[Cerebum]

OK, question first. I will post the background/preamble after for anyone who wants to read it

You are going to Seville. You only have carry on luggage, I.e. 1 bag. You have to pack clothes for 5 days (those are the rules) so have very little room for camera equipment! what do you take? Edit: What would you take based on what kit YOU own? My collection is limited, I am dying to see what serious Pentaxians would put in their bags

Preamble

OK, as you may have guessed I am off to Seville. I considered buying a "jack of all trades" Sigma 24-300 but I wouldn't use it once I returned and the reviews were distinctly average. Thinking about this prompted the question which, knowing you guys, will give me all the answers I need :0) I have to decide between a good bridge camera or my lovely K30.

my options
Option 1
fuji hs20exr 16mp, raw & jpeg, 24-750mm equivalent lens, f2.8-f11

Option 2
K30 & a maximum of two lenses from
Smc da 18-55 wr
Smc da 50-200 we
Smc 100-300 f4.7
Smc da 35mm plastic fantastic
Pentax-m 135mm f3.5
Miranda vintage 24mm f2.8 manual
Smc da 10-17 (saving up for this baby)

I would prefer to take the K30 but don't intend to carry a bag of any great size. I like using primes so buying a hyperzoom feels like a false economy. OK, I could sell my 50-200 and my 100-300 but the weather resistant zoom is a useful thing to own, given our frequent rain throughout the year, and the 100-300 has given me some great results. (I know, symptoms of LBA). Also, I tend to go out with a particular focal length for that day and see what I get so the hyperzoom is cheating. So, given what I have, I need to decide what to take, and here we are. Hopefully this thread will get some interesting responses and at the same time, help me decide what to pack. I am absolutely fascinated to see what everyone would take.

Thanks in advance to anyone who answers

And to everyone who read this far, I am truly sorry for putting you through my meanderings

---

Last edited by Cerebum; 01-04-2018 at 05:34 PM.

[mattb123]

I can't directly help with your lenses but when I climbed Kilimanjaro in September I had to go very light and be ready for harsh conditions.
I brought my K-3, 18-135 WR, DA15, and DA 50/1.8. Also an Ultrapod II mini tripod (tiny and inexpensive - very worth it!) which helped with low light situations probably more than the fast 50.

I used the zoom probably 90% of the time followed by the 15 and then only took a few da 50 shots. I could have skipped the 50 and been ok.
I find if I travel with that sealed zoom I only occasionally wish I had a different FL and most of the time I do fine with just that range. IQ is solid for the size and price of the 18-135.
When I do wish for another FL it is usually wider than 18 that I need so that is where the 15 comes in handy.

[monochrome]

Buy a used MX-1

Actually, that’s a 95% serious reply.

.:

[aslyfox]

what do you intend on photographing

and how would that affect your choice

will you be close or far from the " target "

what do you expect as far as available light

how willing are you to use pp and crop your photo to make something " far " seem near

but of course, you and your equipment must be up to getting that object in clear focus

BTW, not sure where they are available but Joby makes some interesting minipods

JOBY.com Home

which could be of use

one final thought

could you find a company which rents photography equipment in the area you will be going and rent what you want ( or need extra ) there?

[Cerebum]

I can't directly help with your lenses but when I climbed Kilimanjaro in September I had to go very light and be ready for harsh conditions.
I brought my K-3, 18-135 WR, DA15, and DA 50/1.8. Also an Ultrapod II mini tripod (tiny and inexpensive - very worth it!) which helped with low light situations probably more than the fast 50.

I used the zoom probably 90% of the time followed by the 15 and then only took a few da 50 shots. I could have skipped the 50 and been ok.
I find if I travel with that sealed zoom I only occasionally wish I had a different FL and most of the time I do fine with just that range. IQ is solid for the size and price of the 18-135.
When I do wish for another FL it is usually wider than 18 that I need so that is where the 15 comes in handy.

I hopefully shouldn't need WR and wish I had an 18-135 thanks for the tripod suggestion. I was going to include that in the question, but i forgot lol. I have a gorillapod clone but am looking at alternatives

---------- Post added 01-04-18 at 05:30 PM ----------

what do you intend on photographing

and how would that affect your choice

will you be close or far from the " target "

what do you expect as far as available light

how willing are you to use pp and crop your photo to make something " far " seem near

but of course, you and your equipment must be up to getting that object in clear focus

BTW, not sure where they are available but Joby makes some interesting minipods

JOBY.com Home

which could be of use

one final thought

could you find a company which rents photography equipment in the area you will be going and rent what you want ( or need extra ) there?

Buildings, cathedrals, architecture, both sunny daylight and illuminated night scenes :0) out of your kit, what would you take?

[aslyfox]

this site claims to have info on carry on info for multiple air lines through out the world as of June 2017

Carry-On Size Chart: 150+ Airlines - Travel Made Simple

it is at the bottom of the page

---------- Post added 01-04-18 at 18:39 ----------

. . . Buildings, cathedrals, architecture, both sunny daylight and illuminated night scenes :0) out of your kit, what would you take?

claiming no expertise

I would figure out the " field of view " you get when you use the crop factor of your K 30 and look at the low light capabilities of your lenses

I would consider from your lenses

Smc da 35mm plastic fantastic
Miranda vintage 24mm f2.8 manual
Smc da 10-17 (saving up for this baby)

and either pray for good weather or use the same set up they used to use when there wasn't WR lenses or camera bodies:

5 Simple Ways to Protect Your Camera from Rain

[Fries]

If I am travelling really light for APC a K-3 with the DA21mm and if I take the K-1 only the FA31mm will do fine. Sure there will be shots I can’t make but I am not aiming for a full photograpic account of the trip. For me that is a futile excersize anyway. There will alway’s shots you miss or can’t take. Accepting that will result in a more laidback attitude that can help you enjoy your trip. My option B (for hiking trips) is a K-3 with the DA16-50mm and the DA300mm (with 1.4 rear converter). If I take the K-1 I substitute the DA 16-50 with a Samyang 24mm and leave the converter at home but do travel with a light Siriu travel tripod on these hiking trips. I realise this does not seem a very useful advise since you don’t own these lenses. But perhaps the compromises I am willing to make do underline my most ‘important’ advice; don’t go for a perfect photographic trip but instead go for a setup that allows you to have the most fun with you’re camera and allows you to enjoy all other aspects of your travels. Only having acces to a limited amount of lenses can also spawn some extra creativity.

[aslyfox]

one other thought

when using the old fashion Prime lens " zoom " ( by moving your feet to get closer or further away )

always be aware of your surroundings and don't fall off the curb or over the little kid standing in front of you

[Kozlok]

I would buy a first generation Sigma 17-70, the screw drive one. For $150 or so, you get a great, versatile lens and a huge IQ upgrade from the 18-55.

I have much better lenses, but the Sigma 17-70 is still my go-to for a one lens on the go day.

[kiwi_jono]

Well that is certainly travelling light and based solely on what I currently have, I would probably take my most compact set of primes:
* Pentax K-01
* DA 40 f2.8 XS
* DA 70 f2.4 Ltd
* DA 15 f4 Ltd
* Spare battery

If I wanted to go lighter still I would just take the K-01 + DA 40 (have done this before on over-nighters and found the DA40 quite capable for general use).

[UncleVanya]

I went to London, Bath, Warrick Castle, and Paris for two weeks with a Panasonic LX-7. Sensor is similar to Q7/QS1 in size and the camera has a Leica lens with 24-90 equivalent field of view. I was traveling under extremely difficult situation. Two kids, my wife, her dad, and her mentally disabled brother. My carry on backpack was pushing 48lbs and I barely got the camera in. (two laptops mutiple Kindles, battery pack multiple phones, pillow, coat, etc.

I really found freedom in having a very small camera. I might choose to take m4/3 over apsc or even look at the new 1" sensor Panasonic cameras. But... That's just me. International travel is a real pain these days and my wife isn't going to put up with serious picture taking.

If I get to do another grand canyon trip (mainly rim) I will take the k-3 or buy a k-1.

With your gear I'd either go 18-55 + 10-17 or sell the 50-200 and 100-300 and replace with the da55-300 we and take it plus the 18-55 but I'd lean towards the 10-17.

[pepperberry farm]

I know that none of these are on your list, but I'd pack the DA18-135mm, the DA 21 Limited, and the DA 70 Limited....

[thedollarbill]

Last winter when I was in Europe for about four weeks with a backpack and one carry-on roller, I had my K-3 with my DA 20-40 and DA* 55mm. It does help that I know I hate shooting anything above 80mm (unless for portraits) so I didn't bother with the big telephoto lenses.

As of late, the K-3 is gone and the K-1 is in the bag. I've gone trips with just the 55 and shoot any wide-angles or landscapes with my iPhone.

With your kit I'd go...

K-30 + 35 + 18-55 WR

[photoptimist]

Many airlines allow one "carry-on" plus a "personal item." The personal item can be a purse, small laptop bag, or something of that size and MUST fit under the seat. When I travel with a camera, I put my camera+lens in small camera-shaped bag and a selection of lenses in a fannypack/waistbelt-bag. I feed the waist bag's belt through the camera bag's belt loops and wear that on the plane (around my waist or slung over my shoulder) as my "personal item." I've never had anyone give it a second glance and the combination is large enough to carry a K-1 plus 4 to 7 lenses depending on which lenses and which waist bag I use.

Check with your airline about the rules on sizes and weights of both items because you may be able to bring more than you think.

And have a great time!

[Alex645]

Option 2
K30 & a maximum of two lenses from
Smc da 18-55 wr
Smc da 50-200 we
Smc 100-300 f4.7
Smc da 35mm plastic fantastic
Pentax-m 135mm f3.5
Miranda vintage 24mm f2.8 manual
Smc da 10-17 (saving up for this baby)

With your current options, I'd go with the K30, the 18-55mm and the 35mm prime. I prefer to shoot normal to wide.

If you prefer more telephoto, than wide, then sub the 18-55mm with the 50-200mm or just leave the 35mm at home.

If you had money to burn, then I'd put your money into a wide angle (DA 15) and a telephoto (DA 70) limiteds and take a trio of primes.

When you go out with primes, you can't think of all the focal lengths you don't have. You have to just move yourself and work with what the lens does naturally.