Iceland camera & lens questions

Born2Code said:

I've never been to Iceland but I'm going in a few weeks. I'm bringing:

Z8

14--30

24-120

100-400

That's obviously the biggest and heaviest option, but I don't ming lugging it around for a couple of hours at a time.

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Kabiu said:

I just returned from Iceland, 6th time. It is all landscape and architecture. I travel light and carried a Zfc with the 18-140 lens. Never missed a shot on tours (private) or by myself. The vast majority of my shots were in the 36 to 105 range shot on manual with Auto ISO and back button focus. Went on a helicopter volcano flight made several good quality videos with no visible vibration including zooming in and out as needed. Have fun!

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PHXAZCRAIG said:

Berend Botje said:

Thank you. I am considering the Tamron 70-300mm for landscape. I doubt we will get to puffins, or whales for that matter, otherwise I would bring the 180-600mm But for landscape it feels like overkill.

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Well, what if you come onto a great wildlife scene, or want to image that erupting volcano from miles away?

Huge difference between those lens sizes! I can see not bringing the 180-600 unless wildlife is involved.

But here are some examples of what you can do with a long lens (80-400 in these examples) for non-landscape, non-wildlife subjects. Basically, it's either subject isolation, or distant subjects.

From Milan, Italy.


16-35 - I want to see those statues up there.


OOh - a zombie pope


Pope Dumbledore?


Friends learning to paddle in Hawaii.


Raining, and on a motorcycle. Stopped for a moose, pulled out the 80-400 and got a shot as the rain picked up again.

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Special Circumstances said:

Kabiu said:

I just returned from Iceland, 6th time. It is all landscape and architecture. I travel light and carried a Zfc with the 18-140 lens. Never missed a shot on tours (private) or by myself. The vast majority of my shots were in the 36 to 105 range shot on manual with Auto ISO and back button focus. Went on a helicopter volcano flight made several good quality videos with no visible vibration including zooming in and out as needed. Have fun!

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I'm going next year and heard it rains a lot - do you bother with wraps etc for the camera of just rely on weather sealing?

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Kabiu said:

I just returned from Iceland, 6th time. It is all landscape and architecture. I travel light and carried a Zfc with the 18-140 lens. Never missed a shot on tours (private) or by myself. The vast majority of my shots were in the 36 to 105 range shot on manual with Auto ISO and back button focus. Went on a helicopter volcano flight made several good quality videos with no visible vibration including zooming in and out as needed. Have fun!

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Special Circumstances said:

Born2Code said:

I've never been to Iceland but I'm going in a few weeks. I'm bringing:

Z8

14--30

24-120

100-400

That's obviously the biggest and heaviest option, but I don't ming lugging it around for a couple of hours at a time.

Click to expand...

I'm going next year and considering the same lenses (or maybe the 70-300 +FTZ) with a Z6III

I've heard that it rains a lot and was wondering what you plan to do? Are you going to rely on the weather sealing of the gear or are you going to protect them and if so how?

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atsangarides said:

Hell yeah!

i was there 3 years ago, but during winter.

i don’t think Iceland is a place you mind carrying weight. You do a lot of driving and most places are by the highway. There is no point to be discrete either. It’s landscape and wildlife.

in summer, you can see puffins too, so a telephoto is worth it.

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PLShutterbug said:

I always think “go small”, then I always take:

• Z8
• 14-30 S
• 24-120 S
• 180-600
• TC14
• Peak backpacker tripod
• Filters for each lens

I always end up using everything at some point on the trip.

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jthomas39 said:

So, you find an amazing scene to photograph. How much time will you have before your friends want to move on down the trail or street? Seconds? or minutes? or "we'll regroup at X location in about an hour"?

When hiking locally with a small group of friends, I have just seconds to shoot and then hurry up down the trail to catch them. I don't like to ask them to wait while I compose. It's not easy to get good shots that way. When solo, I spend many minutes in a good location.

Maybe they will stop anyway to take in the amazing scene, and you'll have time to compose some decent photos.

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Mizar11 said:

Berend Botje said:

Later this summer I will be spending some time in Iceland visiting friends. I am the only photographer among my friends. We will spend some time traveling the country, but I don't anticipate going off on my own for an extended time to do landscape/street/wildlife photography (a bit of a shame but that is what it is)

My issue is what camera + lenses I should bring. My current thinking is that I can travel light with the Z50II and a minimalist/low key/fun kit - 16-50/25/56 and maybe the 85S - OR the Z8 with a heavier lens set - 14-30/24-120/85S to have more options with me in case an opportunity arises.

My first question is which would you bring - the Z50II or the Z8 (plus lenses, and feel free to change the lens combinations if you think that makes more sense)

My second question is whether I should try and rent/purchase the Tamron 70-300mm to bring with my Z8 kit (if I go that route). I am planning to leave the 180-600mm at home, but am wondering whether I should bring something longer than 120mm if I bring the serious kit.

If you want to think with me about the equipment based on this travel destination I will appreciate your input.

I am also planning to bring a small tripod and some filters (polarizer & ND). Are there any other things you would bring?

Thanks

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I've been to Iceland twice and hope to go a third some time soon. My first reaction was Z8, 14-30, 24-120 - done. It's Iceland. The views and sights are stunning.

My first trip to Iceland was with an Olympus E-M1 II with a 12-100 (24-200 EQV). It was light, compact with more than good enough IQ. I mention that because the E-M1 is virtually the same resolution and dynamic range of the Z50II. I've looked at and printed many of those images and have no regrets about the kit. If I ended up in Iceland with my Z50II I'd be fine with it.

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Mizar11 said:

My second trip was with the Z6, Z7, 24-70 f2.8, Voigtlander 40 f1.2, Nikon 24-200, and Nikon 70-300. The 70-300 was too short for catching puffins and the 24-200 good enough to taking some shots of sheep, some of the beautiful Icelandic horses, and compressing some of the landscape images. The 70-300 was superfluous.

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Mizar11 said:

If I was going now, I'd take the Z7 (Z8 certainly if I had one), the 14-30, 24-120, and perhaps a high quality faster prime (Voigtlander 35 APO f2), Nikon 20 Z, etc. As good an optic as it is, I'd skip the 85. A lightweight alternative might be the 50-250 DX which would give you some reach with near 20mpx resolution on the Z8. And again, if it were me, I'd sneak the Z50II with the 16-50 in the bottom of my bag as a back-up. Bare bones, the Z8 and 24-120 is probably all you really need if you are just traveling with friends to enjoy the landscape and not trying to make a full photo expedition out of it.

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jimdelves said:

jthomas39 said:

So, you find an amazing scene to photograph. How much time will you have before your friends want to move on down the trail or street? Seconds? or minutes? or "we'll regroup at X location in about an hour"?

When hiking locally with a small group of friends, I have just seconds to shoot and then hurry up down the trail to catch them. I don't like to ask them to wait while I compose. It's not easy to get good shots that way. When solo, I spend many minutes in a good location.

Maybe they will stop anyway to take in the amazing scene, and you'll have time to compose some decent photos.

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Same travelling with family but x2

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gsmornot said:

I have the 14-30 and 24-120 but lately when I travel it’s the 24-200 and my now Z5II. Vacation snaps are fine for the memories when I get back. Most of the time is spent doing with the family and taking photos along the way. If the trip is specifically for photos, that would be different.

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C Sean said:

I know it's a favourite for visiting photographers and an open secret. I would recommend bringing the 35mm 1.8 for the Icelandic Phallological Museum and don't forget visiting the museum store afterward for memories and gifts.

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Berend Botje said:

Later this summer I will be spending some time in Iceland visiting friends. I am the only photographer among my friends. We will spend some time traveling the country, but I don't anticipate going off on my own for an extended time to do landscape/street/wildlife photography (a bit of a shame but that is what it is)

My issue is what camera + lenses I should bring. My current thinking is that I can travel light with the Z50II and a minimalist/low key/fun kit - 16-50/25/56 and maybe the 85S - OR the Z8 with a heavier lens set - 14-30/24-120/85S to have more options with me in case an opportunity arises.

My first question is which would you bring - the Z50II or the Z8 (plus lenses, and feel free to change the lens combinations if you think that makes more sense)

My second question is whether I should try and rent/purchase the Tamron 70-300mm to bring with my Z8 kit (if I go that route). I am planning to leave the 180-600mm at home, but am wondering whether I should bring something longer than 120mm if I bring the serious kit.

If you want to think with me about the equipment based on this travel destination I will appreciate your input.

I am also planning to bring a small tripod and some filters (polarizer & ND). Are there any other things you would bring?

Thanks

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SGA said:

The 24-120 would have handled about 90%.

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SGA said:

A tripod was absolutely essential to me for most of the landscape shots.

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Berend Botje said:

PHXAZCRAIG said:

Well, what if you come onto a great wildlife scene, or want to image that erupting volcano from miles away?

Huge difference between those lens sizes! I can see not bringing the 180-600 unless wildlife is involved.

Click to expand...

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Berend Botje said:

Thank you. I am not doubting the usefulness of a long lens for isolating subjects or parts of the landscape. I used to have a 100-400mm Tamron which fitted in my sling and I would certainly want to bring. But the 180-600mm means bringing a large backpack just for gear.

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