What do you bring (photographic equipment) for travel

[Nikkornos]

Medium format trip

Mamiya C330/ C330f backup
55mm F4.5
80mm F2.8
135mm F4

or

Pentacon Six
50mm F4 flektogon
80mm F2.8 Biometar
150mm F2.8 Kaleinar

or

Rolleiflex 2.8F

Bringing less equipment helps to focus more on quality.
Bringing too many equipment can lead to confusion....
As I am not young anymore, carrying too many things is out for me.

 

[albertri]

Just got back from 3 weeks in Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Bosnia and Croatia. Brought two Nikon D60 bodies with 16-85 and 70-300VR attached. Found that I was shooting with the 16-85 most of the time. On final tally, I think only 15% of my shots were taken with the 70-300. Guess I'm more a wide angle kind of guys although this may be bacause of the locations I travelled to. Eastern Europe has lots of very interesting architecture. I suppose if I were shooting pics of animals in africa, a long telephoto would be more useful. I also found VR to be extremely useful for indoor church or museum shots. Was shooting at 1/8 of a second a lot of the time. Next time I travel, maybe I'll leave the 70-300 at home and just bring a 35/1.8 mounted on the backup body.

Last June family went to Phuket and I have my self

A33
Tamron 1750 f2.8
Samyang 8mm FE f3.5
Minolta 75-300 f4.5-5.6 (aka bigBeercan) it's freaking heavy
Kata kata 3n1-22

I find I was shooting more wide and using more of my FE and Tamron than my long tele (used it only shooting some chicks at the beach )

This Dec planning to have another trip to HK with Family this time might bring

A77
Sony Carl Zeiss 16-80 f3.5-4.5
Samyang 8mm FE f3.5
Sony 85mm f2.8
minolta 50mm f1.4
SunPak Flash - for night portraits at Victoria's Harbor
Tripod - most likely will be used only at The Peak or Victoria's Harbor for Family portraits and night photography

My daugther might bring
A33
Tamron 1750
Promaster 18-200 f3.5-6.3 (rebrand Tamron) good only for bright day street shooting

 

[pinholecam]

Generally safe places :

Pentax K5
15mm or 10-20mm
24.. or 35mm or 43mm
85mm or 135mm

Back-up digicam (pns)
(now is a G3)


Unknown security places
Film camera with a 50mm

 

[narofx]

I'm currently on my honeymoon and I brought along the following:
Nikon D300
Tokina 11-16 f2.8
Nikon AF-S 35 f1.8

Cain S90

 

[Badb0y07]

Trip to Malaysia to visit relative:

Canon 1DM2N
Canon 50 f1.8
Canon 24-70 f2.8
Canon 70-200 f2.8
Canon 580EXII
Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 with 488RC4 BH
1-2 CF, 1 SD

Trip to Korea with family members:
Canon 1DM2N
Canon 24-70 f2.8
Canon 580EXII
2CF, 1 or more SD

 

[nzw89]

For my last 2 trips ( Japan, hk):

Sony A850
Minolta 20/2.8
Minolta 35-105/3.5-4.5
Minolta 100-200/4.5
Minolta 300/4
Helios 44-2

 

[larrytok]

The lighter the better... my last few trips were to my, hk, tw..

leica m9
21 mm elmarit
35 mm summilux pre asph
50 mm summilux asph
lens pen, cloth, spare sd cards.

most of the time i only use 1 lens only.. so well..

 

[rhema83]

The lighter the better... my last few trips were to my, hk, tw..

leica m9
21 mm elmarit
35 mm summilux pre asph
50 mm summilux asph
lens pen, cloth, spare sd cards.

most of the time i only use 1 lens only.. so well..

Totally agree. Lightweight and convenience take priority when traveling especially in remote places. I only used my 70-200 twice during my recent trip to Jiuzhaigou. The 15-85 (and CPL) stayed on most of the time. Should've left the white elephant (literally) at home and brought a gorilla pod instead.

Interestingly I found my spare G12 very useful as it is lightweight so my hands were more steady holding it, and it has huge DOF even at f/2.8 for low light snapshots.

How do you find bringing the M9 for travel photography? Any real life limitations compared to SLR? Were you concerned about security wielding a $10,000 setup?

 

[MechaEd]

Last December to Singapore with my kids:

- Canon 60D
- Canon 16-35 f2.8
- Canon 50 f1.2
- Canon 70-200 f2.8
- Benro A190 (for nightscenes shot from the hotel room)

Only used the 70-200 at the zoo. Day to day I only carried the other 2 lens and surprisingly I used them about 50/50.

Planning a long Europe trip in a few months, not sure I'm up for lugging the same kit for this one... Maybe just the 16-35 f2.8, 85 f1.8, 1.4x teleconvertor and the Benro tripod. Still have time to play around with the configuration in my head

 

[Dfive]

Just did Penang for 5 days with my Nikon D3S and 24 f1.4 and 85 f1.4 NIKKORS.... was an awesome "lightweight" setup........ I love playing with f1.4-2.0 on these lenses

 

[twiki]

Assuming you did this Penang vacation with your family, or significant other, can you honestly say it was fun dragging all that weight around?

Just did Penang for 5 days with my Nikon D3S and 24 f1.4 and 85 f1.4 NIKKORS.... was an awesome "lightweight" setup........ I love playing with f1.4-2.0 on these lenses

 

[twiki]

So, what will you bring the next time?

The lighter the better... my last few trips were to my, hk, tw..

leica m9
21 mm elmarit
35 mm summilux pre asph
50 mm summilux asph
lens pen, cloth, spare sd cards.

most of the time i only use 1 lens only.. so well..

 

[soken]

I would say it partially depends on the city u r going:
Last December, I went Beijing alone, with a Minolta dynax 7 film camera and 28 f2.8, and 20 rolls of color negative and slides. It was great. I don't regret I haven't bring my digital. 28mm for me is a safe choice to go around with one lens. And this set is definitely light weight and cheap. No body will be interested to steal my old film cam. And Beijing is an city with its culture and history, film for me is a better way to record.

But for instance, if I am going to Australia or new Zealand, I will prefer my a 850, + 20 f2.8+ 135 f2.8. Maybe take a medium format film camera too.

 

[DDAphoto]

Pentax K-r (Battery using disposables 4x AA with adapter)

18-28mm Samyang
35mm f1.4 Samyang
50mm SMC Pentax-A f1.4
28-80mm Pentax-F SMC

WF-592t Tripod

Mini Tripod
Microfiber Cloth x 3
Dust Blower

SD Cards
Card Reader
2.5" Ext HDD
Netbook + Adapter + Battery

Tour whole Malaysia

 

[renaissance_myth]

recent trip to phuket

just brought:-

Crumpler 5 million dollar home
60D
EF-S 17-55mm f2.8
EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5
one spare batt

 

[surrephoto]

Just did Penang for 5 days with my Nikon D3S and 24 f1.4 and 85 f1.4 NIKKORS.... was an awesome "lightweight" setup........ I love playing with f1.4-2.0 on these lenses

Assuming you did this Penang vacation with your family, or significant other, can you honestly say it was fun dragging all that weight around?

Actually, the D3S is quite a light camera to hold due to the well built ergomics. At the same time, the 24G and 85G are not exactly bulky & heavy compared to stuff like the canon 85 f1.2L or the popular 70-200s which can weigh 1.6 kg or so.

So if your bag is comfortable and well padded and easy to access gear, D3S and 2 medium size prime is a good travel combo especially for night photography. Cheers!

 

[kaxdd]

I've learnt to travel light nowadays. Sold all my DSLR gears and just using my LX-3 and X100 as digital cameras. I have a Bessa R4M rangefinder camera with 21mm lens which is very compact. I've also foregone the tripod as it adds weight to my traveling. I also found that I don't use the tripod 99% of the time except for star trails.

Just my humble sharing.

 

[ICPIXELS]

I am going to Osaka soon, but not sure I should bring my 70-300L.. It is freaking heavy esp when I will be carrying my travel backpack everywhere I go.

Most likely I will be bringing
Canon 60D
Sigma 17-50 HSM
Sigma 30 F1.4
Samyang 8mm Fish Eye
YN 565EX
Tripod
Maybe 70-300L (Considering cos too heavy, not sure if I will use it in Osaka)

Considering I will be carrying a sling bag, with my backpack behind, it is going to be so heavy!

 

[tonyep]

I used to bring my 5D2 and at least 2 lenses when I travel till the X100 came out and solely bought that 1 camera only to travel. It feels so good traveling light and since then I've been doing that. I've never regret not bringing my DSLR along. Just gotten the X-Pro1 and am going to bring it with me when I travel next week. Waiting for the M10 announcement to make it my next travel camera.

 

[sinned79]

this is my equipment list for my coming Melbourne trip. Since me and my friends is renting a car for our trip... i am going to empty my dry cabinet and bring everything out for this trip!

5DMKII + CZ 21mm + 35L + 135L
LEE filters
OM2N + 28mm
Contax 167MT + 50mm
2-4 rolls of film
Trusty Sirui tripod