Travel Kit - for 3 week tour

[KenJulio]

So I'll be in China for 3 weeks starting in Beijing and moving from west to east, I'm trying to decide what to bring in terms of lenses. I'll have a tripod and ballhead with a leveling base.

Bodies:
D700
D300s

Lenses:
Sigma 50 f1.4
Nikon 35 f2
Nikon 70-200 VRII
EDIT: Nikon 20-35 2.8

I'd be leaving the 24-70 2.8 and 85 1.8 at home, using the 35 or 50 to create a stitched pano.

This will be my first tour like this so, but when I travel for an 'event', I'm usually over packed and I'm trying to keep away from that.

Thanks

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Excellent choice on bodies (2 is a must). Both use the same batteries, one is full frame, one DX so you'll get a different look from each. One takes video which might be nice to try out every once in a while.

70-200 will be your biggest item by far but most likely your most used lens. The 35/2 is great and will provide some low light advantage.

My honest opinion is that even on the FX body, the 35mm is not going to be wide enough (depending on where you're going). Have you considered getting something wider, say around 14mm or are you going to depend on creating panorama's or wide-angle shots with the 35?

Also, maybe consider a TC to take along? Small and gives extra range if needed.

Great trip! Have fun with it.

Joe

[KenJulio]

Joe - thanks, I had added another lens to the list, the 20-35, this will give me a lens wider than 35, but at 20 there is some distortion. I was going to try and do as little post, but I guess a shot with a 20 in the horizontal would be less work than the 35 stitched with 3-5 shots. I was thinking possibly stitching with the sigma 50 shooting in portrait for a horizontal pano.

I thought about the 14, but to me that would be a specialty lens, I like the size compared to the amazing 14-24.

As for the long end, I actually have the 1.4 TC for sale which I have been thinking I will hold on to it till after I get back.

[Tom]

I spent a month in the Sudan with just a prosumer body and a 28-75mm 2.8. Worked out well for me. Then again, I had a 31lb weight limit for all gear - clothes, shoes, medicine, toiletries, and all food I wanted to eat other than UN-provided rice and beans.

You should post your available gear and what you might be willing to spend on other gear.

I have found that I don't really use my 70-200 much when I travel.

For the landscape stuff, I seem to stop down anyway, so the lens isn't as important.

I tend to shoot my panoramas between 50mm and 70mm.

If I shot Nikon and could travel with anything, it would probably be:
D700
D700
14-24 (Tokina 11-16 would be a good cheaper alternative; you can use it at 14-16 on the D700 and straight up on the D300.)
24-70
135 2 or 85 1.4
200-400 if weight isn't an issue, 80-400 if lighting isn't an issue, 70-200 2.8 if lighting and weight is an issue, with the 1.7.

[KenJulio]

Thomas - thanks. And yes, I thank everyone who replies.

Anyways, gear in hand:
D700
D300s - would have loved to get my hand on a D3s
Nikon 20-35
Nikon 24-70
Nikon 35 f2
Sigma 50 1.4
Nikon 70-200 VRII
Nikon 85 1.8
Nikon 1.4 TC

EDIT: To add, my parents will have a d300 with an 18-200(my dad is getting old, so something light with some range), and a D700 with 24-70.

I had thought about picking up the 80-400, after talking to the organizer, he has us out shooting during the 'golden hours' I was thinking the 80-400 wouldnt do as well. I could be wrong and have been in the past.

As for the 200-400, I will have to wait on that, unless my father or step-mother decides theyre wanting to purchase it and let me 'borrow' it.

What I'm willing to spend immediately is about a grand now. I would love to pull the trigger on a 14-24, but I need to get more income for it.

[Tom]

With your gear, I would probably do:

D700
D300s
24-70 (just because I would use it more than anything else)
Siggy 50 1.4 or 85 1.8 - whatever you would shoot more with, I would lean towards the 50.
70-200 with the 1.4
And consider the Tokina 11-16 2.8(double check, but I think it works on Nikon like Canon. It would work perfectly on the D300s and would work from 14-16mm on the D700

I am doing two weeks in Hawaii in June, and I think I am going to take:
5D2
7D
24-105L
135L
300mm 2.8 (with a 1.4 and 2.0 for surfers)
Reflectors and maybe a couple strobes and gels. Maybe the Tokina 11-16 if I get it before then.

[KenJulio]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

With your gear, I would probably do:

D700
D300s
24-70 (just because I would use it more than anything else)
Siggy 50 1.4 or 85 1.8 - whatever you would shoot more with, I would lean towards the 50.
70-200 with the 1.4
And consider the Tokina 11-16 2.8(double check, but I think it works on Nikon like Canon. It would work perfectly on the D300s and would work from 14-16mm on the D700

I am doing two weeks in Hawaii in June, and I think I am going to take:
5D2
7D
24-105L
135L
300mm 2.8 (with a 1.4 and 2.0 for surfers)
Reflectors and maybe a couple strobes and gels. Maybe the Tokina 11-16 if I get it before then.

Need someone to hold the reflectors??? :)

[Dobick]

For me if I wanted to limit what I was taking -- and for what you have at the moment -- I would choose
24-70 and 70-200 for 24 through 200 at 2.8
and then the 50 1.4 for lowlight handheld needs like in a temple.

[toverman]

You've gotten good advice so far. I'm sure it will be a fantastic trip (Thomas' jaunt to Hawaii won't be too bad, either, I'm sure).

Wide is a must for me when I'm traveling. I'd take my (Canon) 17-40 f/4, my 85 f/1.8 (for going stealth) and 70-200 f/2.8 (1.4x TC if I had one), with two bodies - one full frame. Might bring along the 100 macro if I felt like there'd be the opportunity to shoot details in a big way.

[jtriron]

Originally Posted by Dobick

For me if I wanted to limit what I was taking -- and for what you have at the moment -- I would choose
24-70 and 70-200 for 24 through 200 at 2.8
and then the 50 1.4 for lowlight handheld needs like in a temple.

I agree with Kent, a solid combo

Have fun !

Jack

[venchka]

Would your kit be any different if your were travelling from west to east?

24-70. Definitely 24-70. On the D700.

If you must take a second body, take the 70-200.

Done.

Next?

[KenJulio]

Thanks all for the insight, keep the opinions coming, I'm not ruling anything out, as my mother really only has the 24-70, so she may be 'hauling' the 20-35 with her when they go up a month earlier.

So right now, the lenses will be the 24-70, 70-200 and 50 1.4.

I hadn't considered this but I should have....filters. After reading the ND filter thread, I'm thinking the .3 and .6 ND filters should be more than sufficient during the midday hours and take them off during the late afternoon sun. Polarizer needed or should the ND filters be sufficient?

Again thanks for the input and opinions.

[venchka]

1 Polarizer. 1 ND filter double the density of the polarizer. You need a polarizer more often you think. Cameras record refections your eyes filter out.

Polarizer = 1.5 stops
ND = 3 stops

You're good to go.

[KenJulio]

So I think I have finished packing!

D3s
Nikon 14-24
Nikon 16-35
Sigma 50 1.4
Nikon 24-70
Nikon 70-200
SB600

[Dobick]

Originally Posted by ken74

So I think I have finished packing!

D3sNikon 14-24
Nikon 16-35
Sigma 50 1.4
Nikon 24-70
Nikon 70-200
SB600

Whoa!!!!! Wait -- what?????

what did I miss? Nice upgrade!