Lenses for Vietnam trip

[Ozgeoff]

I'm planning to take a 2 week trip to Vietnam in January travelling from Hanoi to Saigon and visiting all the major sights such as Ha Long bay, Hoi An, Mekong Delta etc.

I'm planning to take my D60 plus the following lenses:
17-40 f4.0L
50 f1.8
28-105 f3.5-4.5

I'll be photographing architecture, street scenes, people and landscapes. The question I'm asking myself is whether I should take my 70-200 f4.0L. I'm inclined to think it might be rather too conspicuous in that environment. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Ozgeoff

 

[Jim Dawson]

I didn't have room for a camera, my M16 and .38 Combat Masterpiece took up all the room. I did buy a Nikon F while there.

It sounds like your lens line-up should do fine.

Jim

I'm planning to take a 2 week trip to Vietnam in January travelling
from Hanoi to Saigon and visiting all the major sights such as Ha
Long bay, Hoi An, Mekong Delta etc.

I'm planning to take my D60 plus the following lenses:
17-40 f4.0L
50 f1.8
28-105 f3.5-4.5

I'll be photographing architecture, street scenes, people and
landscapes. The question I'm asking myself is whether I should take
my 70-200 f4.0L. I'm inclined to think it might be rather too
conspicuous in that environment. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Ozgeoff

--
ex 1D Mark II owner
Canon 20D, Pentax Optio 555, and G-III QL (yes - film)

 

[Ozgeoff]

Well great that you got back safely Jim.

It sounds like your lens line-up should do fine.

Jim

I'm planning to take a 2 week trip to Vietnam in January travelling
from Hanoi to Saigon and visiting all the major sights such as Ha
Long bay, Hoi An, Mekong Delta etc.

I'm planning to take my D60 plus the following lenses:
17-40 f4.0L
50 f1.8
28-105 f3.5-4.5

I'll be photographing architecture, street scenes, people and
landscapes. The question I'm asking myself is whether I should take
my 70-200 f4.0L. I'm inclined to think it might be rather too
conspicuous in that environment. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Ozgeoff

--
ex 1D Mark II owner
Canon 20D, Pentax Optio 555, and G-III QL (yes - film)

--
Ozgeoff
D60, 50E, 28-105, 75-300, 70-200 f4.0L, 50mm f1.8, 380EX

 

[[email protected]]

I think you'll have lots of opportunities for a medium length
telephoto, including festivals, parades, candid portraits, tele landscapes, etc.

When I travel to Europe I take: 24-70/2.8 and 70-200/4

(I've never been to Viet Nam, but its on my list.)

maljo

 

[Ozgeoff]

Thanks for the comment Maljo ........ I guess you're right that it might be useful for some situations ........ like candid street shots from the hotel room window.

Cheers

Ozgeoff

I think you'll have lots of opportunities for a medium length
telephoto, including festivals, parades, candid portraits, tele
landscapes, etc.

When I travel to Europe I take: 24-70/2.8 and 70-200/4

(I've never been to Viet Nam, but its on my list.)

maljo

--
Ozgeoff
D60, 50E, 28-105, 75-300, 70-200 f4.0L, 50mm f1.8, 380EX

 

[Ozgeoff]

And what lenses did you take?

 

[jeanjj]

but have not been to Viet Nam. I take a Canon fisheye, Sigma 18-50 2.8, Canon 70-200 IS and a Canon 1.4 Xtender on two 20D bodies. I am rethinking the big white 70-200 is too heavy and attracts attention. I have been looking at the Canon 70-300 DO lens. I know it is not as sharp as the Canon 70-200 but on my last trip I was feeling like I was missing shots because of the above. The Sigma is definately a keeper. It is the lens I used the most on my trips. BTW Looks like u are a Canadian/British with the way u spelled travelling.
Good luck

 

[Ozgeoff]

Thanks for the comments ....... wow 2 20D bodies ........ I am most envious!! I'm still persevering with my D60 and plan on keeping it for a while yet. Like you I think i'll get the most use out my 17-40 wide-angle zoom in Viet Nam. I wasn't originally planning on taking the 70-200 f4.0L but figure I might regret leaving it behind. I was intending to travel light in terms of camera gear but that idea seems to be disappearing the more I think about what to take.

Oh and by the way ..... I'm an Aussie ....... I take it you spell traveling with one L ... I think it's optional down here

Regards

Geoff

 

[Mic63382]

... when travelling, imo. With your list of lenses, the 50mm may have limited use. Both the 17-40 and 70-200 should cover most of the shooting requirements. The 28-105mm would not attract the attention and very compact when in the crowd. Be careful with your gear when in the crowd in big city especially Saigon. Take the day-tour of Mekong Delta thru Sinh Cafe Travel. You'll like the scenery. Have fun. January is the best time weather-wise.

I'm planning to take a 2 week trip to Vietnam in January travelling
from Hanoi to Saigon and visiting all the major sights such as Ha
Long bay, Hoi An, Mekong Delta etc.

I'm planning to take my D60 plus the following lenses:
17-40 f4.0L
50 f1.8
28-105 f3.5-4.5

I'll be photographing architecture, street scenes, people and
landscapes. The question I'm asking myself is whether I should take
my 70-200 f4.0L. I'm inclined to think it might be rather too
conspicuous in that environment. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Ozgeoff

--
Mic

 

[My3Sons]

Hey Geoff,

Vietnam is quite beautiful and your timing to be there is just about right. The climate is cooler this time from December to February. Rain is all that you will have to worry about so bring a camera raincoat - the plastic type made specifically for SLRs.

The trip from Hanoi to Saigon will be fun. My relatives usually go the reverse direction since most of the family is from the south. I do have relatives from the north. Do get a chance to go by Hue, Da Nang, and the Perfume River if possible. They are some of the oldest and most beautiful sites to photograph.

You will notice the desparate quality of life there. Vietnam is still very much agricultural and poor when it comes to everyday country people. Find yourself a taxi cab driver or other travel oriented person. Pay him a sum to be your guide for entire time there (if he is willing). It will be the best money spent. He will give you all the ins and outs of being in country and how to best deal with the people, government or police. Do not be fearful but open and friendly. If you are at ease and cordial with them, they will treat you well.

Enjoy yourself most of all and do post some pics. I always love to see seens of my birthplace and old home. I left the country during the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. Next year marks the 30th anniversary. When my 3 sons are a little older, I plan the take the entire family.

BTW, the 70-200 F4 is good but it will attract attention. The 28-105, 28-135, 70-300 (any model) are better choices even though they may not be the sharpest.

Anh-Tuan (pronounced like Antoine)

Thanks for the comments ....... wow 2 20D bodies ........ I am most
envious!! I'm still persevering with my D60 and plan on keeping it
for a while yet. Like you I think i'll get the most use out my
17-40 wide-angle zoom in Viet Nam. I wasn't originally planning on
taking the 70-200 f4.0L but figure I might regret leaving it
behind. I was intending to travel light in terms of camera gear but
that idea seems to be disappearing the more I think about what to
take.
Oh and by the way ..... I'm an Aussie ....... I take it you spell
traveling with one L ... I think it's optional down here

Regards

Geoff

 

[Ozgeoff]

Hi Anh-Tuan

Thanks for the info. We can't wait to visit Vietnam ...... got our vaccination shots yesterday and booked hotel in Hanoi over the internet today for our first 3 days. From what we've heard Viet Nam is a wonderful place to visit and so far unspoilt by tourism. We've chosen to visit Hanoi first because I've read about the city and it's lovely French colonial architecture and boulevards. I'm still undecided about taking the 70-200 f4 lens. I do have a 28-105 and will definitely take that and may think about your suggestion of taking a 70-300 as I have one that I don't use very often.

Best wishes

Geoff

 

[Ozgeoff]

Thanks for the advice Mic. I was only thinking of taking the 50mm for low light indoor shots where it can be useful on the D60 ........ besides it doesnt take much space.

Cheers

Geoff

I'm planning to take a 2 week trip to Vietnam in January travelling
from Hanoi to Saigon and visiting all the major sights such as Ha
Long bay, Hoi An, Mekong Delta etc.

I'm planning to take my D60 plus the following lenses:
17-40 f4.0L
50 f1.8
28-105 f3.5-4.5

I'll be photographing architecture, street scenes, people and
landscapes. The question I'm asking myself is whether I should take
my 70-200 f4.0L. I'm inclined to think it might be rather too
conspicuous in that environment. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Ozgeoff

--
Mic

--
Ozgeoff
D60, 50E, 28-105, 75-300, 70-200 f4.0L, 50mm f1.8, 380EX

 

[Rsaw]

Hi Ozgeoff,

Just like to say hope you have a great time on your trip.Consider yourself lucky that you can find the time and have the coin to go traveling! I'm not an experienced traveler myself, but I was wondering what you meant by your 70-200 being too conspicuous for that environment?

thanks Rsaw.

 

[uhu-buhu]

Hi Ozgeoff,

I think your consideration that the white 70-200 is conspicuous under certain circumstances is perfectly correct.

That made me think that one could try to find a way to wrap the white lens in some dark clothes so that it wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb.

Maybe Canon should add a lens tube or wrap for such occassions

Best,
uhu-buhu

 

[Ozgeoff]

By conspicuous I meant by attracting attention to the big white/beige lens in a place where most people are very poor (in terms of material posessions). I'm not an experienced traveller by any means but try and find the money to take a trip every couple of years.

Cheers
Geoff

Hi Ozgeoff,

Just like to say hope you have a great time on your trip.Consider
yourself lucky that you can find the time and have the coin to go
traveling! I'm not an experienced traveler myself, but I was
wondering what you meant by your 70-200 being too conspicuous for
that environment?

thanks Rsaw.

 

[Ozgeoff]

I think I'll take it but only use it when absolutely necessary which probably won't be when I'm in crowded areas but in more remote locations or from a hotel balcony etc.

Cheers
Geoff

Hi Ozgeoff,

I think your consideration that the white 70-200 is conspicuous
under certain circumstances is perfectly correct.
That made me think that one could try to find a way to wrap the
white lens in some dark clothes so that it wouldn't stick out like
a sore thumb.

Maybe Canon should add a lens tube or wrap for such occassions

Best,
uhu-buhu

 

[Richard Crowe]

The 70-200mm f/4L is not as conspicious as the f/2.8L models. I really think it is that enormous piece of glass up front that makes the lens conspicious. I would definitely take that lens and also take a 1.4x TC if I had one.

When I shot in Vietnam, I found a lot of uses for long lenses. You can isolate individual people and also use it to compress vistas. I did a lot of background stuff with a 16mm Arriflex motion picture camera and used the long end of the Angenieux 12-120 zoom very frequently. That would equate to approximately a 240 mm lens on a 35mm full frame camera.

I can think of one shot in particular in Saigon, near the Intercontinental Hotel where there was a parking lot for bicycles in the middle of the street. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of bikes parked there - the compression of the telephoto really made that shot.

Another use for a telephoto would be to station yourself a distance from a very interesting background - market, temple. etc. - where there are women in the native dress passing by. The young Vietnamese ladies look like butterflies in motion.

By the way, unless things have changed - the problems with the Vietnamese kids were that they all wanted to get their picture taken! I would set up a shot and be in the process of filming it and suddenly a kid's face would enter the frame. He would be pointing at himself wanting his picture taken. It didn't matter if he would ever see it or not.

Some of the older people are shy but, they are wonderfully photogenic. A telephoto will allow you to be less intrusive into their space.

Other use for the tele would be if you are on a river trip. Isolate boats and fishermen. Or for boats in the harbors.

Even though I fought half of them, the Vietnamese are some of the warmest and most wonderful people on the face of the earth. I envy you your trip! The country is absolutely beautiful. I have photographed it from the DMZ (no longer applicable) down to the Gulf of Thailand and from the Cambodian Border to the South China Sea.

Fortunately, I never went to Hanoi. The Hilton there didn't have very comfortable accomodations for us guys!

One additional thought. I have recently purchased a lightweight "raincoat" on eBay. It is sort of a tube with elastic on both ends that covers lens and camera. It was pretty expensive for what I got, but it is supposed to be made of some unique fabric that will shed water, yet let the camera breath. That would be a good way to kill two birds with a single stone - protect the camera/lens from the elements and sort of disguise the outfit.

There is a great book, "Vietnam, Then and Now" by David Tornquist", Mallard Books, 1991. Lots of good photo ideas.

Have a wonderful trip. If you are in Saigon, sorry - Ho Chi Minh City - and have the time, make sure you at least have coffee, a meal is better, on the veranda of the Hotem Intercontinental. It's a wonderful colonial like atmosphere. They had great lobster and their potatoes Provencale were to die for. Sitting on the veranda might be even more fun now - without the worry of someone lobbing a grenade. Actually, that never happened to my knowledge - and I wonder why.

Retired Navy Master Chief Photographer's Mate - 30 years service. Combat Cameraman, Motion Picture Director and Naval Aircrewman.

 

[Johnny Koh]

I am going to Ho Chi Minh this xmas too

I am also using D60...

I will bring D60 , Sigma 18-125 DC ...

Regards

I'm planning to take a 2 week trip to Vietnam in January travelling
from Hanoi to Saigon and visiting all the major sights such as Ha
Long bay, Hoi An, Mekong Delta etc.

I'm planning to take my D60 plus the following lenses:
17-40 f4.0L
50 f1.8
28-105 f3.5-4.5

I'll be photographing architecture, street scenes, people and
landscapes. The question I'm asking myself is whether I should take
my 70-200 f4.0L. I'm inclined to think it might be rather too
conspicuous in that environment. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Ozgeoff

--
feel free to comment my shots at
http://megaweb.clubsnap.org/
and
http://www.pbase.com/megaweb

 

[Richard Crowe]

By the way, I thought of a couple of more things for your trip:

1. A flash with the Sto-Fen diffuser. Use the flash alone for fill flash. The light can be pretty harsh. Or use it with the Sto-Fen indoors or in markets that are covered over. I like my 420ex because it is light, yet is versatile.

2. Some sort of protective camera bag. I have a Lowepro bag that incorporates an all weather cover. At the least - have a plastic trash bag that you can put your equipment in to protect it from the elements and dust.

3. Extra batteries for flash and camera and a way to download pictures.

4. Ditch the Canon supplied camera strap and replace it with something like the Tenrac Boomerang. Makes your camera seem much lighter - especially at the end of a long day of carrying.

5. If it were me, I would carry a tripod. I know that would be a pain in the you know where, but it would help you get some shots you wouldn't ordinarily get. A possible substitute would be a good lightweight (this is no longer an oxymoron concept) monopod. Pair that up with a couple of double ended velcro straps. You can pass the straps around a post or just about any thing vertical to secure the monopod and have an impromptu tripod.

Retired Navy Master Chief Photographer's Mate - 30 years service.
Combat Cameraman, Motion Picture Director and Naval Aircrewman.

 

[mr dazzler]

Definately take the 50, otherwise you'll have nothing faster than f4 for low light. Flexibilty is not just about focal length, it's also about aperture.

Of the lenses you have, the 50 f1.8 would be the first in my bag, but that just reflects my style of shooting.

Cheers

Geoff

I'm planning to take a 2 week trip to Vietnam in January travelling
from Hanoi to Saigon and visiting all the major sights such as Ha
Long bay, Hoi An, Mekong Delta etc.

I'm planning to take my D60 plus the following lenses:
17-40 f4.0L
50 f1.8
28-105 f3.5-4.5

I'll be photographing architecture, street scenes, people and
landscapes. The question I'm asking myself is whether I should take
my 70-200 f4.0L. I'm inclined to think it might be rather too
conspicuous in that environment. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Ozgeoff

--
Mic

--
Ozgeoff
D60, 50E, 28-105, 75-300, 70-200 f4.0L, 50mm f1.8, 380EX

--
http://www.pbase.com/mrdazzler/