Kit for travelling around the world for 2 years!

[mart456]

Hi All

Over the last 2 years we have travelled overland from the UK to Australia, primarily using an old 450D, 17-85 & 55-250mm, although we had managed to get some good and ok pics, we found we missed a lot shots during the trip, probably due to rushing too much and not taking the time to put more thought in the output of our shots.

We have now upgraded to 5d III with a 24-105 for the second part of our trip, and are taking our time enjoying taking photos with the camera.

Our trip will last another two years driving the length of the Americas (Alaska to Argentina) and from South Africa back to the UK.

Due to the nature of the trip will be taking a wide variety of pictures:
• Landscapes
• Wildlife
• Macro
• Urban Portraits, People

We will be travelling by 4x4 so weight is not an issue but dust will be.

Our current thoughts is the following set up:
• 17-40L
• 100 – 400L II (if it is released before we leave)
• Canon 100L Macro or Sigma 150mm
• Manfrotto 055XProB Tripod w/ 496RC2
• Bag – Still undecided – im looking for something that will hold all of the kit as a back pack, but also has space for water / food / rain jacket,

We will be leaving Australia in June 2013, but would like buy the lenses prior to leaving, which will allow us improve our photography skills and get use to using these lenses.

We are on a budget, but do not mind investing in kit which we hope will last us for several years to come, any advice would hugely appreciated.

If you are interested in our trip, you can see more on the links below:

http://www.facebook.com/MyOverlandAdventure

http://myoverlandadventure.com/

 

[IIIHobbs]

Keep in mind on the 450D your wide zoom had an effective focal length of 28-135 and your tele zoom 85-400.

Your new 24-105 covers the wide end nicely and the 100-400 will adequately extend your reach to what you have been familiar with. Take time to consider the 70-300L before committing to the 100-400.

If you need macro, the 100L is a great lens for handheld macro shooting. The 180L is also worth your consideration (although the 100L is the one on my Christmas list).

 

[Random Orbits]

Sounds like quite a trip!

What would you do if the 100-400L II is not released in time? Would you choose between 100-400L I and a 70-200 with extenders?

You might want to consider adding a fast 35 or 50 into the mix for night urban, but it looks like you have most everything else well covered. I would suggest the 100L over the 150 macro. It doubles as a nice portrait lens.

 

[Nick Gombinsky]

Whatever you buy, hurry up and don't leave anything to chance for when you're here in Argentina. Not only electronic imports cost more than twice as much, the government has put a stop to certain imports and some stuff are unreachable. This not only apply to electronics but to medicine and everything you can imagine.

When you get to Buenos Aires let me know, we can meet up for a few beers

 

[Dylan777]

This is my one of my biggest dreams - TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD - with my camera gear.

Maybe 15-20yrs from now, when my kids done with college.

Wish you guys a wonderful journey and be safe 8)

 

[Cali_PH]

Wow, I'm very envious! I'd love to do what you're doing. Best of luck on your trip!

My first instinct was to say consider a Gitzo Traveler or other lightweight carbon fiber tripod, especially for such a long trip, but you say weight isn't an issue, so I'll pass on that.

If you can't get the lenses you want...perhaps a 1.4 or 2x teleconverter? If the slight reduction on IQ is acceptable.

As far as a bag, I have limited experience, but I've been extremely happy with my F-Stop Loka. Removable padded camera bag, with a pouch for water/laptop, lightweight, easy to clean ripstop material, MOLLE straps for add-on pouches, and specifically designed to fit requirements as a carry-on. F-stop makes larger packs too, if that's what you need. Two years of abuse and still going strong.

 

[Frodo]

I've ridden a motorbike through Argentina and Chile, so I was much more weight limited. Still I'd ask: is this a photography trip or a round-the-world trip that you want to document? This will determine how much you are prepared to take big, expensive gear along.
On my trip I took a 20D, 10-22, 28-135, and 70-200 (f4) and a small tripod. The 28-135 was used by far the most as I was often shooting from the road and the ultra-wide hardly got used at all. I often used the long end of the 70-200 for mountains and birds (e.g. penguins).
In your case for full frame, I'd take the 24-105L (I now have one) and a 70-300L (The 70-200 is too short for wildlife on full-frame and my 400/5.6 is great but adds to the weight). I'd take a 50 1.8 or 1.4 for low light. I'd also take a small flash and without question a back-up point and shoot (S100 or G15). And a tripod. And a netbook with robust external hard drive. All this, except tripod, would fit in a small bag - the hard drive with backed images should be kept somewhere else.
The 100-400 is in another league in terms of size, but this may be a must for wildlife - I would only take one if wildlife would be a trip priority.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I think you have the right gear. Presumably, you have batteries and storage means or plan to back up images somehow. Large memory cards are expensive, but laptops can fail or get stolen while memory cards can be tucked away safely where they might not be easily found by a thief.

 

[candyman]

........
In your case for full frame, I'd take the 24-105L (I now have one) and a 70-300L (The 70-200 is too short for wildlife on full-frame ............

+1 That is what I take on my regular trips to the middle east
And, adding a 35mm or 50mm f/1.4


True landscape you can do with 17-40 and maybe 16-35 MKII for indoors of buildings - like a church or so.

 

[mb66energy]

My 2 ct:

It is nice to have a backup body "on-board" and a secondary body minimizes
lens changes dramatically.

Existing:
5d mkiii + 24-105
Add:
7D with 70-200 mkii: 2.8 110-310mm + close up lens (+ TC 2x for "long range")
40mm 2.8

might be a good combination to have 24mm .... 310mm effective focal range
without the need to change lenses too often.
If you don't need a dedicated macro lens a "stronger" close up lens (achromatic
correction) will give you perhaps enough close up range and quality without
a lens change.

The 40mm 2.8 on a 7D (60D, 40D, 5D ...) is very light and unobtrusive. It can be
worn near the body to keep the camera (battery) warm and to be less visible
- a very valuable lens with very high IQ, just in contralight!

Good luck for your trip - an amazing project!

Best - Michael

 

[bycostello]

i'd get a mirroless camera... small, light and unobtrusive

 

[7enderbender]

Wow, what an adventure. You've done it already so you know what works for you and what doesn't. Lenses and cameras look great to me for that purpose. I personally would always consider a fast prime also - even if just a cheapo 50 1.8 or so. I don't know how you're doing in the flash department. I always bring along at least my little 230EX and an off-camera cable. Works surprisingly well. 430, 580, 600 etc are off course more flexible and have more power if you need it. Especially important in sunny conditions I think.
Bag is always a big question. Backpacks seem obvious when going on a hike etc but are at times difficult to work with. And they get heavy quickly. For urban settings I'm still hunting for the perfect shoulder bag that tightly fits a pro body, two primes and a flash...

For transportation in the car I would take a Pelican (or similar) waterthight and dust-proof (!) case. That was one of the best investment ever. For tropical conditions add some of their silica gel packs.

Have fun!

 

[Random Orbits]

For bags, you might want to look at GuraGear.com. Tough but very functional.

 

[sach100]

Just Wow! Bows indeed!

if you are thinking of really wide shots I think 17mm may not be wide enough (personal experience).. maybe a rokinon 14mm (manual only though) ? it is cheap, get you very wide and you can sell it later even if you under-use it.

Rest of your proposed gear list looks good. if you've managed two years with one body maybe you can get away without the need to buy a back up body to your 5d3. But like others have said a backup body will give you some insurance and you'll have have two different bodies for run and gun situations.

Happy travelling!

 

[DCM1024]

My advice is what I want to do myself in the coming year: take some photography classes before your trip! Our local technical college offers everything from a photography certification course to specialised classes such as landscape. Any of them could be completed in the time you have available before your trip. Have a wonderful time.

 

[mart456]

Thanks for all the replies:


Random Orbits - I think if the 100-400 II is not out before we leave we may go with the 70-300L, although in Africa we would probably be looking for a bit more reach but if we have a second crop body it may be ok.

Nick Gombinsky - Thanks Nick when we get down that way, we will let you know, we were hoping to have a small exhibition of our photos in Argentina before shipping to South Africa,

Mt Spokane Photography - We have gone through quite a few hard drives already on the trip, we have now installed SSD''s, we have several external drives and have been copying all our photos whilst on the road to Amazon S3, while travelling every now and then we would stop for a few days so that would give the time needed to uploaded everything,

Frodo - Good question, our initial trip was just to travel and document it, although after the first part (34 countries from UK to Australia), we are looking to give ourselves a couple of projects to work on whilst travelling, i.e. Pictures of local people and communities all the way down the America’s or & Landscapes etc.,
We are hoping to take on a couple of projects which will give us the motivation and a reason to interact with local people and also to explore more. Travelling without a goal apart from getting to somewhere was great, but given the once in a life time opportunity we have, we would like to do a bit more.


mb66energy 0 Definitely thinking about a crop back up body but will decide which one just before we leave, hopefully prices will drop further.

 

[AJ]

Your itinerary takes you through counties where getting robbed is a likelihood. I have been through Managua, Guatemala City, Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, etc. and I can tell you these are sketchy places to say the least.

Don't bring any gear that you're particularly attached to. There is a good chance you'll have to part with it, and even if you don't you'll spend your time worrying about it rather than enjoying your surrounds.