Canada trip, need advise

[finkster]

HD crashing is possible but unlikely if you take good care not to shock your portable storage. Which is why I always travel with a portable storage device, bring enough spare CF cards to last one full day, and a laptop. After the day's shoot, i transfer everything into the portable storage and the laptop for added security. I also shoot film. It's something like not having all your eggs in one basket.

Another option is to bring a laptop with a cd writer to burn cd's at the end of the day. If no laptop is available, visit photo labs there which should be able to transfer your photos in your CF card onto cd's. Another idea which I just thought of is, if your hotel room offers free broadband access, why not email those good or certain precious photos back home? Ask someone to help u clear your inbox once a day. At least got some insurance if the worst scenario happens to all your photos. You can also share with friends in almost 'real-time' your holiday photos even before you get home. Remember the phrase 'Wishing you were here.'? Ha ha....

Get a Cokin P Holder, adapter ring, 121F, 81EF, and a normal cir-polarizer and ND8. ND8 cuts 3 stops of light, which to me, is just sufficient for bringing down your shutter speed in average cloudy conditions. Warming filters would be useful if mostly traveling in the city and parks. All these filters will cost around a total of $100 plus, for the kit lens size.

Don't really need the grey card. Just meter off the grey skies or just shoot and evaluate later.

Bring thin gloves. I use those made from polypropylene material, and mine are actually meant to be worn under heavier insulated gloves. Something like a glove liner, but I use it alone. Thin enough to feel the camera controls, and takes the edge off the biting cold wind. Dries very fast too. I first used it in Australia during a cyclo-tour. Wore them under my biking gloves and it was also raining with a stiff headwind. Saved my fingers from clamming up.

Just curious, whats your departure and return date?

 

[hleonz]

Wow, you guys are really helpful.. I am really appreciate it. It helps me a lot in my holiday preparation

=> HMC
Since I do not have much time in Vancouver (6 days), I guess I will just skip victoria in vancouver island and just go to banff instead. What do you think?

=> Manfred Ng
Thanks lots for ur tips and links.
Btw, do you mean that we only pay 8 cad for the day pass, and can use it for bus, ferry and skytrain unlimited in a day?

=> finkster
Think I will get a compactdrive for my 40GB portable hd.. and for the backup, I will upload better images to my mail accounts whenever have a chance to go online... Maybe few gmail accounts should be enough.. Burning photos to CD in photo labs is a good idea too! It shouldn't be too expensive, right? hehehe...
Can help me to specify the type/size of the filters? I am quite a newbie.. :embrass: .. Are all of the filters you specified a slot slide-in type filters? Wondering if it be more troublesome to set up compared to a screw-in ones?
Thanks for the tip on the gloves.. Just come in time.. I am planning to get ones on the weekend. Btw, going there on 9 nov, and go back here on 27 nov.. Want to meet up there, so I can learn some of ur skills?

 

[HMC]

=> HMC
Since I do not have much time in Vancouver (6 days), I guess I will just skip victoria in vancouver island and just go to banff instead. What do you think?

Actually In Vancouver I find that Grouse Mountain, Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park, Vancouver Aquarium are really worth a visit, The rest I would give it a miss if I will go again. For that may be will takes you about two to three days. I will suggest that you pay Butchart Gardens in Victoria Island a visit, I will consider it a must. Now I understand why friends after visiting it tells me that you would not having considered visited Vancouver if you do not drop in to visit Butchart Gardens. It is really beautiful, our botanical garden is nothing comparing with it. I will suggest that you stay over night at Victoria and do some whale watching if you really have the $$ and time. So all in all you would spend about 5 to 6 days in Vancouver and Victoria area. Actually since you have up to 27 Nov I would strongly suggest that you make a trip to Jasper. Along the way the scenery is really beautiful, I would have regret it if I have not make the trip. Banff is also beautiful but it is just very much commercialized. Try to get up early each day if you self drive to see the many wild life in the national park. You may be able to see a family of bears which I did.

 

[finkster]

HMC is right about Butchart Gardens. With autumn leaves abound in that place, it will probably be an explosion of color. I recall a stairway that leads down and overlooks the main gardens. If you go just after opening hours, perhaps there might be less people so you can photograph it without the crowd inside. Can't remember the timing though. The websites ought to help.

Don't forget the golden hours of landscape photography. Early morning(sure hard to wake up one) and dusk. Find out the sunrise and sunset times and plan your visits to suit these times if possible. Photographing the gardens and landscape in noon sun will be tricky. Harsh shadows and highlights will be hard to control. Not much 'mood' there as well.

Oh yeah, borrow or buy a landscape book or two to get some ideas and concepts. See how the author controls the exposure and composition. You will also have to keep yourself occupied on the flight over. It's a pretty long one.

For the filters, only the graduated filter has to be the slot-in type to adjust the varying degree of correction. The polarizer, plain ND8 and warming filters can be the normal screw type. It's up to u to decide what style u prefer. Personally, I would recommend standardizing all to be the slot in type so u can use them on other lenses next time. Just buy another adapter mounting ring if the other lens size is different. Cheaper than buying a whole set of polarizers and other filters. Check out www.cokin.com to see what their stuff is like. If u want screw-in filters, the size u need is always stated on the front of the lens. I think your 18-70 is 67mm diameter... or was it 72mm? Don't own one, so dunno.

Meet up there? Er... I'm in Singapore leh... unless u dun mind sponsoring my ticket there I can show you which filters to get at CP though.

Two and a half weeks, you can actually cover quite a lot.

 

[hleonz]

Hi finkster,
Thanks for ur tips.. haha.. I thought you are in Canada right now.. ;P
I am planning to go to CP peninsula after work today, will be there around 6.15 pm...
If you have a spare time around that time, it will be great to meet u there..

Regards,
Herry

 

[Manfred Ng]

=> Manfred Ng
Thanks lots for ur tips and links.
Btw, do you mean that we only pay 8 cad for the day pass, and can use it for bus, ferry and skytrain unlimited in a day?

Yes, 8 CAD for mainland vancouver or anything under bc translink. Else if you talk about pls run by transit bc then will be 6 dollars for day pass.

Check out their webpage.

oh yah, just came back from whistler last weekend the mountain will be close for renovation till 25th nov so if you coming and plan to go there before that date then might as well forget it or else really waste money if mountain not open. Only the village and the trials are available.

Butchart garden close at 4:30 if i am not wrong. last bus from there to downtown victoria is at 3.05 pm i think and the last bus that goes to the ferry is at 4.05 if i don't remember wrongly. plan your trip before you go and check out the bus timing before you go. I am talking about the public bus, if you take PCL bus from the bus depot that have plan tour to butchart garden then you don't have to worry so much. their tour gives you 2.5 hours in the garden, which should be just enough. i only have 1.30 hours very short. for more info go to the visitor information diagonally opposite empress hotel they will tell you where to take bus and how to take it. you can also buy day pass from them. Another thing not to miss is the Craigdarroch castle. Cost about 10 CAD. i think must go also.

You can forget nonaimo the other town. nothing much to see actually.
Take the bc ferry to victoria and enjoy the scenery.

If you buy filter go get the GD filter i think it is a must. Stuff here are rather expensive. if you want anything, you can try this webpage

http://www.superpages.ca/
it provides you with what you want to look for and also the map to locate it. Try to get a bus guide (Free from bus terminal or bus) or maybe the local atlas which cost about 10+ CAD with the investment to locate small shops.

Go to baniff, i think vancouver has not much to see, maybe because i have been to them. the Aquarium i think not very worth it. depends on how you see it cos they have a very big area for tropical stuff which you know, singapore aquarium has the best collection of tropical fishes and creatures so why spend the money and time here for something we have. Science world is having offer for free admission, but i am not sure till when, but nothing much also, i think singapore science center has better exhibit. but the view from there is rather nice.

Well, enjoy.