[disco_owner]

Today at the camera store while I was making an extra Payment on my FA31 ( which is currently on Laybuy ) a spontaneous decision hit me and I accidentally dropped my credit card on the counter and bought a K5 IIs

Myself and a Bunch of really Keen adventure photographers are going on a 22 day Trek up throught the Himalayas which will end up in Basecamp eventually so I really need a back-up Body( just in case )

I figure my current K5 unit will be my Back up and my main camera will be K5IIs since I'll be doing Lots of Landscape shots.

So my dilemma is which Lens/lenses do I take along with me on this trip ,seeing I'll be traveling Light and I need to keep the weight down.

My List prioritised as follows;

1. Da 18-135

2.Da15 Ltd

3.FA31 Ltd

4.70-300 DL Macro for more Telephoto shots etc.

what would others take on a similar Trek or what have other taken on similar Alpine Trek ? I need Help to decide

[lytrytyr]

How light are you going?
My "light limited" kit is DA 15/35Macro/70, no zooms.
If you wanted macro and tele to complement your DA15/FA31, you could add a DFA100.
This way, all your lenses have comparable IQ, no compromises.
I'm assuming you'll want to show your fellow photographers what Pentax can do!

[Docrwm]

The 18-135 is an excellent choice because of the WR and general versatility. The 15 Ltd is such a strong landscape lens that I can't imagine owning one and not taking on such a trip.

Power source? How do you plan to charge all those batteries?

Plenty of plastic baggies for camera and lenses to handle temp/humidity changes and weather generally.

[Na Horuk]

Wow, sounds very interesting. Will you need WR lenses?
Also, those mountains are pretty huge, you might need a tele lens and not a wide angle, since a wide angle would just capture.. too much.
Sounds like a very interesting voyage, though. I hope you upload some photos here, when you safely return

[blackcloudbrew]

You will find the answer when you get to the mountain top and there you can ask the wise man your question.

[Sagitta]

Weight-wise I'd almost consider ditching the 70-300 and grabbing a teleconverter somewhere to use the 18-135 on, otherwise the list looks good to me. Maybe toss in a 50mm for the extra bit of reach (and if you do grab a tc....)

[klkitchens]

Ask Bob Seger

[Giklab]

Why him?

[VoiceOfReason]

Because he already wen to Katmandu!

[klkitchens]

Because he already wen to Katmandu!

Glad someone got it

[Eulogy]

Weight-wise I'd almost consider ditching the 70-300 and grabbing a teleconverter somewhere to use the 18-135 on, otherwise the list looks good to me. Maybe toss in a 50mm for the extra bit of reach (and if you do grab a tc....)

Nice as that idea might be, the 18-135 isn't quite optically strong enough for use with a TC.

[jbuck92]

I have to say, I'm very jealous of you and your other photog friends! My girlfriend and I have been really wanting to do some hiking photography but haven't had a chance nor the means to get into it at this point in our life.

As far as a lightweight kit would go, I think Lytrytyr hit the nail on the head. I think the DA 15 ltd is a must have on the trip. Light weight, awesome lens for landscapes. That's a nobrainer. I don't know if you were wanting to buy any lens to take on the trip, but if you were, you could always go with the DA 15/40/70 combo for super lightweight, and then throw in the DFA 100 for a bit longer reach and macro capability if you need it. If you don't care about macro, then you could keep the 18-135 instead for WR when the weather is bad.

If you don't bring the DFA 100, that leaves you the DA 15/40/70 plus the 18-135 zoom. Total weight would be a mere 1.92 pounds for your trip! Not too shabby for a 3 week hiking trip.

[Primes4ever]

I would add my two cents. You definitely want your 15 and 31. I would also consider either a Da70 or 100 and take the 18-135 for bad weather. The telephoto is up to you. If it was me, I would travel with the 15 on one body, the 31 on the other for those spectacular landscapes.

[reeftool]

I think you are well covered with your list. The 18-135 as a walk around and the others as the need arises. Since I also own the DA 10-17 Fisheye, I would bring it also. I have found it to be a very versatile lens and it works quite well in crowded places and has enabled me to get shots the DA 15 couldn't get. A true macro maybe but if the macro on your 70-200 does what you need, then it may not be necessary. The 70-200 is a beast but I wouldn't make the trip without a telephoto.I know you will likely be carrying all this on your back and I would like to suggest my favorite camera accessory, the Cotton Carrier vest. It allows me to carry my cameras with minimal pain all day and they are secure and not banging around and always available instantly. I also have a Goal Zero solar battery charging system which can attach to my backpack and keep all my stuff charged up.

[Docrwm]

I think you are well covered with your list. The 18-135 as a walk around and the others as the need arises. Since I also own the DA 10-17 Fisheye, I would bring it also. I have found it to be a very versatile lens and it works quite well in crowded places and has enabled me to get shots the DA 15 couldn't get. A true macro maybe but if the macro on your 70-200 does what you need, then it may not be necessary. The 70-200 is a beast but I wouldn't make the trip without a telephoto.I know you will likely be carrying all this on your back and I would like to suggest my favorite camera accessory, the Cotton Carrier vest. It allows me to carry my cameras with minimal pain all day and they are secure and not banging around and always available instantly. I also have a Goal Zero solar battery charging system which can attach to my backpack and keep all my stuff charged up.

I have to agree that a Fish-Eye would add a whole new dimension to your kit. With a trip that long I can't imagine having a WR lens and not taking it with me. I have the 15 - 40 - 70 combination and know how light they are but I'd probably leave the 40 at home even though its the smallest and do the 15 - 70 & 18-135. If it were me, I'd probably take the Q + Fish-Eye as well and an adapter. Weight would be <1lbs and you would be able to transform your lens setup by 5.6x and have a Fish-Eye too.