What Lenses For Alaskan Cruise (not for landscape or wildlife)?

Hi all,

I will going on Alaskan Disney cruise soon and am trying to plan which lenses to take with me. While I will snap some shots of the landscape or wildlife (just to prove I can do it), the main focus of my photography will be to tell an interesting story of our family (wife and 5 kids ranging from 5 - 14) experiencing the cruise and Alaska. Most shots will have at least one family member in it, and will try to show how they are interacting with surroundings in a fun or unique way. I anticipate low light shots of family members around the ship at night, as well as well lit shots on excursions that hopefully will include sight seeing, hiking, zip lining and dog sledding. We will also spend several days in the Vancouver-ish area.

My inventory is as follows:

5DII

24-105mm f4 OS Sigma Art - take?

28mm f1.8 Canon - take - great for dinner and clubs

35mm f2 Canon - leave at home

50mm f1.4 Sigma Art - take? Favorite lens

100mm f2 Canon - leave at home

70-300 f3.5-5.6L IS Canon - Take

320EX flash - leave at home

430RT flash - take

My main question is regarding my 50mm. 50mm is my favorite lens, but not sure it is necessary to carry this trip. It's main advantage will probably be for low light around the ship at night for when I want a longer focal length than 28mm.

Any thoughts on 1. must take pictures, 2. my proposed lens selection for the trip, and 3. if I should take the 50?

thanks in advance

sigxbill wrote:

Hi all,

I will going on Alaskan Disney cruise soon and am trying to plan which lenses to take with me. While I will snap some shots of the landscape or wildlife (just to prove I can do it), the main focus of my photography will be to tell an interesting story of our family (wife and 5 kids ranging from 5 - 14) experiencing the cruise and Alaska. Most shots will have at least one family member in it, and will try to show how they are interacting with surroundings in a fun or unique way. I anticipate low light shots of family members around the ship at night, as well as well lit shots on excursions that hopefully will include sight seeing, hiking, zip lining and dog sledding. We will also spend several days in the Vancouver-ish area.

My inventory is as follows:

5DII

24-105mm f4 OS Sigma Art - take?

28mm f1.8 Canon - take - great for dinner and clubs

35mm f2 Canon - leave at home

50mm f1.4 Sigma Art - take? Favorite lens

100mm f2 Canon - leave at home

70-300 f3.5-5.6L IS Canon - Take

320EX flash - leave at home

430RT flash - take

My main question is regarding my 50mm. 50mm is my favorite lens, but not sure it is necessary to carry this trip. It's main advantage will probably be for low light around the ship at night for when I want a longer focal length than 28mm.

Any thoughts on 1. must take pictures, 2. my proposed lens selection for the trip, and 3. if I should take the 50?

Sorry I haven't done that cruise so will pass on Q1.   I'd take 24-105, 28 1.8 and 70-300.  I'd probably leave flash at home or take the smallest one that can do bounce.   If you really love the 50 then take it and leave the 28 at home.   Enjoy more time with your family by keeping the lens swapping to a minimum. 

Most importantly have fun!!

thanks in advance

Only one body?  How about something smaller (but still high-quality) for when you're on the move?  Maybe something that doesn't mind a little water for kayaking, near waterfalls, on glaciers, in the frequent Alaskan rains.

What's your plan for hiking, for instance?  Have everyone stop periodically for photos?  Zoom ahead and catch them as they pass?  You may want to have guides point out particularly photogenic spots so you don't miss them.  I hope you accidentally capture some scenery while you're taking family photos.

Dave wrote:

Only one body?

LOL! Ya - I haven't graduated into the multi-body club yet. I'm lucky I have a few decent lenses to choose from...

How about something smaller (but still high-quality) for when you're on the move?

Actually I got my daughter an SL1 that will be coming along, as well as a couple of GoPros, and our iPhones.

Maybe something that doesn't mind a little water for kayaking, near waterfalls, on glaciers, in the frequent Alaskan rains.

What's your plan for hiking, for instance? Have everyone stop periodically for photos? Zoom ahead and catch them as they pass? You may want to have guides point out particularly photogenic spots so you don't miss them. I hope you accidentally capture some scenery while you're taking family photos.

Ya, I will probably get some scenery, but I am hoping to catch family members in most of the scenery. I have been shooting SLR photos for 35 years, and I know from experience that I rarely look at my photos that don't have people in them again...

Thanks for the response Dave

//

Bring the 24-105mm. Use that as an all around lens.
Bring the 70-300mmL - you will be shooting wildlife, whether you think you will or won't. The amount of wildlife up there is insane. Definitely bring that.
Bring the 50mm f1.4. Bring a flash if you think you need it.

I honestly think that would be a better setup. Use the 24-105/70-300 for when you are out and about, and if you want to take a cool portrait or something neat of your kids, use the 50mm f1.4.

I hope this helps!

Oh, I forgot to mention. You said your daughter has an SL1, right? You might want to bring like the 28mm, or the 100mm and let her use it, unless she already has a decent lens. That is if she is old enough for you to trust her with the lens... 

sigxbill wrote:

Dave wrote:

Only one body?

LOL! Ya - I haven't graduated into the multi-body club yet. I'm lucky I have a few decent lenses to choose from...

How about something smaller (but still high-quality) for when you're on the move?

Actually I got my daughter an SL1 that will be coming along, as well as a couple of GoPros, and our iPhones.

Maybe something that doesn't mind a little water for kayaking, near waterfalls, on glaciers, in the frequent Alaskan rains.

What's your plan for hiking, for instance? Have everyone stop periodically for photos? Zoom ahead and catch them as they pass? You may want to have guides point out particularly photogenic spots so you don't miss them. I hope you accidentally capture some scenery while you're taking family photos.

Ya, I will probably get some scenery, but I am hoping to catch family members in most of the scenery. I have been shooting SLR photos for 35 years, and I know from experience that I rarely look at my photos that don't have people in them again...

Thanks for the response Dave

Your daughter's SL1 (my daughter has one too) should work well with the 70-300 f3.5-5.6L IS for wildlife.  You will have the opportunity to teach her scenery and animal photography and have some nice bonding moments.

Dare I ask how many of your family travel pictures include Dad/the official photographer?

I'd like to hear about your Disney Alaskan experience.  We've cruised with them in the Caribbean but went the small ship route in Alaska and elsewhere.

Ed - I always look forward to your verbose advice! Thanks

James Larsen wrote:

Oh, I forgot to mention. You said your daughter has an SL1, right? You might want to bring like the 28mm, or the 100mm and let her use it, unless she already has a decent lens. That is if she is old enough for you to trust her with the lens...

She has a small light EF-S 18-55 3.5-5.6 STM for her SL1. Not the greatest lens, but good for her learning on at her 13 year old millennial responsibility level, LOL. Yes, she would take care of one of my lenses, but I have noticed in some to the discussions here that even good EF lenses resolve less than average EF-S lenses on APS-C cameras. With that in mind, is there ever any good reason to put an EF lens on an APS-C camera?

Thanks for the ideas

-bill

beagle1 wrote:

you can bring all that gear along but for just "shooting around the ship" and not wildlife then a $100 pocket camera and small pancake lens works quite well

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

I'm pretty sure that I could get a better pic of my teenagers, having a good time with me in one of the clubs, with my dslr than with a $100 pocket camera ... but if I did get a $100 pocket camera, which one would you suggest? -thanks

On cruises I bring my P&S  + 6d/24L for environmental portraits. Family pics only. Would never bring a 50 1.4.

Full disclosure: none of it belongs to me.

And this is not me.

LOL! And that won't be me either!!!!

Maybe I am just completely out of the loop, but who in the world does this guy think he is shooting for? I often wonder what is going through the minds of guy's like this. Did he think he could get 'the shot' for National Geographic from a luxury cruise liner while every other contender is actually out in the field? Does he honestly believe that his friends and family are all going to want to sit around for an hour while he forces his nature pictures from Alaska on them?

Yours are pictures I would have taken for a laugh too - nice!

sigxbill wrote:

LOL! And that won't be me either!!!!

Maybe I am just completely out of the loop, but who in the world does this guy think he is shooting for? I often wonder what is going through the minds of guy's like this. Did he think he could get 'the shot' for National Geographic from a luxury cruise liner while every other contender is actually out in the field? Does he honestly believe that his friends and family are all going to want to sit around for an hour while he forces his nature pictures from Alaska on them?

Yours are pictures I would have taken for a laugh too - nice!

That's Carsten Peter, and he does shoot for National Geographic. He was aboard the Lindblad/National Geographic Explorer (which some consider a luxury ship) in December 2013, shooting humpback whales in Antarctica's Dallman Bay. I hope you are similarly awarded in Alaska.

I'm with the OP -- the "people" pictures I took on our Alaska cruise ended up being some of my favorites. I did get some nice wildlife shots with the 70-300L (and I think you'll be glad to have yours) but despite it being mounted on a crop, it many cases it did not have enough reach. One of my favorite "wildlife" shots taken facing the wrong direction 

I've taken my family on that cruise. I do recommend the zip line excursion in Skagway. I did take my camera gear so I would take the 24-105, the 70-300 and the 28 1.8. Is your camera a crop camera? Disney does do many things right for families. You won't regret your choice in the Disney Cruise line. If you last stop is in Ketchikan , Disney offers a excursion to a fiord. Skip that one! Do something else. When you are in Vancouver , Stanley Park offers many photographic opportunities. There is an aquarium and many views of the city and the surrounding mountains. The Capilano suspension bridge is also a favorite. My family still remembers the fun and that was 5 years ago.