Scotland in October / X100V / XT4+18mm and?

Fixing to go to Scotland in October for my mothers 80th birthday. We will be there for 14 days. Can anyone share  and recommend some “Must See and Photograph” sites? It will be our first time in that country and we are booking for the tail end of the trip a light house in the northern most part where you can see the Aurora at night. We will probably end up flying into Edinburgh or Glass glow. So any advice that anyone can kindly share I would for ever be great full.

also wondering if my 18mm is wide enough for the landscapes or if I should in get something a little wider. I had a 16mm F2.8 but sold it.  Not looking for anything that is super fancy and expensive. I like to travel light and will be taking my X100V and my XT4 with the 18mm

thinking about investing in a drone for some aerial shots. Thoughts?

I’d recommend Dougie Cunningham’s Photographing Scotland: The Most Beautiful Places to Visit as a great book for inspiration:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Photographing-Scotland-photo-location-visitor-guidebook/dp/0992905176

I’d also be tempted to take a telephoto if you can, there could be lots of opportunities to pick out details in the mountains and hills.

Personally, I think the difference between 18 and 23 is too small to be useful. I'd prefer to take a 14 or 16 instead of the 18.

Hi,

I'll let you do your own research on Scotland.   Great and historic country.  There are wonderful images wherever you turn.

As far as lenses are concerned, it's personal. Your gear list seems to indicate that you've ditched your small portable primes in favor of big fast primes.  Since you already have the fast 18, 33 and 56 in your kit as your preferred lenses (and with the 90/2 being a bit more specialized) why not just take the trio and be done worrying about it?  The only thing I'd add would be a telephoto zoom for longer reach.

I like a small light kit for travel.  Less is more, etc...  I've sold my fast lenses and kept all the small ones - the stuff you've sold off.....:-)  Different folks......etc.

Cheers, Rod

Falls of Clyde if it has been wet.  The road across Rannoch Moor and Glencoe.  Two that stand out for me.

Travelling light I'd just take the 23mm in the X100.  It is a good lens and if not wide enough you can stitch frames but you do need to practice first.

I've always hankered after a really good drone but that doesn't really add up to travelling light.  You also need a CAA licence I think.

six 24mm X-T2 frames stitched.  Rannoch.  Hand held.

For locations: pretty much anywhere on the west coast.  The Isle of Skye (the Quiraing, the Storr, Glen Brittle,  the Cuillins).

Take a good raincoat.

Last October I went to Scotland around Aviemore. It was with my company, so there were some private events involved. Outside these obligatory activities there was plenty of opportunity to see things for fun, e.g. Inverness, Loch Ness and Urquhart castle, Cairngorms, Loch Morlich.

Due to tight schedules I mostly used my 16-80 as walkaround lens. Some indoor and late night i used my 35/1.4 and 56/1.2, but only a couple.

Most surprising though was the hike into the Cairngorm mountains I did one morning. I thought that I would be using my UWA a lot, but to my great surprise I shot a great deal with my 50-140. There was so much to see that 50mm felt like a wide angle.

Here is a link to my album with the public photos

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAhMVr

Hope it helps

That was all great feedback. I truly appreciate everyones tips & tricks. I hope we manage to get some good days in October. We just finalized the cabin that we will be staying at in the city of Sligachan. It looks to be a center point to many wonderful sites in the isle of Skye.

My X100V will by on me at all times in a water resistant sling from Wandrd. I just picked it up and seems nice and compact and small. Its a 3L but feel I should have gotten the 6L instead.

Im Taking my XT4 with the 18mm F1.4.

If I'm to take a second lens for the XT4 which one do you thing would be better in the city?

1. The 33mm F1.4
2. The Sigma 56mm F1.4
3. The 90mm F2
4. Alternately leave the X100V at home and just leverage the XT4 with the 3 lens options I mentioned above.
5. Impulse Option: Purchase a 23mm F.14 lens to use on the XT4 and entirely leave the X100V back in the states

Im an amateur and I can't even begin to think what it's like for a Pro having to decide daily what gear to take.

Decent boots and waterproofs.  Good map.  All the good pictures of the Quirang are taken from higher up.

This was summer 1974, taken on cheap film and through a cheap lens.

Cossio wrote:

My X100V will by on me at all times in a water resistant sling from Wandrd. I just picked it up and seems nice and compact and small. Its a 3L but feel I should have gotten the 6L instead.

Im Taking my XT4 with the 18mm F1.4.

If I'm to take a second lens for the XT4 which one do you thing would be better in the city?

1. The 33mm F1.4
2. The Sigma 56mm F1.4
3. The 90mm F2
4. Alternately leave the X100V at home and just leverage the XT4 with the 3 lens options I mentioned above.
5. Impulse Option: Purchase a 23mm F.14 lens to use on the XT4 and entirely leave the X100V back in the states

Im an amateur and I can't even begin to think what it's like for a Pro having to decide daily what gear to take.

Given that you’ve not listed any ultrawide options, and only one telephoto, I’d put another option on the table…

6. Get the two converter lenses and take just the X100V

It’s a perfect city camera and the wide converter will cover the 18mm you’re planning to take. And a 3L sling should be more than enough 🙂

Cossio wrote:

Fixing to go to Scotland in October for my mothers 80th birthday. We will be there for 14 days. Can anyone share and recommend some “Must See and Photograph” sites? It will be our first time in that country and we are booking for the tail end of the trip a light house in the northern most part where you can see the Aurora at night. We will probably end up flying into Edinburgh or Glass glow. So any advice that anyone can kindly share I would for ever be great full.

also wondering if my 18mm is wide enough for the landscapes or if I should in get something a little wider. I had a 16mm F2.8 but sold it. Not looking for anything that is super fancy and expensive. I like to travel light and will be taking my X100V and my XT4 with the 18mm

thinking about investing in a drone for some aerial shots. Thoughts?

The October weather in Scotland is unpredictable. It can be moody and magnificent or just plain wet with low cloud. I am not a drone user but my opinion is there is enough to enjoy in the more rugged and wild parts of Scotland on a first trip from ground level (low or high). Enjoy the views through your lens and with your eyes would be my advice.

BTW when I was last on Skye in October the cloud was so low it wasn’t possible to see the Cuillin Hills and the best option was a visit to the distillery. I had better weather in other places tho’ including a memorable walk up Glen Mullardoch.

Watch out for possible road closures in very wet weather, especially the A83 Rest and Be Thankful route. Have a wonderful trip.

"especially the A83 Rest and Be Thankful route."

A good point, it seems to spend as long shut as open at times.

a_c_skinner wrote:

"especially the A83 Rest and Be Thankful route."

A good point, it seems to spend as long shut as open at times.

Maybe worth emphasising the frequent winter closures are due to landslides rather than flooding. Fabulous route though.
I’ve long thought it would be fun to be ‘caught’ in the alternative convoys along the old military road, but last time we were heading back that way in our motorhome was warned that the waits can be very long so we took the alternative to Dunoon and Clyde ferry instead.

I highly recommend checking out the Isle of Mull, and the village of Plockton area on the west coast. Consider a wide lens and a medium telephoto - perhaps renting the 10-24 WR and the 70-300 WR. Oban is a major western ferry terminal with multiple islands accessible from there. Scotland especially on the west coast will absolutely require WR lenses :-).

Here are a few shots.

Plockton harbor

Edinburgh castle

PS. Edinburg is a street shooters delight!

Caledonian Canal