California and your camera bag

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stoosh_98

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Derek
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Hi all,

So I have a trip planned to California in the later part of the year with a few friends to celebrate a 30th birthday. We will be starting in San Francisco and then doing a road trip to Yosemite, Death Valley and finally finishing in Vegas before we head home. Naturally there are going to be some stunning landscape shots which I am looking forward to capturing

What i'm interested in is what would you take in your kit bag if you were to go?

Will be helpful in planning out my future purchases :clap:

Thanks in advance!
 
What date will you be there and most importantly around Yosemite?

Lots of stunning landscape shots aroudn Yosemite and DV, but for Vegas and San Fran a zoom walkabout lens should do you.
 
I'll be doing the same trip in September :)

I will be taking something wide for Yosemite / Death Valley (20mm and 28mm for full frame / 10-20mm for crop I guess), something normal length for San Francisco (50mm for full frame / 30mm for crop) and something long for all the wildlife in the national parks (particularly by the sea)...probably a 70-300/4-5.6 IS and 400mm prime.

Have a great trip!
 
Well that makes three of us then.......off on a 16 day road trip around California in September, starting and finishing in LA. Taking all the kit on the left and hopefully investing in a UWA whilst over there....maybe a little cheaper if the x-rate is reasonable.
Don't forget lots of extra memory cards and spare batteries. Oh and a couple of USA style adaptors....they use 2 pin. Difference in voltage shouldn't be a problem...most chargers will take 110--250v.
Enjoy!
Neil
 
My Rolleiflex, my Hexar AF and lots of Velvia 50/TX400/New Portra.

If it has to be digital, a D700 and a 24-70/2.8 (so basically a DSLR with a fast general purpose zoom). Or instead of the 24-70, a set of fast primes that would approximate the range.

It's all about packing light and versatile kit, travelling with a load of heavy gear is just annoying, especially if photography isn't your number one reason for being there.
 
D700 + D7000, 16-35 f4 VR, 24-70 f2.8, 70-200 f2.8 VRII, 1.4x TCII, 2x TCIII, SB700 flash all packed into my Lowepro Flipside 400AW. Even with all this packed into it, it is very comfortable and not tiring, the best backpack I have ever had by far.
 
Ahahah... I'm doing a 23day :p roadtrip from Vegas to San Fran in August. Taking all our equipment - 5D2, 12-24Sigma, 24-105L, 70-200F4L, 580EXII, 1.4x and a couple of filters. All fitted in a LowePro Flipside 400 (seems to be a theme with these sacks!). Ms arad85 will take her 450D/18-55IS too, but that will be at the bottom of her rucksack. Also will have a BlackRapid RS-7 and taking the tripod too.

Just ordered some insulated drinking bottles. Going to be hot and I like my liquids cold!!

EDIT: Also buying some Canon 12x36IS binos to take with us too....
 
5D2/16-35/24-70/70-200IS. Job done for almost any occasion ;)
 
And I'll be in Santa Cruz, about an hour south of SF, from mid-April through to September. I'm taking pretty much all my gear, or at least as much as I can get into my carry on, as I hope to be doing some surfing shots as well as landscapes.
 
A wide zoom, a medium zoom and a long zoom. How easy was that, not that I would have felt the need to ask the question in the first place.
 
40D and 30mm f/1.4 (general purpose, natural field of view, low light special..).

You mentioned travelling with friends, so unless there's at least another two photographers in the group I wouldn't bother with either a tripod (except maybe a trektek or gorrillapod) or more than two lenses. Just not worth the hassle of always being the one hanging back saying, "Just a minute, need to change lenses".
 
Just thought i would bump this to say i will be there in September as well :D

I will be taking: 40d, 17-40, 85, 70-300 (possibly, though i hate it), laptop, and maybe my tripod + timer.
 
I will be there in August too, LA to san fran to las vagas to LA then home.

I will be taking my 50D 10-24 tamron
28-135 canon
100-400 canon
Might just take the 100mm macro too, bag will be heavy enough as it is so one more lens will not make that much difference.

My theory is this, if you take something that covers all bases then you cannot turn round and say, "mm wish I had brought xxxx"

spike
 
We're planning a trip there in September as well, a TP meet in San Francisco could well be on the cards!
We originally planned to take in a lot of Oregon but a sensible look at road distances put paid to that option.
I hope to be an owner of a 5D Mark II by then so I'll just add my 24-105 and 70-200 F4 IS.
 
Time. If you could pack time, pack extra unless you just want the typical images.The time year you are going is a factor as well. Death valley will be earning its name as will Yosemite. Preparation will make a huge difference. Be prepared for huge crowds and heavily congested roads in Yosemite that time of year. Id pick up a couple of those big golf umbrellas to shade yourself and gear. Both Yosemite and death valley have great websites that may help you. And your end point in las Vegas, hot hot and hotter! Good luck!
 
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One thing I missed or has not been mentioned - filters. I'd want my screw on UV and set of ND grads as these will improve you landscapes and sun sets! Oh yeah take a lot of memory, if you have to buy while you there the most expensive shops will still be a bargain to UK prices so not a big deal if you don't have when you leave but do not run out or you'll be kicking your self. CF can be hard find as SD covers nearly all mid range and compacts, nikons, and portable devices so it's popular where CF is less so.
 
I rinsed through x2 16gb and x1 4gb card in just under 2 weeks.

I would say x3 16gb minimum if you want to fire away and not miss a shot!
 
I'd rather just take a laptop and put the photos on there rather than have loads of cards!

It also means there's something to do whilst sitting around in the middle of nowhere!
 
Matt. said:
I'd rather just take a laptop and put the photos on there rather than have loads of cards!

It also means there's something to do whilst sitting around in the middle of nowhere!
Click to expand...

I'm going to take a netbook, but only as a backup in case the camera gets dropped into the sea / stolen / eaten by a bear :)
 
jennifer said:
Time. If you could pack time, pack extra unless you just want the typical images.The time year you are going is a factor as well. Death valley will be earning its name as will Yosemite. Preparation will make a huge difference. Be prepared for huge crowds and heavily congested roads in Yosemite that time of year. Id pick up a couple of those big golf umbrellas to shade yourself and gear. Both Yosemite and death valley have great websites that may help you. And your end point in las Vegas, hot hot and hotter! Good luck!
Click to expand...

Do you mean September? Are things any better in Oregon rather than California?
 
ianmarsh said:
And I'll be in Santa Cruz, about an hour south of SF, from mid-April through to September. I'm taking pretty much all my gear, or at least as much as I can get into my carry on, as I hope to be doing some surfing shots as well as landscapes.
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We fly out to SF next week. The plan now is to take a 17-40, 24-70 and 70-200 with my 300/2.8 and teleconverters. Plus a 5DII and a 1DIII. It all fits in a rolling suitcase although I'll be over the carry on weight limit. I'll distribute the lenses around the four of us before checking in and repack it all in the departures lounge.

We've got a week in Santa Fe booked, and probably another in LA/Disney/Universal. Cannot wait to get out there now.
 
Dont forget Macro in DV, algae growing in the salt, lots of spiders etc.
 
footman said:
Do you mean September? Are things any better in Oregon rather than California?
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yes. Aug, Sept, and Oct are the hottest with October being the transition month. northern California into Oregon is incredible. Yosemite, the Redwoods, the coast, the pacific ring of fire volcanoes, the Pacific Crest Trail into Oregon....Crater lake is incredible....
I can't wait to see all of these photographs from all of the coming travelers.
 
A TP meet in Vegas sounds awesome :D

Unfortunately, we won't be going this year as our son and his mates have somehow blagged our pad for their use in late September. I'm still trying to figure out how I was conned? :thinking:

It won't be happening in 2012 so he'd better make the most of it this year.

As to what kit to take? That's easy. Everything - then hire some more glass.
 
Im going in two weeks. :)

Las Vegas, then down through the deserts to Palm Springs, then over to LA and up to San Francisco.
I've got to choose two out of three lenses, think i'll take the 20mm, and the 14-45 and leave the wide angle, but i'm worried ill miss the 9-18.
 
manualfocus-g said:
:LOL::LOL::LOL:
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My reasoning is that only a few big cards could be thought of as a risk, x3 should cover that and transcend cards are cheap enough. But then again some might need/want faster and more expensive cards.

Matt. said:
I'd rather just take a laptop and put the photos on there rather than have loads of cards!

It also means there's something to do whilst sitting around in the middle of nowhere!
Click to expand...

There is always something to do whilst over there, why spend your time messing around with photos on a laptop/netbook, you will get drrawn into storing them, playing with them.

Remember it's a holiday not a photo editing trip :D:D:D
 
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