Recommend gear for Paris?

[shamrock]

I'm turning 40 next month, and planning on spending my birthday in Paris. We're flying in to Amsterdam, taking a train to Brussels and then down into France, spending a day or two in different places. Only requirement is to be in Paris on the 15th. :D

Anyway - i don't want to carry a huge kit because of all the travel, but want to make sure i have "necessary" gear. Body will be D300, could rent a D700 as well. I've got the 70-200 VR and 24-70. Monopod/tripod? I have a Bogen mono, and i'll put the RRS mono head on it if it goes, and i have a Kirk mighty low boy, as well as 2 full size bogen tripods (an old 3011 and a new 055xb pro) w/ RRS heads.

Contemplating buying either the D700, or a 14-24 lens - but would either be a "necessity" for the trip? I've been to the UK, but never to mainland Europe, so i have no clue what i should take. I do have a 12-24 (tokina).

help, please?

[johnastovall]

Traveler's Checks denominate in Euros.

[playbak]

I've been to Europe several times. Generally you will want the wide end of the spectrum as most of the sights you will enjoy will be architectural in nature. You'll see beautiful buildings, sweeping vistas and beautiful countryside.

I would leave the 70-200 home. I would take an 18-200 for a walk around lens. It would cover just about anything you could need and it will prevent you from having to carry around a serious amount of kit around, or leaving it back in your hotel room to get stolen.

Having said all that, I would definitely take the Tokina 12-24. If I were going to pick up a lens, it would be the Nikon 18-200. You would have it all covered for very little weight and size. You might consider a polarizer for the 18-200 or 12-24. I'm not sure what the filter sizes are. I might take the 24-70 for use indoors in places like the Louvre. Conversely, if I'm saving weight and space, I would take the much lighter and smaller 50mm 1.8 and "foot zoom".

A monopod would do the trick as you can use it as a walking stick when you don't have a camera on it. It's also a lot less intrusive. The places you are going will be very, very, very crowded. Having humped my way around Paris, I would not carry a tripod with me. Too much weight.

So to summarize:

- D300 (just don't see what the D700 will buy you)
- Tokina 12-24
- 50 1.4
- 18-200
- Monopod
- 1 speedlight (SB 600 or SB 800)
- laptop or portable hard drive storage device. You can get a 10" netbook for $300. You can also buy a 16GB thumb drive for $21 (this Sunday at Office Depot)

I just don't think you'll want to leave over $3,000 in lenses in your hotel room (24-70 and 70-200) or haul them around everywhere you go.

Have a great trip. Wish I were going with you!

The above kit would fit in a

[tc95]

D300
Tokina 11-16mm

A 20 to 60 range lens....
A 70 to 200 range lens...
A 200 to 500 range lens....

My travel gear.....

Tokina 11-16mm F2.8
Sigma 20-60mm F2.8
Sigma 70-200mm F2.8
Sigma 120-300mm F2.8
1.4x and 2.0x extenders
Kenko macro tubes
Mono-Pod
SB-600
Other lenses...18-200mm Nikkor for walking around and Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye
Laptop....handheld PC
Tamrac Backpack....(take off the Tamrac insignia..)

Tony C.

[shamrock]

Originally Posted by playbak

So to summarize:

- D300 (just don't see what the D700 will buy you)
- Tokina 12-24
- 50 1.4
- 18-200
- Monopod
- 1 speedlight (SB 600 or SB 800)
- laptop or portable hard drive storage device. You can get a 10" netbook for $300. You can also buy a 16GB thumb drive for $21 (this Sunday at Office Depot)

edited for length

Thank you, Bob. This is exactly the kind of info i was looking for.

It will seem strange to leave the 70-200 home, that's been my "go to" lens for over a year. I just recently picked up the 24-70. Love it, but haven't used it much. But that makes sense. :)

I'm hesitant to pick up a 18-200, just because i'm trying to move to all fast glass. Maybe just rent it for a couple weeks? We will be visiting the Louvre, it is on my hubby's must-see list. I've got the 50 1.4 for low light situations. I've also got polarizers for each of my lenses.

My thoughts on the D700 were for the wider angle, coupled with the 14-24. I'd have to rent and/or buy each of those, so if you don't think it will make a difference, i'll wait. The tokina i have now is fine on the D300.

I've got a netbook and a 320 passport drive, also the speedlight. Wasn't sure i'd need the flash, though.

So, new head for the mono, and rent the 18-200. Everything else i have covered.

Thanks to Tony as well, though i don't have most of the lenses you mentioned.

[sporkthedork]

I echo Bob's sentiments regarding having a wide lens with you. I went a couple months ago and took my Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 and 70-200 f/2.8, but many people won't want to carry that weight with them. I also took my Gitzo 3541 tripod and used it all of ONE time; that was probably the only thing that I took that I wish I would have left. If you really want the support, take your mono instead.

I wish I would have taken a wider lens.

[Murph]

The D700 will give you the amazing low light shots, paired with the 24-70mm its my all the time camera/lens combo. That being said the D300 w/18-200mm will be a good walk around combo. If I was going I'd carry my 14-24mm, D700 w/24-70mm, and thats about it. With the D700 you can actually leave the mono pod, and take a light tripod for night shots.

For you: D300 w/18-200mm, Tokina 12-24mm, and enjoy.

[venchka]

If I were going back to Europe, I would be more concerned about where I was going, what I was going to see and what I would photograph.

I agree with Murph. A 24-70 on a full frame body and Bob's your uncle!

My don't miss places: Brugge & Ghent.

Enjoy.

[shamrock]

Originally Posted by venchka

If I were going back to Europe, I would be more concerned about where I was going, what I was going to see and what I would photgraph.

I agree with Murph. A 24-70 on a full frame body and Bob's your uncle!

My don't miss places: Bruges & Ghent.

Enjoy.

Bruges is on my list. What do you recommend in Ghent?

[CaptainTom]

I spent April in Paris last year. Walk around lens was a Canon 17-40 (crop body X 1.6), and my 70-200f2.8 for the occasional long shot.
A monopod is nice and can be used for other things.
Most of all, have lots of storage, and a good battery supply. A flash that you can use for fill on occasion.

Have a great trip.

Here is a link to my April in Paris thread.

[EyeBurn]

Originally Posted by playbak

...
I would leave the 70-200 home. I would take an 18-200 for a walk around lens.
...
Having said all that, I would definitely take the Tokina 12-24.
...
You might consider a polarizer for the 18-200 or 12-24.
...

So to summarize:

- D300 (just don't see what the D700 will buy you)
- Tokina 12-24
- 50 1.4
- 18-200
- Monopod
- 1 speedlight
- laptop
...netbook

Bob spec'd out almost as I would have suggested.


D300 (imo, don't buy or rent a new camera right before you travel, take something you know really well. If anything, buy a very affordable D40x or D60 as a backup body "just in case" something happens to your D300).
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 instead of the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 (why? crop factor on a D300 makes the 30mm equiv to 45mm)
70-200mm f/2.8 VR (love this lens)
any speedlight is fine, I'd strongly suggest the very small and lightweight SB400 ($95!)
a netbook and take a USB DVD burner with blank DVDs.

so...I'd have ultrawide + 45mm equiv (using the Sigma) + nice VR telephoto
I'd have it all in a sling bag that doesn't look like a "camera bag".
I'd have the D40x (or D60) back in the hotel "just in case".

a couple spare standard batteries (not the grip battery...why add the weight?)
at least four 4GB CF cards, nothing larger as I'd hate to lose that many photos if a card went bad.

-Benjamin

[shamrock]

Originally Posted by EyeBurn

[cut]
a couple spare standard batteries (not the grip battery...why add the weight?)
at least four 4GB CF cards, nothing larger as I'd hate to lose that many photos if a card went bad.

-Benjamin

I've got an 8GB and 4 4GB cards, 4 batteries for the D300. I keep the grip with the L plate on it all the time, don't think i'd know how to hold it without any more. :D

I've rented the D700 a couple of times, so i'm pretty familiar with it. I'd love to have that wide angle Tokina, maybe i'll look into that. Maybe borrow back my old D70s from my FIL for backup?

I've got a ton of bags, could probably hold my own against Abel. So carrying the stuff in whatever configuration shouldn't be a problem.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by shamrock

Bruges is on my list. What do you recommend in Ghent?

Cathedrals.
Food
More cathedrals
More food
Art museums in Ghent & Brugge. I'm a huge fan of Flemish art.
The Ghent Alterpiece by Jan van Eyck

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghent_Altarpiece

Enjoy!

[crazeazn]

wide angle and a normal fast. i dont think u would need much more to go light.

otherwise take ur whole bag. i fail to see why if u own all this nice gear u dont take to these exotic places. i know i would. just clutch it carefully so u dont get robbed. :P

[playbak]

Check your charger for the D300. It should be a dual 120/240. Same for your netbook. If this is so, you will only need the French 2 prong adapter. They're pretty cheap compared to a transformer kit. Since you've been to the UK, you know that game.