Whats lenses to take to Egypt?

Been there many times, ditch the 75-300.  Take the 40-150.  When you get back home, be sure to send your bodies in to be cleaned.  Sand will get everywhere.

Buke

maggiemole wrote:

alcelc wrote:

So, you can take a photo with phone camera but a proper camera (no matter of its size and form) been disallowed?

I suspect it stems from copyright rules. There used to be a belief that a phone could not take an image worthy of large scale printing, so phones were not a threat. One day they too will probably be banned.

Probably true, the rules are outdated. I have newer Samsung with high MP which I used inside. Sometimes I used "night mode", usually not.

Especially liked using the wide-angle lens on it, instead of switching lenses on my Sony body (when it was available).

I used a Sony A7R3 and 24-105mm for shots outside and in temples. A wider lens would be good to have at times.

In Valleys of kings/queens/artisans, no "Cameras" inside the tombs, but good to have camera for outside. We always had a guide I was able to leave my camera bag with.

I really don't know why people want to take their life in their hands going to backword countries like Egypt and Turkey, might as well go to Afghanistan while you are at it.  Good luck, and if you get into trouble from a scam or otherwise, don't say you weren't warned.

Yes, that was EXACTLY my experience. I never felt unsafe anywhere after the airport scam, but it is REALLY hard to remain calm at times.

Still, totally worth it.

Henry Richardson wrote:

Hope your gear worked out okay for you!

It did! Thanks for all the tips; the only thing I'd change is leaving the 75-300mm II behind, it is a great lens but heavy and it was barely used. The 12-35mm Panny was a workhorse, loved it!

I still, half an year later, haven't been able to properly sort thru and edit the raw pictures I took in May in Egypt. After I came back remote work was hectic and I had to save all pictures in external HDs, so I don't have instant access to them. But I promise I'll come back to this thread when I get the time to do that later this year, and post the best ones.

___________________________
Max M. Fuhlendorf

Searching wrote:

I really don't know why people want to take their life in their hands going to backword countries like Egypt and Turkey, might as well go to Afghanistan while you are at it. Good luck, and if you get into trouble from a scam or otherwise, don't say you weren't warned.

Some people aren't so fearful. Most people can spell "backward".

Searching wrote:

I really don't know why people want to take their life in their hands going to backword countries like Egypt and Turkey, might as well go to Afghanistan while you are at it. Good luck, and if you get into trouble from a scam or otherwise, don't say you weren't warned.

What an ignorant troll. Comment has nothing to do with photography.

And maybe if you are not backword (sic), you would understand more about other countries' culture and history.

Your comment is rude an has nothing go do with photography either.

Searching wrote:

I really don't know why people want to take their life in their hands going to backword countries like Egypt and Turkey, might as well go to Afghanistan while you are at it. Good luck, and if you get into trouble from a scam or otherwise, don't say you weren't warned.

Searching wrote:

Your comment is rude an has nothing go do with photography either.

I agree. Your reply to Searching's comment that Searching was rude is accurate. Perhaps, along with DOOM, we can help Searching learn how inconsiderate it is to insult entire countries, their peoples, and cultures - no matter how arrogant one might feel inside.

Bassam Guy wrote:

Searching wrote:

I really don't know why people want to take their life in their hands going to backword countries like Egypt and Turkey, might as well go to Afghanistan while you are at it. Good luck, and if you get into trouble from a scam or otherwise, don't say you weren't warned.

Searching wrote:

Your comment is rude an has nothing go do with photography either.

I agree. Your reply to Searching's comment that Searching was rude is accurate. Perhaps, along with DOOM, we can help Searching learn how inconsiderate it is to insult entire countries, their peoples, and cultures - no matter how arrogant one might feel inside.

Searching's comments expose a rather restricted FOV. No bright, fast wide angles there. Very small low-res sensor, too. Bumping up ISO won't help. Just lots of noise...

Searching wrote:

I really don't know why people want to take their life in their hands going to backword countries like Egypt and Turkey, might as well go to Afghanistan while you are at it. Good luck, and if you get into trouble from a scam or otherwise, don't say you weren't warned.

Hello

First...I believe "backward" is the word you were trying to use in order to insult other cultures/places/people. Clearly a superior education on display....or backward?

Second I spent 15 months in Afghanistan 2015-2016. I really doubt you know much about the place or people aside from watching a Rambo film?

Third to casually dismiss Egypt and Turkey as "backward" simply displays your lack of understanding and experience and are just commenting to what...amuse yourself?

Turkey is an amazing place with kind proud people, great food, ancient history, and insanely beautiful beaches. I have spent weeks traveling there and will continue to do so. Istanbul is easily among the most fascinating and photogenic destinations imaginable. They have some issues but backward is not one of them being a relatively independent industrial powerhouse.

As for Egypt....5000 years of recorded history, more kind people than you will ever know, beautiful beaches and landscapes, and safe. I never once felt concerned and I lived in Cairo for two years. Yes it remains a developing country and what seems alien and backward to you is simply a country struggling to emerge and reconcile with itself. This is never easy.

As for you "Searching"....might I suggest you search for actual knowledge and learn something versus spewing garbage to no particular end.

There sure are some very clever people visiting here with nothing much to do.

Searching wrote:

I really don't know why people want to take their life in their hands going to backword countries like Egypt and Turkey, might as well go to Afghanistan while you are at it. Good luck, and if you get into trouble from a scam or otherwise, don't say you weren't warned.

Waouh bigotry in full effect

what a narrow-minded and ignorant comment. 

I really do not understand why some people felt the need to defend such display of bigotry 

Searching wrote:

I really don't know why people want to take their life in their hands going to backword countries like Egypt and Turkey, might as well go to Afghanistan while you are at it. Good luck, and if you get into trouble from a scam or otherwise, don't say you weren't warned.

Do you actually possess a passport?

I’m not a fan of Turkey’s president, but Istanbul is one of the most photogenic cities I have been to.

Searching wrote:

There sure are some very clever people visiting here with nothing much to do.

Or maybe some extremely clever people from or who respect "backwords" countries.

Henry Richardson wrote:

I have the 75-300mm II also, but I never take it when I travel.

Yeah, I'm sticking to that advice in future trips. It is a lovely lens but it is very rare to need 150mm+ on walkabouts, and the 40-150R is so tiny and good, it's going on all future trips instead hehe.

Looking forward to seeing some of your Egypt photos!

Cross my heart I'll get around to it and post the best ones here. Ihaven't before because I had to change computers and the pictures are spread in two disks, I have to get around to organizing and rebuilding my lightroom catalog. But it will get done!

Cheers,
___________________________
Max M. Fuhlendorf

Diverbrian wrote:

I would also consider just taking the 8mm and the 12-100mm and leaving the rest behind as well.

I'd definitely go this route. I ended up with 98% of photos taken with the 12-35mm 2.8 Panaleica. You won't have as long as you think to photograph in many sites, guides always rush and/or pester you to go faster, and changing lenses is not always practical. I took many lenses and mostly just carried them around... IMHO the 12-100mm plus a fisheye would serve you perfectly

___________________________
Max M. Fuhlendorf

Not sure how physically fit you are.

In case of me (mid 60s, overweight, leg problem etc), visiting all of those monuments in Egypt under the baking sun, specially inside Valley of Kings or the 5 hours walking up and down Petra (I was there in June 2019, temperature raised from 30C at start in early morning to 37C when out from the site in mid day) was no joke at all.

My gear at that time (GX7, 12-35 f/2.8, 7-14 f/4, 45-150 f/4-5.6) was only 1.2Kg, plus water, refreshment, accessories etc were the maximum I could carry while I was still manage to enjoy the journey and satisfy my shooting desire.

If I do it again today with my main camera G85 (nearly 100g heavier than GX7), I might leave 12-35 (305g) in hotel and take the 12-32 (70g) instead to save 20% of total weight of my gear for those long foot journeys.

If I have to track through the Wadi Rum, likely I would leave 7-14 f/4 back at hotel...

In those desert areas, we have too much light and the speed of lens is not important at all. We of course would benefit from the fast speed lens inside tombs/museums of Egypt but wide angle could be more useful than tele lens there. Unless you would expect a lot of BIF or wild life shooting opportunity (see nothing during my trip in Egypt or Holy Land), I might rather replace the heavy f/2.8 tele by a smaller 40-150 or 45-150 as a lens in case if needed. To carry less would always benefit movability IMHO.

If I am you I shall carry 12-40 f/2.8 plus 40-150 instead of 12-100 f/4. Reasons: 12-40 + 40-150 = 572g vs 12-100 = 561g.

To have 2 lenses means you can spread the weight (either 12-40 or 40-150 on your camera when the other will be inside your bag), faster speed when need on the short end.

To the extreme, I shall carry 25 f/1.8 (or the 20 f/1.7? or just skip it if you feel f/4 would be fast enough for the indoor shooting), 12-45 f/4 & 40-150.

My 2 cents.