Vacation: Taking two cameras?!

garyhgaryh · Sep 30, 2012

I am toying with the idea of taking two cameras to Yosemite this week.
I just got my d800e and want to take it up, but the idea of switching between
my lenses got me thinking of taking up two cameras:

Camera 1: D5100 w/ Sigma 8-16mm
Camera 2: D800e w/ Sigma 50-500mm OS + Nikon 28-300mm + a 35mm prime
I'll also be taking along a tripod

The idea of dragging two camera long seems logical since I can switch back and forth

between wide angle and telephoto, BUT I'll have to bring chargers for each and figure
out how to hold all the equipment on my 4 day hike.

What would you do?
Take one camera and your selected lens or take two cameras?

I'm really on the fence on what to do and I'm hoping to get some ideas or opinions
about this. I carried my sigma 50-500mm on a local hike up 2000 ft and by the
time I got back home, my shoulder was killing me!

Any other items I should consider bringing while on this trip? Been thinking about getting
a ND and a CPL filter.

Gary

CFynn · Sep 30, 2012

garyhgaryh said:
I am toying with the idea of taking two cameras to Yosemite this week.
I just got my d800e and want to take it up, but the idea of switching between
my lenses got me thinking of taking up two cameras:

garyhgaryh said:
Camera 1: D5100 w/ Sigma 8-16mm
Camera 2: D800e w/ Sigma 50-500mm OS + Nikon 28-300mm + a 35mm prime
I'll also be taking along a tripod

garyhgaryh said:
The idea of dragging two camera long seems logical since I can switch back and forth between wide angle and telephoto, BUT I'll have to bring chargers for each and figure out how to hold all the equipment on my 4 day hike.

garyhgaryh said:
What would you do?
Take one camera and your selected lens or take two cameras?

garyhgaryh said:
I'm really on the fence on what to do and I'm hoping to get some ideas or opinions about this. I carried my sigma 50-500mm on a local hike up 2000 ft and by the time I got back home, my shoulder was killing me!

garyhgaryh said:
Any other items I should consider bringing while on this trip? Been thinking about getting a ND and a CPL filter.

garyhgaryh said:
Gary

Unless you have a Sherpa or a pony to carry your stuff, I think you are crazy to consider taking all that stuff on a four day hike - especially if you have to carry a tent, food, etc. as well.

Why not one camera and three light prime lenses?

If you really need that 500mm reach, the D5100 and the 28-300mm might be a better idea than the D800e with the 50-500mm.

herbymel · Sep 30, 2012

I would take just the D800e...it's the perfect opportunity to really give it a workout and learn what it can do and I have a feeling once you start getting to work with it that more than likely the 5100 is just going to stay in the pack.
--
Herby

michaeladawson · Sep 30, 2012

I agree for the most part. Gary does not have an optimal selection of lenses there for a four day hike. I'd leave the 50-500 at home. Not a great lens to begin with and big. 70-200 with TC is much better option IMO. If all he has is the 28-300 I'd go with that and just live with missing the 300-500mm range.

CFynn said:
garyhgaryh said:

I am toying with the idea of taking two cameras to Yosemite this week.
I just got my d800e and want to take it up, but the idea of switching between
my lenses got me thinking of taking up two cameras:

Click to expand...

CFynn said:

Camera 1: D5100 w/ Sigma 8-16mm
Camera 2: D800e w/ Sigma 50-500mm OS + Nikon 28-300mm + a 35mm prime
I'll also be taking along a tripod

Click to expand...

CFynn said:

The idea of dragging two camera long seems logical since I can switch back and forth between wide angle and telephoto, BUT I'll have to bring chargers for each and figure out how to hold all the equipment on my 4 day hike.

Click to expand...

CFynn said:

What would you do?
Take one camera and your selected lens or take two cameras?

Click to expand...

CFynn said:

I'm really on the fence on what to do and I'm hoping to get some ideas or opinions about this. I carried my sigma 50-500mm on a local hike up 2000 ft and by the time I got back home, my shoulder was killing me!

Click to expand...

CFynn said:

Any other items I should consider bringing while on this trip? Been thinking about getting a ND and a CPL filter.

Click to expand...

CFynn said:

Gary

Click to expand...

Unless you have a Sherpa or a pony to carry your stuff, I think you are crazy to consider taking all that stuff on a four day hike - especially if you have to carry a tent, food, etc. as well.

Why not one camera and three light prime lenses?

If you really need that 500mm reach, the D5100 and the 28-300mm might be a better idea than the D800e with the 50-500mm.

--
Mike Dawson

Boschje · Oct 1, 2012

I always take 2 bodies with lens... That said normally my wife is with me who carries the camera I'm not using...

OwenG · Oct 1, 2012

You have to consider the possibility of your main camera breaking from either a component failure or damage.

I remember once when a freak gust of wind blew my tripod over and broke the camera and I didn't have a backup. I spent the next 3 days unable to take pictures. I always take a backup camera now if the prime purpose of the trip is to collect images.
--
http://500px.com/oweng

maljo@inreach.com · Oct 1, 2012

to keep the weight down.

maljo

chimphappyhour · Oct 1, 2012

This is usually my strategy. When I'm flying or driving, I take two bodies and a selection of lenses plus batteries, chargers, laptop for off-loading and editing and a couple of portable HDs for back-up. When I'm actually out and about during day trip where I'm away from a car, I'll carry one body and two or three lenses. If I'm out on a big hike though, it's one body and one lens.

Dan_168 · Oct 1, 2012

This is a very personal thing and we can give you our preference only. In my own case I hike in Yosemite 8-10 times a year, from a short 7-8 miles round trip valley floor to Glacier Point or a Upper Yosemite Falls hike to a 24 miles Half Dome + Cloudsrest or Elcapitan + North Dome kind of day hike all the way to a multiple day Valley floor to Tioga Pass to Lyell Glacier or Mammoth backpacking trips, yeah, it's just like my back yard. I am one of those carry multiple camera all the time regardless for serious work or leisure shooting, which includes hiking, but again that also depends on what kind of hiking we are talking about, for anything less than 12-15 miles with less than 3000 Ft gain day hike, for some it's a tough hike already, and for some is just a "walk in the park", so only you know what your physical condition you have and your own gear preference, for me a extra camera is not going to cause much trouble and less frequent lens change actually works better than the a few pounds saving, I regularly carry 1DS2, 1DS3, and D3 type of camera for hiking with 4 or 5 lenses and tripod and some other craps, in my case I have equal amount of fun from photography and the hiking itself therefore I put up with the extra weight. but for a very long hike weight becomes more of a burden then I will normally take one camera body with 2 or 3 lenses, but I still carry the tripod, that's the must for me.

here is shot from the D800E shot at the 10,000 Ft Thousand Island lake from my last backpacking trip a month ago.

And a few from Saddlebag lake area 3 weeks ago, yeah, don't laugh, I carry D800E and a "point and shot" Sony NEX7 that day instead of a 1DS3

Few more sample from D3, 1DS2 and 5D2 from the Yosemite/high Sierra

Jurwees · Oct 1, 2012

CFynn said:
If you really need that 500mm reach, the D5100 and the 28-300mm might be a better idea than the D800e with the 50-500mm.

The D800E with the 28-300mm has more than sufficient headroom for cropping. As soon as you start shooting with the D800E, you'll soon forget the D5100!
--
Jur

mmmmmmmm · Oct 1, 2012

Keep it simple stupid! Sometimes less is best. Personally I tend to use more wide angle lenses on vacation than long telephoto. Last summer my wife and I hiked the "high five", that is Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, and the Arches Nation parks. I could have left the 70-200 VRII at home and just used a couple of primes.
respectfully,
David Miller

PHXAZCRAIG · Oct 1, 2012

I'm one who routinely takes all the gear I can fit in a backpack on vacations. Too bodies, a bunch of lenses. And a bunch of weight.

I do NOT hike (far) with all that gear. Unless you are seriously in shape and don't mind carrying all that, I'd say you have to cut the gear down. (Then again, how much weight does one lens and a D5100 add...)

Here's what I'll ask you: Are you taking pictures on vacation because you just enjoy taking pictures, and it's kind of an enjoyable habit? Or do you seriously print and exhibit the images later?

If you mostly take pictures because you enjoy taking them, you should have more fun carrying less weight and just taking pictures with the lenses and (single) camera you have on hand.

If you're really into the results more than the process, you'll probably need to suffer the weight. But then I'd think you'd also be owning some different gear.

I'd probably be taking a D800 and 50-500. The D800 - because it's a D800. The 50-500 because I'd want a long lens for wildlife. But then I'd need a tripod too.

As for the filters, I'd get a CP. No decent post-processing alternative to them. And you can use it as a mild neutral density filter as well.

--
Craig
http://www.cjcphoto.net

garyhgaryh · Oct 10, 2012

Beautiful pictures Dan! Thanks.

You all gave compelling reasons to take one or both cameras. I was set to just take one camera, but the very last minute decided to take both cameras and I'm glad I did.

I carried one camera in the lowe pro sling bag and the other camera on my shoulder so it felt natural to take both cameras along.

With two cameras I can go super wide angle (8mm-16mm) and use my 28-300mm for everything else. Switching between camera is fast and that's, to me, was faster and more convenient than carrying one camera and switching lens (i seem to always take a picture with the 28-300mm and then complimenting that shot with a wide angle one).

I also brought a prime lens I used for star shots and the Sigma 50-500mm, which I only used once but could have left it at home (it was heavy, but a great lens).

My shoulders got sore carrying the cameras on the long hikes.

Again, thanks all for your input. Although I did not add to the discussion after my post, I appreciate all the opinions each one of you had about this subject.

Lake Sabrina - Inyo County
Dan_168 wrote:

Dan_168 said:
This is a very personal thing and we can give you our preference only. In my own case I hike in Yosemite 8-10 times a year, from a short 7-8 miles round trip valley floor to Glacier Point or a Upper Yosemite Falls hike to a 24 miles Half Dome + Cloudsrest or Elcapitan + North Dome kind of day hike all the way to a multiple day Valley floor to Tioga Pass to Lyell Glacier or Mammoth backpacking trips, yeah, it's just like my back yard. I am one of those carry multiple camera all the time regardless for serious work or leisure shooting, which includes hiking, but again that also depends on what kind of hiking we are talking about, for anything less than 12-15 miles with less than 3000 Ft gain day hike, for some it's a tough hike already, and for some is just a "walk in the park", so only you know what your physical condition you have and your own gear preference, for me a extra camera is not going to cause much trouble and less frequent lens change actually works better than the a few pounds saving, I regularly carry 1DS2, 1DS3, and D3 type of camera for hiking with 4 or 5 lenses and tripod and some other craps, in my case I have equal amount of fun from photography and the hiking itself therefore I put up with the extra weight. but for a very long hike weight becomes more of a burden then I will normally take one camera body with 2 or 3 lenses, but I still carry the tripod, that's the must for me.

here is shot from the D800E shot at the 10,000 Ft Thousand Island lake from my last backpacking trip a month ago.

And a few from Saddlebag lake area 3 weeks ago, yeah, don't laugh, I carry D800E and a "point and shot" Sony NEX7 that day instead of a 1DS3

Few more sample from D3, 1DS2 and 5D2 from the Yosemite/high Sierra

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Vacation: Taking two cameras?!

garyhgaryh

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CFynn

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herbymel

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michaeladawson

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Boschje

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mmmmmmmm

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