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Alaskan Inside Passage: DSLR or Ultrazoom?

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Reybabes

Reybabes

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Cross Posted in Panasonic Forum:

This summer, I'll be headed to the Alaskan Inside Passage (plus spending some time in the Washington State National Parks) and am contemplating what kind of photo equipment to take. I can grab my D70s + Sigma 17-70 + Nikon 70-300VR or, I'm thinking about the possibility of a Panasonic FZ50 ultrazoom. Rationale: I'd like the convenience of the no lens changing, lightweight, one camera solution... and don't think that low light shooting will be important for a trip such as this.

Wondering if any experienced travelers have any insights to share.

Thanks.
--
Photos and then some: http://www.deaconrey.com .
 
Sounds like a great trip. Just remember some of WA forrests can be a little dark. Especially if you are going deep into the Olympic National Park.
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jrhoades
Seattle, WA
 
You will probably be spending big money to go to a place with great photo opportunities. Why would you not take your best equipment.
 
First of all, I agree with others that you should bring the D70. Changing lens isn't that bad, especially when you only have two.

I have been on two cruises to Alaskan Inside Passage on different ships. the first time was with Royal Caribbean on a large ship with thousands of passengers and the second time with Lindblad on a 55 passenger boat. If you go with a large boat, your two lenses should be very adequate. But if you are going on a small boat, you may need a little more reach. We saw lots of whales as well as a few mountain goats and bears along the shore because we were close to the shore. the Lindblad boat also stopped every time we saw wildlife. On top of that, the naturalists took us hiking ashore. I took my Bigma with me and still wished I had longer reach.

Here is a picture of a couple of bears we saw:



You won't see Northern Lights, as it won't be that cold. You may want to bring some rain gear. It's their rainy season when you go. Have fun.
Guy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/guywong/sets/552683/
 
Thanks for the great thoughts. Looks as though you feel that I'm sacrificing a good deal of quality for convenience which just isn't worth it. I was hoping the quality drop off from the D70s to the FZ wouldn't be much... and that the extra reach would be helpful. I would certainly love to capture some bears on shore as one of the posters did.

Thanks very much.
--
Photos and then some: http://www.deaconrey.com .
 
I have a D50 and an FZ7 and a Fuji F30. If I was going on a special trip like that, I'd take all 3. I'd probably hand the FZ7 off to my wife.

The FZ50 is quite bit bigger than the FZ7, though, so I can see that as maybe an issue. If I had to strip down to one, I'd take the D50 since I would absolutely want a wider angle and especially my 70-300mm VR with me.

--
Stujoe -
http://www.DigitalPhotoPeople.com

.
 
You're going to want the 70-300 for the eagles and other wildlife at least. You'll most likely be wishing for more reach, too. The inside passage can be quite rainy and dim, so you need to prepare for that. Even if it's not raining, the air is so wet and damp it may as well be.

I can't wait to go back some day . . .
--


http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_graceful/
 
It is often rainy, so which ever camera you bring, be prepared to either keep it in a plastic bag much of the time or wipe it down a lot. I chose the latter; it didn't seem to rain hard often, but mostly very drizzly. Also, a lense hood helps keep the drops off.

I'd take the big camera and a superzoom. You'll only see the stuff far away when it's reasonably bright out, so the aperture limitations will be less of an issue with a P&S. You'll also be walking around some small towns.
 
I could see if you were ounce counting and wanted a light camera kit to carry on your back for a week.......but your on a boat, right:-)
Reybabes said:
Cross Posted in Panasonic Forum:

This summer, I'll be headed to the Alaskan Inside Passage (plus
spending some time in the Washington State National Parks) and am
contemplating what kind of photo equipment to take. I can grab my
D70s + Sigma 17-70 + Nikon 70-300VR or, I'm thinking about the
possibility of a Panasonic FZ50 ultrazoom. Rationale: I'd like the
convenience of the no lens changing, lightweight, one camera
solution... and don't think that low light shooting will be
important for a trip such as this.

Wondering if any experienced travelers have any insights to share.

Thanks.
--
Photos and then some: http://www.deaconrey.com .
Click to expand...
--



D80 site
http://home.comcast.net/~nikon-d80/
D50 site
http://home.comcast.net/~nikon-d50/
Yellowstone-Teton Trip
http://home.comcast.net/~recentphotos/
Pentax istD Site
http://home.comcast.net/~pentax-istd/
 
PrimeUser said:
I could see if you were ounce counting and wanted a light camera
kit to carry on your back for a week.......but your on a boat,
right:-)
Click to expand...
Excellent point ... you're actually just leaving your hotel room to walk around the ship or take a day trip. Of course, you do have to shlep it all through the airport(s) to get it there :-)
 
Yes, I will be on a boat. Good point about the ease of bringing the extra lens from my cabin out for those shots. Would be nice to bring the extra reach out for the land excursions I would imagine though. Here's why I continue to lean toward the FZ.

I'm wondering, based on your comments, if 70-300 will be enough. I'd rather not have to go with the expense and size of a Bigma, but 300 might not be long enough.

I must also say that posts have me worried a bit about the rain/drizzle. Hate to be constantly worrying about my gear.
--
Photos and then some: http://www.deaconrey.com .
 
Weather will not be any less a factor with a dslr than it is with a digicam, unless you spend the big bucks for "professional" sealed gear. Care with good clothing, cases and "hoods," etc., should address much of the wet weather. Obviously downpours would be a problem but light rain/mist isn't hard to deal with.

I would agree, having just gotten a 70-300 vr and having a 100-300 for my 7D, that 300mm may not be as long as you'd like. Going beyond that requires either expensive primes and TCs or a variety of zooms. As much as I might lust after something prime and pricey, I think in the future I'll end up with something like the Tamron 200-500. Reasonably priced for their performance, the big problem there and with the Bigma is the smallish aperture. But fast lenses cost. also these are rather slow, sometimes tough in lower light and fast subjects like close/fast birds. less dynamic subjects, the AF will keep up ok.
 
Much as I like being a "Nikon guy", the wet weather situation is making me think about the weather sealed camera option. D200 is expensive and I know that the Pentax K10D has received a lot of praise. Good camera, good ergonomics... and weather sealed. Price isn't too bad on the Pentax either.
--
Photos and then some: http://www.deaconrey.com .
 
100 to 300 is going to give you a good reach. I don't recall being so far from the shoreline that you would need anything much longer. In the more open parts of the passage you are generally too far off shore to bother with pictures. For the rain, get one of those rain cover gizmos. Or, a gallon sized zip loc bag with a lens size hole in the other end. Doesn't look very elegant but serves the purpose.

Oh, and one more item. There is a stretch of open sea just north of Washington state, hope it's not rough cause if it is, it get very rough. Many seasick people that night who didn't have the benefit of living on a ship for over two years courtesy of Uncle Sam's Navy many moons ago.
--
Pete Smith
http://www.photographsbypetersmith.com
http://www.pbase.com/petersmith
 
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