Buy or Hire a 2nd Camera ?

Jase

Jase

Messages
1,622
Edit My Images
No
I'm off to Iceland early in March and at the moment I will be bringing my D810 and my Fuji X100T.

I need a second DSLR though as a backup, what is the cheapest option i.e. Buy another camera (probably another D810) and sell when I get back or hire one?
 
Last edited:
I'm not sure you "need" one but obviously backup doesn't hurt. If you are careful you will survive just fine with 1; or else you need to think about backup lenses, backup filters, spare tripod, etc. I've spent almost a month travelling through Europe and one thing that went down the drain was filter system. Then tripod failed a few days ago...

Realistically used D800 would be most sensible backup.
 
Thanks I think a D800E would be a good option. The cost of hiring is about £400 for the duration I need it for so ideally if I can find a good D800E for around £900 or so that would minimise the risk of loosing too much money.

As for Need, I'm pretty sure I do, if it wasn't for the conditions that it will be exposed to (and I'm clumsy) I'd be OK with one but it would ruin the trip if the camera had a problem. I'll have a good selection of lenses so if one failed I could make do with another
 
It's a shame really as I was hoping to get a D5 when it comes out as a second camera but it looks like I'll be gone before that is available :( thats also another reason for not wanting to loose too much money.
 
There was a TP trip to Iceland in March last year. Whilst some took two different cameras I don't recall anyone taking a specific back up. Conditions are not that extreme and unless you do something really stoopid the two bodies you already have will be more than sufficient.

Save your money!
 
mickledore said:
There was a TP trip to Iceland in March last year. Whilst some took two different cameras I don't recall anyone taking a specific back up. Conditions are not that extreme and unless you do something really stoopid the two bodies you already have will be more than sufficient.

Save your money!
Click to expand...

Well that's good to know, it's hard for me to imagine what it's like in March I hear it can be a little unpredictable. Maybe I should search for some iceland threads or start one myself so I can ask even more questions :)
 
Unpredictable starts to describe it over there! I was on the same trip as Frank (mickledore). Took 1 D750 and a couple of compacts which had no problems. We were rarely more than 100 yards from the car, hence me taking the big Nikon rather than the much smaller Fuji kit.

Lots of threads covering pretty much everything from which lenses to what to shoot. Happy searching ahead!!!
 
Jase said:
The cost of hiring is about £400 for the duration I need it for so ideally if I can find a good D800E for around £900 or so that would minimise the risk of loosing too much money.
Click to expand...

From these figures, then if you can buy one for that price, for me it's a no brainer to buy it and sell it on later, I can't see you'd loose £400 on the sale

Enjoy yourself
 
Nod said:
We were rarely more than 100 yards from the car, hence me taking the big Nikon rather than the much smaller Fuji kit.
Click to expand...

That's interesting, I heard that there wasn't that much hiking, is that really the case? I have my route panned so I know where I'm going just don't know what the parking/access is like.

I've booked to do some Ice Caves but other than that it's just driving from place to place :)
 
Well, we did a 109 day whistlestop trip along the South coast to Hofn and back. This covered several spectacular waterfalls, the ice lagoon and beach, Vik, Hofn and just around the corner from there as well as a brief stay inland at Gulfoss from where we visited Geysir. If you look on Google Earth, you can see just how close to most of the views you can park up without needing too much off-roading skill ("proper" off-roading is illegal there but you're OK if you stay on marked established tracks). Can't remember the name of it but there's a glacier near the ice lagoon that you can get very close to. For the ice cave trip, you'll probably be picked up from your accommodation or at a car park - the groups that did it on our trip were picked up from the café at the ice lagoon IIRC.
 
Nod said:
Well, we did a 109 day whistlestop trip along the South coast to Hofn and back. This covered several spectacular waterfalls, the ice lagoon and beach, Vik, Hofn and just around the corner from there as well as a brief stay inland at Gulfoss from where we visited Geysir. If you look on Google Earth, you can see just how close to most of the views you can park up without needing too much off-roading skill ("proper" off-roading is illegal there but you're OK if you stay on marked established tracks). Can't remember the name of it but there's a glacier near the ice lagoon that you can get very close to. For the ice cave trip, you'll probably be picked up from your accommodation or at a car park - the groups that did it on our trip were picked up from the café at the ice lagoon IIRC.
Click to expand...

109 days!!! :) that sounds great, if the car it will be so much easier for gear etc.

Did you do that crashed plane? I've got the route ready but that does look a little more complicated!
 
Oops! 10 days!

Yes, we did get down to the crashed Dakota - or what's left of it. The track down isn't (or wasn't) actually signposted but the track is marked by the usual yellow marker posts. Probably not to be tried in a normal car (there are a few big rocks embedded at the top of the track which could do a sump a lot of no good...) but we had a LandCruiser which cleared them with ease. Check on Google Earth and note the exact co-ordinates of the top of the track (visible on GE) so you don't end up doing what we did the first time we went down to it (went down a different track and had to cross a snow bridge to get to the plane - the right track takes you straight to it!). Don't do what some people have done and drive around the wreck - the tyre tracks are very visible when the snow's gone.
 
Nod said:
Oops! 10 days!

Yes, we did get down to the crashed Dakota - or what's left of it. The track down isn't (or wasn't) actually signposted but the track is marked by the usual yellow marker posts. Probably not to be tried in a normal car (there are a few big rocks embedded at the top of the track which could do a sump a lot of no good...) but we had a LandCruiser which cleared them with ease. Check on Google Earth and note the exact co-ordinates of the top of the track (visible on GE) so you don't end up doing what we did the first time we went down to it (went down a different track and had to cross a snow bridge to get to the plane - the right track takes you straight to it!). Don't do what some people have done and drive around the wreck - the tyre tracks are very visible when the snow's gone.
Click to expand...

Good bit of advice there, at the moment I've booked a RAV 4, I'll check with the hire company when I'm there to make sure it's suitable for my planned locations, hopefully it will be.
 
Depending on the time of year, studded tyres can make a shedload of difference on the icy roads. Pretty sure we would have had more problems (both the other vehicles in our group had offs on the way to Vik and I nearly did) without the grippy things! Apart from a couple of diversions up marked tracks and the main road up to Gulfoss, we stayed on the ring road which is kept open whenever possible - still got pretty icy and dicey! Oh, might be worth bagging a gallon of windscreen wash when you spot one - I ran out and with all the slush, I could barely see out through the grime and plain water is NOT a good idea...
 
The route to the plane is waymarked and initially appears to go in the wrong direction. But it takes you right to it. There is a big sign at the entry saying 4wd only. We certainly needed ours and one car cracked it's windscreen on the trip out. Mind you we were throwing the cars around quite a bit. Only cost £750 to replace. Ouch.

As Nod says we really didn't do any long distance journeys away from the car. There was no need to.
 
Cheers, I've gone with Blue Car Rental as they seem pretty good, I've taken out all the insurances inc windscreen, ash etc so hope to avoid a £750 bill, yikes.

Can't wait to go now, I'm getting all my gear ready, got a new Think Tank Airport bag this week which is really good, got a new travel tripod today so all set apart from a 2nd camera which I'm now in 2 minds about.. Did you see many camera shops out there ? :)
 
We didn't see many shops...of any kind. We never went into Reykjavik and the few towns we visited had little more than a food store and a petrol station. If you need any camera gear take it with you.
Distances are vast.
 
I'm staying 2 nights in Reykjavik but yeah that was kind of my point about taking a backup camera as there's not many options when you're out there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top