Originally posted by jimfellows Based on the advice here and talking to my wife, she will take he 18-135 (her favorite lens) on here K70 and I am going to have the 10-20 on my KP. I will take along a prime or two as none of them are large or heavy. Once I am all packed I will make a final decision on the 55-300.
Thanks again.
Jim
Hi Jim, We have travelled 3 continents, and as my wife has family there, multiple trips to Germany. Here is my experience as an international flying photographer. Make sure each body has its favorite lens. Other lenses can be shared. You are going to need to make compromises beyond that. In my case, I want to cover a focal length range. In your case it might be covering a range of light values, or having macro equipment is a must. Flash falls into the same bucket. You have built-in flash. Will it be adequate? I find my use of flash is often just to do fill. If I know I will need more, I find a way to pack it - our last trip to Germany was for a family wedding.
Having a bunch of card space is in my opinion, not enough. I want some way to view images and stay at least somewhat in communication back home.
The biggest problem flying with camera gear is you do not want to put it in checked baggage. You each can have one carry-on and one personal. There are things you decidedly want to have with you while in your seat which further complicates things. Here are my two solutions:
Purchase body caps and neoprene pouches for each body and each lens and each flash. Use a general purpose back pack to carry your delicate gear (most have room for a small laptop) and those personal items. Save some room in your carry on for durable camera gear and soft-sided camera bags that fold flat. Once you have arrived, repack your gear to make it useable on the go. Photo back packs are nice, but typically have little room for personal items and the gear dividers are bulky. Lock your laptop inside your luggage (leave no trace of its existence, for example, a charger in sight) inside your room - or see if the hotel has a bag check.
The other 'trick' I have used is to pack my favorite photo bag for foot touring. It is old enough to have no space for a PC, nor does it collapse. I attach a laptop bag to the backside of the photo bag using double-end dog-clips between the strap D-rings. Only use one shoulder strap for both units. In short, act like you only have one bag, not too. So long as the combo still fits inside the airport size gauge, and therefore under a seat, nobody has said boo to me about having more than one personal item.
I always pack a monopod in my carry on - no problem provided yours does not have a sharp pointed foot. Most museums will ban any form of tripod, but if you walk in using the monopod like a walking stick (cane) and it won't damage the floor, I have only once been stopped. SR is great, but sometimes you still need a camera support. I have quick-mounts on my bodies and the monopod. Also grab a one meter role of stick-to-itself velcro. You can strap a monopod to a park bench or a small tree in place of a tripod. I also have a 6 foot North American 120v extension cord. I tape a small European 220v to 120v adapter to the end. I do not carry the bulky, multi-country outlet adapters. Make SURE all your low-wattage chargers are 100-240v rated (most are). Run the electric cord around the inside perimeter of your carry on. You'll never notice the lost space. Most hotel rooms in Europe will have ONE outlet in the room and ONE outlet in the bathroom. My cheap gizmo will support up to 3 low-wattage devices.
Weight is everything on touring trips. We often check one bag with well packed gifts for our German family members (no gift wrap, it will be removed by security). Coming home, that bag holds our used laundry and any souvenirs are in the carry on. We never thought one carry-on would have enough room for 10 days in Europe on our first trip. Now we know better. You can wash quick-dry underwear and socks in a bathroom sink and hang to dry over the tub/shower while you are out for the day. Unless it is truly stained, outerwear can be reused. Not like anybody is really going to know you wore that shirt yesterday.