Visiting Egypt - what to take

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andrewm

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I will be visiting Egypt in a couple of weeks time. Cairo and the Nile between Aswan and Luxor.

Any recommendations for must have equipment beyond the usual DSLR, standard zoom and telephoto zoom etc?

Andrew
 
Sun cream :thumbs:

Possibly a wide angle for any narrow streets or if you see the stone triangles?
 
Get some ciprofloxacin from a travel clinic (as well as the usual anti-malarials and stuff) in case you get the squits. Seriously. You can take all the kit you want but if you're stuck on the bog for the duration, you ain't going to be taking many shots. Trust me - I've got the T-shirt.

If you've got the kit, I'd take a wide zoom, a fast (f1.4 if you've got it) 35 or 50mm or 85mm and reconsider whether to take a telezoom, especially if you have a teleconverter and an 85mm. It's probably worth taking a flash because you'll be in some dark places (if you're allowed to use them at some of the sites - might be worth checking).

A tripod may be useful if you're going to do some golden hour pyramid/temple shots.

Now, go and get some Cipro...

...and enjoy the trip. Egypt's fascinating.
 
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As a regular to Cairo, I thoroughly recommend a blindfold for the car journey's.

Oh and don't bother paying to go up the Pyramid's. You have to leave your camera with the bloke at the front who doesn't exactly inspire you with confidence he will look after your pride & joy.

You climb all the way to the top of a flipping great pyramid which has tiny ladders so only one person can go up/down at a time. Then when you get to the top it's literally an empty dark room with nothing in it.
 
During the day I'd use a mid-range walkabout zoom rather than primes. I wouldn't fancy changing lenses outside in that dust and wind, also it's a way to attract attention to the man with the expensive camera! Maybe have a fast wide prime for night shooting.

I went to Bangalore earlier this year, that's pretty much what I did. :thumbs:
 
andrewm said:
I will be visiting Egypt in a couple of weeks time. Cairo and the Nile between Aswan and Luxor.

Any recommendations for must have equipment beyond the usual DSLR, standard zoom and telephoto zoom etc?

Andrew
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Hello Andrew

A very nice place the last time i was there you can't use a flash gun inside the Pyramids or any of the tombs everywhere you go you will be asked to pay money by the guards to take the pictures, (Don't pay) always talk to your travel guild for help.

Also only take cheap colour pens with you for the children to help you the poilce don't like you given money, be careful and what you bring always travel light and carry some water and of cause a toilet roll;) you will know why latter

When going shopping don't carry allots of money with you always nock down the price because they always put the price higher in the first place.

On the Aswan dam don't use a long zoom len the police will take you camera or ask to delete the picture.

Don't Carrying allot of camera gear you don't need on your back always travel in a group or near some people if you are on your own it hard to get out of trouble the local people are nice but not the theifts always check you bag if you have a white chalk mark on your bag rub it off because you have been marked.

Only buy the water from the hotel because some shops use tap water and seal the bottle cap so you don't know what you drink

Go to your doctor to have a vaccine before travel to be safe:thumbs:

Have a great hoilday from me.
 
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Extreme caution bearing in mind the way things are going over this US video!
 
Thanks all. I will keep my eye on the political situation and enquire about the Cipro-what-ever-it-is.

Some of our time will be spent on a boat on the Nile which is why I was thinking about the telephoto. To get some shots of river life in places where we are not going to get a chance to stop.

As a walkabout lens I guess that I will use the 18-70 most of the time but can see the advantage of the 50mm 1.8 for evenings. Haven't decided if I need a flash yet.

My Benbo Trecker tripod is probably a bit heavy. Would a tripod be useful? I am thinking about longish exposures in an attempt to blur the inevitable crowds. If so it may be an excuse to get a small carbon fibre one.

I don't have any specific backup medium but was thinking about taking the iPad to load photos on to. I think that if I shoot raw apple don't have a chance to mess with them on uploading. At least it would give me a backup in case anything happens to the CD card.

Andrew
 
andrewm said:
I will be visiting Egypt in a couple of weeks time. Cairo and the Nile between Aswan and Luxor.

Any recommendations for must have equipment beyond the usual DSLR, standard zoom and telephoto zoom etc?

Andrew
Click to expand...

Wide angle and a circular polariser pretty much essential.

If you're carrying a tripod note that LOTS of the tourist places will try to charge you an extortionate amount for taking the thing in through security (and the fee is whatever they decide you look like you'll pay). Given youre generally shooting in open desert in bright sunlight id leave the tripod at home for those sites. It's not needed. Long lenses pointed at anything that isn't a pyramid is likely to attract the security services attention who will delete the photo, seize the camera or demand money. Or all of the above so be cautious. Since the "revolution" security and corruption within it has got much much worse than ever.

You'll be pestered by security who will offer to open up off limit tombs etc for a fee and allow you to photograph inside. That in addition to "i take picture for you.. $5 $5" etc.

If in Cairo as well as Giza its worth going to Sakara to the south. The step pyramid complex. Its much quieter and very good. More adventurous then go another 15 mins south to Dashur where you have 3 pyramids on a plateau overlooking the city where quite often you are literally the only person there and free to roam without another human in sight.
You can get some decent views of Cairo and the Mohammed Ali mosque from the Citadel area (and photograph inside) so its worth seeing if you have time. Coptic cairo is worth an hour or so for architecture pictures.
Luxor as well as the obvious you can get some nice almost "life in the 1800s" style photos of the city as its green fields, irrigation and donkeys pulling carts through the streets around them. Very retro feel around that. It's also worth noting that the Valley of the Kings as far as im aware still has a blanket ban on cameras- they aren't allowed into the valley at all.

Be very careful with the camera walking around the streets. If its on display theres a fair chance it'll get nicked. On a more sinister note really do not have it out if around Tahrir Square (ie Egyptian museum etc) or other areas. Its fairly common for state security to see people with a large camera and give them and/or the camera a beating or detain them accusing them of all sorts. And avoid the Tahrir area on Fridays completely

My advice with Giza pyramids is to get there early to avoid the crowds.

Luxor is fantastic, the Karnak temple complex is amazing. Wide angle in the main here.
 
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Thanks Richard, that's useful.

We only have two days in Cairo unfortunately and one of those is a Friday so it will probably be the Museum. The hotel is near Giza so should be able to get to the pyramids first thing in the morning. But unlikely to be any chance of getting to the others.

Luxor sounds interesting.

I love some of your pictures and they make me want to visit Petra as well.

Andrew
 
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