Messages

46

Lenses / Re: Nepal/Tibet hiking with DSLR and lens - vacation feedback wanted

« on: May 08, 2012, 02:44:28 AM »

Thank you all for the feedback
Is good to hear different opinions and at same time, similar sugestions, as they too make sense and end confirming what I sort of had in mind.
Been training since last month, although did not get much higher than 10k yet
Yes, I have been exposed to almost 20k, and it's no joke - stepping on and over a mere 18 inches rock is.....hard. LOL
Was only a 6 day hike , as we summt on that same night, and then down and out The way out was harder for me, as you all motiivation was gone. The scree takes a toll on the knees too. Then a rocky and muddy river bed to add on the pain.
Anyway, I think my pack will  remain whithin the 20 pound range if that much.
Three lenses max, one tripod, 1 FF body, and one P&S camera - I took a little less up Kilimanjaro summit night, so I should be ok.
14, 15 16 0r 17 mm only three degrees apart, and yet such a difference, in special being the 15 a fisheye... Where's that Canon 12-24mm? Oh, wait! That's onlly with Nikon - darn..

Now, the hard part is wait all summer long

47

Lenses / Re: Nepal/Tibet hiking with DSLR and lens - vacation feedback wanted

« on: May 07, 2012, 07:08:54 PM »

Thanks NWPhil for all the advice. Esp. rain sleeve and P&S. What make of tripod is that? Bag choice was why I joined the forum. As an ML I've got a very large 80lt pack with compartments and a 40lt daypack without. The one I was looking at (see link) had dedicated compartment in base and some room in the top for normal gear. Wondered if anyone had experience of these.

this one: Slik Mini II 43.3IN. Compact 4 Section Tripod With Ball Head in Gun Metal Finish
Then I replaced the ball head with: Benro B-0 Tripod Ball head II
My backpack is an Osprey Atmos 50 - it's compressible, and yet allows for enough for a weekend trip.
has two side zippers, which can take easily a lens or two in each side, plus the tripod fits in a mesh exterior pocket. Not overkill for the weight and price, and as I said, I load it two lenses, tripo, 3liter blader, plus rain jacket, puffy, gloves, t-shirt or/and pull-over aside trail essentials with no problems, and plenty of space left.
Even loaded with 30 pounds or more, still is comfortable to hike with all day long.
But that's me - we have to find one that fits properly.
the two vertical compartments type - which in most cases is just a removable separation, - is not too practical in smaller bags. However, side storage like mine, comes as a big plus - I can get to the camera gear, without having to open the top.
I place a medium size carabineer on the top hanging loop, and then set my camera strap thru it - this way I take the weight off my neck. Get also a neoprene neck strap - you will appreciate the difference

Your link is not showing btw
When I was backpacking with my 65liter, I never placed the camera gear on the bottom compartment - is the first thing hitting the ground
 A 40- 50 liter should be more than enough, as long as has side storage too, and the advantage of having a medium pack is, that you can fit more stuff, without compressing too much, as it's more comfortable with 30 pounds, although could take 50, than the bag that has a 30 pound weight limit

48

Lenses / Re: Nepal/Tibet hiking with DSLR and lens - vacation feedback wanted

« on: May 07, 2012, 03:26:53 PM »

Hi Freudianslap,
Seems that you have the kit range in order . I think too, for all recommendations, that two zooms and a fast prime will do all the needs.
I am thinking in selling my 17-40 ang get the 16-35II; then I will leave both the 24 and 14 at home.
As I have already a good backpack, it will be what I will use. Aside water, you need room, for a a few extra layers - warmth and rain protection along some food/snacks, and some essentails.
I think the camera bags are too small and specific, unless you are willing to carry two bags, like a 20 liter backpack, and a messenger style gear bag.
As you are going in the raining season, chances to change lenses while hiking might be shaddy to say the least.
I think you will need a rain-sleeve, and better yet, carry a small rugged P&S. Invest in a quality backpack rain cover, some small water proof compression bags along with silica gel packs.
I would not take a monopod, but rather have a travel tripod. Mine actually allows to remove the center column, but would still  be a very short monopod (12 inches or so)- tripod will be good for interior shots, night shots and others.
Some packs are waterproof, others require a rain cover, but in either case, I would not rely on either alone for water protection.
Choose a backpack with separate storage areas - last thing you want, is to be digging a filter from the bottom of it.
And go to a store to get fit - just because the pack looks nice, does not mean it will be confortable on you.
A good outdoor store, will load the pack with some weight, and then check the fit on you. Better yet, you can see up close, how easy is to reach/open zippers and all

49

Lenses / Re: Nepal/Tibet hiking with DSLR and lens - vacation feedback wanted

« on: May 03, 2012, 10:11:26 AM »

Thanks AJ and Kernuak.
great to have insights from people who have been there. Pretty much what I am expecting and thinking  --- hey, don't people say great minds think alike?

50

Lenses / Re: Nepal/Tibet hiking with DSLR and lens - vacation feedback wanted

« on: May 01, 2012, 12:14:08 PM »

Back in 2001 I spent 2 months hiking in Nepal.  I had a 28-300 superzoom and a film body.

If I were to go again I'd bring a 15-85 IS (crop) or 24-105 IS (FF), plus a lightweight telephoto zoom lens, and maybe a fast fifty for portraits.

If you're going late in summer it'll still be monsoon.  Expect rain, mud, and leeches.  Things dry out in early October.  I hiked Oct-Nov. and it wasn't very dusty.  I've been told there's a lot of dust in the pre monsoon season. (March-May).  I have been in Burma in pre-monsoon (not far away) and it certainly was dusty there.  Tibet, being in the rain shadow, should be lush in late summer and not too dusty.

Thanks AJ.
Good to know about the seasons. Indeed I am looking to go in October, so should indeed avoid most of the rain. How much colder does it gets from October to November? Obviously, above 10k is always colder, and with lack of humidity, gets worst - it was somewhat cold in the summer months while climbing Kilimanjaro, and we are talking  2-3 degrees south from equator.
Tibet is also under consideration with Nepal.
Thanks

51

Lenses / Re: Lenses to shoot the Milky Way. Is a 17-40 enough?

« on: April 30, 2012, 02:44:42 PM »

look at this first:

http://www.photokaboom.com/photography/learn/tips/121_stars_star_trails.htm

52

Lenses / Re: Nepal/Tibet hiking with DSLR and lens - vacation feedback wanted

« on: April 30, 2012, 02:38:42 PM »

Hi Preston
Thanks for taking the time posting.
No doubt you have very good valid points - three lens and one DSLR, HAVE to be enough. Still playing with the idea of bringing the 17-40 and the 80-200 instead, but hopefully I will have time to take some night shots, and I know from experience in Kilimanjaro that f/4  is not enough unless one wants star tracks.
No issues carrying 15-25 pounds ( even at 10k and above) but yes,  it's hard to change lens in the rain - for that the Lumix will come in play more often - yes, KISS KISS all over, but somehow there is always something left behind and way too many others that never get used... LOL
Thanks

53

Lenses / Re: Lens advice moving to FF

« on: April 27, 2012, 05:43:26 PM »

If you want UWA as you have with the 10-22mm, you need to go all way back to the 16m-14mm range. The 10-22 in paper is equivalent to a 16mm in FF but in reality, the view angle is wider than 16mm on a FF.
With that in mind, the next decision would be Prime or Zoom.

Till the day Canon decides to make a 12-24mm, you only can get the 8-15, the 16-35 or the 17-40 in the Canon brand.
As primes, you may want to look at Rokinon 14mm, but I advise to buy it new, from a dealer.

Other option would be keep 7D, and get a 5Dmk2 instead. That way you still can look for a UWA prime outside Canon brand, which seems that is what you are missing in your line-up.
The Ts-e 17, ef14mmII and even the Zeiss 18mm are great options, but I am sure others can suggest a few more.

IMHO, if you don't do movies and need high iso and higher frame rate with tons of megapixels ( pretty much covered with the 7D), the 5Dc could be a great deal too. It would allow you to reach the 14 or ts-e 17 without blowing your budget, and still is a pretty good camera for landscapes and architecture.

54

Lenses / Re: Nepal/Tibet hiking with DSLR and lens - vacation feedback wanted

« on: April 27, 2012, 01:44:46 PM »

Thanks Random Orbits and nitsujwalker

That's pretty much what I was thinking.
The max weight allowance is 25 kilos - but that is for the porter and while hiking
Me? well, it's up to me and how much the air carrier let me carry as a personal bag item.
- not to mention how much I really want to carry on my back everyday.
Here in the PNW, I usually carry anything from 15-25 pounds in a day hike, accounting for a FF and one or two lenses. As a rule, I fill-in my water bladder - 3 liters, which come to 7-8 pounds alone.
The backpack is about 2-3 pounds, and then depends in the season and location to hike -  more clothing, food or other gear like crampons, - aside the 10 plus essentails.

In Nepal, I will carry less water, and will bring a water filter (which I always carry in the summer anyway),
A bunch of essentials can be carried in the duffel bag, except for hiking food, rainjacket and extra layer

Tempted to bring the TS-E 24, but indeed te 14, 35 and 80-200 is a good range.
Almost makes me wish I bought the TSE17mm instead of the 14mm.....trades anyone 

Yes, no flash, but I have a lightweight gitzo tripod to bring ( less than 2 pounds with head)
The 40D goes along the idea of carrying the TSE - however it does require different batteries, and is in the process of becoming a full-time IR (full-spectrum) camera. Tempting too to shoot in IR there, but I think I rather  bring the LX-3, for candid shots/rainy days
With the 35, I can share the CPL and a ND with the 80-200 - unless I bring a ring converter...and all the sudden it's becoming a lot of gear ...LOL
My other concern is recharging the batteries. Tea-houses where we will lodge overnight, will have outlets, but one has to pay for using them, and fight the competion (well, sort of)
Thniking of a solar charger. Solar panel charging battery pack, that then will recharge camera batteries type
So any imput or experiences with these sort of packs would be very helpfull too.

Thanks once again.

55

Lenses / Re: 5dmkii upgrade question

« on: April 26, 2012, 06:06:39 PM »

why not the 7D?
seems that has better AF and faster frame rate than the 5D2, which will work well on kids.
Does she wants the full frame? sure they pro's and con's in each system, but in the end, what matters is what she really wants.
With the 7D she will be able to keep the lens she has right now, and I would add up a good flash and a maybe even a tripod

But there is nothing wrong with either, specially with the 5D2 - just be sure she is not going to notice that the 5D2 is not for you too after all 

56

Lenses / Nepal/Tibet hiking with DSLR and lens - vacation feedback wanted

« on: April 26, 2012, 03:27:47 PM »

I know that they other websites geared towards travel, but what I am looking for is feedack from people that have been there with more than just a pocket P&S camera.
Planning got there this late summer, for a 18 or 21 day trek.
If you have been there and took your DSLR with you, which lenses did work the best, and which one you missed the most, or wished you had?
Tripod and flash are a plus or just extra weight? Issues with recharging batteries?
anything else?
Thanks for your feedback

57

Lenses / Re: 16-35mm or 17-40mm owners--what filters do you use with your lens?

« on: April 23, 2012, 03:01:43 PM »

17-40 owner here:
CPL has to be used carefully, as @ 17, sometimes I get weird sky effects.
Been using more the ND filters lately

58

Lenses / Re: Patent: Canon 17-40 f/2.8-4L

« on: April 23, 2012, 02:58:29 PM »

If this puppy comes out it will be hard for me not to sell my perfect 17-40 f/4L for this

The 17-40mm is far from perfect. I suggest learning to read an MFT chart as the first step, and then having a good look at the corners of your shots at f/4.

why be condescending? The 17-40L is capable of taking stunning photo's, what else is necessary?

+1
MTF charts aren't everything. If you're happy with the photos that it produces, then it is perfect your tastes.

+1

now about the lens:
if a constant 2.8 would allow me to obtain good IQ at f/4, would be a deal, but not with variable aperture - and like others I would rather see a 14-24 2.8.

Maybe not so much of a need during daytime; for low light conditions and nighscapes, I can see the use.
I have the 17-40, and can't even recall using it at 40mm focal, but often I get down to f/4 and find myself still pushing the iso

59

Lenses / Re: Bower 14mm weird behavior ---SOLVED !!!!

« on: April 20, 2012, 03:26:21 PM »

got the lens to the store, and they were able to confirm that indeed the aperture blades were getting stuck, as the ring got turned - so it's not a camera or shooting technique issue.

The lens needs to be send for servicing, more exactly lubricated.

The few shots I took, they did come out sharp and with a nice IQ, but now I question the reliability of this lens.  Is not too old, and cosmetically, looks like a 9.5.
So, I suspect it can happen any given time to annyone - maybe storage temperatures do play a role, or is just a poor quality control.

60

Lenses / Re: Bower 14mm weird behavior

« on: April 19, 2012, 01:24:33 PM »

That's why M - manual is the way to go - but, here's the thing : In Av mode, the camera is not reading the aperture values, as the lens does not communicate electronic  with it.
In my case, it did not allowed me to change the shutter speed at all, unless I used the compensation button and then dialed up and down to over or underexposed.
With Tv mode, I set the aperture in the ring, and then I can dial the shutter speed to control the exposure.
Maybe I am completly wrong,  or it's another issue with the lens, but could not really control the exposure in Av

Qwerty:
I did not touch anything in the mount. Seems that the lens does not have the Af chip anyway, because indeed I don't get my AF points to light up. The spring thing seems to be a good explanation, but I am not going to play with it, as it's not my lens. Thanks