>

Plane trips domestic or OS I do try to be more disciplined but again rarely succeed. I have a small Lowepro roller bag which is so good and works so well it always seems to me like it was designed by Doctor Who.<br>

I always think carefully about taking a tripod because when I do it doesn't get used and when I don't take it I need it...no win there.<br>

In more recent times I have been more careful and chosen to travel lightly with just the X-T1. I and a couple of lens. Later I will kick myself about the shots I missed because this or that bit of gear wasn't with me. Such is life.<br>

But I have discovered there is a benefit to traveling light. Obviously, its a whole heap more comfortable, especially if like me you are getting on in years and the back is giving way. But also working with less is educational...I am convinced it has improved my photography. I have found that limited choices mean I have become more thoughtful about what I shoot.<br>

The zoom lens for instance (in my opinion) makes us lazy, most of us will have more than one in the bag so we have choice on top of choice. Prime lenses on the other hand make us work more carefully to achieve the easy option found with a zoom...plus they are lighter and have better optics.<br>

All that said, depending on what your shooting preferences are...wildlife, birds etc will mean that you will need to tote heavy equipment for a while to come yet.<br>

Regards, Mike</p>

<p> </p>

[Mike D]

<p>It depends on the situation:<br>

<strong>Walk (casual) in the park:</strong> iPhone and Nikon P900 (24-2000 optical equivalent) P&S.<br>

<strong>West US trip requiring flying in a CRJ:</strong> Think Tank Airport Antidote v2 because it fits in overhead bin.<br>

<strong>Longer trip in larger jets:</strong> Think Tank Acceleration v2 (larger) because it fits in overhead bin. <br>

<strong>Car Trip: </strong>Usually larger Think Tank bag plus I throw a Sony A77 II with Tamron 150-600 in the back just in case.<br>

I always take a travel tripod (or larger) with ball head and use it 75% of the time.<br>

</p>