What to take on holiday

[Matblack]

Right, we're off to Jordan to see Petra and some other monuments.

Right now my camera bag consists of; my 40d, a Nifty, Sigma 17-70 and a 70-200 f4L, I have another CF card coming to top me up to 16Gb total and I have my 430ex flash, Circ pol filters for the zooms and a few other essentials.

Its my standard kit, stuff I'm used to using and I know well but I wondered if I should be looking at anything additional, maybe hiring a wider lens? Its going to be shots of Petra

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=petra%20jordan&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

and other desert monuments

I might be able to borrow an 17-55 2.8 IS as well which as we will be going to a night tour of Petra with candles might be a good idea but I'm not sure as it will be a new lens to me and I'm not used to it :/

:help:

Thanks in advance

MB

[keirik]

I'd take copies of receipts as well to make sure you get back in the country with that little lot

enjoy yourself though!

[Matblack]

Hmmm, not sure I have the reciepts, is Jordan known for cheap camera gear? I've never been asked about it before

MB

[chrisgeary]

I nearly always use(d) a Sigma 10-20 for travel. I say used because I've changed kit recently, but if wide angles and landscapes are your thing then it may be worth considering.

[Matblack]

Thanks Chris

I'm quite tempted to hire a WA lens and it does seem like a good idea, I'm not sure how much room there is when photographing things like Petra so it might be very useful.

MB

[hashcake]

I'd take copies of receipts as well to make sure you get back in the country with that little lot

enjoy yourself though!

I've never taken any receipts with me when I go abroad and I've not had a problem with customs on my return.

[Matblack]

I've never taken any receipts with me when I go abroad and I've not had a problem with customs on my return.

Thanks Hashcake

None of my equipment looks very new and I don't think Jordan is a known place for cheapo lenses etc, if it were Hong Kong I might be more worried about Customs thinking I was trying to avoid import duty.

Getting excited about this now! :clap:

MB

[gembobs]

You haven't mentioned any ND grads - it may be worth taking some and a tripod if landscape is your thing. If the sky is cloudy, then it may blow out on some of your shots.

Have you used an UWA lens before? If not have a play with it before you go away - I didn't and got soem weird perspectives - take some photos of buildings from different angles at different focal lengths - 10mm can distort quite badly - I found out when I came back from 2 days away! :bonk:

As for the reciepts, it is still a good idea to carry them - if customs are feeling in a bad mood - they may ask for them. It has never happened to me, but I never say never! You still have to pay VAT and Duty on items brought into this country, even if they are second hand, and bought abroad - we learnt the hard way - my husband shipped a 5yr old keyboard and mixing desk (value new about £3k) from here to his parents abroad, 2 yrs later shipped it back to the UK, we got an invoice for the Duty and VAT and had to fax copies of the reciepts off to customs. If we couldn't prove they were first purchased in the UK and VAT had been paid, we would have had to pay it again along with the duty on it.

[Blue Eagle]

What about a second body? unless your friend/partner is ok with you stopping regularly to swap lenses, you might find it invaluable.

[neil_g]

im travelling light to portugal monday:

canon 20D
sig 18-50 f2.8
filters
batteries
memory cards
cleaning cloth

personally i dont want to lug too much around and/or get stuck behind the eyepiece for too much on my much valued week away lol

[CSB]

If you are going into the desert then you might want to get some clear protector filters for your lenses, sand will soon make a mess of your front element, especially if you rub it in with a lens cloth by mistake. Rocket blower and lens pen are probably a good idea too.