Travel Tips

[SilverBullet07]

I'm getting ready to leave for a 19 day tour through Europe in a few days and have been planning my camera bag essentials. We are going to 7 different countries to include Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

So far I decided on my walk around lens, 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6, 50mm f/1.8, 16-50mm f/2.8 and my 70-200 f/2.8L IS monster and 2x Extender EF 2x II to use with my XSI. My Canon 580EXii Strobe and a Graphite Tripod, chargers extra batteries, few filters, extra memory cards, net book.

Total backpack weight is 18 lbs. Some days some items can stay in the hotel or bus but there will be 1 or 2 days when I'm packing the 18lbs all day. Will this be to much?? or just suck it up and go on...LOL.

This will be my first long tour with full gear.
Any one have any suggestions, recommemndations or anything I should remember?

Thanks

[gturner]

all depends on how big and strong you are & how much foot work you are doing.

If the aim of the trip is to take pictures, then do it.

I would take a P&S as back-up

[Doug Pardee]

Originally Posted by SilverBullet07

Will this be to much??

That's up to you. How much can you deal with?

Myself, when on foot I take (at most) my camera with one lens attached, a couple of spare memory cards a spare battery, and my pocketable digicam.

No flash unit except the pop-up, no filters, no tripod, no extra lenses, no storage devices other than memory cards, and no bag. My bag, left back in the hotel or on the ship, has my charger, more batteries and memory cards, and my cleaning kit.

I used to do the "pack mule" thing and found it to be not only uncomfortable but impractical. If you're on any kind of guided tour, you don't usually have time to fish around through your bag to find and fit the perfect lens, to set up your tripod, etc. You shoot with whatever you've got in your hand and move on or you'll be left behind.

If you're just driving around, not on a guided tour, you have a bit more flexibility. You can leave the bag with spare equipment in the trunk and select what you think you'll need for the current shoot.

And then there's this thread currently running in this very forum: Why live your life through a viewfinder?

[SilverBullet07]

Thanks, We will have the wifes P&S with us to back us up and to hand to someone so they can capture us both. The tripod was iffy but I want to take some photos at night with all the lights in the different citys, so I really want it with us.

I just don't know what to do with out. I'll pack the Tripod in the suitcase for for flight but to afraid to but the 70-200 lens in check on backage. What would you all do?

[SilverBullet07]

I think I can leave most things in the room or suit case while traveling. Put we have one day in Paris and will probable not hit the hotel till way late. I would like to have the tripod this evening but maybe will have to make a quick dash to the hotel after moulin rouge show before heading back down town for some night shots.

[OsmosisStudios]

Only thing I'd be worried about is that your widest is 28mm, on a crop body no less. That's more like a 45, which isn't wide at all. COnsider renting something wider like the 10-22 or the sigma 10-20

[SilverBullet07]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Only thing I'd be worried about is that your widest is 28mm, on a crop body no less. That's more like a 45, which isn't wide at all. COnsider renting something wider like the 10-22 or the sigma 10-20

I have a Tokina 16-50mm f/2.8, I guess I could take that too for any wide angle needs....aarghh I guess I could take this and the 70-200 but I really like my 28-135. Choices...choices...Why can't one lens do it all.....