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Traveling with my DSLR

jenn mccabe

jenn mccabe

She's OUR sunshine!
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Jan 5, 2013
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I need advice ... we are a few days away from our big Ireland trip (11 days and we will be circling the country by car - so staying at a lot of different places/cities along the way). This is a big one because we have never gone to Ireland and my son will be headed off to join the military this time next year. So we will not get another chance for a trip like this again. My daughter graduates in 2 years - so I feel like this is the last vacation with them while they are still under our wings.

I have a good size bag that has two handles and also a cross body strap (so I can carry it lots of different ways) that will be doubling as my personal bag and camera bag and it will go everywhere with me. I have a foam camera insert and have my DSLR w/ my 24-105 mm lens attached (of course extra batteries/charger/extra memory cards/lens pen too!) ... but my dilemma is that the camera itself is pretty heavy. I have lots of space in the bag still - and am so tempted to bring another lens. I have an 85 prime, 50 prime, 200 mm telephoto lens and a 17-40 mm.

I'm really itching to grab the telephoto and/or wide angle lens ... but I feel like after hours of city touring I may regret that decision. But then ... I also worry I will miss not having the extra lens with me. What would you do ...

keep it simple and just bring the versatile 24-105 lens
suck it up and also bring one/or both of the other two lenses?

Anyone who has done a vacation like this - please weigh in with any pros/cons you might have. I am so torn.
 
Personally, I would probably keep it simple most of the time and take the 24-105 and 200 on the trip with you, but leave the 200 in your room. And then depending on what you're doing that day, you can bring the 200 if you think you'll need a telephoto. If you amp up your settings so you're taking your photos at a larger file size or in raw, you can always zoom and crop to bring anything in closer but I'm guessing for the most part, that 24-105 is what you're going to shoot with 90% of the time, and the others will just be in the way. You want to enjoy the trip, not mess with your camera and lenses all the time.
 
Yes, bring it if you can fit it and leave the second lens in your room if you don't need it during the day. Ireland has GORGEOUS countryside, so every once in awhile you might want that second lens for landscape shots. Another option, if your DH is willing, is to get a second camera bag--maybe something smaller. I got a triangle cross-body camera bag by Canon that fits the body with the standard 18-55mm lens and has a small pocket for extra battery/SD cards--actually, I fit my wireless remote in there, too. It fits a lot for being so compact.

Anyway, my point is, you could put the second lens in there, if you think he wouldn't mind carrying it around. Heck, without the camera body, you could probably fit two lenses. :) Cuz if you're busy sightseeing, you don't want to be taken out of the moment cuz of the weight of your bag--I totally get that.

ETA: You're going to love it! I can't wait to see the layouts!
 
I'm thinking, maybe the 50 (or 85) if it's a 1.8 lens. That way you have the awesome sense low light for inside churches/pups/evening. Plus they are lighter weight than the zoom lenses.
 
Yay, rah, you. I'm so happy for you and your family. Your timing sounds ideal for this trip. I would take it and store it in your suitcase when it was not needed. Like they mentioned, there are some fantastic sites in the countryside and you would want the lens for them, but you won't need a telephoto for 90% of your shots. If you are going to someplace like the Cliffs of Moher, have it with you, if you are in downtown Dublin you won't want the extra bulk while jostling the crowds. Just carrying around the camera for days gets old after awhile so switch shoulders and pass it off to others on occasion.

We used to travel a lot and I bought an EVIL (mirror-less) camera for travel to lighten the load. It weighed so much less and took a nice photo and I would not come home with a sore shoulder.

Have a splendid trip.
 
Speaking from taking a recent trip to Washington DC - I would take the lenses and agree with others to leave some in your room depending on what you are doing. I did not take my big camera because I did not want the weight but now I wish I had since I would have like to have some "zoom" photos.
 
The 24mm is not bad for landscape on your main lens so probably no need for wide angle. I would however take the 200mm and leave in car or room as others have said unless you think you will need it. (I often leave a lens wrapped in a sweater in the boot of my car). This sounds a wonderful trip and I am looking forward to seeing some photos.
 
I only have a P&S camera. Granted, it's a fancy one and it has a great zoom, and it has even been mistaken for a DSLR. I take it everywhere with me because it's light and I've been told that I take great pictures with it. I can't imagine lugging around a bigger camera. Even with that, I still take a lot of pictures with my iPhone, especially if I want a panoramic picture.
 
you have lots of opinions already so i'm reluctant to add another one (sometimes too much advice is confusing) but here's a few things to think about:

-you know, i assume, a few particular places you want to visit. check out other people's photos of the same spot, either on instagram with hashtags or on pinterest (which i do before i go places) and think about what you'd need to create the shots you are drawn to. If they are wide and 'landscapey', you would want at least a few wide or pano sorta shots, the wider you can go the better (ie. 17-40mm). Otherwise 24 might be wide enough. If you take a phone with a decent camera or you have a cheap point and shoot (most of them can take good daylight shots), this might be enough to cover that (and bonus, takes up less space and weighs less (and if something happens to your cards, you have some back-up shots)

-as great as primes are for crispness etc, sometimes you just can't zoom with your feet when in travel situations (or change lens quick enough!) so 24-105 sounds like a better bet. The last trip we took I used my 17-50mm the whole time and didn't regret it.

-As someone who has lugged the superzoom with her often, it hasn't been worth it - i've used it on less than 5% of shots (& personally i feel it makes me, and therefore my family, look too obviously like a tourist (in some places we were clearly tourists anyway but this more so) and that can make you a bit of a target in some places for hawkers and sadly pick-pockets etc).

-If you think you'll kick yourself in the future that you didn't take it just in case - pack as much as you can! (and pack it as carry-on obviously)
 
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I take my DSLR everywhere on every trip... but I have learned to travel light. Lately I only use my 20mm 2.8 wide angle lens. This is a personal preference for me, so it might not work for you. But, once you get used to one particular lens, you accept it and learn to work with it. Whenever something falls beyond it's capabilities, I use my phone as it's quicker and more convenient than changing lenses (plus it's not adding extra bulk for me to carry around). This last trip I did bring my 85mm 1.8 but only because I knew Clara and I wanted to do portrait type photos on the beach at sunset. Even with this, I only had one lens with me at a time. Before we went to the beach, I switched it out and left the wide angle at the hotel.

Also, to add to this, I do not carry a camera bag. I have a cross body camera strap and carry just my camera. I found that I was much more likely to take a photo if my camera was out and ready vs. having to take it out of my bag. It does get banged around a bit more, but I take a lot more photos this way. (I even had fun taking street shots in NYC but just stealthily pressing the shutter release while walking without ever bringing the viewfinder up to my eye).

So my advice is to keep it simple... enjoy your trip first and foremost and pick the photo taking option that gives you the most freedom to do just that.
 
wow, you guys all have different opinions ... but really awesome advice. i'm absorbing it all.

the biggest thing is that some places we are only there for a day or 2 - so there will be lots of time that we have to check out around 11am and don't get to the next place/hotel until 3 or 4pm. so carrying everything with me is really important. i can't rely on leaving lenses in a hotel safe for 50% of the trip.

i bought a kipling/ripstop type canvas personal bag. my hubby saw it and said he's willing to help carry it whenever i want him to bc it is not girly (like my other camera bag -an ephipahnie ... LOL!) so knowing he will be willing to help with the load is awesome.

i don't have a P&S so DSLR is 100% going with me. this is one of those reasons for having this camera IMHO. :)
i am a big changer of lenses as a rule. i constantly shoot with at least 2 sometimes 3 lenses and do not mind changing them - and am pretty fast at doing it. it's just the weight.

@enjoyyourpix exactly! i am headed to the land of cathedrals and castles - so that 1.8 would be super handy. both primes are 1.8 ... so maybe i should grab the little 50mm - it is so small and weighs next to nothing. hmmm ...

i have a full frame body -so 100mm is so limited (at least to me). i think it's bc i spent years shooting with a crop sensor body - and then when you switch to full frame and realize how different the 100mm (or even the 200mm) is in the final outcome ... it almost feels like a handicap. but @mrs2a50 is right. i can zoom in (post processing cropping) for shots that i want more detail in. i'm not going to be doing anything more than adding these photos to books/albums. it's not like i need huge prints! i am leaning towards leaving the telephoto zooms at home ... eep! i can't believe i am saying that. BUT it is so heavy and takes up the most space. i can carry 2 other lenses in place of that one ... and like @bellbird said - it will make me stand out like a sore thumb.

for me - i do think there's a huge difference btwn 17 and 24 - especially if shooting in a place like ireland with the vast country landscapes - or even street scenes where i want lots of foreground and background - i feel like that's what i bought that lens for. it's so hard to leave that one home. hmmm ...

you guys have really been a huge help in getting to me to think through this in different ways. :bki'm not leaving for a few more days ... so if anyone else has advice to offer, i'd love to hear it!
 
@jenn mccabe, you might want to check on those cathedrals and castles before you go. When I was in London last year, I was not allowed to take pictures inside of Windsor Castle, certain areas of The Tower of London (where the crown jewels are on display), or the big abbeys. Signs and guards making sure that no one snuck any pictures. I ended up buying post cards to scan of those locations so that I could scrap about those places.
 
djp332 said:
@jenn mccabe, you might want to check on those cathedrals and castles before you go. When I was in London last year, I was not allowed to take pictures inside of Windsor Castle, certain areas of The Tower of London (where the crown jewels are on display), or the big abbeys. Signs and guards making sure that no one snuck any pictures. I ended up buying post cards to scan of those locations so that I could scrap about those places.
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thanks for that tip! i did not think of that and will check it out. :beat
 
Just want to echo the suggestion for the cross body camera strap to reduce neck and shoulder strain. You might also look at Lowepro camera bags as they make several in a backpack version. Great for lots of walking.

Just a general safety tip -- your camera bag will be less likely to be a target of thief if it doesn't "say" big camera. That is one reason I like the Lowepro backpacks. The cross-body camera strap also makes it harder for a thief to grab it and run.

p.s. I broke part of the buckle on my Lowepro backpack and then sent me 2 replacement parts for free. I have friends that have also had good customer service with them.
 
enjoyyourpix said:
I'm thinking, maybe the 50 (or 85) if it's a 1.8 lens. That way you have the awesome sense low light for inside churches/pups/evening. Plus they are lighter weight than the zoom lenses.
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This is what I was thinking. When we went to China I used my 50 all the time...but then again I was mainly taking indoor photos with my new kids or just close ups of the kids even when we were out. I used my phone for other situations. But I also had 2 toddlers to keep track of and couldn't carry a lot of extras. In fact, most of the time I left my camera behind...it was just too crazy...but you won't have toddlers.

I would say whatever is most comfortable. You want to enjoy these moments with your kids & not just be taking fabulous photos.
 
I don't think you'd get much use out of a telephoto lens for a trip like that. You will want to showcase the vast views of the Irish landscape and take in as much of the cityscape as possible when you are in London. Of those lenses, I would probably take the 17-40 (what is the aperture on it?) and then the 85 if you want to shoot some people portraits stopped down.
 
BevG said:
Just want to echo the suggestion for the cross body camera strap to reduce neck and shoulder strain. You might also look at Lowepro camera bags as they make several in a backpack version. Great for lots of walking.

Just a general safety tip -- your camera bag will be less likely to be a target of thief if it doesn't "say" big camera. That is one reason I like the Lowepro backpacks. The cross-body camera strap also makes it harder for a thief to grab it and run.

p.s. I broke part of the buckle on my Lowepro backpack and then sent me 2 replacement parts for free. I have friends that have also had good customer service with them.
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After reading everyone's comments/advice over again ... I decided to sneak in a small rugged waterproof slim cross body (not a camera bag really but it will do) this way on hikes,etc - I can leave my combo personal bag/camera bag behind (trunk of car or hotel when we are staying a few days) and just take the small cross body bag with camera and wallet.

I can only bring one personal bag and one very small suitcase. So my personal bag has to double as a camera bag and hold all the things! But I think my son or hubby should have a bit of room left over for me to sneak a small cross body in their luggage.

Thank you all! :bk
 
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