/portfolio.jpg){kind=small}
misc07 – about heavy-ass cameras
This post is about cameras.
I’ve been getting a lot of questions on what kind of photography equipment I carried along the way, so here it is:
(Unfortunately, the camera that took this picture is not ON the picture.)
Why two cameras?
First of all, I wanted to use DSLR cameras, because I felt that they offered a maximum amount of control over the resulting pictures. There are three reasons why I chose to carry two cameras instead of just one:
1) I needed a wide lens and a long lens.
This is a typical wide-angle shot…
…while this one was taken with the telephoto lens:
In my opinion, from a usability and picture quality standpoint, a good lens can either be long (tele) or short (wide-angle), so if you want to shoot in both ranges, you are going to need at least two lenses. I chose 16-35mm and 70-200mm, giving up the thirty-five milimeters in between.
2) I wanted to avoid having to swap lenses on the road, because it steals time and can hurt your equipment. Digital camera bodies are especially sensitive to dust.
3) I felt that I needed a backup body in case something went wrong.
So what about the brandname?
It doesn’t really matter. There are some major camera manufacturers who offer a variety of good bodies and lenses. Professional photographers have been shooting amazing pictures using their products, so anyone who tells you to “only get brand x” because “brand y is crap” is basically an idiot.
You might have noticed that I like to tape up my cameras anyway, mainly because I want to give them a more rugged look, and also because I don’t want the brand to be too easily recognizable:
There is one simple rule when it comes to photo equipment though: always make sure to get good lenses!
DSLR bodies have a tendency to decrease in value, while lens prices usually don’t fluctuate too much. Additionally, your lens is probably going to stay with you much longer than the camera body ever will.
(If you don’t want to spend ridiculous amounts of money on your camera, get a cheap body and a good fixed focal length. This is an excellent way to get into photography.)
There are three things to keep in mind though:
1) In order to be able to shoot real wide-angle pictures, you are going to need a full-frame body, which is relatively expensive.
2) You have to feel comfortable with the camera body you use, so go out and try a couple before you buy one.
3) When it comes to lenses, the prices usually correlate with the aperture: the smaller the number, the brighter the lens – the more you are going to pay!
What else do I need to spend money on?
You definitely need good filters. Basically, you always want to keep a UV-filter on each and every one of your lenses for protection. Sometimes you might want to use a polarizer in order to enhance the contrast in certain scenarios:
So is there any way I can save money?
You don’t have to spend much on batteries. Get generic ones, they do the job just fine. I personally don’t like costly battery-grips either, they’re just heavy.
Also, you can save money on memory cards by getting a number of smaller ones instead of a few large ones. Should you lose a card or break it, then only a limited number of pictures will be lost.
I always get the cheapest tripod I can find. Expensive tripods offer better stability and handling, but they are usually heavier than the ones I like to buy. I have been getting some good pictures with a tripod for less than 15 bucks!
What about compact cameras?
I usually just try to make sure that the compact camera I am using is able to record decent video. I would probably not spend a lot of money on this kind of camera, because prices are always dropping anyway. One thing you need to make sure though is the white balance: most compact cameras take good pictures in bright daylight, but show their weaknesses in low-light indoor situations.
How do you carry your camera equipment?
I have always been a fan of holsters, even though I admit that they do look kinda geeky:
I like holster bags mainly because they offer protection and flexibility at the same time.
The downside is the weight: I think the larger one of my cameras weighs about 3,5kg, and the smaller one is just a bit lighter. This was never much of a problem because I was carrying the 20+ kg backpack anyway, which kind of levelled the weight out, but it was so tiring…
Later, when I got the caboose, I felt relieved of all that stupid heaviness:
With the cameras secured in their holsters for easy access, I figured that walking couldn’t get any better than this!
…
Oh, I almost forgot: I always shoot in RAW and try to archive my pictures in as many ways as I can. There is a lot of good software that allows you to manage your RAW-files, do adjustments and expose pictures with different settings:
Even though free software can probably do the job, I would suggest spending a bit of money on this. Good routines will make your life so much easier!
…
When all of the above is taken care of and nothing goes wrong, I think taking pictures can be a lot of fun.
One last thing that is important though: you have to appreciate a good camera…
…because it will allow you to see the world through different eyes.
Soundtrack: Public Enemy – “They Call Me Flavor”
Print This Post
January 10th, 2010 at 22:22
wow this is a very good guide to the cameras…considering a dslr now so it's useful! thanks!
PS. lol at the last pic.
January 11th, 2010 at 03:01
i don't know you have two DSLRs until now. I thought you have a 5D and compact camera. :)
Very niuB (superb).
January 11th, 2010 at 03:23
Tank you very much for this detailed guide. But I still have a question …
can you please name the foto software which you use.
January 11th, 2010 at 04:09
Name of the software is Adobe Lightroom. They're up to v2 at the moment. Very handy with organising and quick mods for a lot of photos!
Cheers,
Clint
http://WheresClint.com
January 11th, 2010 at 05:00
Awesome advice! I have Sooo many questions going thru my as i am reading thru your adventure and this answered the ones regarding your pics. :) I am just starting out in photography and you have answered more questions about cameras, equipment and all that than anyone else i have spoken to- Thank you!
January 11th, 2010 at 05:11
Christof,
Really nice web site, and good information on cameras. I, too, am planning to go to URIMQI from SHANGHAI after Chinese New Year. I use Nikon D2Xs and D3. Probably will take along 12-24mm lens, 70-200 lens, maybe my 300mm f2.8 as well. Still thinking of some other lens to fit between 24 and 70mm .
I, too, only shoot RAW files. Get much better files than if one only shoots jpeg.
I have filters on all my Nikon lenses, and naturally, carry a circular polariser.
Oh yes, unfortunately, I will not be trying to copy your walk, and will go by train , and will stop off at Jiayuguan Fort on the way back. Still trying to decide if I should go to Kashgar. I plan to drop in on Beijing after this.
Re software, I find the latest Picasa V3.6 to be very good, and it processes my raw files with no problems. I also use Ifran View to view the jpegs after adjustment.
January 12th, 2010 at 06:35
Hi,
Im glad you made this post – I was wondering what you are carrying but on the other hand just knew it because I am such a geek that I can mostly nail the equipment by looking at the pictures. ;)
You make me buy your wide angle. The 24-70 is kick ass but the bottom end stop sucks and a fisheye is nice but having undistorted wide angle ist better.
I am shure you know the lr2picase-Uploader: http://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies/picasawe…
Keep going to the right places and taking pictures in the right time. I found out I only kept 600 pictures for 2009. Poor me, I need to travel !
:)
Ingo
January 13th, 2010 at 17:13
Would be so cool to know, WHICH 16-35mm you used! I really adore your wideangel shots.
m
January 13th, 2010 at 17:18
this one? Canon EF 16-35mm/ 2,8/ L II?
January 14th, 2010 at 16:09
Very Nice,
I am planning on buying a camera, I kinda want to do a similar trip. Maybe not this year but in a few year, after university. It's very nice from you to explain every details of your trip.
My biggest problem is, WHERE do I wan't to make this trip, There is too many nice place in the world, anyway, Thanks again and Good JOb ;)
Christopher B.T.
January 15th, 2010 at 14:08
[...] There are lots of traveling options for young people these days. Among the most popular is teaching abroad. The GoBackpacking blog is running weekly features on life experiences from Leslie Brand, reflecting on ESL teaching programs. Learn everything you should expect if you are interested in exploring international languages and education. Go here to catch up on the ESL features on GoBackpacking. The Longest Way | Heavy Ass Cameras! [...]
January 16th, 2010 at 04:43
Ich bin begeistert! Nicht von der Kamera, die kann ich nicht einschätzen, aber von deinen Fotos und deiner Tour. Ganz großer Daumen hoch.
January 16th, 2010 at 15:22
very cool of you
to share all this info!
and i agree about camera love…
i heart my rebel!
what about the caboose?
are you planning on decorating it?
January 23rd, 2010 at 03:14
Hello. This is kind of an "unconventional" question , but have other visitors asked you how get the menu bar to look like you've got it? I also have a blog and am really looking to alter around the theme, however am scared to death to mess with it for fear of the search engines punishing me. I am very new to all of this …so i am just not positive exactly how to try to to it all yet. I'll just keep working on it one day at a time Thanks for any help you can offer here
January 23rd, 2010 at 10:23
I didn't know you had 2 camera. that must've been heavy.
January 29th, 2010 at 12:24
No only the longest way but also the very heavy way,haha ^_^
Very professionalï¼
April 14th, 2010 at 03:37
I’m pretty excited about my new Nikon 18-200mm VR lens. :-D
So now I can just take one camera body on my upcoming 3-month trip. Though sadly it’s “just” a DX instead of an FX… I still expect that will be enough for my purposes :-)
April 24th, 2010 at 20:26
Do you use any protective covering for wet weather or wet conditions? Traveling that much outdoors, your equipment will necessarily be exposed to cold, wet, sunny, windy conditions.