The painful reality of vacation photography

[JohnDizzo15]

I have to add some love for the Pancake. I took a 5D2 with grip through Disneyland and without the Pancake I probably wouldn't have got more than a dozen shots, but the footprint of a body with effectively no lens is small enough to dig out of your pack without stopping everything.
A smaller body would have been nice though, I think next time I'm going to try to have a Fuji with me instead (unless Canon releases a competent EOS-M... Ha!).

A smaller body is definitely a big plus not only for the size and weight reduction, but also because it goes virtually under the radar. I have been shooting with my Fujis (and an a7r a while back) for so long that when I finally brought my Canon rig to the mall with my kids recently (wanted to document the kids on a train ride), I was approached by security and told to not operate the camera on the premises. I had previously been to the same place with my xt1 on a multitude of occasions without issue.

Using a smaller camera goes a long way with regard to getting use in places that you probably shouldn't be using a large DSLR/lens combo in.

 

[Dylan777]

A smaller body is definitely a big plus not only for the size and weight reduction, but also because it goes virtually under the radar. I have been shooting with my Fujis (and an a7r a while back) for so long that when I finally brought my Canon rig to the mall with my kids recently (wanted to document the kids on a train ride), I was approached by security and told to not operate the camera on the premises. I had previously been to the same place with my xt1 on a multitude of occasions without issue.

Using a smaller camera goes a long way with regard to getting use in places that you probably shouldn't be using a large DSLR/lens combo in.

Hi John,
My current compact system is a7s + FE 55mm - Love the high ISO.

I have these on pre-order:
1. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126139-REG/sony_sel28f20_fe_28mm_f_2_lens.html

2. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126141-REG/sony_sel075uwc_21mm_ultra_wide_converter_for.html/pageID/accessory

Itching for this as day time walk around lens:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126138-REG/sony_sel24240_fe_24_240mm_f_3_5_6_3_oss.html

I like the idea of having a swivel screen on a7s. Taking a shot likes this is much easier.

However, I do like DSLR AF tracking and fps on my 1Dx. All I have to do is push the button and select the best ones out of 20 to 30 great photos

 

[Loswr]

You can enjoy your vacation with family and "take reminders" with a mobile device ... OR

You can bring photo kit and capture / create images ...

You can't do both ...

I don't agree with this. Every year my 5D mark and 3 lenses come on holiday with us and it has never been an issue. In fact the family always enjoy going through the pictures with me when we return home.
I have 3 children and they do take their own photos with their phones, but they still like to look at the pictures taken with the DSLR. Quite often they are too busy enjoying themselves to take pictures and they appreciate the fact that someone else is recording the highlights from our holiday.

I think it's fantastic that your family both appreciates and supports your photography. But I get the impression that, unfortunately for some reason, many photographers must endure a sort of love/hate attitude from their families or spouses with regard to their photography. It doesn't seem to matter whether it is merely a hobby or if they are a professional. I don't like it but that doesn't make it any less true. :

I see both sides, and it's usually a case-by-case decision. If we're going somewhere we have been before and/or will go again, capturing family moments is more important than capturing the locale - a small camera like the EOS M is good for that (big enough sensor for some indoor ambient light shooting). The M plus one lens (M18-55 or for urban outings the M11-22) fits in a belt pouch. For example, we are all (me, wife, three kids) going to Switzerland next month. I travel there for work a few times per year, so when I'm solo I bring the 1D X, several lenses and a tripod, but with the family I'll bring only my EOS M kit, and pick one lens for a given outing (11-22 or 18-55 during the day, 22/2 at night).

For a family trip to a novel location or a 'once-in-a-lifetime' trip (such as when we went to China for an adoption), the dSLR and several lenses go, as does the smaller kit.

I find that when taking a dSLR/lenses/etc. on a family outing (particularly with kids), the key is to make it about the family not the photography. I've found several things that help with that:

• First and most important: experience/skill/familiarity with your gear. Be able to anticipate the framing you'll need, the settings you'll need, and know how to set them intuitively so you don't have to fiddle with the camera before taking the shot.
• Pick the right bag. One that holds your gear, with room for other stuff as needed. Another option is individual lens cases in a regular backpack.
• BR strap or similar. Important if you have young kids, a strap that gets the camera at your side or back keeps hands free and nothing in front of you for toddler grabs, falling ice cream, etc.
• Your camera is a tool. If you pay more attention to keeping your camera safe than keeping your kids safe, your priorities need adjusting. Scuff marks and dings are badges of honor, your camera will collect them if used. Taking that logic a step further is one main reason I use a 1-series body and L lenses – my gear will get banged around, and it will keep working.
• Insure your gear. Taking the previous point a step further, a little financial piece of mind so you can focus on the trip.

Happy travels!

 

[JohnDizzo15]

Hi John,
My current compact system is a7s + FE 55mm - Love the high ISO from a7s.

I have these on pre-order:
1. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126139-REG/sony_sel28f20_fe_28mm_f_2_lens.html

2. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126141-REG/sony_sel075uwc_21mm_ultra_wide_converter_for.html/pageID/accessory

Itching for this as day time walk around:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126138-REG/sony_sel24240_fe_24_240mm_f_3_5_6_3_oss.html

Hey, Dylan. I have been back and forth on the a7s for a while now but have yet to pull the trigger. The a7r just left enough of a bad taste in my mouth that I can't get myself to do it. Although it continues to pique my interest simply because my buddy keeps sending me ultra high ISO shots that are super clean from it. lol.

Every time I think to myself, this could be my new ultimate low light, all purpose, compact rig, I remember how much I hated operating the a7r.

Also, I might consider it when the a7sII comes out a couple months from now

I figure I might as well wait until it has IBIS and the UI gets refined some more. Either way, all these compact options are super awesome in their own ways.

Good luck with the new purchases and hope to see some of your findings on them soon.

 

[JohnDizzo15]

Also wanted to point out another advantage of going mirrorless. Since you're able to more effectively use the rear lcd for live view shooting, you are able to spend significantly more time showing your face and being "present" as my wife likes to complain about a lot. I have found that having my face buried in the ovf takes a lot away from the actual experience of whatever it is that you're doing.

 

[Dylan777]

Hi John,
My current compact system is a7s + FE 55mm - Love the high ISO from a7s.

I have these on pre-order:
1. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126139-REG/sony_sel28f20_fe_28mm_f_2_lens.html

2. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126141-REG/sony_sel075uwc_21mm_ultra_wide_converter_for.html/pageID/accessory

Itching for this as day time walk around:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1126138-REG/sony_sel24240_fe_24_240mm_f_3_5_6_3_oss.html

Hey, Dylan. I have been back and forth on the a7s for a while now but have yet to pull the trigger. The a7r just left enough of a bad taste in my mouth that I can't get myself to do it. Although it continues to pique my interest simply because my buddy keeps sending me ultra high ISO shots that are super clean from it. lol.

Every time I think to myself, this could be my new ultimate low light, all purpose, compact rig, I remember how much I hated operating the a7r.

Also, I might consider it when the a7sII comes out a couple months from now

I figure I might as well wait until it has IBIS and the UI gets refined some more. Either way, all these compact options are super awesome in their own ways.

Good luck with the new purchases and hope to see some of your findings on them soon.

I had a7r for short time. I didn't like high MP files at that time, maybe I didn't have high speed PC.

Here is a7s, 40,000ISO @ night time. I applied 17NR in LR. No DxO prime needed.

 

[JohnDizzo15]

Here's a few from some recent mini trips out of the xt1.

 

[[email protected]]

This is why I appreciate my little SL1 so much. I like to bring 3-4 lenses on a vacation and both my 7d2 and sl1. Almost all stay in my hotel room (where possible).

In the evening I look at what we're up to the next day and I look at the weather. I choose one or two lenses that I'm going to bring, and 1 body. I put filters on the lense(s) based on the weather (a cp if it's going to be adequately sunny, typically).

So when I'm going about, I have one narrow range of dslr functionality - say a 70-200 2.8 on a woods nature hike, or a 18-35 when I know I'm going to be focusing on shots of the kids in arms-length range. It's an educated guess, with optimal equipment when I happen to be right (most of the time). The rest is left back in the room.

This way, there is little or no lens changing. The only disadvantage to this versus having a small camera with another system, like an iPhone or mirror less, is bulk. That disadvantage is minimized with the SL1.

In terms of hiding the camera so that the family isn't rolling their eyes constantly, I've become the diaper bag holder, with a camera bag that doubles to serve both.

I do think that producing very good quality prints and hanging them on the wall back home also gives political capital, as the fact that you're doing this, and it's giving a return to the family, is appropriately appreciated.

There is, of course, always a balance of living the moment and recording the moment. My kids are 2 and 4, and my wife and I already have many regrets of not recording certain looks and speech patterns, etc. Having toddlers is a sleepless affair, and we feel that our memories are pretty fudgy as a result, so there is a cost to NOT recording these moments. It's a balance. A recommendation: when you have high scrutiny on your own images and technical methods, you may be tempted to apply the same scrutiny to images created by your spouse/kids. Don't. You will find that you appreciate that images taken by them have their own great value, even if they don't know what an exposure triangle is, etc. If you can chill out about their IQ, then they will appreciate this shared activity a great deal more too.

 

[dcm]

I didn't have as much camera gear when my kids were young so the decision was easier, just an A1, FD 50mm f/1.4, FD 35-105mm f/3.5+, and speelite 199A. That, a CPL, and a few rolls of film pretty much went with me everywhere for years and met most of my needs at the time. My wife and kids went through several film P&S cameras - my A1 just kept on working and always took the best photos. The M and a few lenses are a sufficient replacement for family and travel, but I am looking forward to the M3.

The 6Ds and Ls come out when I get to do photography for photography's sake. I usually take both kits on a road trip since you never know when an opportunity might present itself. These days I take mostly road trips in the western US - haven't flown in a few years. Glad I had the 6D with me on a recent trip, ended up shooting a wake that lasted into the evening for family and friends. The 2.8 zooms were great in the daylight, brought out the 35 f/1.4 as the light dimmed. It wouldn't have been quite the same with the M (daylight or evening).

 

[josephandrews222]

I enjoy reading the posts in this thread.

Here's what works for me with my wife and our two kids for most vacations:

5DMkIII + 35mmISf2 (low light)
M + 11-22mm (wide-angle street shots; the M has enough pixels to crop when necessary)
S95 (fill flash makes sense at times)

small tripod
270 flash for fill with 5D and M

...and packed away (but seldom used on vacations) is 70-200 f4 IS...

 

[unfocused]

If you pack a full kit like that and travel with your family, you are, in essence, forcing your family to participate (passively) in your photography hobby. Few things are more boring to a non-photographer than having to wait for a photographer to do his or her stuff.

I would only carry a full kit like that if I were

1. Traveling alone
2. Traveling with another photographer

But when traveling with family, I find that I need to keep the photography interference to a minimum and besides you kinda want to spend vacation with your family and not have your family tag along as you vacation with your photography kit.

I don't have a cell phone camera, but there are some pretty good compact P&S cameras that will do nicely keeping the family happy while still allowing you to take some nice pictures.

Vacations, family, and photography can be a complicated issue. Good luck with it.

I think this is one of the better comments.

On vacation I take one body (first the 7D, now the 5DIII) and two lenses the 70-300 "L" and now the 24-105 "L." I find that covers everything and is generally manageable. I have a Fuji X-20 that I take on hikes during the day if I need to pack light.

I'm very lucky in that my wife is quite patient and enjoys photography to a certain degree. I also follow the "5-8" rule. Get up at five and go out shooting when everyone else is still sleeping. Be back at 8 and ready for the day's adventure, knowing that the light is going to be crap anyway, so it's time to switch to trip documentarian mode and try not make a pain-in-the-ass of yourself.

Then, after the day's activities, and everyone else is back at the condo/hotel or whatever, go out again in the late afternoon as the light starts to improve. Be back in time for supper. I can usually convince my wife to let me skip one or two suppers during the trip, as long as it isn't an every night thing. Since we usually rent a condo, eat out at lunch while touring and then fix some of the evening meals ourselves, it's not a big deal.

I try to keep the attitude that vacations are about being with family and the experience, not about the pictures. Document the trip and share with others, so they are more likely to indulge you, but recognize that you are not likely to capture any unique, once-in-a-lifetime shots at most vacation destinations anyway, so just let it go.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Just take the Lumix LX100 or the Canon Gx7 and be happy.

 

[lux]

I went to Arizona and Hawaii with the family and took a 6D 24-70, 70-200, a flash (Nissin), small travel tripod and a pentax ps waterproof camera. For both trips I didn't use the 70-200 much but used everything else a lot.

sitting at the beach and swimming we took turns using the waterproof camera. When hiking or seeing the sights I had the 6D with the 24-70 and at night brought out the flash. I did sneak off at sunset on a few days to take photos.

I have some amazing photos of the red glow of the volcano behind my kids for example that would not have been possible without real equipment. no way I could have taken it with a cell phone or even a point a shoot. (I know some professionals could have but I needed everything in manual and some trial and error to get the lighting right.)

I am going to Alaska on a cruise this summer with the family and the difference is it isn't just a landscape trip…there is the possibility of wildlife as well. I'm thinking 6D 24-70 for kids on the boat, environmental portraits. 70D and 100-400 for wildlife and maybe the 35 is 2 for low light…and I'll bring the PS too and the 18-135 STM for video. In addition the kids like to take photos and the older ones can handle the PS or the 70D with 18-135. I'll bring either a monopod or a light tripod but on a cruise ship I'm not sure what the point of trying that is.

The waterproof point and shoot is a fabulous invention. Heck I have a little life jacket for it. Worth every penny.

If it was just me I'd bring the 300 2.8 with 2x extender, the rokinnon 14 2.8 and the 85 1.2 but not with the family.

If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know.

 

[Pinchers of Peril]

This is exactly why I bought my fuji x100T. With three kids under 4 years old, carrying my big camera bag with all my lenses became too much work for longer trips. I got to the point where I'd just bring my 5DIII and my shorty 40 like others have said. I really like the x100T because it has an even smaller form factor and sometimes it's nice to not even have the option of bringing a bunch of lenses… no "paralysis by analysis." That being said if I have a specific shot in mind or we are going to a place with great landscapes, I'll suck it up and drag all the gear.

 

[sdsr]

I have been back and forth on the a7s for a while now but have yet to pull the trigger. The a7r just left enough of a bad taste in my mouth that I can't get myself to do it. Although it continues to pique my interest simply because my buddy keeps sending me ultra high ISO shots that are super clean from it. lol.

If you don't like using the a7r I can't imagine you would like using the a7s any more, unless your dislike involved the large size of the files or the noisy shutter (in terms of handling they're otherwise exactly the same). One huge advantage of the a7s is its silent shutter, which makes it unique (I think) among ff cameras - it's not just quiet like the 6D and 5DIII can be, but completely silent in electronic shutter mode. This means that in concerts, churches or anywhere else where you don't want to be noticed you can be completely unobtrusive, especially if you turn off the screen display as well.

A few months ago we were on vacation in London & Paris. The last time I was there I had 5DII + a slew of lenses, zooms and primes, and the weight became tiresome. This time I took a7s and a7r, along with three very small but high quality old manual primes (Olympus 24mm 2.8, Pentax/Super-Tak 50mm 1.4 and Pentax/SMC Tak 85mm 1.8) and the two Sony/Zeiss primes (which I might as well have left at home, given how seldom I used them). Every day I took a small bag containing one or other body, plus the manual lenses; it all weighed very little (sometimes I put the Sony/Zeiss 35mm 2.8 in a pocket as it weighs next to nothing). Mostly I just used the 50mm. Anyway, a far more enjoyable experience for me than dealing with the big, heavy stuff, and unlike other compact options (I had toyed with taking only m43 with me) there were no compromises in image quality; didn't miss the zooms and I prefer mf most of the time. Not for everyone, of course.... I would also consider as a back-up, especially if I were going somewhere I expected to have lots of bright light most of the time and wanted more versatility, the extremely inexpensive and lightweight combination of Canon sl1 + Canon 10-18mm + Sigma 18-250 macro (I bought mine in a sale for c. $250).

 

[bholliman]

Our family takes one or two vacations per year. My wife and I have two boys, 16 and 2 and currently two foster children 6 and 14. We are fortunate to be able to travel to some beautiful locations and personally would not be happy with only cell phone pictures to capture the memories. Yes, cell phones can do OK in good light with limited motion, but are just too limited when you are used to having better equipment to use and better IQ when you look at the pictures later.

I always take a DSLR, 2+ lenses, 600EX-RT and transmitter along on vacations. If we are traveling by car I take more since I don't have to worry about airline baggage restrictions.

But I also take my EOS M with 22/2 lens in a Dashport 20 belt pack. I don't" let photography get in the way of family fun. I normally get up for sunrise shots while the family is sleeping and otherwise use the DSLR and lighting for family and individual portraits in locations we want to remember. Otherwise, I use the M when we are on the go or headed to the beach. This keeps the equipment from getting in the way of the vacation and I can come home with some good quality pictures from the DSLR and decent quality snapshots from the M. I only use my cell phone camera if nothing else is available. Maybe 10 shots per year that I keep.

 

[JohnDizzo15]

If you don't like using the a7r I can't imagine you would like using the a7s any more, unless your dislike involved the large size of the files or the noisy shutter (in terms of handling they're otherwise exactly the same). One huge advantage of the a7s is its silent shutter, which makes it unique (I think) among ff cameras - it's not just quiet like the 6D and 5DIII can be, but completely silent in electronic shutter mode. This means that in concerts, churches or anywhere else where you don't want to be noticed you can be completely unobtrusive, especially if you turn off the screen display as well.

Yup. I had assumed the handling would be very similar UI-wise which I was definitely not a fan of. I didn't mind the size of the files as my pc setups didn't have issues with them. The shutter however, was quite annoying and a constant reminder of how much I didn't enjoy shooting with it. The true final killing factor for me though was the IQ. While the files were very flexible and had tons of detail/DR, I just didn't love them. I always felt like I needed to put in significantly more post time to get them to an acceptable point for my tastes. This is a completely subjective issue of course.

Re the silent shutter, I'm definitely familiar with and love it as my xt1 also has one. It actually takes it one step further and allows you to shoot up to 1/32000th of a second. Yes, sounds absurd and unnecessary but I have actually taken a ton of shots above 1/8000th over the past few months which I love with it.

As far as size goes, I actually prefer the Fuji XF lineup to the Sony FE lineup since the lenses are apsc (size and weight are less). I am able to have the light gathering ability of a 1.4 and 1.2 lens (sans identical DOF) in a compact package relative to my Canon rig.

The announcement of the FE 35mm/1.4 has once again piqued my interest in the Sony system, but the bodies just aren't where I need them to be. And the other issue would still remain which is the fact that the 35/1.4 is huge and negates the whole size/weight advantage all over again.

Whatever I ultimately end up with at some point though, it is going to be pretty awesome just based on all the developments by all these companies as of late.

 

[chasinglight]

6D body and lenses: 8-15mm, Sigma 24-105mm art, 70-200 mm 2.8 mk2, 1.4 x TCiii, and 2 x TCiii. And I took every damn shot... all 450+ of them with my iPhone6+. Never even opened up the camera backpack.

Imho your gear isn't suitable for casual tourist photography at all, but I guess it's a common scenario. The 6d is rather fragile, and the lenses are big and very expensive.

You should have tried taking an older crop camera like the 60d (or 50d, or ...) and a mid-range lens like the 15-85 or really the 40 pancake. It's not heavy-duty either, but smaller and definitely better iq and usability than a phone cam. Most important: If something should break, it doesn't wreck you financially.

While everyone has different requirements for photography equipment, I can say that I have put the 6D through its paces and it is a surprisingly sturdy camera. And the weight is actually great for travel compared to the more rugged 5d3.

My advice is to insure your gear so you don't have to worry about theft, damage, etc. most personal article policies cover everything except vermin and war. Insurance doesn't make me careless with my gear; ie I will not leave it unattended on the beach, but I don't hesitate to bring it and use it when I have a use. Also take only what you think you will need to reduce the burden.

 

[pwp]

This is why I appreciate my little SL1 so much...

Threads like this come up every couple of weeks. After trimming down from a similarly body-busting, divorce inducing travel kit along the lines of the OP, for years I've traveled with with a de-gripped 5D (classic,II,III) and a 24-105 f/4is. The simplicity of this setup rarely left me wanting, and led to a far happier family time.

Last year on a trip to Laos which included treks in the mountains in the north-west, I trimmed down to an SL1 with an EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS. Great travel combo. Especially on the treks.

Later this year we're traveling again, and this time I'll trim down even further and pack nothing more than my Panasonic GH4 with Panasonic 12-35 f/2.8is & 35-100 f/2.8is. Oh yes, plus an iPhone 6.

-pw

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Here is a7s, 40,000ISO @ night time.

Yikes 40,000 ISO! That's looking pretty good