Going to Utah NP's.

jayblue wrote:

Hi, in about 5 weeks I'm going on a family trip to Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef and several other parks in Utah. This is a trip with my wife and in-laws, and my wife makes it clear that photography is definitely NOT the first priority, although there will be time for photos. We will primarily be hiking each day, although I doubt they will be very extreme

So my question is how much and what kind of gear to take to get my needs met but not be in the way of the family activity - my wife's birthday is the main driver here. I have a lot of Fuji gear, including XH2, XT4, all the "big" lenses and an assortment of the lighter stuff. I also have a Ricoh GR3 and a Fuji X100F. My first thought was the XH-2 plus a 10-24 and the 18-55. Maybe take the Ricoh also. Not too heavy , fairly unobtrusive, and those parks seem like a wide-angle paradise. Or maybe just the X100F. Any suggestions for meeting the two goals without too many disadvantages?

I'm sure you will be getting a variety of opinions but a few come to mind:

1. Your first inclination of the X-H2, 10-24, and 18-55 is a good lightweight choice. Zion has many tall peaks and valleys that will be well served by the 10-24. Other parks may benefit by some telephoto landscapes. The drive from one to another can be breathtaking. If you can keep a tele in the car I'd recommend it.

2. Hiking. Utah has had a lot of snowfall this year, a bunch still on the ground even in 5 weeks. Not as much an issue in the lower elevations but Bryce at 8K ft could be an issue. So when hiking, just be aware there most likely are snow-covered trails. In my younger years I didn't care. As an older fellow I am more cautious. BTW the snowfall water content map is below to indicate how blanketed with snow the state has been. For this eason the X100F may be a very lightweight companion that will serve your needs.

3. Be sure to heed your wife's comments. Even though I am the biggest violator of what I just said, it can be an issue, especially in Utah. Example..... Zion and Bryce are a photographer's Mecca. When visiting Bryce in the summer many years ago we hiked down the trails and every turn and in every direction was a photo moment. My wife needed to wait an inordinately long time for me which led to some..... well, I won't get into it. 😁

4. Consider bringing a lightweight tripod. A 40mp cam will get its best resolution stabilized not with IBIS....especially at dawn or dusk when the light is dim.

Have a great trip. Utah is great. Also below is an image from the Narrows, maybe not a great time to hike because there water will be freezing.

The Narrows in the Summer

A view from the road out of Canyonlands (probably now snowed in????)

Bryce: Lower trails accessed from the road.  Once on them it is difficult to know when NOT to shoot!

Hmm, looks like I've been shooting Fuji for awhile! 😁