Reading mode: Light Dark

Trip to Italy - equipment suggestions

Go to last post
Thanks for the suggestion and reminder. I remember when my wife and I were in Italy back in 2001 and made a trip down to Capri via Naples. We made the mistake of wearing real jewerly - watches, neckless, etc and felt we were close to being mugged in Naples. Leaving all the real stuff at home this trip...

Thanks - Chris
 
PK - I like the photos you shared. At this point I think I'll arm my 16 yr old son with the D300/18-200 combo and me with the D700/24-70. I'll get him comfortable with "P" mode and give him a few lessons w/ "A" mode as well and have him focus on snaps. I'm the early bird and will focus on my coffee time before the troops rise.

Chris
 
How did the MB-D10 benefit you on the D300 for the trip? Just extra battery capacity? I use mine all the time to get extra FPS for shooting my kids soccer and football - using RRS L-bracket to mount on Gitzo mono. I was thinking of leaving the battery grip at home.
 
The 24-70mm is your best lens and it is best suited to the FF D700. I would take a teleconverter to use with it and also would take a 16mm fisheye. I would leave the 70-200 at home. Not much in the way of wildlife in Italy unless you go during the boar hunting season and the 70-200 is really too conspicuous for street photography.

Indoors the 24mm on the D700 is OK but I expect you will wish you had something wider which is where the very small 16mm f2.8 fisheye come in.

For a camera bag I would take one with a large flap that makes it hard for thieves to get their hands inside. The LowePro Stealth Reporter bags are great in that regard will having a zipper in the top of the flap for quick but controlled access. A waist strap on a shoulder bag also helps prevent grab and run thieves from getting your bag.
 
And it's a great idea to involve your son.

I wish you and your family the best of luck and the most enjoyable of trips.

PK.

--
Banned from the dpreview D-3/D-7-0-0 forum...
 
if your 16 year old wants to take a camera, definately have him take the d300 with the 18-200. The D700 with the 24-70 would be a good choice also for you to bring. Perhaps with also the 35 or 85.
 
Chris.

I have been taking my vacations in Italy for the past five years and will share some thoughts with you. First of all - travel as lightly as possible. I cannot overemphasize this point especially since you'll be going with family and not staying for an extended period of time. As others have recommended, take the 18-200. With careful post-processing you'll get pretty much what you want. A back-up lens is recommended also. Unless you are going to be doing pics as fine art or enlarging them considerably, leave the 24-70 at home. Definitely take a lens pen with you. Many places don't permit flash photography and a few don't allow any phototgraphy at all. If you plan on doing night shots or lots of interiors, at the most, take a monpod. a back-up battery and charger is all that's needed. I use a shoulder satchel bag to house my day-to-day camera lugging and leave most of the gadgets at the apt. hotel. I recommend taking memory cards and leaving any type of storage device at home. Don't concern yourself with looking like a tourist or toting photo equipment around. Italians have had over two-thousand years experience identifying outsiders. My first year, 2002, in Italy, was with a 3 MP Canon point-and-shoot and I made great 8 X10's.

Have fun and do enjoy some of the best coffee in the world.

Dave
 
pettrow said:
Italians have had over two-thousand years experience
identifying outsiders.
Click to expand...
I'm 47 and the oldest Italian should have no more than about 100-year experience ...
Just joking ...
:-)))
Thank you for visiting us so many times ...
Ciao!

Riccardo from cloudy Rome!
 
We did Tuscany this year and I took the D300, 10-20, 18-70 and 70-200 plus filters and tripod. It worked pretty well but changing lenses was a hassle in the towns so the 18-200 should work well for you.

All my kit was in a Lowepro Flipside 300 which also worked very well.

Results of my trip are here if you fancy a look:-
http://www.pbase.com/alexwinser/tuscany

Cheers

Alex

--
------------------------------------------------
http://www.alexwinserphotography.co.uk
 
Hi you may hate this answer ...but when we went to Italy last Christmas for five weeks...

I bit the bullet and left the dslr at home..

essentially holidays in Italy is family; sights; special moments; etc.

After a lot of research I went and got a Canon Isus 28mm zoom compact - see Ken Rockwell for the updated model comment today. Unless you have to have shallow depth of field these cameras in good hands take amazingly good photos..yes I can tell the difference but I am amazed at how little difference there is for this sort of photo content. Another serious shooter I know did the same.
--
Sydneysider
just have to find the time to use them !
 
I went on a 12 night cruise around Italy this June. I took my D80 with a 16-85mmVR and a 50mm 1.4. I was glad I left the heavy stuff home. If you're doing tours, you don't really have the time to set up the classic shots that you think you're going to get. Also you are almost always fighting the crowds. I took the 50mm f/1.4 to use for low light indoor shots, and found taking photos were not allowed in many places! If I were you I would take your D300 with your 24-70mm and your 35mm. The towns are small with small streets, and I didn't feel the need for a longer lens. I found that the 85mm end of my lens covered everything good. If you feel the need to zoom in on a statue or some thing, just use the 24-70mm, and when you get back, do a crop on the area you want. With the IQ of Your D300 and 24-70mm you should get some decent results. If your trips goal is to satisfy you photography needs, then by all means, take all your gear.If your going on the trip to see the sights and enjoy the beauty of the people and culture, then travel light. After you've been walking around all day, that heavy camera bag wears thin. Enjoy your trip, and the best of luck to you.
JMHO
ciao, Ed
 
Mal remembers going to sell in Italy Nikon lenses.

I wanted to play, we expect soon.

Sorry for my English.

Peter, Italy, Vicenza.
 
I went to Italy this summer, Rome, Florence & Venice and on 70% of the photos used the sigma 10-20, 20% the old nikon 80-200 f4.5-5.6, 8% the nikon 18-70 and 2% the nikon 50 f1.8.

I took two machines (D70 and D40), four lenses, an SB800, a small tripod and a polarizing filter.

If it were today only took a D70 + sigma 70-200 f2.8, D40 + sigma 10-20 and the SB800. Two things also very important a small tripod for interiors of churches and a polarizing filter.

I hope I have helped good trip :)
 
Just my 2 cents:

One Body - 700 (your more likely to want the wide and low light pluses...catacombs, indoors...etc...

Lenses:
24-70 2.0 and the 70-210 2.8VR...

If I had a 50 1.4 I'd take that too... but thats it.

plus an SB800 of course...

This is my standard family vacation kit..., I've gone heavier and either regretted or not used and I've gone light and then hate myself... and for the nono photo outings... I always take a point and shoot (nice to hav the video function too)

Plus, now (POST 911) airports and airlines get so bitchy about carry on... all this I can fit with my macbook, plus ac adapters... iphone,.etc... easity in my shoulder bag (stealth reporter)... I check a flipside 300 for walking around...

Have a great trip...
--
SCG(So.Cal)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top