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08-14-2022, 08:27 AM   #1
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Travelling with a K1_2 and landscape photography lens selection

Hi,

I hope this is the right place for this as my question is mostly about lens selection in a travel scenario.


Recently I've been in discussion with my family about taking a trip abroad, some of my family already live in the destination country and know it well so many really great areas have already been suggested, and I will have a travel guide and car (provided my equipment fits) waiting for me.

My difficulty mainly is that I want to use this opportunity to cover as many photographic basis as I can, that I would be otherwise restricted to in the location where I live due to various circumstances.

As a result, I have dug up images that I took 20 years ago as a budding university student using a Sony Point and Shoot camera and have been using these images as a reference point as to what type of FoV I will get and what other types of accessory I would need to bring along.


Here comes the difficult part!! I want to try to cover as many different areas of photography as I can so it will probably end up being a massive equipment haul of at least 2 carry on items plus a dedicated suitcase or hold luggage for accessories.... yeah you'll think I'm nuts but I want to cover these areas:
  • Landscape
  • Nightscape
  • Astrophotography
  • Macro
  • Wildlife
  • Travel
  • Cityscape


Currently at home due to location and other more complex reasons I'm restricted to simply Wildlife (the birds and foxes that come into our garden), and Macro (still and insect based).


Right now, I am checking Google maps and cross comparing with PhotoPills map FoV overlay in order to see the focal lengths that I would need to take. My thoughts are to grab the Irix 15, 30, 45mm lenses. The 45mm from what I have seen is quite a narrow lens and would see the least use unless very specific occasions arise where the 30mm is too wide.

Incidentally, when I used my point and shoot 20 years ago, I was mostly at the 7.9mm length with the occasional plunge into the deep end at 23.7mm; this around 35-40mm at the short end and around 115mm at the long end. The wide end wasn't wide enough and the long end wasn't long enough but I did manage to grab some great sample shots that are able to be used as reference for today to go back and do things properly without a limitation on lens and camera.


For certain circumstances 30mm is going to be too narrow and I would be better off with a 20-24mm like the Pentax DFA 21mm or Irix 21mm or Samyang 20mm.


It's a really tough decision of which I also have to plan in a portable observatory in addition for the deep sky astro imaging that I want to do, meaning portable tracking mount like the RainbowAstro RST135 or the new yet to be released PegasusAstro Nyx mount. I will also need to go with two tripods: one everyday sturdy tripod like my Novoflex 3-segment carbon or if as sturdy at my intended working height a lighter travel tripod like a 4 or 5 segment travel one (luckily Novoflex is modular so it's just mix and match parts), the other tripod would have to be more heavy duty to be stable for the spinning robotic astro mount, so something like a Novoflex Pro75 or the recommended mount for the head which is about a 4kg carbon mount from a Korean based firm (at least for the RainbowAstro mount this is the case).


Yeah it's gona be a big haul of a trip and I have to get parts together and select accordingly!!


As a side note right now I have two camera: the Pentax and a now one month old Nikon D500. The Nikon I will get to take over high speed and daily duties with the Sigma 60-600mm lens for wildlife and longer astro stuff, the Nikon 18-300mm is a great lightweight walkabout lens which is great for daytime use when you don't want to change lenses when walking around town. The Sigma 105mm macro (which I have currently), it's just an amazing macro lens for insects when coupled with the D500's AF capability, and finally a Tokina 11-20mm as a backup/double to the Pentax K1_2 <- though I don't really want to use the Nikon for landscape as the Pentax has the far superior sensor and imaging capability. Ultimately for my needs it lacks speed which the Nikon has.


For my Pentax I currently have the: DFA28-105mm lens, the FA*300 f/4.5 (I'm the third owner of this lens and bought it primarily for astro but there maybe an internal alignment issue with my copy as there's a screw missing from the front), the Samyang 24mm and the Irix 150mm tele-macro.


I'm a little concerned about taking the lenses I have for my Pentax as none outside of the Samyang have the FoV I need as they probably would never get used and just be extra weight and space in the bag. Out of my Pentax lenses I really love the Korean made lenses!! For me they are the best in terms of color rendition and clarity. Many people claim that they are too sharp and my issue is exactly the opposite, I want clinical precision sharpness which unfortunately my copies of the Pentax own lens lineup lack.

The issue my Samyang is that it isn't weather sealed and can flare up like crazy (don't know if due to design or coating or the frog-eye front piece), but am generally left with a large purple ring in the middle of the image at certain angles of light and brightness or contrast if the background is really dark. It *is* a great astro lens though :-)


Also I don't need AF in the lens at all... I have long since given up on my K1_2's ability to focus correctly and quickly automatically. My personal view is that it's a lost cause as out of nearly 20k shots since the year I've had my K1, only around 20% or less are in-focus. It's only because I'm probably pushing the camera beyond its design scope and expecting too much from it!


So there you have it, am totally lost in what to do and which direction to turn....


Here are both systems. Today I'm working on understanding how to get in-focus insect macro shots using the Pentax and Irix combination as without AF-C in dynamic 25 mode (on the Nikon) I end up with quite a low keeper rate. At the moment I have 2 shots out of 9 which look like they're ok but will need to check them out on the screen to actually see. Using the Nikon I can get around 90-95% hit rate with this.
I'm just mentioning things at face value here from my own personal experience. It would be nice if I could travel with just the Pentax but unfortunately I would end up a really low keeper rate for certain tasks. 1 month of trying to shoot birds from daybreak till dusk using the K1_2 and FA*300mm will really disappoint anyone when most of the shots end up needing to be deleted







The portable astro setup will most likely be something like this. I can see a few Pelican or Nanuk cases on the table (image courtesy of Google):




Thanks to any ideas and advice... it looks like I really have a long road ahead of me


Kaya

08-14-2022, 09:08 AM - 1 Like   #2
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Take just two zoom lenses that complement each other, the 28-105 or 24-70 and a 70-200/210 come to mind. Lugging a whole lot of lenses and camera's will prevent you from enjoying your trip. And it is much more a satisfying feeling in the end to see what you have achieved with that minimum of gear...
08-14-2022, 09:47 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by AfterPentax Mark II Quote
Take just two zoom lenses that complement each other, the 28-105 or 24-70 and a 70-200/210 come to mind. Lugging a whole lot of lenses and camera's will prevent you from enjoying your trip. And it is much more a satisfying feeling in the end to see what you have achieved with that minimum of gear...
Thanks for the response! I wouldn't use anything above the 50mm mark as it's too narrow for me. Also I need the lens(s) to double as astro lenses additionally. The 28-105 is not a great astro lens or low light /nighttime landscape lens which is where I need the K1_2 the most. It probably will end up being the Irix lenses I mentioned because if I don't get clinical clarity in the shots I definitely won't be enjoying the trip. I am wired slightly differently so I'm not going there to enjoy the trip for a trip, I'm going really to get amazing images and I'm trying to select a gourmet location setting.

I already have some docks and gas depot/plants on the lens. At night I love the glow of the lighting for example! Like I mentioned above, it's a little bit complicated in my case because what I see and like isn't really a 'normal' sort of thing...

These are the examples of what I'm looking at doing landscape wise in addition to milkyway imaging (all below are courtesy of Google):



Whoops got a strange message up. Not sure if its a forum rule or policy? Maybe I need to understand how to embed 3rd party image examples??








I've got some car ferry ports lined up too and some service/rest stations along what are locally known as dark roads (because they are unlit - nothing spooky about it lol).


From that aspect yeah I know it's a little off and a little weird but unfrotunately that's just my mind and what I find to be interesting....

Last edited by kayasaman; 08-14-2022 at 09:53 AM.
08-14-2022, 10:10 AM - 2 Likes   #4
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I'm wondering why you're not considering DFA 15-30. It would seem like that lens plus the Irix 150 and Sigma 60-600 (on Nikon) would cover all of the styles of photography you're talking about. And probably go ahead and bring your 28-105 and/or the Nikon walkaround lens/es as well, since why not.

08-14-2022, 10:26 AM - 1 Like   #5
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These are some of the reference images from 20 years ago that I took using a Sony Cybershot P10 camera. I didn't have a tripod and the temperature was below freezing at the time, unfortunately there is too much motion blur, luckily I know the views well and can easily understand the FoV - these were all at the 35mm equivalent of around 35-40mm (which was too narrow for me at the time, though I didn't have any other choice):







For a fact the DFA28-105mm will struggle here and my Nikon 18-300mm will probably be worse off as the amount of optical compromises are far greater. I did test both in this type of low light setting and wasn't impressed....

If only my Samyang wouldn't flare up like bananas, it does this under low light too :



---------- Post added 08-14-22 at 10:37 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by wadge22 Quote
I'm wondering why you're not considering DFA 15-30. It would seem like that lens plus the Irix 150 and Sigma 60-600 (on Nikon) would cover all of the styles of photography you're talking about. And probably go ahead and bring your 28-105 and/or the Nikon walkaround lens/es as well, since why not.
Yeah... to be honest I don't know either! It probably is because many people call it big and heavy, though I doubt that would apply to my case since I'm gona be traveling with heavier pieces of kit anyway.


So on one hand, @wadge22 you have a point. The 15-30mm is very flexible and a single lens compared to 3 or 4 and the same price as all Irix 15,30,45 put together. I am just worried about sharpness and contrast especially under low light conditions.


Just found this: Pentax D FA 15-30mm 2.8: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

the sample images are incredible!


Ok I loose the 45mm side but from what I can see, it may not be a dramatic loss....
08-14-2022, 11:48 AM   #6
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Here's a quick question regarding the 15-30mm, it doesn't look like there's a filter thread on it.

I've never used a filter previously but can see a lot of time where a CPL would be useful or ND filter around bodies of water. Having read up on this, many people claim that a polariser will add strange color artifacts to the sky if used below 30mm focal length.

I'm reading the Irix filter (marketing) information:

https://irixlens.com/filters/irix-edge-circular-polariser/

https://irixlens.com/filters/ifh-100-pro-holder-adapters/

that claim and show the filter being used with their 15mm lens. The IFH 100 Pro holder actually comes with an adapter to use with the 95mm thread on the 15mm lens.

It's not a big deal if I can't use a filter with the 15-30 Pentax zoom but my concern is how to get rid of the polarization effect of atmosphere during daytime shooting or when imaging bodies of water eg. lakes, and seas to cut the reflections.

I wonder if there maybe is some kind of technique for that when using the 15-30mm?

Sure you can use bracketing for sunrise and sunsets and then use a software based grad filter blend later in post which will have a similar effect to a GND in any case. But the CPL is a little special and I have no experience in a wide angle work around if I can't use it?

---------- Post added 08-14-22 at 12:14 PM ----------

Just checked the 24-70mm additionally too.

It looks ridiculously sharp and a great complement to the 15-30!


Unfortunately it doesn't internal focus, and some users noticed some flare... though it can't be as bad as the Samyang??


Either way, It could prove to be a nice supplement for my landscape stuff where the 15-30 is too wide. From the images I see the 24-70 has a sharpness and contrast advantage over my 28-105mm which needs a lot of light to get the most of out it. It's probably the reason why I have hardly used the lens.
08-14-2022, 01:22 PM - 1 Like   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by kayasaman Quote
Travelling...
How long will you be travelling for?

You are planning to bring way too much stuff IMO. The way you described it you'll be staying at a base with family, so once you arrive you'll be able to just bring whatever gear you need for smaller photo trips, but think about the hassles of traveling internationally with multiple cases of fragile, bulky, expensive gear. I'd only bring so much if your trip will last several months.

I also don't like buying many new lenses at the same time, because I'd be inexperienced at using all of it. It takes a while to master new lenses and astro mounts.

Here's a more modest gear recommendation than what you were planning:
  • Landscape: Your Pentax 28-105 is a versatile landscape lens. Sharp, compact, contrasty, etc. Add one wider lens, discussed below under nightscape.
  • Nightscape: You said you were thinking of an Irix 15 and 30. Good choices and an alternative is the Pentax 15-30. The Pentax is heavy but offers the versatility of zoom and a single lens.
  • Astrophotography: The same Irix'es or 15-30 for nightscapes will be good for wide field astro. Learn and use the astrotracer with your Irix 150 for narrower targets. Forget buying a physical tracking mount for this trip; it takes time to learn quirks of astrogear and your trip might be done before you learn how to maximize new gear.
  • Macro: Irix 150.
  • Wildlife: You already have a plan for the Nikon D500 and 600mm zoom.
  • Travel: Already covered by all the other lenses.
  • Cityscape: Already covered; if it can do landscape or nightscape it's probably good for daytime cityscape.
Filtering: Add a CPL for the 28-105. 28mm wide is plenty for many landscapes, and if you want to go ultrawide 15mm it's often fine to skip filters because CPL can create uneven sky color at wider angles. Optionally add ND filter(s) if you like daytime long exposure.

08-14-2022, 02:22 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by DeadJohn Quote
How long will you be travelling for?

You are planning to bring way too much stuff IMO. The way you described it you'll be staying at a base with family, so once you arrive you'll be able to just bring whatever gear you need for smaller photo trips, but think about the hassles of traveling internationally with multiple cases of fragile, bulky, expensive gear. I'd only bring so much if your trip will last several months.

I also don't like buying many new lenses at the same time, because I'd be inexperienced at using all of it. It takes a while to master new lenses and astro mounts.

Here's a more modest gear recommendation than what you were planning:
  • Landscape: Your Pentax 28-105 is a versatile landscape lens. Sharp, compact, contrasty, etc. Add one wider lens, discussed below under nightscape.
  • Nightscape: You said you were thinking of an Irix 15 and 30. Good choices and an alternative is the Pentax 15-30. The Pentax is heavy but offers the versatility of zoom and a single lens.
  • Astrophotography: The same Irix'es or 15-30 for nightscapes will be good for wide field astro. Learn and use the astrotracer with your Irix 150 for narrower targets. Forget buying a physical tracking mount for this trip; it takes time to learn quirks of astrogear and your trip might be done before you learn how to maximize new gear.
  • Macro: Irix 150.
  • Wildlife: You already have a plan for the Nikon D500 and 600mm zoom.
  • Travel: Already covered by all the other lenses.
  • Cityscape: Already covered; if it can do landscape or nightscape it's probably good for daytime cityscape.
Filtering: Add a CPL for the 28-105. 28mm wide is plenty for many landscapes, and if you want to go ultrawide 15mm it's often fine to skip filters because CPL can create uneven sky color at wider angles. Optionally add ND filter(s) if you like daytime long exposure.

Many thanks for the great suggestions!!

To start with I have been using the Pentax FA*300mm f/4.5 version and Irix 150 for astro for around a year.

The M45, Pleiades, Seven Sisters, Subaru using the Irix 150mm. Not sure if this was edited in PixInsight, the blacks are crushed (I think) but mainly due my Bortle9+ location issues:



This is the M31 galaxy - Andromeda. This is actually a reedited one using PixInsight. The amount of shots taken were at around 1600 over the course of a week. In fact it's strange that I'm emerging suddenly into the regular parts of the forum just now as I progress more into linear (normal) photography, but have been active in the Astro group here for a long time:




This is the Milkway from a Bortle4 location that I took while setting up in a lay by by the side of the road:




In terms of staying time, I'm flexible. I can buy a one way ticket and stay as long as needed. It does need to be worked out though and right now am putting all the POI's I have into PhotoPills and trying to visualize the FoV.


I want to take a tracking mount so I can two time my Pentax with the Nikon system, especially at focal lengths covered by the Sigma 60-600mm. Also manually having to reframe using the Pentax is a little tedious. In my backyard where I took the astro shots above (apart from the Bortle4 one), after every 20 shots, I needed to move the camera. Not exactly ideal for an all night imaging session. Without GoTo capability, it also took me around 7 hours sometimes to locate my target. Visually my sky is a washout so you really can't see anything even with my cell phone assistance using Stellarium, StarTracker and NightView.

It's interesting that you should mention the 28-105mm. For some reason I have never liked the rendition of it. To me it seems soft and doesn't have the same clinical pop as the Samyang24mm. Yes it's sharp in good light and very underestimated in general but it is also a little slow for night time and not the best rendition when the light drops. It's probably the reason that I don't use it more. Though... also having a Nikon 18-300mm (27-450mm 35mm equivalent), the Pentax lens and sensor obviously blow the Nikon out of the water from what I can see. Right now I am only using my Nikon at the top end for birds and the odd fox which it's ok at but when the FA*300mm actually does manage to focus, it definitely has a detail and sharpness advantage.

This is with the Nikon 18-300 at the top end:




This is the best I could achieve using my FA*300mm Pentax:



Comparing to the Nikon 18-300mm:




Neither are very sharp unfortunately


This is an example of the 24mm Samyang which I am a big fan of:



That was a shot from the Bortle4 zone.


The comparison between the Pentax DFA 28-105mm and Nikon 18-300mm is here:

Pentax



Nikon



I'm not sure with either of these for my liking? The good thing withe the Nikon is that it has a longer reach, that is probably the only advantage and reason why I'm considering for walkabout

I maybe really strange but this HDR using Luminance HDR and the Samyang24mm bracketed at -2,0,+2 EV is more my thing:




For macro the K1_2 / Irix combination is unreal:




But then the Sigma 105mm on the Nikon doesn't disappoint either:




This type of shot is still a learning curve for me using the Pentax as the Irix is a fully manual lens. Luckily now I have the Godox ProX and MF12 macro flash kit to help keep the ISO at 100:




Using the Sigma I get a much more consistent in-focus shot rate as I can use AFS-C with Dynamic 25 point focus, the advantage here is that with the Nikon I can simply hold the AF-ON button on the rear of the body which does the focusing. It means that I can move the camera in and out while keeping my thumb firmly pressed on the AutoFocus button so that the subject is still in focus even if I move around:





I don't know.... it's so hard and my head is really spinning regarding everything. @DeadJohn just before you responded I was even looking at potentially the 24-70mm Pentax lens which from what I can see compared to my own images is definitely a step up from the 28-105???

My train of thought here was that it could contribute to the 15-30mm for low light/night time shots of which the 28-105mm would struggle, but where the 30mm end of the 15-30mm is too wide. I could also use it for less wide astro too. I've tried the 28-105mm for astro and it isn't very good unfortunately.


Sheesh, apologies to everyone for my confusion in all of this. I really want to maximize what I can do with my cameras and as usual my brain is really spinning on overdrive trying to get the best out of the situation from the planning stage so that I don't make a mistake then become disappointed. If I ended up with shots like my gulls above, I would not be happy. Luckily the Sigma 60-600mm is reported as being sharper then the 150-600mm Sports that I've seen many images of and also seems to be highly usable for astro too which I saw with the contemporary version.

I guess I'm trying to pack what Nikon did with the 18-300mm lens and Tamron did with the 18-400mm lens. "Jack of all trades - Master of none" quoting a dear friend from the astro group


Just to say again, thanks so much for everyone's input so far. I really appreciate it a lot!!

Last edited by kayasaman; 08-14-2022 at 03:08 PM.
08-14-2022, 05:26 PM - 1 Like   #9
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When 30mm is too wide but you need a fast lens for low light reasons, I would think cropping from a shot taken at 30mm should be alright with your K1ii.
If not, something like an FA50 f1.7 could be a cheap and compact way to cover that particular capability without another $1000, ~2lb lens in the kit (DFA 24-70). It would also give the advantage of being a small lens you can leave mounted on the camera while in transport; something that I do find nice, although it's really just a bonus.
08-14-2022, 07:50 PM - 1 Like   #10
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You need to look at the Nightaxians' video series. They all find that the 28-105 is far better at night than any of them expected. They also use the 15-30 a lot but the 28-105 has been surprisingly good for most of them.

@ken lee - you might want to add your thoughts here.

---------- Post added 08-14-22 at 10:51 PM ----------

Nightaxians YouTube show (all things Pentax, night photography, urbex, Milky Way, gea - PentaxForums.com
08-14-2022, 10:31 PM - 1 Like   #11
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I would recommend bringing a pair of batteries, with a their respective chargers. And for the lens, I would suggest a 50mm prime. How about bringing a 50mm lens?
08-14-2022, 10:33 PM - 1 Like   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by kayasaman Quote
Neither are very sharp unfortunately
In the image taken with the FA300, the bird didn't fly in the middle of the frame where the Pentax K1 AF points are located. I'd blame the bird.
08-15-2022, 03:46 AM - 1 Like   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by kayasaman Quote
Hi,

I hope this is the right place for this as my question is mostly about lens selection in a travel scenario.


Recently I've been in discussion with my family about taking a trip abroad, some of my family already live in the destination country and know it well so many really great areas have already been suggested, and I will have a travel guide and car (provided my equipment fits) waiting for me.

My difficulty mainly is that I want to use this opportunity to cover as many photographic basis as I can, that I would be otherwise restricted to in the location where I live due to various circumstances.. . .


Thanks to any ideas and advice... it looks like I really have a long road ahead of me


Kaya
I didn't see where you are going on the trip

do you trust commercial shipping in that area

have you considered shipping equipment to your family in the area so it is waiting for your arrival ?

you did ask for " any ideas and advice "


good luck

Last edited by aslyfox; 08-15-2022 at 04:12 AM.
08-15-2022, 06:11 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by wadge22 Quote
When 30mm is too wide but you need a fast lens for low light reasons, I would think cropping from a shot taken at 30mm should be alright with your K1ii.
If not, something like an FA50 f1.7 could be a cheap and compact way to cover that particular capability without another $1000, ~2lb lens in the kit (DFA 24-70). It would also give the advantage of being a small lens you can leave mounted on the camera while in transport; something that I do find nice, although it's really just a bonus.
To be honest, I was thinking about doing something like that but not with a prime. My thoughts were to look for an older 24-70 that was as sharp or sharper then the DFA model. It could even be an MF lens as the AF isn't really needed in any case.

The only issue with used Pentax glass is that normally it comes from abroad meaning it gets taxed heavily. Unfortunately my FA*300mm was like that, even though the asking price was a steal from a good friend

---------- Post added 08-15-22 at 06:12 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
You need to look at the Nightaxians' video series. They all find that the 28-105 is far better at night than any of them expected. They also use the 15-30 a lot but the 28-105 has been surprisingly good for most of them.

@ken lee - you might want to add your thoughts here.

---------- Post added 08-14-22 at 10:51 PM ----------

Nightaxians YouTube show (all things Pentax, night photography, urbex, Milky Way, gea - PentaxForums.com
Thanks UncleVanya, will do. Actually I'll take the initiative and do some tests this evening and report back here to see how it is....

---------- Post added 08-15-22 at 06:15 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by biz-engineer Quote
I would recommend bringing a pair of batteries, with a their respective chargers. And for the lens, I would suggest a 50mm prime. How about bringing a 50mm lens?
50mm has been suggested already. I have one for my Nikon but that turns to 75mm on the cropped sensor.

I think I'll try and look for a cheap (if I can find one) 24-70mm but ultra sharp zoom. I have heard about Zeiss used zooms selling for a bargain that can be converted to K mount but have no knowledge of this at all...

---------- Post added 08-15-22 at 06:23 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by biz-engineer Quote
In the image taken with the FA300, the bird didn't fly in the middle of the frame where the Pentax K1 AF points are located. I'd blame the bird.
I can't remember if I put a center of blanket point on this one?

But you where saying:

08-15-2022, 07:15 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by aslyfox Quote
I didn't see where you are going on the trip

do you trust commercial shipping in that area

have you considered shipping equipment to your family in the area so it is waiting for your arrival ?

you did ask for " any ideas and advice "


good luck

Sorry, it's one of my quirks I guess. I tend to zone in to the deep end (complicated stuff) and loose sight of all the simple stuff.

Here's my map and POI dots:




Long story short, during the 1980's and early 1990's as a kid I used to travel for something like 15 hours on a bus to get from the north to the south for (yep you guessed it) swimming lol. That road and journey has shown me many amazing pieces of scenery and views, not to mention wonders as a child with a very over active imagination.

Unfortunately, I do not trust shipping anything there. After I graduated from my final university (I took 2 degrees), I left to live there for 2 years. I had some stuff sent to me that was mine to begin with and ended up paying around the same price for the whole kit and spending around a month or longer trying to get the stuff through customs.

So if anything I'd have to take the equipment myself.


I have weighed my Shimoda X70 backpack and it's around 22pounds or 10kg. Some airlines will let you fly with that no problem but others you may need permission from. My research into air travel came up with the fact that Delta doesn't have any restrictions, British Airways allow you to around 23kg which is around 51 pounds while most other carriers will go to around 7-10kg or 15-20 pounds.


I do feel that I will need a CPL. Here is an example why:




it was framed at ~114-115mm (35mm equivalent) while traveling on a ferry. The blur you see is slight motion blur as the Sony DSC P10 could not keep up with the low light level in January in addition to the vibration of the ferries engines, it was also freezing and I was probably shaking while imaging this (that is on top of my normal shaking which depending on anxiety level can get pretty severe). There is also a lot of atmospheric haze too which the CPL should easily be able to cut through and really bring the image and background out.
It's exactly the shot and type of scenario why I bought the 18-300mm Nikon in the first place. Changing lenses while in the middle of the sea on a boat or ferry isn't exactly ideal. Solution here is a walkabout zoom that will be sharp, perhaps not to my clinical preference, but it will give me a lot versatility in range and shot type without messing around with parts and swapping cameras etc...


For me this was a very narrow field shot as I didn't have much physical width to work with so probably a 24-70mm zoom would have an advantage, or any sharp zoom lens over the 38mm minimum focal length of the Sony. Possible a better FL would be around the 45mm mark from here - if I was to analyze the shot:



This was probably ok, again handheld. No worries any more with my tripod. I got light trails (yeay):




Here are a few daytime shots using the 5MP Nokia N95 with Carl Zeiss optics. The camera/lens combination at the time was phenomenal for a cell phone though the restraint was that the light had to be bright and good. If not an ultra bright day the quality and clarity would drop significantly:
















These were all done while I was pretty much travelling to or from offices of friends and family during the time. It wasn't exactly walkabout in that I was sightseeing around. Not sure what the definition for this would be?? Like maybe city lifestyle photography?? I dunno but anyway, I think what's hard now and the challenge I'm facing is that I need to select locations to shoot. At the end of the day I'm not going there for a vacation or seeing sites or anything like that because I unfortunately if that were the case I wouldn't go in the first place as I'd get bored. I'm just not a very good travel guy, in the fact that if I go somewhere it has got to be for a purpose otherwise my brain gets lost and I end up not knowing what to do.

From the camera and lens part, I'm sure the K1 and DFA28-105mm would be able to pull this type of shot off without any issue provided the AF can lock. I would be a little concerned due to the fact that I was the one in motion at the time. I fully trust the Nikon's AF capability here so maybe that would be the way forward. Keep the 18-300mm on the Nikon for this type of image until the sun sets then grab the Pentax out and use LV with focus peeking.


These are some of my favorites done with the Sony point and shoot:










This time around, I want to get these things without the motion blur. If I can acquire the shot in-focus and without any motion blurring plus have the images looking as crisp and sharp as a fine edge under a microscope I'll be happy!
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