What kit to bring to Japan?

[arsene]

I remembered traveling to Korea with a 17-35 & 20D & a PNS. The 17-35 is for taking landscape & some portraits while the PNS covers the rest of the range from 35 onwards to 105. I do not have the hassle of changing lens this way. I realised that most of my shots came from the wider end of 17-35.

If I were you, I would bring the 17-50 or borrow a 10-22. 24-105 on a cropped body is not wide enough. UWA gives you a different perspective to the landscape. In fact I find that 17-35 is not even wide enough for my cropped body so much so that I just bought a 10-22 which I intend to use for my next trip.

 

[Russ]

Thanks guys,
I am going in late Sept- early Oct.
Hokkaido will be actually with the AA Fly-Drive Autoventure. The problem is only when I get to Tokyo on my own.

Anyway, seems like maybe the best thing to do is to bring the 17-50, 24-105 (someone said to bring my best 'weapon') AND make my wife carry the 550UZ !

Wise decision!.

Travel light. I never check in luggage even for 2 week trips. Bring 3 sets of clothing (except shoes - wear 1 bring 1) and do some laundry each night. INcluding camera gear and laptop, my luggage is usually about 10kg carry on, even on 2 week trips. It is less hassle to do a bit of laundry than to lug 20kg of luggage all over the place.

BTW, at Lake Masyu, 17mm was NOT wide enough.

 

[tyho]

Wise decision!.

Travel light. I never check in luggage even for 2 week trips. Bring 3 sets of clothing (except shoes - wear 1 bring 1) and do some laundry each night. INcluding camera gear and laptop, my luggage is usually about 10kg carry on, even on 2 week trips. It is less hassle to do a bit of laundry than to lug 20kg of luggage all over the place.

BTW, at Lake Masyu, 17mm was NOT wide enough.

This is the trip plan-
ITINERARY:

23 Sep: Singapore – New Chitose Airport via Tokyo / Osaka


24 Sep: Chitose – Furano
• Visit the famous Toyota Hokkaido Factory :dunno: (?sponsored by Toyota)
• Furano Wine, Jam and Cheese Factory (for great souvenirs!) :heart:


25 Sep: Furano – Sounkyo
• Picture perfect scenery at Biei
• Enjoy the renowned ramen at Asahikawa Ramen Village :heart:
• Visit the legendary Husband and Wife Waterfalls (need tripod for this)


26 Sep: Sounkyo – Abashiri
• View the world’s tallest cuckoo clock tower ‘Kumarin’
• See the stunning red carpet of Glasswort at Lake Notoro (blooms only in September!)


27 Sep: Abashiri – Lake Akan Hotspring
• Visit Mt Iou, an active volcanic mountain
• Visit the peaceful and serene Lake Akan
• Check into hotel for a relaxing hot spring bath


28 Sep: Lake Akan - Tokachigawa
• Visit Five Colour Lake (changes colour with the season!)
• Visit Ikeda Wine Castle and sample Butadon, a famous delicacy of grilled pork


29 Sep: Tokachigawa – Sapporo
•Satisfy your sweet cravings at Ryugetsu Sweetpia Shop :heart:
•Visit brown bears at Bear Mountain (sounds like long lens needed here)


30 Sep: Sapporo – Otaru – Sapporo
• Visit Wonderland Sapporo
• See the Otaru giant Ferris Wheel
• Shop for Otaru’s famous glassware


1 Oct: Chitose – Singapore

I must say you pack very light! I will endeavour to do so also. A lot of the ancillaries I will have to carry will be my toddler's stuff (incl toys)- he definitely will need something to keep him occupied during the long drives and in the hotel (unless I make him so shack he collapses every evening!:think: )

 

[khee76]

Thanks guys,
I am going in late Sept- early Oct.
Hokkaido will be actually with the AA Fly-Drive Autoventure. The problem is only when I get to Tokyo on my own.

Anyway, seems like maybe the best thing to do is to bring the 17-50, 24-105 (someone said to bring my best 'weapon') AND make my wife carry the 550UZ !

Since u r driving, maybe u can just bring all the len there... while you are in tokyo, you can change to lighter len...

 

[clioboy]

Thanks guys,
I am going in late Sept- early Oct.
Hokkaido will be actually with the AA Fly-Drive Autoventure. The problem is only when I get to Tokyo on my own.

Anyway, seems like maybe the best thing to do is to bring the 17-50, 24-105 (someone said to bring my best 'weapon') AND make my wife carry the 550UZ !

while u away, loan me yr 55-250..so i won't feel so lonely :bsmilie:

 

[Russ]

24-25Sep - Biei/Furano area quite nice. Sounkyo is also nice. The waterfall is OK only.
26 Sep = Abashiri is quite bland/drab. But a convenient stop
27 Sep - Lake Akan - OK - I actually stayed at the next Lake (Kushiro).
28 Sep: Visit Five Colour Lake - OK only
Ikeda Wine Castle - YUK!!
Butadon - nice (at Obihiro, I suppose??).
29 Sep: Visit brown bears at Bear Mountain - hope you can catch bears
30 Sep: Sapporo – Otaru – Sapporo
Visit Wonderland Sapporo - boring
See the Otaru giant Ferris Wheel - boring
Shop for Otaru’s famous glassware - boring
OTARU - SUSHI SUSHI and the canal YES!! but not the 3 above

As far as packing lightly, I have made many trips to Europe from when my son was 16 months old. Between me, my wife and my son, we normally have about 18kg of luggage (including diapers etc) excluding the stroller. My wife packs even lighter than me. We are well seasoned master travellers - she can do a 2 week trip with less than 5kg TOTAL, everything included.

My son is now 8 and gets away with 4kg of luggage.

We can even sightsee whilst carrying our backpacks (and we have).

 

[boyetblas]

There's no better choice than the 24-105L IS when it comes to travel lens . I went to Tokyo end of March in time for the sakura of cherry blossom season. Here's some shots I took using this lens on the 1ds mk3:

The f/4 is important to emphasize the background which is crucial in travel memorabilias. The lens is nothing short of spectacular. All the hype is true. The IS is a bonus. If you need large aperture, it would be good to partner it with the 85mm f/1.2L II, but then the 24-105 would suffice when traveling all for the convenience of it.

Visit my Japan travel gallery at
http://www.mabuhaybeauties.com/boyets/list.php?exhibition=12&ee_lang=eng
All photos taken with only one fabulous lens - the 24-105L IS

 

[tyho]

Wow, outstanding sharpness and colours! Enjoyed looking at your pix.

Russ, thank you for your comments. Well, I can't change the places we are going to but I also have to take my toddler's perspective on things and he loves simple things like ferris wheels and animals. Hopefully at least he will have a good time... and when he has a good time, mummy and daddy usually do too.

 

[calebk]

Since u r driving, maybe u can just bring all the len there... while you are in tokyo, you can change to lighter len...

And where do all the other lenses that he brought along go to, once he reaches the second part of the trip?

BTW, singular = lens, plural, lenses.

There's no better choice than the 24-105L IS when it comes to travel lens . I went to Tokyo end of March in time for the sakura of cherry blossom season. Here's some shots I took using this lens on the 1ds mk3:
...

Do take note that while you have the privilege of using this lens on a FF body, the threadstarter does not. He will not get as wide a perspective with the 24-105L, not by a long shot (pun not intended).

 

[khtee]

I just been to Tokyo in June. I mounted 24-70mm for the whole trip, only use 135mm at USJ for the parade as the parade is always crowded with people and thus I could not squeeze to the front. So your 24-105mm is more than enough. Trust me. unless you want to take the Tokyo Tower which need 17mm else.... other lenses will not be useful at all.

 

[tyho]

I guess the consensus is that I won't need a very long zoom. I will try bringing the 17-50 + 24-105. Interesting discussion here, so many different ways to solve one problem!

If I can really whittle down my luggage to sub 20kg I should have no problem managing the 2 lenses. Must plan carefully what I need to wear and use!

Thanks to all!

 

[tjhan]

Nobody suggested renting lenses eh? That would work.

 

[jsbn]

The family is going to Japan in late Sept (me, my wife and my 3 yr old toddler). The 1st part of the trip, we will be driving so not much problem carrying heavy equipment. However, wife wants to extend the trip so that after Hokkaido, we will be spending some time in Tokyo and either Kobe or Osaka for 3-4 days. Then there will be no car and I'll have to carry everything.

I'm really wondering what kit to bring...
The 1st part of the trip is not much of a problem since we are travelling in car. It's the latter part of the trip where I have to carry the luggage, baby, pram, laptop (both to store pictures as well as downloading work email) etc.... we'll be staying at a NGO hostel just outside Tokyo- 70mins by JR train away from Narita. Will need to walk a distance to get there from the station. Then when we travel to Kobe it'll also be by train.

Have already decided not to bring an external flash.

Combo 1
40D 17-50, 55-250

Combo 2
40D, 24-105 only

Combo 3
40D, 17-50 only

Combo 4
40D, 18-55 kit lens (yuk)

Combo 5
40D, 17-50, 24-105, 55-250... think this is back breaking.

For the one lens combo, I can supplement with my superzoon PnS... but obviously the results won't be as nice. (Olympus SP550UZ 28-504mm lens). It weighs abt the same as the 17-50mm lens.

Maybe combo 2 + 550UZ is the best combo. No need to change lenses. Less risk of dust. Less fuss.

What do you suggest? This is a once in a life time trip so I really don't want to regret bringing up not enough equipment, neither do I want to bring too much and get a hernia lugging everything and my toddler...

A question back to you:

1) What do you intend to shoot?
2) What is your area of specialty in shooting?

Answer these 2 questions (esp question 2) and u'll automatically have ur answer.

 

[wishxtreme]

Went to japan last Oct to Nov. Brought along 17-40L and 50 1.4.

The whole trip i only use 17-40L. You can find the pic which i took.

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=332186


I really missed the UWA and the zoom.. UWA to get the a different perspective of the landscape which UWA can achieve.

I am very disappointed that i did not bring a zoom lens (at least a 70-200L F4) to take candid shots of beautiful & handsome japanese.

now i am also think what should i bring for this coming trip to japan in early Dec.

Is this combination good?
40D + 10-22mm + 50 1.5 + 70-200 F4

or this 40D +17-55 F2.8 IS USM and 70-20 F4?

 

[tyho]

A question back to you:

1) What do you intend to shoot?
2) What is your area of specialty in shooting?

Answer these 2 questions (esp question 2) and u'll automatically have ur answer.

Mainly scenery and family portraits.... yeah so, 17-50, 24-105 will cover that. Long lens maybe use a little only....

wishxtreme... didn't u say 17mm wasn't wide enough? So why go with your 2nd choice? Seems clear you should get the UWA you yourself wanted before. I'd like to have one too but don't want to buy one as I don't use UWA much in my usual photography. Had the old 20-35mm on my film EOS and found I hardly used it after I stopped living overseas.

 

[lennyl]

Mainly scenery and family portraits.... yeah so, 17-50, 24-105 will cover that. Long lens maybe use a little only....

17-50 will be more useful that 24-105 then. An UWA will be nice for scenery though - rent one? But I don't think it'll be tragic if you don't have one.

As for 24-105, I'm somewhat conflicted. I don't think it'll be as useful, and I'd suggest leaving it behind if weight is a big concern. But on the other hand I own it and really like the lens, and I wouldn't leave it behind myself. great for those close-ups of facial expression without having to be too close to the subject, among other things.

If, like you say, it's a trip in a lifetime, all the lenses you have is not really going to be that heavy. The 55-250 in particular weighs almost nothing compared to the rest, though I really don't think it'll be too useful. My suggestion is to get a comfortable bag. And to enjoy the trip, not just the photography

 

[wishxtreme]

Mainly scenery and family portraits.... yeah so, 17-50, 24-105 will cover that. Long lens maybe use a little only....

wishxtreme... didn't u say 17mm wasn't wide enough? So why go with your 2nd choice? Seems clear you should get the UWA you yourself wanted before. I'd like to have one too but don't want to buy one as I don't use UWA much in my usual photography. Had the old 20-35mm on my film EOS and found I hardly used it after I stopped living overseas.

FYI, i do not have those 2 lens 10-22 and 17-55 f2.8. I only have the 17-40L and 70-200 F4.

I wanted to rent the UWA lens for this trips, so still considering.. I am going to the alps so UWA should be nice...

 

[Benosaurous]

My suggestions after been on 2 backpack tours.

24-105 simple great for travels, it will be on your cam for 80% of your shots.
To compensate on wide angle, just bring your 17-50 it is all you need.
For shots that 17mm cant cover, take multiple shots, and stitch with your photoshop, produce better effects than 10-22 uwa (my opinion)

forget 55-250, i believe i only use lesser than 3 times in my trips, you dont need to shoot birds, or pretty girls (your wife is there!)

it will be better to invest on a monopod, or a very light tripod, it helps even more than the other gears for taking good photos for travels.

 

[StrifeYun]

hmm just back from a bangkok trip..

brought afew lens but in the end i only use 24-70 on 5D which would be ur 40D+17-55
i'd say bring a 24-105 + 10-2217-55(in back pack) use a back pack, just incase you really need the UWA.
most probably you will be using ur 24-105 90% of the time.

other 2 cents.
i went sydney hiking the whold day did not feel the strain with a 40D+10-22.
but when i walk around bangkok a whold day with a 5D+24-70 my neck is dying ...
wah liao little difference in weight can make the strain so much more ....

and when traveling with non-hobbist-photogs (i.e. family members) they are not so "happy" to be waiting for you when your ...changing lens / keeping stuff / cleaning stuff... i kena nag afew times liaoz ...hahaha

 

[boyetblas]

Do take note that while you have the privilege of using this lens on a FF body, the threadstarter does not. He will not get as wide a perspective with the 24-105L, not by a long shot (pun not intended).

Sorry I have overlooked that part. Okay then, I'd say go for the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS. Japan is enchanting all throughout the year, tyho. Japanese folks are so modern, hi-tech, and yet so intuned with nature (national Japanese pastime is looking at the beauty of the surrounding natural beauty). You and your family will surely fall in love with the country and its people. And oh, don't forget your Lonely Planet book