[paolojackson]

Hey everyone. I'll be going to the Philippines and Thailand next month and was wondering if anyone had any tips as to taking my camera and a few lenses. I am just a casual shooter, so I don't plan on bringing a tripod. Anything you guys can suggest just in general about traveling?

[Bactman]

Some random non-coffee fueled thoughts:

1) Carry an inconspicious camera bag, something that doesn't scream "Hey - valuable stuff here for pawning". I carried a LowePro sling bag and Crumpler 5MDH. I liked the Crumpler a lot more than the Sling for function and security.

2) I've carried a sling bag (non-camera) for personal documents/laptop et. al. as well as a camera bag on an airline without problems. Usually, the sling bag went underneath the seat and the camera bag within the luggage storage bin. Just be sure you can manage two bags while getting through security and tight lines in transit areas.

3) Nice assortment of lenses - If I had those on my most recent trip, I would have taken the 12-24mm, 16-50mm, and the 50-135mm. Probably would have left the flast, the FA 77, and the Macro at home. I had the FA50 and used it less than 1% of the time while in Istanbul.

4) Do you have a good CPL, esp. for the 12-24mm? If not, that would be something to consider.

5) Try and stick to using one lens at a time, less chance for dirt/dust/ect. to impact the sensor.

6) Watch your valuables when taking a break, at a restaurant (secure the bag to a chair leg so someone can't take a running start with it), or in the hotel room (nearly had an extremely bad experience in Toledo, Spain).

7) Make sure you get pictures of yourself - not only those of a traveling companion. Get out from behind the camera and smile, look pensive, interact with the scene.

8) Don't be afraid to push the ISO if you need it. Granted, this may be better served for dark interiors of gothic cathedrals in Europe than in SE Asia.

9) Take pictures of signs/waypoints along the way so you know what it is you were viewing/capturing. It gets confusing trying to figure out what you were looking at 2 weeks later amongst the 300 photos taken in a day. This is a huge advantage for digital photography!

10) Get up early and take pictures before the tourists clog everything (thanks Scott Kelby!).

Good luck, have a good flight(s), and enjoy!

[paolojackson]

Thanks for the great list Bactman. I've no CPL for the 12-24 though I've been wanting to get one. Any recommendations? Also, I was thinking of getting a 40mm ltd for the size. Then I'd just go 12-24/40/50-135. Been thinking about getting rid of the 16-50 altogether....decisions, decisions!

If anyone else has more tips and suggestions please keep them coming!

[PeterAM]

If photography is not the primary purpose of your trip, take as little as possible so that it is easy and comfortable to handle. My suggestion is a body, one of the super zooms like an 18-250 and a fast prime for low light situations. Fit this with the other bits and pieces like cards and batteries into the smallest bag that you can. Be sure that the bag is comfortable, inconspicuous and is set up so that it can't be pulled off of you and/or someone can't get their hand into it.
Streets in places like Bangkok can be very crowded and you want to be sure to hang onto your equipment. As in many other places, snatch & grabs from motorbikes are not uncommon. Just exercise common sense and be aware. I lugged too much stuff on pleasure trips during my film days and it turned me off of photography for a while. I now travel with the type of kit that I mentioned above and find that it covers everything that I need it to.

[Bactman]

Paolojackson,

The DA40mm is ace- small, lightweight, great piece of glass. I wish I had the opportunity to use it more when in Istanbul; however, I found its focal length hard to use at times for capturing architecture and interiors. Maybe I should have used some sort of panorama stitching. It probably would work the best for crowds or portraits.

Your proposed travel kit (12-24mm, 40mm, 50-135mm) is on point with my potential future travel kit - maybe substitute the DA35macro for the 40mm. A weather sealed dedicated wide angle would be stellar!!!

As for your current lenses, I would lean towards a more weather-resistant setup. Hence the inclusion of the 16-50.

As for a CPL, it depends on how much you want to drop. How about a 77mm CPL from Marumi ($80-ish for multicoated filter)? I have one but can't vouch for it compared to higher end filters such as B+W. It seems to work fine, but I do not have a lot to compare to.

[rormeister]

Paolojackson,

The DA40mm is ace- ... As for a CPL, it depends on how much you want to drop

I agree with Bactman on the DA40, super inconspicuous and great sharpness, PLUS it uses a tiny, affordable, 49mm CPL, straight off my M42 setup

[opfor]

I agree with the inconspicuous bag.
On day trips I have used small soft sided coolers with a make shift divider. Mine is big enough for a camera, flash, dust towel, and a spare lens. It has an outside pocket that I use for batteries and cards.
Not too many people are interested in stealing your lunch and the bag is small enough that people don't pay attention to it until they see you pull the camera out. Big plus with cooler bags, you don't have to worry about rain since they are pretty much water proof.
Avoid anything that looks like it would carry a laptop. Laptops tend to be big grab and go targets in most places.
Lens choices kind of go with what you expect to shoot.

[edl]

If photography is not the primary purpose of your trip, take as little as possible so that it is easy and comfortable to handle. My suggestion is a body, one of the super zooms like an 18-250 and a fast prime for low light situations. Fit this with the other bits and pieces like cards and batteries into the smallest bag that you can...(snip)...I lugged too much stuff on pleasure trips during my film days and it turned me off of photography for a while. I now travel with the type of kit that I mentioned above and find that it covers everything that I need it to.

I agree with Peter's comments. If you're just going casual and trying to ENJOY your vacation I would pack as light as possible. A 12-24, 16-50, 50-135, and full size laptop is more "paid photog" than "casual vacation."

I'm not much for superzooms, and if you don't like them either you could get by with something like a Sigma 17-70 and Tamron 70-300. You'd save 3 pounds over the three lens setup. I would also bring more SD cards over carrying the laptop. If you must, bring a 2.5 pound netbook with a HD (not the SS drive ones). Now your bag is a good 8 pounds lighter.

Have a look at Thom Hogan - Rational Lenses He has a few good paragraphs on travel kits towards the bottom.

I took a LX3, K20D, 18-50/2.8, 28-75/2.8, a few primes, and a IBM T400 laptop to Asia earlier this year. In a Kata backpack it was about 20 pounds total. By the end of the trip I wanted it gone! Granted most of it was the laptop, but I hope you get my drift - weight matters.

Enjoy Thailand and the Phillipines...both great places to visit.

[johnmflores]

Never been to Thailand, but I was born in the Philippines and have gone back a handful of times as an adult. As others have noted, watch your gear. That's a big issue in a big bad city like Manila or Cebu, less of an issue in the smaller towns and country. It's just like the rest of the world - the petty thieves concentrate where the tourists are. They fish where the fish are.

It's also going to be blazing hot when you go, but you're from Houston so you know what that's like. It's going to be humid too. I don't think you'll be there during rainy season, but if you are it will rain every afternoon. Like clockwork. And then maybe you will want the DA*s.

There are beautiful beaches there, of course, so maybe the DA*s make sense. Also in the high mountains of Northern Luzon, with dusty dirt roads that take you up to 7,000 feet. So again, maybe the DA*s. Then again, I rode a wet motorcycle in the wet jungles and dusty towns with a Nikon D70 stuffed in an Osprey messenger bag and it did fine.

Let me know what places you plan on visiting - I may have some recommendations on things to see.

[paolojackson]

Thanks everyone for your contributions. From everything I've read, I'll definitely pack light and inconspicuous, and also get some CPLs to help out a little.

For sure I'll take the 12-24 and most likely the 50-135. My 16-50 would be nice, but the SDM seems to be dying and I don't know if I can get it serviced. Might even sell it soon. If I can find the 40 ltd at a good price then that would probably complete my outfit.

johnmflores, I'm not sure exactly where I'll be but I'll let you know. I am Filipino but born in the states and never been so I am very excited.

Thanks again! And if anyone has anything else they'd like to throw in, then by all means

[Kerrowdown]

Aye, enjoy your holiday.

[rparmar]

3) Nice assortment of lenses - If I had those on my most recent trip, I would have taken the 12-24mm, 16-50mm, and the 50-135mm. Probably would have left the flast, the FA 77, and the Macro at home.

I never leave the FA77 at home.

My most compact gear set now would be: FA77 plus DA12-24 plus a macro adapter for the former. This covers all my needs with two lenses. I can think of no time Id want 135mm when 77mm wouldn't do, especially with extra crop room on K20D. You can always make a shot less wide but not the other way around.

Agree on having a polariser for each lens.

Third lens would be DA55-300mm. Fourth would be FA43. But taking less means more fun.

[PDL]

Take the minimum that you think you will need.

Get a photosafe or portable hard drive to dump your images too (look in the forums for - that discussion has gone on for years).

Don't spend time editing - take the image and move on. If possible, leave your laptop at home. Laptops are something that screams "steal me".

Buy as many SD cards as you can afford - then realize that you will not have enough.

For example - in 2006 I spent a month on vacation in NZ. I took my *istDs, kit-lens, 50-200mm and a 300mm manual lens. I also took my Toshiba P&S - for my son - it broke - long story - we shared the DS. I had my Wolverine flashpac 40GB hard drive that would read SD cards.
When we got back we had 21GB of images - mostly RAW and the JPEG's from the Toshiba. I never worried about losing my laptop - carried the camera(s) around with me all the time - with the exception of the night of our 25th Aniversary.

The only issue I had with the airlines was in LAX comeing home to Seattle. The TSA people told me not to put the 300mm on end - it looked like a barrel. (this was of course on the last flight of the trip #6 the other 5 nothing was said - go figure). Of course these people were all bent over the LED in the pen I had - they played with that for a good 5 minutes before they let go of it.

My advice is, if you think you just might use something once or twice - leave it at home. I had continuous coverage from 28mm to 200mm with the kit and 50-200 plus I had the 300mm. If I were to go there again today - the 300mm would stay home and the 50mm f1.4 would take its place. Smaller bag, easier to carry, less hastle and the laptop would still be left behind too.

Don't let your "stuff" get in the way of the vacation.

The Elitist - formerly known as PDL

[paolojackson]

Thanks again everybody!

Another question, what will it be like charging batteries in Asia? I'm also considering an extra battery.

[rparmar]

Another question, what will it be like charging batteries in Asia? I'm also considering an extra battery.

You just need to make sure you have a universal voltage charger (which the proprietary Pentax chargers are) plus a pin adapter. Though maybe someone who's actually been to Asia (or lives there) should say.