New Zealand landscape - what to bring

[camerashy]

Going to NZ south island in december. I intend to spend time travelling around taking landscapes. I have a Nikon D80 with 12-24mm f4 lens and the 18-135mm kit lens. I have also bought a polarizer for both.

What other filters or lenses would you recommend? How useful is a graduated filter? Is a fixed wide-angle lens better than a zoom lens in terms of sharpness and projecting depth?

Thanks.

[giantcanopy]

Not sure if you posted in the right subforum. But the 12-24mm is a good zoom I would not worry about the equivalent primes ( unless somehow you need a wider aperture ) . At 12 mm it gives you good rectilinear wide angle view for your D80, offering one of the best for Nikon DX sensors.

I find GND filters indispensible for my travels. You can always try to get one or two and experience and see if it works for your shooting.

Ryan

[shahrulesa]

Been in Auckland before, the landscape is so nice even PnS looks great. Think you're ok there. Maybe just bring a lightweight tripod for night shots.

[megaweb]

If you self-drive, bring everything.

Last time my NZ trip, I brought along 3 tripods, 2 DSLR, 1 compact camera, 2 lens permanently mounted, ext. flash, polariser, extra batteries, memory cards, pano head, shutter release cable and lowepro microtrekker.

[Redsun]

Originally Posted by megaweb If you self-drive, bring everything. Last time my NZ trip, I brought along 3 tripods, 2 DSLR, 1 compact camera, 2 lens permanently mounted, ext. flash, polariser, extra batteries, memory cards, pano head, shutter release cable and lowepro microtrekker.

wow!Thats everything alright!
but i do agree
Better to have it when you need it
i think GND filters will be useful

[zoossh]

Originally Posted by megaweb If you self-drive, bring everything. Last time my NZ trip, I brought along 3 tripods, 2 DSLR, 1 compact camera, 2 lens permanently mounted, ext. flash, polariser, extra batteries, memory cards, pano head, shutter release cable and lowepro microtrekker.

can i ask why 3 tripods? what different functions do they serve? and why not 1 tripod leg and 3 different types of tripod heads?

[megaweb]

Originally Posted by zoossh can i ask why 3 tripods? what different functions do they serve? and why not 1 tripod leg and 3 different types of tripod heads?

- 1 tripod with pano head mounted for panoramic photography
- 1 tripod for DSLR
- 1 tripod for compact digital

[camerashy]

OK, good replies. I will be driving but will not have time to hike around as I am on quite an ambitious schedule, i.e. do a circuit of south island including the farmlands, glaciers and fjords within 9 days. Will definitely get a medium weight tripod.

I will probably get a GND 4 stop filter to try out. I guess I can fix the GND filter on top of the polarizer?

Will I get the same effect if I take two shots at 4 stops difference and then PS it together?

[StanGetz]

Most are already said in prev thread. For me, I would say the essentials are:

1) Wide angle lens (ur 12-24 is good enuf)
2) Travel zoom (your 18-135 is also more than enuf)
3) Filters (GND, CPL, NDs for still still water at the jettys)
4) Tripod (for startrials and night shots)
5) A big adventerous heart!!!

Yea, and the landscapes look great as it is on its own!! Have a fun trip!

[zoossh]

Originally Posted by megaweb - 1 tripod with pano head mounted for panoramic photography - 1 tripod for DSLR - 1 tripod for compact digital

is there special requirements for the tripod legs meant for panaromic shots? i just thought that u can use the same tripod legs and 2 tripod heads, one panaroma, and one for DSLR and compact using two quick release plates - one always attached to the DSLR, another one attached to compact when needed. of cos, i'm thinking of weight but you may have only considerations for convinience since the tripods are all in the car. just curious.

[megaweb]

Originally Posted by zoossh is there special requirements for the tripod legs meant for panaromic shots? i just thought that u can use the same tripod legs and 2 tripod heads, one panaroma, and one for DSLR and compact using two quick release plates - one always attached to the DSLR, another one attached to compact when needed. of cos, i'm thinking of weight but you may have only considerations for convinience since the tripods are all in the car. just curious.

Yes, it takes sometimes to setup pano head on the tripod. Yes, 3 tripods are heavy to carry but they are always in the car. Many places dun need to leave the car in a distance.

[nuts]

Power!!!

Originally Posted by megaweb If you self-drive, bring everything. Last time my NZ trip, I brought along 3 tripods, 2 DSLR, 1 compact camera, 2 lens permanently mounted, ext. flash, polariser, extra batteries, memory cards, pano head, shutter release cable and lowepro microtrekker.

[giantcanopy]

Originally Posted by megaweb Yes, it takes sometimes to setup pano head on the tripod. Yes, 3 tripods are heavy to carry but they are always in the car. Many places dun need to leave the car in a distance.

Having a vehicle for transport certainly makes things abit easier.
But I cannot imagine the photographic load along with the other travel necessities
to the airport

Ryan

[zoossh]

Originally Posted by megaweb Yes, it takes sometimes to setup pano head on the tripod. Yes, 3 tripods are heavy to carry but they are always in the car. Many places dun need to leave the car in a distance.

well, i see your avatar, i can understand. what that takes probably at least 5kg... out of your luggage limit of ....???

[binbeto]

If it is me, I will bring

1. Tripod
2. Polariser
3. Remote release
4. Grad filter + holder
5. Camera cleaning kits

Hope you enjoy your trip and bring back loads of beautiful pics.

[megaweb]

Originally Posted by giantcanopy But I cannot imagine the photographic load along with the other travel necessities to the airport Ryan

I put my 3 tripods in my big luggage bag protected by clothings. Camera bodies and lenses in my camera bag as hand luggage.

[sohzai]

Originally Posted by camerashy OK, good replies. I will be driving but will not have time to hike around as I am on quite an ambitious schedule, i.e. do a circuit of south island including the farmlands, glaciers and fjords within 9 days. Will definitely get a medium weight tripod. I will probably get a GND 4 stop filter to try out. I guess I can fix the GND filter on top of the polarizer? Will I get the same effect if I take two shots at 4 stops difference and then PS it together?

Hi, GND and/or polarizer is a need, especially when you are at the glacier. Other than that, the wide angle is the most important in my opinion.

I think your equipment list is rather complete. Have a fun trip! Oh yah, get more thickly padded bag when you are going to the glacier, cause at the setting up part, you may need to leave your equipment on the ice. Best would be to cover it with raincover so more water resistant too. And remember no need to wear too much clothing, it is only cold at the start. 1/3 way and I was already sweating under 2 layers of shirt and 2 layers of coat.

New Zealand is beautiful and great for photography, especially when you have time to get the best shots there.

[Big Kahuna]

Your forgot to bring $$$, you will be starved to death by hunger

Just kidding. I think it depends on your travelling mode and shooting style. For me I prefer to travel light due to the hightened airport security check now. On my recent trip to US, I only have my D70, 17-35 and 28-85, 2 x 4GB CF cards and the Vosonic portable display unit. I did bring along CPL, ND grad and NDs but believe it or not, I did not even open up the case as I find it really troublesome and time consuming.

But then of course I am speaking from an amature point of view and all my pictures are really CMI type lah

[zoossh]

Originally Posted by sohzai New Zealand is beautiful and great for photography, especially when you have time to get the best shots there.

the only disappointment in all the new zealand thread so far is only that a major and indispensable part is always missing - the new zealander people.

[giantcanopy]

If I shoot purely landscape, the moutains and stuffs I would probably not include much people unless it forms part of an interesting focus. Really depends on the objective.