New D100 for long trip

Jake Roczniak118319 · Sep 27, 2002

I just purchased the following and was wondering if I should buy any additional accessories for a 4 month trip in europe.

D100
24-85mm 3.5-4.5G AF-S
18-35mm 3.5-4.5D AF
70-300mm 4-5.6D ED AF
Second Battery
IBM 1GB Microdrive

I am also thinking about the Lowepro Stealth AW backpack but would like comments on that. I need something that is really comfy for hauling around a city all day. I also need a pack that can be used as a carry on and with a laptop.
--
-Jake Roczniak

David Chung · Sep 27, 2002

Jake,

Given that some venues are indoors and do not allow flash (many museums) and others are just so beautiful in natural light I would add some sort of fast lens (2.8,1.8, or less). To prevent duplication in your bag you might consider something like the Nikkor 50 f1.8 for about $100 or even the 50 f1.4 for about $225. Even with a fast Tokina ATX 28-70 f/26-28 I keep a Nikkor 50 f1.8 in my bag. The 28-70 is a huge lens and quite heavy but it is nice to throw on a faster lens rather than turning up the ISO sensitivity when I am in a catherdral or museum.

Have a great trip.

--
Dave
[email protected]
http://www.dchung.com

johnlabbe · Sep 27, 2002

I would include a storage device like the efilm picture pad or a digital wallet vista a I gig micro drive is not going to be enough for a four month trip unless you shot sparingly....enjoy john

DrMark · Sep 27, 2002

I filled a microdrive in about 3 days. You will need a ton more or a laptop to dump to.

Tommy Martin · Sep 27, 2002

A/C adapter, Sensor Swabs and eclipse solution. 3 Months without a CCD cleaning is a long time.

--
Tommy

Bob &rsun · Sep 27, 2002

Group Idiot · Sep 27, 2002

He's bringing a laptop. He can offload every day if he needs to.

Brendan

Group Idiot · Sep 27, 2002

Heck, I have a D100 setup too.

I'll even carry your laptop. You just pay my way ;-)

Brendan

Jake Roczniak118319 · Sep 27, 2002

Yes, as Brendan said I will have a laptop to dump pictures on, oh and Brendan sorry I can't take ya, I already got a few buddies going with me from school.

--
-Jake Roczniak

Phil Flash · Sep 27, 2002

Maybe a little grocery bag trundle to cart all that gear around.

You will be very fit and strong by the end of your vacation.

Pete Biro · Sep 27, 2002

I have a D100 -- I just came back from Europe (Tuscany and South of France).

Why a D100 ??

Because some RATS stole my D1, 178-35, 24-120, compact cards, passport, cash etc etc...

DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING in cars or anywhere they can rob you.

Only saving was fact that I dumped images nightly onto my laptop and left it at our hotel.

We were parked in front of the Matisse Museum in Nice, France, broad daylight, people around etc. They jimmied open a window and grabbed my bag and wife's purse.

Reason we left them in car was that museum said "No Pictures"...

Argh...

Take out trip insurance.

b52 s · Sep 27, 2002

sb80dx speedlight.

Dont forget an insurance policy (full replacement/no deductable) especially if you plan to be in Paris and Rome. I was subjected to many unsuccessful attempts by pickpockets in those city subways and escalators. Secure your stuff with double zippers and snap rings that require 2 hands to undo and you will not lose anything. Carrying all this stuff is a pain especially if some places don't allow photographing. Don't leave stuff in a car -- even if its locked.

b52 s

Rich Gibson · Sep 27, 2002

I have almost exactly the same outfit (24-85D) and 512mb CF card. I use the Lowepro mini-trekker. It has room for all the lenses, an SB80DX flash, a coolpix 990 and 16 extra AA batteries. Of, yes I also have the MB-E100 holder and Kneko 2x teleadapter.

Rich

Tommy Martin · Sep 27, 2002

Crime must be really bad there. You are about the 5th or 6th person in this forum in the past month to mention that.

Really makes me want to go

--
Tommy

dannv · Sep 27, 2002

foreign power adapters -- make sure you have an adapter for each country.

extra CF card in case the MD fails. don't get me wrong, i love 'em and don't think it will but a backup is good and its a pain to find CF cards in cities you're not familiar with (or get a good deal).

personally, i'd leave a lens and the CCD cleaning stuff. leaving the lens depends on your travel profile, of course. and even if you are part of the crowd that finds CCD cleaning necessary every 3 months (or 3 minutes!!), i'd depend on Photoshop postprocessing before i'd take the chance of learning to do it on an important trip.

beyond that, look at each piece of equipment and think about backups. for instance, my last trip i lost my Nikon USB download cable and didn't bring a separate card reader. luckily Nikon used a standard cable for this and i borrowed one.

get a cushioned strap and wear it in a cross carry.

buy a bag that doesn't scream EXPENSIVE CAMERA INSIDE! if you buy LowePro or other brand names, cut off the labels at least.

get a collapsible monopod. you won't use it much but they are invaluable in Paris with the weather they can have around now.

above all -- don't take so much equipment that you worry more about it than taking pictures. i try to go with the minimum and find i get the maximum return on my effort....dav

Rick Morgan · Sep 27, 2002

If I were going on a serious trip I'd have a second Microdrive, or at least a 512k card, unless you're planning to shoot JPEG. I've always averaged between three and four rolls of film a day, and the 107 shot limit on a Microdrive in NEF wouldn't do it for me--Of course, you'll leave the laptop in the hotel whenever you can and if it was me, I'd have to shift to JPEG after lunch. Additionally, I'd prefer the laptop to have a CD burner so I could have a set of pictures in case the laptop got stolen or fried.

--Rick

PaulV · Sep 27, 2002

I always travel with a small, firewire hardrive, as well as my laptop.

Every couple of nights, I make a backup of all the photos on the laptop to the FW drive and stash it in my suitcase.

That way, if worse comes to worse, I figure I'm fairly certain to still have my photos. Been doing this for years and wouldn't travel any other way.

Take a microfiber cleaning cloth, as well. And a tripod?

paulfrye · Sep 27, 2002

All the folks who frequent this forum AND live in Europe must be laughing their heads off. I wonder what they would pack to come to visit the U.S.? Don't forget to take your bottled water, too.

Regards,

Paul

Terry H. · Sep 27, 2002

Check out the following website for storing pics while on trip...

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/efilm-vista.shtml

Have fun...

Hoping to purchase the D100 for my upcoming trip to Jamaica for a wedding in mid November.

Terry

mrwally · Sep 27, 2002

Jake,

Looks pretty complete. I'd add a 50mm 1.8 or 1.4 for really low light situations (indoors in cathedrals etc where flash is taboo).

As for the backpack, I looked at the Stealth and its HUGE. I didn't really like the way things went in the pockets lenses or bodies and getting the laptop in and out was a bit of a pain.

I wound up getting the Tamrac 759. It's thicker than the Stealth but my D100 with MB-D100 fits great (with the long telephoto on). My laptop is a big one (Dell Inspiron 8000) and it fits (just barely, but it fits). I'm thinking of downsizing if I can get the same features in a smaller laptop.

One solution that worked well for me was to get a good sturdy laptop backpack and then use padded bags for lens/flash. I would use a top loader for the body/lens and stuff it in the top of the bag. This was nice since I could tote the whole thing around on the planes, pull the top loader out when walking around town and have easy access to my camera. All of this didn't fit when I got the D100, but when I travel with my F80, it's still the way to go.

If you can, take EVERYTHING down to a camera store and check the fit before you drop $200+ on a bag. Also that will give you an idea on the weight. This thing can quickly get up to 30+ pounds which gets REAL heavy by lunch. By the end of the day, it's an anchor. If you don't already have a laptop, go REALLY light.

Have fun and enjoy your trip. Wish I was going with you....

Rick

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