Whats lenses to take to Egypt?

Diverbrian wrote:

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

That works. I'll bet you will use the 12-100 90% of the time.

Also, you might want to consider upgrading your phone camera. Seriously. Regular cameras are prohibited in almost every interior space: pyramids, tombs, and museums. Phone cameras, however, are allowed everywhere. Upgrading my phone before I went to Egypt in 2020 was the best gear decision I made.  (Yes, I know this is heresy on DPR, but I would rather have a photo with my phone than no photo at all.)

Can you pay for a license for your camera?

When I first visted Egypt, I could shoot anywhere as I like.

The next time (a few years ago) I had to pay for my camera. In Jordan, camera is still free to use everywhere.

alcelc wrote:

Can you pay for a license for your camera?

Sometimes yes, although it's discouraged. More often, though, they won't allow it at all.

It's becoming more restrictive. When I visited in 2020, for example, I could take my camera inside the Egyptian Museum even though I was not allowed to take pictures. When I returned in 2022, they would not even allow me to take the camera inside. I had to check it at a kiosk outside.

I don't know what the deal is. Maybe they were having too many issues with blogger/influencers? They are ubiquitous and obnoxious.

However, they allow phone pictures anywhere.

When I first visted Egypt, I could shoot anywhere as I like.

Not so anymore.

The next time (a few years ago) I had to pay for my camera. In Jordan, camera is still free to use everywhere.

mfuhlendorf wrote:

Hey guys,

I want opinions! I'll be going to Egypt for the first time next week, and I'm super excited. I want to travel super light, as many cities are in the itinerary: Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Qena, Hurghada, Alexandria...

I will take only my GX-85 with 4 spare batteries, a mini tripods, polarizers and some lenses. I might take also my Olympus E-PM2 converted do infrared, not sure yet. My current lens list is this:

• Samyang 7.5mm f3.5 fisheye
• Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8
• Panasonic 20mm f1.7
• Olympus 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 II

I think this is your best travel kit.  I'd go with the extra reach touring some place like Egypt where there might be interesting subjects at range.  Unless you are someone who eschews long telephoto in your style or won't be outdoor.  Your other primes are too long to reliably use as an easy one lens low light solution like the 20mm that will work in tighter indoor situations.

The only other tradeoff could be the Lumix 12-32 for the 12-35mm which is maybe 2.5x the weight but your kit is small.

I would love to take lenses for all occasions but I want to carry as little as possible for maximum flexibility. Other options in the lenses I own include:

• Super wide: SLR Magic 8mm f4, Meike 6.5mm f2; Olympus 8mm f8 fisheye cap;
• Standard zooms: Panasonic 12-32mm f3.5-5.6, Olympus 14-42mm f3.5-5.6;
• Wide aperture: Olympus 25mm f1.8, Olympus 45mm f1.8, SLR Magic 12mm t1.6;
• Tele zoom: Olympus 40-150mm f4-5.6 R;
• Macro: Olympus 60mm f2.8;

So, I can't take it all. I want to have the most flexibility and lowest weight. Best cost-benefit in weight vs flexibility, I might say. I'm mostly torn between the wide aperture options, on whether to take the 75-300 or the 40-150 plastic Oly, on choosing the 7.5mm fisheye vs the 8mm rectilinear lens, and on whether taking the macro too is a good idea.

I personally prefer rectilinear but that choice is probably 90% artistic and 10% situational.

I would not take a dedicated macro unless you really like macro.  The caveat is that the lenses you chose do not have great closeup capability.  Your other lenses don't appear at first glance to offer great closeup either.  Surprisingly the 75-300 only offers 18% mag, the 12-35 offers 17% so that might become your close up lens at roughly 1/3rd macro, which is not terrible, just not great.  If you like close-ups, but not enough to take the macro lens, a macro ring or diopter is pretty light.  With the 12-35, you probably only need one ring and a quality plastic ring with contacts is good enough that weighs close to nothing.

If you have been there, what do you think? Is the 300mm necessary, or 150mm is enough for details of the huge monuments and perspective compression shots? Is the macro useful? Fisheye or extreme wide 8mm (wish I had a wide zoom, would be perfect)? Is the infrared body worth it?

Any other tips for the trip itself as a hobbyist photographer?

Cheers,

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Max M. Fuhlendorf

Wow they're getting more restrictive fast! In 2021 I had no problems whatsoever taking cameras inside the Cairo Museum, even though I had to pay a small licence fee...

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Max M. Fuhlendorf