China Travel

GingeM · 05-13-2010, 02:01 PM

This is long. I apologize in advance.

In the very near future I will be traveling to China for what is, (for us), a very important occasion, (an adoption). I'm a seasoned traveler but never to the far east. I'm a computer geek too and think I've done a good job of making sure that the images and video I capture will be secured, (as I'll list below). What I'm trying to avoid is that horrific, slap forehead, moment when you realize you could have done something better, brought something else, not taken something etc.

I want to take all kinds of pictures - landscapes, nature, some abstract, street scenes, architecture etc. so that I can try to capture both our daughter and the event and capture a flavor of her country for her in the future.

My camera is a Kx with the 18-55 & 55-300 kits. I have a 2x teleconverter that will go too. I have a Mono for day to day long shots and a traveling Tripod that I will use to capture video. I have three 16Gb SanDisk III cards and various other cards that data can be moved to. I will also carry a Laptop, (that's a "must carry" due to work and personal requirements), and a 500Gb USB HD. The plan would be to copy the day's data to the laptop then to the USB HD. After both are verified I'll clean the cards for use again.

I'm planning on loading the camera with a fresh set of the batteries it came with, (Energizer Ultimate Lithium), which - with lots of testing and letting video run to test the cards - surprised me with their resilience, and taking another two sets of the same. I think I can always buy AA batteries in the cities I will be in should I need them, (Beijing, Nanning, Guangzhuo and Hong Kong).

So, I come to the combined expertise and knowledge of the Pentax Forums and ask:-

What would you do differently?
What else could I do?
What should I not do?
What other cool advice can you give me?

Any and all insight will be most gratefully accepted.

knumbnutz · 05-13-2010, 05:23 PM

Hi GingeM,
Firstly, you can take chargers, there is power everywhere, just get a battery charger on ebay that takes 240vac. You may not find good quality batteries so easy to come by.
Secondly, lenses will have limited range due to haze. The air is thick and limiting for long distance shots.
Low light stuff is prolific. Higher iso's and tripods rule ! After dark in China is amazing. Use higher iso if u can hand hold and tripods elsewhere.

Heres some of the things you can expect -

And here is an indication of smog, it can start to impact in less than 100mtrs

Enjoy your trip it is a stunning place to visit and the food is excellent.
Cheers
Neil

GingeM · 05-14-2010, 02:46 AM

Oh my... Beautiful pictures... Now I'm really getting excited...

Thanks for the heads up on batteries.

wlachan · 05-14-2010, 03:07 AM

Not what you are asking, and by no mean to offend you, but as a chinese, I am not keen on the idea of adoption from other countries for the fact that this action itself will trigger a chain reaction. Countless of children have been stolen every day in China because adoption by the western world is big business, and often the local governments are part of it. Everything will appear perfectly legal to the outside world down to the fake parents. Sad, very sad.

Last edited by wlachan; 05-14-2010 at 03:32 AM.

**Ahab** · 05-14-2010, 07:10 AM

The teleconverter can be left at home it's useless. I was there last year for a month and traveled from one end of the country to the other, the 18-55 stayed on the camera most of the time. I used my 50mm f1.4 in museums and other low light areas so if I had to it again I would not take the 55-300.

Zav · 05-14-2010, 08:04 AM

Originally posted by Ahab

The teleconverter can be left at home it's useless.

Agree with this. I took most of my pics there with two lenses: FA 31 and 125mm prime.
Google "Oleg Novikov", that's some usefull reading about China and photography.

GingeM · 05-14-2010, 11:01 AM

OK... The teleconverter stays... Thanks... I need to limit what I carry so if I'm unlikely to use it that's good info.

I'll Google Novikov and read up, Thanks.

wlachan:

I'm not offended. In the four years this process has taken we have been approached on the subject from several angles. I can only say that the problem my wife and I are "causing" by taking a 3 1/2 year old with special needs is probably far offset by the unforeseen consequences of the one child rule when it was conceived. The population imbalance in terms of gender is an immediate issue that will take a generation to begin to fix if China begins today.

fractal · 05-16-2010, 08:22 PM

There's no need to be slapping foreheads. I lived in China for a year and never really went out with something specific to shoot besides the life that passed by me. Sometimes I had to wait for it. Due to it's population, China is a very special place for photography of people in their environment. What i'm trying to say is, don't go out with too many preconceived notions. And don't be afraid to aim your camera at people.

As for the batteries, places like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai all have 7-11s and all 7-11s have energizers and most will have the Ultimate Lithiums. Although, it might pay to get some Sanyo Eneloops bundled with the charger. They are really worth it. Last week I got 950 shots on what appeared to be half a charge on my K200D. I bought the battery pack for my K200D a year or so ago and have only used it once. One other thing, do not buy batteries from street stalls. I made this mistake once and it could not even power up my cam.

Originally posted by wlachan

Not what you are asking, and by no mean to offend you, but as a chinese, I am not keen on the idea of adoption from other countries for the fact that this action itself will trigger a chain reaction. Countless of children have been stolen every day in China because adoption by the western world is big business, and often the local governments are part of it. Everything will appear perfectly legal to the outside world down to the fake parents. Sad, very sad.

I didn't realise that child adoption services worked with child kidnappers. In any case, I believe most of the children will stay inside the country. Unfortunately, a weathy Chinese family that has not/can not produce a boy will pay a lot more than a couple abroad will. When I first started teaching English, I often wondered why the kindergarten gates had a gigantic padlock on them & there was security guard with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Yes, it is very sad.

GingeM · 05-17-2010, 04:43 AM

Thanks Fractal... It's kind of amusing but I had never thought of a 7-11 to be a particularly "trustworthy" place to shop before. I think of them more like the street vendor over here..

As to preconceived notions... I really have little idea whatsoever of what I will find in China despite having a brother who lives in Hong Kong and works a lot in Beijing and Shanghai. The one thing I feel fairly confident in finding is a lot of people... I've travelled quite a lot in the past and I've always found that my idea of where I'm going and the reality rarely coincide - so I've pretty much given up trying to predict...

Ben_Edict · 05-17-2010, 05:17 AM

GingeM
When I traveled some of the big cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzouh and Hong Kong) I took my humble Pentax A 70-210/4 manual zoom and that was basically the longest focal length I used and needed. But I found good wide angle lenses indispensible. You'll find yourself quite often in narrow quarters, where a wa lens will give you great opportunities. At that time also the kit lens served me well, but I added a fast fifty (50/1.4) for the ubiquos night time shots.

You data storage strategy sounds good to me, by the way. I did and do work similarily, copying the cards to a portable storage device and duplicating that to my MacBook, before formatting the card.

Ben

GingeM · 05-17-2010, 05:53 AM

It looks like the hardware is pretty much set then. The 18-55 will probably stay on most of the time but the 55-300 will come with me because I'm a sucker for the "long shot" of strangers when they don't know they are being watched.

I have made one small change in the "data protection plan". The data will be moved as described but the USB HD will come with me when I leave the hotel room while the laptop will remain in the room. Then, during travel, the USB HD will go in the checked luggage while the laptop stays with me. That way the only time both copies of the data are in the same place at the same time will be when I'm there with both of them so the likelihood of losing both at once through theft or some other "disaster" is minimized.

openyourap · 05-17-2010, 06:02 AM

Hi GingeM,

I'd stick with the wide and dump the telephoto and the monopod.

In their place, see if you can get an off camera flash - super versitile for family shots in dark hotels/hospitals/orphanages.

Cards are so cheap, I wouldn't bother formatting them 'till after the trip. Just back up and put a fresh one in. If you're paranoid about losing a shot, post the full cards home - if your computer, HDD or camera bag goes missing, you'll still have most of your shots when you get home.

Enjoy your trip

shawnxji · 05-17-2010, 12:42 PM

I wish you a memorable trip to China, where I was born some years ago

The places you're heading to are all relatively industrialized, so you're in good shape. Zoom lenses are definitely the better choices for a 1st time traveler that wants to capture "everything."

Here's some info that might be helpful:

Last time I was in Beijing ('06) the pollution was pretty bad that the sky was mostly grayish, so you may say that the sky was 'overcast' most of the time while I was there.

Guangzhou can get humid, I mean *humid*. Coming out from air-conditioned hotel, I could count in seconds before my clothes would stick to my skin. This was during June/July. You might also want to carry a small umbrella, because without warning the rain would pour down.

Guangzhou has a place called "computer city", just a strip of multi-story shopping centers that stock computing/electronics supplies. It's one of the biggest in China (people from other cities in China would buy wholesale from here and re-sell the items back home), so if you need an adapter, want to grab some chargers/batteries or anything else, just head there when you're in town. It's famous, just ask around for direction.

What I forgot last time was that some outlets in China are V shaped 3 slots, so I had to buy an adapter for my Sony camcorder, but other than that it's all good.

Have a blast! Keep safe, be alert and stay in the good parts of town and if you can, travel with Chinese friends. Wishing you and your new daughter lots blessings,

Shawn

GingeM · 05-17-2010, 01:13 PM

Thanks Shawn...

I've been watching the weather in the four cities so I'm aware of the "warmth". Having lived in Belize on and off for a year many years ago I'm aware of the moisture issues when going from a nicely air conditioned building to the outside but never with a dSLR. Does this ever become an issue and is there any precaution one can take to mitigate the risk of water and electronics? Is there a period of time where one can reasonably expect to be unable to take pictures after leaving air conditioning - I'm guessing there is I'm just wondering if it becomes prohibitively long?

The "computer city" is good info. Thanks again.

fractal · 05-17-2010, 05:53 PM

Originally posted by shawnxji

Guangzhou has a place called "computer city", just a strip of multi-story shopping centers that stock computing/electronics supplies. It's one of the biggest in China (people from other cities in China would buy wholesale from here and re-sell the items back home), so if you need an adapter, want to grab some chargers/batteries or anything else, just head there when you're in town. It's famous, just ask around for direction

That's precisely where I used to live

Actually, this is what it looks like. The area is called Gangding & this is the main drag.

While it's true Guangzhou/Shenzhen can be very humid I wouldn't worry too much about the moisture in the air. But, as Shawn said, bring an umbrella. The South of China doesn't just rain, it pours.

05-13-2010, 02:01 PM	#1
GingeM Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North of Canada Posts: 612	China Travel This is long. I apologize in advance. In the very near future I will be traveling to China for what is, (for us), a very important occasion, (an adoption). I'm a seasoned traveler but never to the far east. I'm a computer geek too and think I've done a good job of making sure that the images and video I capture will be secured, (as I'll list below). What I'm trying to avoid is that horrific, slap forehead, moment when you realize you could have done something better, brought something else, not taken something etc. I want to take all kinds of pictures - landscapes, nature, some abstract, street scenes, architecture etc. so that I can try to capture both our daughter and the event and capture a flavor of her country for her in the future. My camera is a Kx with the 18-55 & 55-300 kits. I have a 2x teleconverter that will go too. I have a Mono for day to day long shots and a traveling Tripod that I will use to capture video. I have three 16Gb SanDisk III cards and various other cards that data can be moved to. I will also carry a Laptop, (that's a "must carry" due to work and personal requirements), and a 500Gb USB HD. The plan would be to copy the day's data to the laptop then to the USB HD. After both are verified I'll clean the cards for use again. I'm planning on loading the camera with a fresh set of the batteries it came with, (Energizer Ultimate Lithium), which - with lots of testing and letting video run to test the cards - surprised me with their resilience, and taking another two sets of the same. I think I can always buy AA batteries in the cities I will be in should I need them, (Beijing, Nanning, Guangzhuo and Hong Kong). So, I come to the combined expertise and knowledge of the Pentax Forums and ask:- What would you do differently? What else could I do? What should I not do? What other cool advice can you give me? Any and all insight will be most gratefully accepted.

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05-13-2010, 05:23 PM	#2
knumbnutz Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 394	Hi GingeM, Firstly, you can take chargers, there is power everywhere, just get a battery charger on ebay that takes 240vac. You may not find good quality batteries so easy to come by. Secondly, lenses will have limited range due to haze. The air is thick and limiting for long distance shots. Low light stuff is prolific. Higher iso's and tripods rule ! After dark in China is amazing. Use higher iso if u can hand hold and tripods elsewhere. Heres some of the things you can expect - And here is an indication of smog, it can start to impact in less than 100mtrs Enjoy your trip it is a stunning place to visit and the food is excellent. Cheers Neil

05-14-2010, 02:46 AM	#3
GingeM Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North of Canada Posts: 612 Original Poster	Oh my... Beautiful pictures... Now I'm really getting excited... Thanks for the heads up on batteries.

05-14-2010, 03:07 AM	#4
wlachan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 2,625	Not what you are asking, and by no mean to offend you, but as a chinese, I am not keen on the idea of adoption from other countries for the fact that this action itself will trigger a chain reaction. Countless of children have been stolen every day in China because adoption by the western world is big business, and often the local governments are part of it. Everything will appear perfectly legal to the outside world down to the fake parents. Sad, very sad. Last edited by wlachan; 05-14-2010 at 03:32 AM.

05-14-2010, 07:10 AM	#5
Ahab Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Arnold, Md. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 762	The teleconverter can be left at home it's useless. I was there last year for a month and traveled from one end of the country to the other, the 18-55 stayed on the camera most of the time. I used my 50mm f1.4 in museums and other low light areas so if I had to it again I would not take the 55-300.

05-14-2010, 08:04 AM	#6
Zav Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,371	Originally posted by Ahab The teleconverter can be left at home it's useless. Agree with this. I took most of my pics there with two lenses: FA 31 and 125mm prime. Google "Oleg Novikov", that's some usefull reading about China and photography.

05-14-2010, 11:01 AM	#7
GingeM Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North of Canada Posts: 612 Original Poster	OK... The teleconverter stays... Thanks... I need to limit what I carry so if I'm unlikely to use it that's good info. I'll Google Novikov and read up, Thanks. wlachan: I'm not offended. In the four years this process has taken we have been approached on the subject from several angles. I can only say that the problem my wife and I are "causing" by taking a 3 1/2 year old with special needs is probably far offset by the unforeseen consequences of the one child rule when it was conceived. The population imbalance in terms of gender is an immediate issue that will take a generation to begin to fix if China begins today.

05-16-2010, 08:22 PM	#8
fractal Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,547	There's no need to be slapping foreheads. I lived in China for a year and never really went out with something specific to shoot besides the life that passed by me. Sometimes I had to wait for it. Due to it's population, China is a very special place for photography of people in their environment. What i'm trying to say is, don't go out with too many preconceived notions. And don't be afraid to aim your camera at people. As for the batteries, places like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai all have 7-11s and all 7-11s have energizers and most will have the Ultimate Lithiums. Although, it might pay to get some Sanyo Eneloops bundled with the charger. They are really worth it. Last week I got 950 shots on what appeared to be half a charge on my K200D. I bought the battery pack for my K200D a year or so ago and have only used it once. One other thing, do not buy batteries from street stalls. I made this mistake once and it could not even power up my cam. Originally posted by wlachan Not what you are asking, and by no mean to offend you, but as a chinese, I am not keen on the idea of adoption from other countries for the fact that this action itself will trigger a chain reaction. Countless of children have been stolen every day in China because adoption by the western world is big business, and often the local governments are part of it. Everything will appear perfectly legal to the outside world down to the fake parents. Sad, very sad. I didn't realise that child adoption services worked with child kidnappers. In any case, I believe most of the children will stay inside the country. Unfortunately, a weathy Chinese family that has not/can not produce a boy will pay a lot more than a couple abroad will. When I first started teaching English, I often wondered why the kindergarten gates had a gigantic padlock on them & there was security guard with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Yes, it is very sad.

05-17-2010, 04:43 AM	#9
GingeM Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North of Canada Posts: 612 Original Poster	Thanks Fractal... It's kind of amusing but I had never thought of a 7-11 to be a particularly "trustworthy" place to shop before. I think of them more like the street vendor over here.. As to preconceived notions... I really have little idea whatsoever of what I will find in China despite having a brother who lives in Hong Kong and works a lot in Beijing and Shanghai. The one thing I feel fairly confident in finding is a lot of people... I've travelled quite a lot in the past and I've always found that my idea of where I'm going and the reality rarely coincide - so I've pretty much given up trying to predict...

05-17-2010, 05:17 AM	#10
Ben_Edict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SouthWest "Regio" Photos: Albums Posts: 3,309	GingeM When I traveled some of the big cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzouh and Hong Kong) I took my humble Pentax A 70-210/4 manual zoom and that was basically the longest focal length I used and needed. But I found good wide angle lenses indispensible. You'll find yourself quite often in narrow quarters, where a wa lens will give you great opportunities. At that time also the kit lens served me well, but I added a fast fifty (50/1.4) for the ubiquos night time shots. You data storage strategy sounds good to me, by the way. I did and do work similarily, copying the cards to a portable storage device and duplicating that to my MacBook, before formatting the card. Ben

05-17-2010, 05:53 AM	#11
GingeM Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North of Canada Posts: 612 Original Poster	It looks like the hardware is pretty much set then. The 18-55 will probably stay on most of the time but the 55-300 will come with me because I'm a sucker for the "long shot" of strangers when they don't know they are being watched. I have made one small change in the "data protection plan". The data will be moved as described but the USB HD will come with me when I leave the hotel room while the laptop will remain in the room. Then, during travel, the USB HD will go in the checked luggage while the laptop stays with me. That way the only time both copies of the data are in the same place at the same time will be when I'm there with both of them so the likelihood of losing both at once through theft or some other "disaster" is minimized.

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05-17-2010, 06:02 AM	#12
openyourap Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Sydney Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 171	Hi GingeM, I'd stick with the wide and dump the telephoto and the monopod. In their place, see if you can get an off camera flash - super versitile for family shots in dark hotels/hospitals/orphanages. Cards are so cheap, I wouldn't bother formatting them 'till after the trip. Just back up and put a fresh one in. If you're paranoid about losing a shot, post the full cards home - if your computer, HDD or camera bag goes missing, you'll still have most of your shots when you get home. Enjoy your trip

05-17-2010, 12:42 PM	#13
shawnxji Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: DC Metro, USA Posts: 212	I wish you a memorable trip to China, where I was born some years ago The places you're heading to are all relatively industrialized, so you're in good shape. Zoom lenses are definitely the better choices for a 1st time traveler that wants to capture "everything." Here's some info that might be helpful: Last time I was in Beijing ('06) the pollution was pretty bad that the sky was mostly grayish, so you may say that the sky was 'overcast' most of the time while I was there. Guangzhou can get humid, I mean humid. Coming out from air-conditioned hotel, I could count in seconds before my clothes would stick to my skin. This was during June/July. You might also want to carry a small umbrella, because without warning the rain would pour down. Guangzhou has a place called "computer city", just a strip of multi-story shopping centers that stock computing/electronics supplies. It's one of the biggest in China (people from other cities in China would buy wholesale from here and re-sell the items back home), so if you need an adapter, want to grab some chargers/batteries or anything else, just head there when you're in town. It's famous, just ask around for direction. What I forgot last time was that some outlets in China are V shaped 3 slots, so I had to buy an adapter for my Sony camcorder, but other than that it's all good. Have a blast! Keep safe, be alert and stay in the good parts of town and if you can, travel with Chinese friends. Wishing you and your new daughter lots blessings, Shawn

05-17-2010, 01:13 PM	#14
GingeM Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North of Canada Posts: 612 Original Poster	Thanks Shawn... I've been watching the weather in the four cities so I'm aware of the "warmth". Having lived in Belize on and off for a year many years ago I'm aware of the moisture issues when going from a nicely air conditioned building to the outside but never with a dSLR. Does this ever become an issue and is there any precaution one can take to mitigate the risk of water and electronics? Is there a period of time where one can reasonably expect to be unable to take pictures after leaving air conditioning - I'm guessing there is I'm just wondering if it becomes prohibitively long? The "computer city" is good info. Thanks again.

05-17-2010, 05:53 PM	#15
fractal Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,547	Originally posted by shawnxji Guangzhou has a place called "computer city", just a strip of multi-story shopping centers that stock computing/electronics supplies. It's one of the biggest in China (people from other cities in China would buy wholesale from here and re-sell the items back home), so if you need an adapter, want to grab some chargers/batteries or anything else, just head there when you're in town. It's famous, just ask around for direction That's precisely where I used to live Actually, this is what it looks like. The area is called Gangding & this is the main drag. While it's true Guangzhou/Shenzhen can be very humid I wouldn't worry too much about the moisture in the air. But, as Shawn said, bring an umbrella. The South of China doesn't just rain, it pours.