Holiday Kit

T

Tdes

Suspended / Banned
Messages
440
Name
Tony
Edit My Images
Yes
I am off on holiday with the family and want to take a camera to get some nice shots. Photography is not the reason for the holiday but capturing some memories and having a bit of a play.

If I take the best kit that gives the best images it is heavy, but at the same time taking an older, lighter body and lens seems to be a step down!

What do you take on holiday and is it your best kit or do you compromise?

T
 
Depends on the location and type of holiday but for our family holidays I normally take my small camera bag with my mirrorless camera, a prime and zoom lens. This, with my iPhone XS Max, covers almost everything I want to shoot.
 
I take my Sony A7 with 35mm f2.8 and a Panasonic TZ100, that's a 1" sensor compact with a 25-250mm zoom.

I'm very conscious of not wanting to be the geek with the camera holding everyone up or peering through the camera when I should be enjoying the moment with the real people I'm with :D

The TZ100 isn't as good as a FF and not even as good as my MFT cameras but it shoots raw and the files can take quite a bit of processing and for a whole image to be viewed on screen or even printed quite large (A4?) it's fine for normal viewing even up to its max ISO.
 
Had a weekend in Krakow just gone - I took my 6DmkII, Canon 24-70, Canon 16-35 and my pouch of filters. All fitted in a bag small enough to go as hand luggage. I reckon if i'd left the filters at home or given them to the missus for her hand luggage bag, I could easily have got my 70-200 in the camera bag.

All depends on what you want to take TBH - the weight is immaterial as it sits on your trolly with the other bags for most of the time
 
For walking around with Bestbeloved on holiday I have my Olympus Pen. At its limits, it is not as good as the Canon 80D at its limits but for average use it is more than fine.
 
I've just packed my gear for 2 weeks' in Orlando;

A6500
Sigma 30/1.4
Sigma 16/1.4
Sony 55-210
Manfrotto Pixi tripod / 4 batteries / memory cards

That all fits into a small satchel style camera bag that I'm carrying with my hand luggage. I'm also taking a Hasselblad Xpan and 6 rolls of film that will be in my main hand luggage bag. I considered taking a Chroma but don't think it would go down too well with the rest of the family ;)
 
For me it depends on transport.
If I have my car I take Fuji XT-1+10-24+18-135 and 100-400+tripod and this year I will take Canon 5D 2+24mm TS-E as well because I might get to Salisbury cathedral.
If no car Fuji+18-135+Flash
 
Have been looking for a holiday camera myself. Had originally decided to purposely not bring a camera on our family holiday not so sure now though. I have a decent travel kit that I use for photo trips an A7III and a 24mmm f/1.4 and 55mm f/1.8 which covers most things for me usually but I prob won’t want to take that on family hols.

Seen this and thought it might be a good option.

https://www.hdewcameras.co.uk/olympus-e-m10-iii-twin-kit-14-42-ez40-150-black-8058-p.asp
 
f/2.8 said:
Have been looking for a holiday camera myself. Had originally decided to purposely not bring a camera on our family holiday not so sure now though. I have a decent travel kit that I use for photo trips an A7III and a 24mmm f/1.4 and 55mm f/1.8 which covers most things for me usually but I prob won’t want to take that on family hols.

Seen this and thought it might be a good option.

https://www.hdewcameras.co.uk/olympus-e-m10-iii-twin-kit-14-42-ez40-150-black-8058-p.asp
Click to expand...

I'm not too sure what advantage there is in the Oly kit as the camera is about the same size as an A7 series camera so the only savings will be in the lenses which themselves will be about the size of your Sony lenses but maybe a touch lighter as you've got that FF f1.4. Neither of these cameras is pocketable so they'll need to be in a small bag so I'm not too sure where the advantage is for MFT... apart from the zooms being about the size of the Sony 55mm f1.8.

I have MFT myself but my A7 and 35mm f2.8 fits in the same bag I'd put a MFT camera fitted with a prime in so there's just no saving there. At least a 1" compact does fit in a pocket.
 
Last edited:
I take a Thinktank Airport essentials backpack - which I only wear when I check in - sore shoulder. When we go to OZ, I take a mix of Canon and Oly stuff with one body going in my wife's wheelie bag inside a padded crumpler insert. The Canon will be for specific purposes eg surfers or birds and the Oly will be with me for beach walks and so on. If I am going in a car - I take as much as I like! On the other hand, my wife likes me to take photos. If I had to take just one body and a couple of lenses, hmm, probably my 5D4 a wide prime and my 24-70. IF it was for a very short break, I would take the Olympus equivalent.
 
woof woof said:
I'm not too sure what advantage there is in the Oly kit as the camera is about the same size as an A7 series camera so the only savings will be in the lenses which themselves will be about the size of your Sony lenses but maybe a touch lighter as you've got that FF f1.4. Neither of these cameras is pocketable so they'll need to be in a small bag so I'm not too sure where the advantage is for MFT... apart from the zooms being about the size of the Sony 55mm f1.8.

I have MFT myself but my A7 and 35mm f2.8 fits in the same bag I'd put a MFT camera fitted with a prime in so there's just no saving there. At least a 1" compact does fit in a pocket.
Click to expand...

The lenses are a fair bit smaller actually so is the body.

It’s also cheap and I won’t care if it gets lost stolen or damaged.
 
f/2.8 said:
The lenses are a fair bit smaller actually so is the body.

It’s also cheap and I won’t care if it gets lost stolen or damaged.
Click to expand...

Must be smaller than the Panasonic mini SLR's I had then as there was next to no difference between them, G1 and G7, and my A7. I now have RF style MFT cameras and although they're an evf hump smaller than my A7 they're the same in other dimensions and still not pocketable so I'm back to putting them in a bag and in that case they offer no real size or weight advantage unless I want to take a variable aperture zoom. With a 35 or 50mm equiv prime though there's nothing in it for me.

Actually the first Panasonic 14-42mm was about the same size as my Sony 28-70mm when extended but the new Mega OIS 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 is the size of a MFT prime so there's a real saving there.
 
1 small body and a couple of primes is all I've ever brought on any trip. As Alan says above, you don't want to be that guy! The one holding everyone up every ruddy time you pass a bug or flower or foreign signpost you've never seen or some tourist attraction statue you need to shoot from 17 different angles. Even as a photographer enthusiast myself I hate tourist photographers, I don't give a crap what gear they own, get it out my way! - it's usually too hot and sticky for anyone to deal with their s**t :D
 
I leave the full frame behind and go with my APS-C Canon DSLR. 18-50 f2.8 and the 55-250mm. If I was going to be in a place with tall buildings, I would add my 10-18mm. My philosophy is that if it’s too heavy and bulky I will regret it. As my images aren’t for sale I don’t mind the lesser image quality.
 
woof woof said:
Must be smaller than the Panasonic mini SLR's I had then as there was next to no difference between them, G1 and G7, and my A7. I now have RF style MFT cameras and although they're an evf hump smaller than my A7 they're the same in other dimensions and still not pocketable so I'm back to putting them in a bag and in that case they offer no real size or weight advantage unless I want to take a variable aperture zoom. With a 35 or 50mm equiv prime though there's nothing in it for me.

Actually the first Panasonic 14-42mm was about the same size as my Sony 28-70mm when extended but the new Mega OIS 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 is the size of a MFT prime so there's a real saving there.
Click to expand...

The Olympus with the kit lens fits in a pocket tried one out earlier.
 
i took my d750 and 24-70 to new york but also had a wide angle and fisheye in my bag that a friend had lent me. I found that for the majority of the time i was walking around with the camera and 24-70 on a sling strap at my side while we walked around but on a number of occasions i did need the extra width of the wide angle, that said i only needed the fisheye twice iirc. You don't need to take loads of kit while you are out and about but there is always the option of having more than you need day to day and leaving some at the hotel and just chopping and changing what is in your bag dependent on where you are going on any given day. My mrs says that she became a photography widow at times while we were away but in reality VERY few of my shots involved anything more than lifting the camera up, composing the shot and taking it so she can't really moan too much lol
 
The more kit you have along, the more decisions there'll be to make and the more to worry about - and you're meant to be on holiday, dammit, aren't you?

However I take my photography as seriously on holiday as at any other time, so no second-tier equipment is allowed. It's normally one dslr body and a selection of 2 primes. Several sd cards. Spare battery. That's it.
 
Last edited:
We don't have children with us these days. I take FF camera, general purpose zoom, ultra-wide zoom, small fast prime and a 135 prime. Most of the time the GP zoom gets used so keeps delays to a minimum.
 
Recently went on holiday to Paris. A7RIII+24-105mm nicely converted 90% of the situations.
That's what I'd take and a flash.

Though tbh if there was an equivalent smaller APS-C combo I'd be tempted to take that. The Sony 16-70 is no good, I'm keeping an eye out for the Fuji 16-80 that'll be out later this year.
 
Last edited:
Canon 400mm f2.8 and x2 extender on Canon 1dx + Fuji xt2 and 18-55mm kit lens, anything else get snapped on my iPhone.

Next two holidays are a wander round Mull this summer and couple of weeks in Yellowstone next year
 
cambsno said:
First time in Orlando I took D750, 16-35, 50mm, and X100T. Last time was just the X100T
Click to expand...

This is our 5th time, 3rd with the kids (they weren't born the first two times, we didn't just leave them behind..). First time with the kids I took an A6000, Samyang 12mm and Sony 50/1.8, second time I took an A7, Samyang 14mm and Sony 50/1.8, this time I'm sticking to the two main lens option with the 55-210 kept in the hotel for use on site (Animal Kingdom).

I hate carrying a load of gear around with me so just keep one lens in a rucksack with the rest of the gear (jackets/chargers etc) and the other on the camera, attached to my belt with a capture clip.
 
Went to America last year (2 weeks travelling round multiple places in New York and New England by internal flight, bus, car, boat) and took a dslr for the first time in years. It was as heavy and inconvenient as I’d expected it to be from my past experiences, but I don’t regret it as I got some photographs I’d have struggled to get otherwise.

However, we’d saved up for several years for that holiday (to celebrate my wife’s 40th)- we normally just go on beach resort holidays. Normally for those I take a compact to stick in my pocket but tend to primarily use my iPhone for the majority of photographs, as it’s good enough for putting snaps on social media or in our annual Blurb year book.
 
Just back from 3 days in Venice on Monday. Took A73 with 16-35 f4, 35 f2.8 and 85 f1.8. Used the 16-35 for 98% of the pictures. Used the 85mm for a handful of shots and didn't use the little 35mm f2.8 at all. However, it weighs nothing, so don't regret taking it.
 
I take my Olympus Pen F, a 17mm f/1,8 lens, 12-40Pro zoom and the cheap 40-150mm which is really light and small and amazing at the price. If there is going to be action (like a ski holiday), I take the Em1ii.

I've been thinking of that 14-42mm EZ lens for non photo trips. The quality won't be the same as the 12-40 but it is so much lighter and more compact.

I reckon the latest EM10 would be a good option.
 
Bebop said:
I've been thinking of that 14-42mm EZ lens for non photo trips.
Click to expand...

We have that lens. Quality isn't amazing as you suggest, but the electric zoom ring is really annoying.
 
Take my Sony A7R + 35mm f2.8 and 24-70 f4. The 24-70 spends all day on the camera when i take my camera bag, the 35mm comes out in the evenings when i just want to sling the camera over my shoulder. Its almost pocketable with just the 35 on.
 
f/2.8 said:
The Olympus with the kit lens fits in a pocket tried one out earlier.
Click to expand...

It does?

khJ8qUD.jpg


Ahsm5hV.jpg


There doesn't look to be anything in it for me, I find even the RF style cameras too heavy and bulky for even a winter coat. For me these cameras even with a compact lens have to go in a bag. Especially if on holiday and just wearing shorts and a shirt.
 
Last edited:
My travel kit consists of Panasonic GX9 with Olympus 12mm and Panasonic 25mm f/1.4

Bebop said:
oh good... saved me some money :) It looks perfect to live on my Pen F. The 12-40 is a bit of a lump but it is an amazing lens.
Click to expand...
Got a bought new and used once one of these sitting in a cupboard, wanted thread please if its of interest
 
woof woof said:
It does?

khJ8qUD.jpg


Ahsm5hV.jpg


There doesn't look to be anything in it for me, I find even the RF style cameras too heavy and bulky for even a winter coat. For me these cameras even with a compact lens have to go in a bag. Especially if on holiday and just wearing shorts and a shirt.
Click to expand...

Maybe you need to buy a coat with bigger pockets. The Olympus fitted fine in my coat pocket.

Any way after doing a bit more research not sure I would be happy with mft so have went back to the drawing board.
 
f/2.8 said:
Maybe you need to buy a coat with bigger pockets. The Olympus fitted fine in my coat pocket.

Any way after doing a bit more research not sure I would be happy with mft so have went back to the drawing board.
Click to expand...
Even the A7 as in that comparison foods in my jacket pocket, i can actually get it in with the 24-70 fitted but that's bulky.
 
I used to take my 5D with 24-105, but was fed up of lugging it around with me. So I traded it in for a Fuji X-T2 kit - which is perfect for holidays and does the job as my "best camera".
 
Last holiday with the wife and two young kids I took spare D3100 along with older DX 18-55, 55-200 and 35mm lenses. Primarily as all of it was pretty inexpensive so I wouldn't be overly upset if anything was nicked or broken.

I did get frustrated at using the older camera as I had just bought a D7200 however.

Off again in a couple of months and planning on taking the D7200 along with just 35mm and 50mm primes. I have heavier 2.8 zooms but they'll be staying at home.

Beach/pool holidays so I'm purely looking to capture family memories. Waterproof smartphone for by the pool.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top