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05-19-2021, 11:03 AM   #1
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Vacationing with KP

I'm going to be vacationing in the mountains this summer. I will, of course, have my KP with me. I have the DAL 18-55 lens from my previous camera and the 55-300 PLM. What other basics would you recommend me taking with me. We will be hiking a lot. I hope to take photos of waterfalls, mountain landscape and wildlife. I'm also looking for a bag. I currently have a small shoulder bag that is a pain to hike with.

05-19-2021, 11:17 AM - 2 Likes   #2
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I use a type of sling camera bag. One strap, wear it like a backpack and can swing it around to my front and use it as an arm rest while taking pic's. I can't quite remember the name of the bag though...
05-19-2021, 11:35 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by dirwood Quote
I use a type of sling camera bag. One strap, wear it like a backpack and can swing it around to my front and use it as an arm rest while taking pic's. I can't quite remember the name of the bag though...
Does the bag stay in place on your back when you lean over or stoop down?
05-19-2021, 11:46 AM - 1 Like   #4
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I also use a slingbag for the reasons dirwood lists. It is fine for half-day use or even full day depending on the terrain. I can strap a tripod to mine. My 2 pennies on lenses the 55-300 PLM provides options including multi shot panos. The 18-55 will also give you versatility. I have a 17-50 Sigma. I would also take my 16mm Rokinon. It does wonders with open landscapes. I do like to use it on a tripod when I am serious about composition.

05-19-2021, 11:52 AM - 2 Likes   #5
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Perhaps a variable neutral-density filter, so you can take longer exposures in bright light in order to fuzz up the water flow?
05-19-2021, 01:11 PM - 2 Likes   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by mom2mny Quote
Does the bag stay in place on your back when you lean over or stoop down?
I have two sizes of the ThinkTank Turnstyle, small sling bags, the newer one which is the current model has a belt that you can use that does make it stay in place, but it is still quick to swing around to access. I can actually fit these slings into a normal backpack for airline carry on.

QuoteOriginally posted by dlhawes Quote
Perhaps a variable neutral-density filter, so you can take longer exposures in bright light in order to fuzz up the water flow?
Definitely great for waterfalls and rapids.


I don't now what other lenses you may have so it's hard to recommend. When I travel, it is usually the KP, 55-300 PLM and 1.4 TC, DA 20-40, and DA 15, sometimes I may add another small prime like the F50. And I have a small travel tripod, but I wouldn't take that on a long hike unless I knew there may be waterfalls or early or late shooting. But with the KP and 20-40 I've actually done night shooting in cities hand held, with may correlate to late morning twilight or early evening twilight, I'm not sure since I usually use a tripod at those times. I have a DA*300 that I sometimes take in vehicle travel or hike with. I have a Think Tank Digital Holster 30 bag and harness so it is strapped to my chest. It would be way to large for the 55-300, but a smaller size may work. I have read that some people put and extra lens in the bottom, I think that would be cumbersome. When I have hiked with it I carried an extra lens in a Lowepro lens case on my belt. I would alway recommend a sling bag over a backpack for ease of access. As long as they have some sort of belt for your waist they won't shift when you bend. I am used to using the one without it, but it is nicer when you can put the waist belt on and not really think about it when you have to bend over or climb over things.
05-19-2021, 01:14 PM - 1 Like   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by mom2mny Quote
Does the bag stay in place on your back when you lean over or stoop down?
Mine does. It has an additional small strap that helps with that. Mine is sold by case logic.

05-19-2021, 01:18 PM - 1 Like   #8
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Spare battery or two.
05-19-2021, 01:24 PM - 1 Like   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by mom2mny Quote
I'm going to be vacationing in the mountains this summer. I will, of course, have my KP with me. I have the DAL 18-55 lens from my previous camera and the 55-300 PLM. What other basics would you recommend me taking with me. We will be hiking a lot. I hope to take photos of waterfalls, mountain landscape and wildlife. I'm also looking for a bag. I currently have a small shoulder bag that is a pain to hike with.
A small but sturdy tripod is a must if you want sharp landscape photos. Slow shutter speed waterfall shots will also benefit from the same. Make sure you have the the app installed to handle remote triggering to minimize blur introduced by pressing the shutter.

A fast aperture lens of some type is a nice to have for lower light levels.

Extra batteries. Charger - perhaps a spare charger. Cleaning supplies including a rocket blower. A smallish flash that can be triggered optically to help with lighting. A Raynox add on macro lens to make small details possible to capture (if one is part of your kit). A neural density filter for waterfall shots if you don’t use the interval feature.

A hat. Water bottle. Spare shoes.
05-19-2021, 01:33 PM - 1 Like   #10
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I found what I have:

Case Logic DCB-308 SLR Camera Sling

B&H has it. $70 roughly. There may be better sling bags but this is the one I’ve used a lot and I like it. Dslr + mounted lens, plus two more lenses. Room on the top for a flash. Room for some batteries, sd cards, etc.

Tripod attachment is challenging, I usually use mine in a second bag which is awkward, but I haven’t worked on this much and the bag I have may be older.
05-19-2021, 02:33 PM - 2 Likes   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
A small but sturdy tripod is a must if you want sharp landscape photos. Slow shutter speed waterfall shots will also benefit from the same. Make sure you have the the app installed to handle remote triggering to minimize blur introduced by pressing the shutter.

A fast aperture lens of some type is a nice to have for lower light levels.

Extra batteries. Charger - perhaps a spare charger. Cleaning supplies including a rocket blower. A smallish flash that can be triggered optically to help with lighting. A Raynox add on macro lens to make small details possible to capture (if one is part of your kit). A neural density filter for waterfall shots if you don’t use the interval feature.

A hat. Water bottle. Spare shoes.
I would add to this a small First-Aid kit to deal with potential scrapes, wounds, or blisters. I would also add a small rechargeable headlamp,
05-19-2021, 03:34 PM - 1 Like   #12
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@UncleVanya already provided very good and fairly complete advice. For the KP and your lenses I'd recommend some variation: The 55-300 PLM works very well with a +3DPTachromat lens, such as the marumi DHG Achromat 330 - frequently available used in 58mm. I find it easier to handle and stow when hiking and it does provide a slightly brighter viewfinder than the Raynox close up lenses. A flash would need quite a bit of practice, nothing that I regularly take on hikes. Instead of the app, I simply use the 2s timer on a tripod and found that sufficient. For hiking, I am using backpacks with quick access features, which provide room for all the non-camera stuff in addition to a quick-access camera compartment. For the KP + 2 lenses, I'd use my trusty Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW. It swings around for quick side access to the camera and is still comfortable to carry with supplies, water, rain jacket etc. and a travel tripod. This is an example only, there are lots of different combined photo+hiking backpacks at different price points nowadays, see also the review articles. For the KP, I'd definitely emphasize the need for spare batteries again. I usually bring 3 in total, for occasional flash use in the macro range with some paper as a reflector/diffuser. But I rarely ever use the third on any given day, using genuine Pentax batteries. Live View (tripod use) also consumes quite a bit of battery power. Did somebody mention a polarizer? It can help with haze in the mountains on sunny days. A 58mm filter and a step-up ring would allow use on both lenses.

Last edited by JensE; 05-19-2021 at 03:49 PM.
05-19-2021, 04:02 PM - 2 Likes   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by mom2mny Quote
We will be hiking a lot.
Hiking, as opposed to a photo walk where you can stop and change lenses? Consider buying a used 18-135mm WR lens here on PF. It is a great walk around lens for this sort of event,, both wide and telephoto. and with the KP you can crop in post to get some more detail in far wildlife. Also, get a map of your planned hike, and think about the terrain of the places you'll pass through, and plan you camera and lens combo accordingly. I don't recommend changing lenses outdoors unless the air is calm and you are not in a sandy dusty, loose dirt area, so you might find you are only using the 55-300 at the times when you have settled in for the day OR when you are going to be doing a ridge top hike and can take advantage of longer distances. I prefer a wide angle for landscapes ,but if you are not familiar with stitching panoramas, give it some practice, it is more about composition and planning the shots, I use Microsoft ICE to do the stitching for me, it is very easy. I have a Joby tripod for DSLRs. It has a detachable plate to mount on the camera, but it is light enough that I can leave it on the camera and move around as well.
QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
Mine does. It has an additional small strap that helps with that. Mine is sold by case logic.
I have the same bag, and for day hikes with a camera , a water bottle, some snacks and a spare lens, it is fantastic. It's side pocket for the camera access means I can sling it to the front for a shot, then put it back if I am going to be hiking for a distance before the next scenic overlook.
QuoteOriginally posted by timb64 Quote
Spare battery or two.
At least one, and 2 extra memory cards as well.
QuoteOriginally posted by Kendra59 Quote
I would add to this a small First-Aid kit to deal with potential scrapes, wounds, or blisters. I would also add a small rechargeable headlamp.
I agree.
05-19-2021, 06:00 PM - 1 Like   #14
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Tripod has already been mentioned. Honestly, I can't see a reason for another lens as what you have will cover all of your needs. I took only the 55-300 PLM on a trip through the Virginia part of the Blue Ridge Mountains and never felt as if I were missing opportunities. With your interest in waterfalls, though, the 18-55 on a tripod should do fine.
05-19-2021, 08:16 PM - 1 Like   #15
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I like using a holster-type case having both a belt-loop to prevent shifting, and a shoulder strap to control wobble. Both the DA 18-55mm and the 55-300mm PLM are compact lenses, so the smaller size case should do. I have compact, medium, and quite large lenses, so I have several of these cases of varying sizes. I usually have the all-around compact lens on the camera, and the compact tele lens in a pocket or in another case. My extra-compact general purpose lens these days is the DA 20-40mm Ltd. I might decide to leave the 55-300mm behind if I feel I won't be in need of a long tele shot, and instead have my always-present DA 15mm Ltd living in the front accessory compartment of my holster case, and for more reach the DA 70mm Ltd, which is so small that pocketing is very doable. A small sheet of tiny bubble wrap can be useful for protection also. But in your case, one never knows if some interesting bird should show up.
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