Equipment for a Mexico round tour

Hello everybody,

Finally I've bought a Sony A 100 to enter the digital SLR world. I intended to use my old Minolta lenses with the A100:

Minolta AF 50mm 1:1,4(22)
Minolta AF 28-135mm 1:4(22)-4,5

I also have the basic kit lens

Sony 18-70mm 3,5-5,6

Should I get another lens or can I cover the majority with these lenses. Most of the time I'll be shooting landscapes, ruins and nature

I'd also like to know what you think of a tripod. But I think carrying around a tripod is very inconvenient.

What are your basic settings concerning sharpness etc. (Because I just got the DSLR I'm lacking experience)

By the way, do you have much problem with dust on the sensor? I'm checking every two weeks for dust and most of the time I make a find. (Then I'm getting nervous, because I'm afraid to damage the sensor during the cleaning, but unfortunately I'm too nit picky to leave even the smallest crumb on the sensor)

Thanks in advance for your help

I Inspiron said:

Finally I've bought a Sony A 100 to enter the digital SLR world. I
intended to use my old Minolta lenses with the A100:
Minolta AF 50mm 1:1,4(22)
Minolta AF 28-135mm 1:4(22)-4,5
Sony 18-70mm 3,5-5,6

Click to expand...

You have the basics that are needed... other than, perhaps, a flash unit.

Your 28-135 gives you the equivalent to 200mm in a film camera.

Most people would be happy to start with what you have. The only
thing you may wish to add would be a longer tele, BUT I don't think you
need it for your holiday. By having the 50mm lens, you open up the
potential for good existing light shots.... although it would be the
equivalent to about 75mm (mid-range tele) in the 35mm format.

In my ever so humble opinion, you would be best served by adding
only a flash unit... assuming you would be able to actually use a flash
in the settings you hope to capture.

From what I have seen, you will get a LOT of use from your 28-135!
...especially with your A100. It is, by all accounts, a good lens, just
not very wide angle. For that, you will want to use the kit lens.

Don't be scared to shoot at ISO 800 or even 1600, in spite of what
you hear. A good noise reduction program makes the images usable
for up to 8 by 10... and for 4 by 6, which most people use 99% of
the time, it is just great. Check out Keith Schmidt's images at the
higher end taken with his A100. They look just fine, and I have some
I could dig out to show.

Just my 2-bits worth....

--
Gil
Sardis, BC
Canada

...how and where you are traveling around Mexico, if you are hiking anywhere you will need some dust-proof bags which will also be useful for more humid climes further south.

I used Ziplock bags for my camera equipment on a trip to Africa last year and the dust still got in, tho' in manageable amounts.

You need to seal everything, including lens cloths, cleaning equipment, filters etc - 1 speck of silica dust can cause havoc.

I think you are ok lens wise. For landscapes the 18-70 will be required and the 28-135 will fill the street work role very well. I might even leave the 50mm at home.
Hope you have a good trip

waveney
--
Next-door to World of Adventure

waveney2 said:

...how and where you are traveling around Mexico, if you are hiking
anywhere you will need some dust-proof bags which will also be useful
for more humid climes further south.
I used Ziplock bags for my camera equipment on a trip to Africa last
year and the dust still got in, tho' in manageable amounts.
You need to seal everything, including lens cloths, cleaning
equipment, filters etc - 1 speck of silica dust can cause havoc.
I think you are ok lens wise. For landscapes the 18-70 will be
required and the 28-135 will fill the street work role very well. I
might even leave the 50mm at home.
Hope you have a good trip

waveney
--
Next-door to World of Adventure

Click to expand...

I don't have any ideas how "dusty" Mexico will be. I'm going to do a 10 days round tour from a travel agency.

I have already bought a Lowe Pro Stealth Reporter bag, which is said to be dust resistant and water proof, bit I'm still afraid of the dust (as I said above, I have dust crumbs on my sensor every 2 weeks) Do you know any trick to avoid getting dust on the sensor during the lens change? (I already tried to do the changing in a plastic bag, but this was very impractically - Yes I know, I'm finicky)

Concerning a flash: My uncle said that he still might his old Minolta flash, can I use it on my A100?

Dust and sensors are inseparable and it's as well to invest in a decent cleaning solution. I use a compressed air Green Clean vacuum pump which does a good job of removing even the smallest debris. I rarely have to clean the sensor more than once in 6 months and I use lots of lenses and I've only had to use the wet and dry pads once in 18 months. I'm not a fan of the turbo blowers which I think just relocate the dust from the sensor to somewhere else in the chamber - or even worse into the viewfinder chamber, which then ends up back on the sensor within a week or so.

My memories of Mexico are of dust everywhere away from the coastal belt even down in the tropical areas.

If you keep your camera bag with you whilst traveling you should be ok, but you would be well advised to place it in a sealed bin bag if it goes into the lockers of a bus.

waveney
--
Next-door to World of Adventure

Don't put it down anywhere!
--
Glenn

I'm kinda partial to video, but I'm hangin!

If you go to Palenque there may still be a man doing microlight flights over the ruins,did mine in the early morning mist.

& be careful taking photos in some of the villages around St Christobal, some people are very sensitive about it & might smash your camera (or so we were told by the guide)
& take DEET,it's hard to and there & the mozzies really suck

Take your A100 and just 18-70 lens. Leave it on the camera. Shoot at the lowest ISO when you can, but don't hesitate to shoot at whatever speed you really need. You have a built-in flash -- use it when you need it, and to open shadows on people outdoors. Forget the tripod, there's always something to lean against and use the IS.

A circular Polatizer will help tame specular highlights, and protect your lens. Get one and use it outdoors at all times.
Oh yeah, and have a great trip!

I go to Cambodia about 4 times a year, and it can be humid-tropical or dry-dusty depending on the season. Probably like Mexico. When I first went, I took a bunch of lenses and a flash, and nearly busted my back. I now take just my camera (A700 now) and my 18-200mm lens. If I expect to spend a lot of time in the temples, I'll add my 11-18mm lens. I've found that the wide end gets more use for ruins, but if you like taking unposed people shots, the long end can come in handy. Have only brought a flash and a tripod once... never again -- I simply didn't get enough use out of them to justify the hassle.

Never had any dust get in, despite lens changes -- though I'm careful where I do this, and I do it as fast as possible. [In fact, I had my first experience with sensor dust after getting my A700 back from servicing to the motherboard!].

My main advice (which I often fail to follow): make sure you get your face out from behind the camera (ie don't experience your trip through your viewfinder). I still struggle with this -Glenn

--
Galleries: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/glennjude
Sony A700, SAL18-250mm, KM 11-18mm, 50mm F2.8 macro
Sony R1, F828, F717; Fuji F31fd; Minolta x-700

...and it was quite...memorable...

Almost the whole way was a lot like Texas hill country, from what I can remember. I don't know much about the Baja, I imagine it's rugged and dry (don't they do the off road rallies there?). As far as east of the Bay of Campeche, I think that's where the jungle starts. If you fly into Cancun or Cozumel (I forget which one is the island) and go trekking into the Mayan ruins, I'm pretty sure that's all jungle.

My suggestion is to go check it out on Google Earth, I'm told it's amazingly accurate.

I bought my 7D in early November 2004 because I was going on a botanical field trip to Mexico in the February. I had already a 24-80 f3.5-5.3 Minolta, a 100-300 APO, and bought a 17-35mm K-M shortly after the 7D arrived because I wanted wider angle. Then just before I left the UK, I bought a Sigma 105mm macro.

All in all, I took just over 2000 photos. When I analysed what my usage of lenses was, I found that 30% were with the macro lens (cacti, succulents, flowering trees etc.), 15% with the 17-35mm (mostly using the wider angles for architectural and archeological sites, and the rest with the 24-85 apart from perhaps a dozen with the long telephoto.

I have since bought just one lens - a Tamron 18-250mm, bought in October this year, which is now my standard walk-around. If I were going to do the same sort of trip, I'd take just the Tamron and the Sigma macro.

I didn't take a tripod - I found the light levels and the anti-shake combined meant I could handhold all close-ups very well. Anyway, using a tripod half way up a loose scree slope isn't my idea of fun!

In February, the land was very dry, and we visited locations in Puebla, Oaxaca, and then back up to Hidlago. Dust was evident, but keeping my camera safely in a Lowepro Stealth Reporter AW case until I was ready to take the photo was very much the order of the day! But despite changing lenses, I didn't get any obvious dust on the sensor. I have subsequently, but cleaning isn't a major issue - apart from remebering not to put the cleaning alcohol in my camera bag when trying to go through an airport! Hold lugage is OK.

Wilhelm said:

Take your A100 and just 18-70 lens. Leave it on the camera. Shoot
at the lowest ISO when you can, but don't hesitate to shoot at
whatever speed you really need. You have a built-in flash -- use it
when you need it, and to open shadows on people outdoors. Forget the
tripod, there's always something to lean against and use the IS.
A circular Polatizer will help tame specular highlights, and protect
your lens. Get one and use it outdoors at all times.
Oh yeah, and have a great trip!

Click to expand...

I'll second that..

17-70 should cover almost all your wide angle needs where is 28-135 will give you some tele reach. (you may consider investing in the future in 70-300 or 70-200 lens which would give you even more reach. Having said that new Sony 18-250 looks really appealing for 'always on the camera', travel lens)

I'd definitely take 50mm lens as its indispensable for low light/portrait and even close up shots (flowers etc)

Circular Polarizer would be a great addition to your kit especially for sunny desert, landscape shots.

Instead of a tripod you may consider getting monopod (with a ball head) which is much lighter to carry around and really helpful with tele shots and in lowlight conditions. You may also find it useful for other purposes

I'd also advise to take half a dozen of plastic sealable bags for lenses, cleaning cloth, memory cards, batteries etc etc..

and finally.. CHECK all YOUR EQUIPMENT before you go.. I just came back from 4000 miles trip taking with me Manfrotto head which doesn't fit my mono and tripod (wrong screw size) and underwater camera which leaks

PS .. and shoot all important things in RAW so you would be able to have more control or correct something during PP. Have fun!

Thanks all for your help. I'll try this Grean Clean vacuum system to remove the dust. With the air ball I'm currently using the small crumbs will not go off, only the big ones.

I live in Mexico, the weather and dust is very different from region to region. If you could be more specific, I'll be happy to make you some specific suggesitions.

In general I'm not aware about dust, unless you go to desert or beach areas

I suggest to bring the kit lens (18-70) and a long zoom lens (70-300) or (18-250), the churches and pyramids have great detail at the top, you could get great compositions. Also wild life is great. I have a 28-200, but I always need the 18mm end because the streets are narrower than in the US, and a lot of beauty churches and buildings need that wide angle lens.

A polarizer is a must

Depending on the city, there are some historical buildings and even pyramids beautifully illuminated at nigth, so I suggest to carry a small tripod to not loose those oportunities. Nigth shoots in Mexico are great, but a tripod is a must.

Although Mexico is not so dangerous as many strangers could tell you, I suggest always ask to a local if it is safe to carry your equipment at nigth in specific areas, Bringing a back-pak like camera bag is better than a classical one, those with an advise "I have an expensive camera gear inside"

Enjoy your trip!!!

My round tour will start in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Chetumal,

then a side-trip to Guatemala: Belize City, Xunantunich, Flores, Tikal,

and back to Mexico: Bonampak, Agua Azul, Palenque, Sabancuy, Campeche, Kabah, Uxmal, Merida, Izamal, Citchen Itze, Cancun

Please excuse me if there are any spelling mistake, I'm not yet familiar with those names

Do I need an adapter for power supply? (I'm from Austria)

Oh, by the way, I will do the trip in August, if this matters.

I Inspiron said:

I will do the trip in August.

Click to expand...

YOU ARE A BRAVE MAN! (Forget the camera, just pack DEET!)

You choose one of the best trips in Mexico!!!.

I know extra weigth is a pain, but for this area DON'T FORGET YOUR TRIPOD, IT IS A MUST!!!!

In Uxmal and Chichen Itza don't miss the "ligth and sound" show, at the pyramids. The pyramids are beautifully illuminated at nigth while you listen a true story from the Mayan's life. It is available in spanish and english. You will get great shoots!!







August is a rainy season here, and all this region is on the Lacandona tropical rainforest. So it is almost sure you will get some rain. I suggest to bring a raincoat for your camera:
http://www.stormjacket.com/

I have the mine (home-made) I used it on a trip to Costa Rica, and I was able to shoot on the rain.

You don't need to worry about dust on the sensor, there is not a dusty area. If you go to the beach, dust will be the same than in any beach.

Enjoy your trip!!!, if you want some estra info, you can e-mail me

Marco
[email protected]

Just a warning:

Guatemala and Belize are different countries. Mexico and Belize are not dangerous or unsafe places, but be careful on Guatemala (Tikal). If you plan going there, take a tour, don't go by your own.

Hi

Lens wise you are more than covered. Take a decent tripod - yes they are a pain to lug around but well worth it. I went to Rome recently, didnt take mine and really regretted it. Its fair to say most of the pics I took where inside various churches and quite dark. The best pic I got all weekend was when a fellow photographer took pity on me and lent me use of his tripod.

Even if you took a bean bag that would be better than nothing

Have a good time

Several doozies have hit there recently, and if you believe Global Warming is accelerating, then put your money where your mouth is.

Having said that, odds are you'll be just fine.

You know you best, maybe this seems irrational. Just something to consider, and I think most trip insurance is small compared to the cost of the trip. Maybe buy it from an American company to leverage the falling dollar's favorable (unfavorable, depending if you're American or not) exchange rate?

I go down to Cancun on business in January, and I wonder if I can convince the wife to let me bring the gear...