Reader George asks:
For leisure traveling which gear would you take with you Michael? I’m off to China for 3 weeks in September and still can’t decide what to take with me having 6 lenses /3 primes;28,50,85 and 3 zooms 16-35, 24-120, 70-300/ and one body d300. Looking to buy a used second body either d700 or d7000 since I believe I need a back up just in case. As for packing I have already few Think Tank bags to chose from.
Well. Here’s what I will bring to Europe when I travel to the Netherlands late August:
- A camera – Canon 1Ds Mk3 or 1D Mk4 (if I had an 1Dx I would bring that).
- A backup camera (quite so, George): a Canon 7D in my case.
- Two speedlights
- 16-35mm lens
- Probably also the 24-70mm lens, but this is not strictly necessary – after all, the 16-35, when used on the 7D crop body, is like a 24-50 lens.
- If I have space, the 70-200mm lens: but unless I travel to Africa to shoot lions, this will be my least used lens.
- A prime lens: probably the 35mm f/1.4.
- A light meter.
- Batteries, chargers, plug converters
- Memory cards
- Flash modifiers
- Ziplock bags, dental floss, pen, business cards, and so on.
- Laptop.
And indeed, a Think Tank air travel bag that everything fits into. so I can bring it on board rather than checking it. Packing this bag is an art and will take me many hours: the restrictions of airline policy is the greatest factor in limiting what one can bring on a trip.
Hi Micheal; Im off to Cuba in October & this article on what to bring has really helped me out. Thank you. One question if you don’t mind. Why leave your 70 -200 at home. Enjoy your trip.
Cheers
Steve Masters
How about backing up files while traveling?
Cheers
Congrats on 3 years of reading. I have read almost everyday.
I am debating between 17-40 vs 16-35 in terms of a landscape and environmental portrait zoom.
How often do you shoot the 16-35 wide open at f/2.8?
Thanks for your thoughts!
For having both 17-40 and 16-35 mkII
there is no point (except your budget) to choose the 17-40 in my opinion.
I have some hesitation about the 24-70 when preparing the bag for a trip because of it’s size and weight, i prefer to keep it in the studio and thake some prime lens instead (50 F/1.4), because I keep the bag on me at anytime and I walk a lot. The 70-200 is always part of the trek, however.
The TinkTank is a nice bag, but unless you rent a Sherpa when you plan some long walk you have to cut in the weight budget (or choose a hCarrix like photo bag 😉 )