Am i taking too much gear?

M

Matt.

Judge Dredd
Suspended / Banned
Messages
1,060
Edit My Images
Yes
I am visiting the US in a week or so for a 3 week roadtrip. I will be going to these locations:

- Yellowstone (x3)
- Grand Teton (x1)
- SLC (x1)
- Bryce Canyon (x2)
- Zion (x2)
- Death Valley (x2)
- Mammoth Lakes (x1)
- Yosemite (x3)
- San Francisco (x2)
- Carmel (x1)
- SLO (x1)
- Santa Barbara (x1)


I won't be doing too much hiking around, but will do a bit (not long hikes though as i'm too unfit, and it will be too hot). My main subjects are landscapes, but as i'm going to Yellowstone, i'd like to at least try for a few wildlife snaps.

My current idea on kit is as follows:
- 5dmk2
- 40d
- 17-40L
- 85 1.8
- 100-400L
- Small travel tripod
- Lots of memory + batteries
- Remote release
- Laptop


I can't help but think i'm taking too much, as this isn't only a photography trip. The reason for adding the 40d was for extra reach with the 100-400 for wildlife. I'm not sure this is really needed though?


Please give me your thoughts!


Thanks
 
Id take the bloomin lot. Are you alone or have you someone to share it with?
 
I'd take it all - and probably more besides

and two bodies is definitely the way to go - you'd be ****ed if you onlytake one and it dies on you in the middle of yellowstone
 
It depends - if you're accompanied by a non photographer who has to put up with your obsession, it can get very tedious for them. ;)

Judging by these locations it looks like the 17-40L is going to serve you well without humping the kitchen sink about. If I was taking your trip I'd probably take the Contax G2 and 3 or 4 lenses which all fit into a very tiny crumpler bag. Easy to carry all day without being tiring.
 
how much does it all weigh as that thinking about your flight is it going in the hold or hand??
 
I have just got back from the states and I took 50D 17-55mm (which to be honest was never off the camera) my 28-135 which got used once(was not allowed my 100-400 into the baseball game) and the 100-400 because I was visiting san diego wild life park..

spike
 
I am going on my own, and will have a car.

All of it (except the tripod and other small items) will be hand luggage. No weight is specified for this, so i just have to make it look light ;)
 
Matt. said:
I am going on my own, and will have a car.

All of it (except the tripod and other small items) will be hand luggage. No weight is specified for this, so i just have to make it look light ;)
Click to expand...

Well in that case take the lot then. :D
 
Looking forward to seeing the end results Matt, you've got some super locations there. Hoping to do Yellowstone myself next year or perhaps 2013 when I can get away for longer. Travelled through Zion and Bryce many a year ago but wasn't into photography then :bang:. Some wonderful landscapes set amongst the red rocks.

Safe trip and enjoy.

Di
 
That looks a fantastic trip. I'd take the lot, if I were you.

I've just done the coastal trip from San Francisco to Santa Barbara in both directions. Plan the timing of your journey well as we went south too early in the day and saw nothing but fog all the way through Big Sur. Coming north, we were delayed in Santa Barbara (delicious meal in the Roadhouse restaurant a couple of blocks inland from the beach) but the fog had cleared and the place was transformed.

If this is your first trip to Yosemite I strongly recommend getting the Guide to Photography in Yosemite by Michael Frye. $10 from the Ansel Adams bookshop and it gives very useful info on where and when to be for the classic shots, plus a few pointers for places more off the beaten track. It is also pretty reliable on the difficulty of proposed hikes.
 
CT said:
It depends - if you're accompanied by a non photographer who has to put up with your obsession, it can get very tedious for them. ;)
Click to expand...

+1
 
Going alone, I'd probably take the whole lot too and add my Samyang 8mm/3.5 fisheye (but get one well beforehand if you do, it takes time to get used to).
 
although saying that camera gear is a lot cheaper in the states , so you could travel light and treat yourself on arival (just remember to not buy so much it wont all go in your hand luggage on the return flight)
 
Personally I'd take somthing wider a 10-20 sort of range, but it's all personal taste.
 
I'm in the take everything camp. If your used to having it all to use then you'll miss something if you don't have it.
 
take something to clean your sensor if you do change your lenses often. my sensor is filthy after swapping lenses in deserts and on beaches. half my pp is dust spotting at the moment.
 
Personally I'v looked to have something between 40 and 85mm aswell but I spose you know your shooting style better than I do.

The main thing to consider I spose if how much you want to lugg around and how your going to leave stuff safely behind if you don't want to shift it all.
 
I'm going to CA on business in a week or so and will only really have about a day or so in LA to chill, but I'm still taking twice that amount of kit!
 
Matt. said:
I am going on my own, and will have a car.

All of it (except the tripod and other small items) will be hand luggage. No weight is specified for this, so i just have to make it look light ;)
Click to expand...

Looks like you are going to be doing a lot of driving, photographically going on your own is a very good idea but a passenger on the long trips between locations is useful.

Many years ago I did two weeks and about 2/3 of the locations you have listed, on reflection (and if going on my own) I would have spent longer at fewer locations, if the weather is bad at any one place you have no flexability to stay longer.

I think if I ever win the lottery I will be buying a big camper van and spending months in this area of the States, there are so many amazing sights. I can still close my eyes and be transported back to some of them right now.

Hope you have a great time.

David
 
I'd take the lot if I were you. I did a fly-drive to California, taking in Yosemite, Death Valley, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles etc etc, and the scenery is breath-taking. I think you'd miss some gear if you decided not to take it.
 
I would be sorely tempted to hire a (film) field camera or panoramic film camera while I was over there. Additionally I would take a small laptop or something to do backups with
 
Willid1 said:
I think if I ever win the lottery I will be buying a big camper van and spending months in this area of the States, there are so many amazing sights. I can still close my eyes and be transported back to some of them right now.
Click to expand...

Thats what i would love to do too!

I'd say take it all! i would.
 
Willid1 said:
I would have spent longer at fewer locations, if the weather is bad at any one place you have no flexability to stay longer.
Click to expand...

That's an excellent point, and something we think hard about when going to the US, so we only book hotels for the first and last couple of days to make sure we are flexible and don't try to pack to many places into one trip.

As for kit, I can't really see anything you could leave behind in that list.
 
To take a different view to most of the others - whenever I've gone on holiday, or even to somewhere interesting, I've taken the photographic kitchen sink with me "just in case"... but after a couple of days of knackering myself by carrying too much weight, annoying my partner by constantly changing lenses, spending all evening cleaning and removing the dust, and generally finding I really don't actually want all those different options - I just end-up carrying one camera and one lens, and leaving the rest behind.

Having one lens makes you far more creative as well, it keeps you focused on one image and perspective. I certainly wouldn't bother with any worries about "extra reach for wildlife" unless you are specifically going to spend 3 days in a hide stalking one tweetie bird (etc).
 
I was going to suggest going to counselling or rehab when you said, "Am I taking too much gear" :lol:

Joking aside, I would take the lot too, if it's for 3 weeks. Where will you be staying and will it have adequate security if you were to leave the gear you did not need for the day in the hotel room? When I went HK I took everything with me and the gear that I didn't think I would use on a particular day, I left in the safe deposit thing in the hotel room that was locked with a pin code and drilled into the floor.
 
I'm going to take the lot!

I just wish i had twice as much time for this trip. I do like the comment from someone on POTN though: 'Three days in Yellowstone....Just drive through the park with your finger on the shutter button...LOL.' :lol:
 
I'd fly out with that lot less lightweight tripod and buy a decent tripod when you get there

Nick Froome
 
Matt. said:
I'm going to take the lot!

I just wish i had twice as much time for this trip. I do like the comment from someone on POTN though: 'Three days in Yellowstone....Just drive through the park with your finger on the shutter button...LOL.' :lol:
Click to expand...

I would leave the Laptop at home,and take the rest :)
 
simonblue said:
I would leave the Laptop at home,and take the rest :)
Click to expand...

There is no way i'm leaving the laptop behind. It makes everything so much easier! It gives me something to do in the evenings when in the middle of nowhere :thumbs: and gets me on the internet to plan stuff.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top