Holiday & camera gear = dilemma....

Gary-360

Gary-360

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I'm of to sunnier climes end of April for a week (Fuerteventura for the 5th time); now, the Dilemma:

Do I take the D300 with the 17-55/2.8 & Sigma 70-200/2.8 & Tokina 12-24/4.
Or the D3 with 14-24/2.8 & 24-70/2.8 & no long zoom.

I don't have a long zoom for the D3 yet and this is what is giving me a headache with choices.
There are some fascinating birds, insects, lizards on the island which the 70-200 would be perfect for, but the scenery and landscapes are also amazing and the FX body/lenses would be great for these.

Taking 2 bodies is out of the question because of hand luggage restrictions

What would you take and why?
 
What a prat I am.....:bonk::bonk:
I've just tried the Sigma 70-200/2.8 on the D3 and guess what? It shoots in FX mode...Doh!
I presumed after trying the 120-300/2.8 on the D3 which gave crop mode, that the 70-200 would be the same, not so!

So, it'll be: D3, 70-200/2.8, 14-24/2.8, 24-70/2.8 (maybe the nifty 50 as well). I think that lot will weigh in about 1/2 a ton ;)

Gary
 
Gary-360 said:
I presumed after trying the 120-300/2.8 on the D3 which gave crop mode, that the 70-200 would be the same, not so!
Click to expand...
There's a known issue with early copies of the 120-300/2.8. It is definitely a full-frame lens, but it was designed back in the days when only Canon were producing full-frame DSLRs and Nikon hadn't invented DX crop mode. So the electronics in the lens don't know how to cope wth DX crop mode. I believe you can over-ride this on the camera to use it full-frame.

Official Sigma notice
 
Personally, it would be:

D300
17-55/2.8
70-200/2.8
Nifty
SB-800

If it's a holiday try to enjoy it as well photograph it. Carrying around a tripod, D3, two or three lenses and plus flashes is more what you'd take out on a job :lol:

I had a very similar choice to make a few weeks back, is the larger, more capable body coming or staying? I left it at home mainly as it is the main tool to my source of income, even though I am insured, waiting for the clearance of a claim could be crippling if the worst were to happen. I hate insurance companies with a passion, they always find some way of squirming out of a payment or delaying it at least.

My back up gear is not as good as yours either and I did ok I reckon, I have a D200, 18-200 and I opted to take the 50mm f/1.4 too, so that was what came with me, I did miss the capability of the big daddy but being a lot lighter and worrying less was fantastic. I also left a tripod at home, I can take shots at around 1/8th handheld with short lenses and especially if assisted with VR.

Have a butchers here at the results, snaps yes, but still, I'm satisfied.
 
Gary-360 said:
What a prat I am.....:bonk::bonk:
I've just tried the Sigma 70-200/2.8 on the D3 and guess what? It shoots in FX mode...Doh!
I presumed after trying the 120-300/2.8 on the D3 which gave crop mode, that the 70-200 would be the same, not so!

So, it'll be: D3, 70-200/2.8, 14-24/2.8, 24-70/2.8 (maybe the nifty 50 as well). I think that lot will weigh in about 1/2 a ton ;)

Gary
Click to expand...

Must admit I was a bit puzzled as I though all 70-200 f2.8 lenses were full frame compatible. Glad you got it sorted. :thumbs:
 
Tomas Whitehouse said:
Personally, it would be:

D300
17-55/2.8
70-200/2.8
Nifty
SB-800

If it's a holiday try to enjoy it as well photograph it. Carrying around a tripod, D3, two or three lenses and plus flashes is more what you'd take out on a job :lol:
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. I went to NYC the other week and only took the body, 10.5, 20mm and 50-150. Was perfect in terms of weight and usability.

I would never even consider taking something like a 70-200 on holiday (especially a 'beach' holiday)
 
ukaskew said:
I would never even consider taking something like a 70-200 on holiday (especially a 'beach' holiday)
Click to expand...

come to think of it, yeah, unless portraits were top of the list, I think I would cross that of the list too.
200mm is not long enough for wildlife IMO, not unless your in a hide and imitating a statue :D
 
fabs said:
Will the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 not work on the D3 then?
Click to expand...

Gary-360 said:
It works but only in DX (crop) mode at 5.5mp, as does my 120-300 :(
Click to expand...

JDholic said:
It probably will Fabs but I think its a DX lens. I would take the d300 with the 70-200 and the 12-24.

EDIT: Must type faster.
Click to expand...


Just a point about Sigma lenses (Nikon fit); any Sigma lens that has DC in its naming is a DX fit .. anything else is FX!
 
Thanks for all the comments and info, especially on the 120-300 (thanks to Stewart for this info, I'll have to contact Sigma about this).
I took the D300 last year with 18-200VR (which is now sold), 17-55 and SB-800 and found I had enough reach for some good shooting. There's a great zoo/botanic park in the South of the island, the 200mm reach really helped out there.
I bought the D3 to use with the D300 as a backup but still not sure (as was pointed out), if it's worth the risk taking abroad, we'll see :)

Gary
 
I take my D3 with 200-400, 28-70 and D300 when I go to Florida. All but the 28-70 goes in my Lowerpro mini trekker as hand luggage with the 28-70 and a few small bits and pieces in checked in luggage. Take both bodies!
 
Richard Peters said:
I take my D3 with 200-400, 28-70 and D300 when I go to Florida. All but the 28-70 goes in my Lowerpro mini trekker as hand luggage with the 28-70 and a few small bits and pieces in checked in luggage. Take both bodies!
Click to expand...

This is another option I suppose, I've already added the 1.4 & 2x TC's to my list for reach with the 70-200 though ;)
 
I wish I found myself in such dilemmas more often.
Hmm... which quality optics should I take with me on my escape to a subtropical paradise.
Life is hard, eh? ;)
 
Every time I've tried taking a limited selection of kit, I've needed what's in the cupboard at home! Now I always take as much as I can, only leaving the long end (150-500) behind. That gives me full coverage from 12-300mm (and an 8mm fisheye) with the possibility of extending that by 1.5x if I take the teleconverter (and even further should I take the converter and the D70 as well as the D700). I don't really "do" lying on beaches so I leave HER soaking up the sun while I go off looking for things to snap away at. I don't bother with an external flash - any flash photos I take will be real snaps so the on-board will do fine (I take a reflector for any needed fill-in light).
 
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