If you were going on a road trip...

[tonyeck]

So, the question is: If you were going on a road trip... East Coast of USA to West Coast USA hitting:

Chicago
Badlands
Yellowstone
Yosemite
Lake Tahoe
San Francisco
Big Sur/Route1
Las Vegas
Grand Canyon
Bryce Canyon
Canyon De Chelly
Arches NP
Glen Canyon
Zion NP
Rock Mountains NP
Shenandoah NP

(+ more on the way)

What Camera Gear would you take....

The reason I ask is, I am leaving on this trip next week and am planning on heavily documenting it via photography. I have:

Canon Digital Rebel XT with kit lens
100mm F/2.8 Macro
Tokina 12-24 f/4
50mm f/1.8

Tripods, filters, wireless trigger, bags

What would you all bring? And I am looking to replace my kit lens with a better walk around lens, maybe 28-105mm and then adding a zoom lens?

Any thoughts?

 

[beavo451]

Personally I would take:

Camera Body + batteries, memory, laptop, charger (maybe a backup body as well)
Lenses to cover around the range of 12mm-200mm with a macro
Speedlight + batteries
Tripod
A UV filter that fits on the lenses in case I get into harsh conditions
Good camera bag
Pelican hardcase

EDIT: I would also make sure my equipment was insured.

 

[ChrisA]

What would you all bring? And I am looking to replace my kit lens with a better walk around lens, maybe 28-105mm and then adding a zoom lens?

Any thoughts?

I don't think 28mm is wide enough, You will be switching to the 12-24 to much. On my Nikon I used the 18-70 which seems about right 80% of the time. Canon must make something in that range too. I'd say get the fastest 18-70 you can an f/2.8 if they make it.

If you intend to do any wildlife shots you will need a longer lens to. the 80-200 f/2.8 is the ideal lens for that

But you asked what (in addition) I would take. I'd say for sure a 4x5 field view camera with at least a 90mm lens. Then some Tmax100 and Velvia sheet film. If the purpose of the trip is photogrphy then I'd for sure want a few images with better image quality. Scan the film fter you gt home.

 

[triotary]

Extra Batteries!!!!

 

[Abstract]

Are you asking me to choose between the 3 lenses that you own? If that's the case, then I'd choose the Tokina 12-24 mm and 50 mm f/1.8 and leave the rest at home. You won't need to take macros. That Tokina 12-24 mm f/4 lens will be useful for what you're doing and I imagine would be on your camera all the time. I'd only bring the 50 mm f/1.8 because it's so small you may as well.

If you're asking us which lenses we'd bring if we could bring anything (including what we don't have), I'd list a bunch of the best, fastest lenses, so obviously that's not the point.


If I were to pack my own bag, I'd have:

-Nikon D50
-Tokina 12-24 mm f/4
-Sigma 24-70 mm f/2.8
-MacBook
-Speedlight (I don't have one, but if I did....yay!)
-Spare battery
-Spare memory
-Charger
-Waterbottle

I'd put all this in my Crumpler Sinking Barge

I'd consider this quite light, but that's how I'd roll. HERE is my review of the bag. I just got back from a trip to Brisbane with this bag used everyday, and it's fantastic. The fact that I can carry my iPod, map, water bottle, and jumper in the general compartment; my MacBook in the laptop compartment, and my D50 with lens, and another lens is perfect.