Second guessing my trip gear…

[UncleVanya]

By the time most of you read this it will be too late and I will have picked my gear. But it’s always interesting to see what people say.

I am headed to the NC coast on the outer banks. I’m traveling with my wife who is reasonably tolerant of photo activity but not “indulgently tolerant”. We have a little dog with us also.

I shoot mostly non-moving subjects but an occasional animal and a few people creep in also. I like both wide and tele shots of objects and places.

The last time I was in the outer banks I took:
a7r iii
FE 20-70
Samyang 24/1.8
Tamron 70-300 RXD
iPhone

Here’s a sample of some shots from that trip: https://www.flickr.com/gp/129729978@N02/0J4394a3fk

I am debating what to take this time. The 70-300 proved useful much more often than expected. Often at 280mm+, the 20-70 was also quite useful giving me 20mm in places like Jockeyes ridge where lens changes aren’t advised. The 24mm I used once or twice at night which is why I took it.

Since the trip I have acquired an a7RV and I own the Viltrox 16/1.8. My dilemma is this: which body plus what group of lenses?

Bear in mind that unlike my friend in these shots my wife isn’t able to trek for several miles on the dunes. She will walk with me but not logging the 6+ miles a day I did last time. I’m unlikely to need quite the same loadout.

Below are all the lenses and bodies I have thought of taking:

Bodies:
A6600
A6300 800nm infrared
A7riii (tried and true my most familiar camera)
A7RV (relatively new to me but acclimation is working well)

Lenses:
Apsc only:
Samyang 12mm f2 NCS MF
E 20/2.8 plus wide adapter (16/2.8 effectively when desired)

FF primes:
Viltrox 16/1.8
Samyang 24/1.8
FE 28/2
Meike 50/1.8

FF zooms:
FE 20-70/4
ZA 24-70/4
FE 24-105/4
FE 70-200/4 G II Macro
Tamron 70-300 RXD

I also have a very capable RX100 VI.

Packed at the moment:
A7RV
SY 24/1.8
FE 28-60
TAM 70-300

This is a lighter kit than last time but omits the 20-23mm the last kit offered and is limited to 28-60 without a lens swap. The a7riii is lighter still but my new toy is really calling to me.

Second thoughts:
I wonder if I will take the 20-70 ultimately. Or if I’ll ditch the long lens and take the 24-105 as the only zoom lens. Will I reconsider taking the Viltrox 16? Will I just take the RX100? Will I take my lovely G II macro?

What would you take if you limited yourself to just what I own?

BTW - I also have many Pentax lenses and an adapter to make them work fully automatic including autofocus but I’m reluctant to do that on this trip. A lack of weather resistance seems a fools errand.

 

[Craig Gillette]

What are you afraid you're going to miss out on? Pick a body and three lenses and it will all work out.

 

[AeroPhotographer]

I'm probably not the first person to say this. But I think you would have a more enjoyable trip with less gear, make that a lot less. I enjoyed your flickr gallery and kept thinking how you could have shot that nice gallery with 2 or 3 lenses, and enjoyed yourself more. Anyway, I wish you good weather and a great outing.

Alan

 

[ahaslett]

I’d take the A7Rv because it has better IBIS and sensor cleaning.

The 20-70/4 and 70-300mm served you well before and are the obvious two lenses unless you plan on Astro. If you want people shots in the evenings, take the Meike 50/1.8 but don’t carry it unless it’s your only lens.

I don’t have an A7RV - too heavy! I’d take my A7CR, 20-70/4 and 100mm T2.3. For wildlife, I’d take an OM1 plus 40-150/2.8 and MC14 to save lens changes. I might consider something more tele.

My bag options would be important to the exact choices. On the whole, I prefer holding one body at a time, and top access.

My wife and yours have the same requirements!

Andrew

--
Infinite are the arguments of mages. Truth is a jewel with many facets. Ursula K LeGuin
Please feel free to edit any images that I post

 

[georgehakim]

Packed at the moment:

A7RV
SY 24/1.8
FE 28-60
TAM 70-300

This packed selection is fine, but I would recommend the Sony 20-70 f/4 instead of the FE 28-60.

 

[UncleVanya]

I'm probably not the first person to say this. But I think you would have a more enjoyable trip with less gear, make that a lot less. I enjoyed your flickr gallery and kept thinking how you could have shot that nice gallery with 2 or 3 lenses, and enjoyed yourself more. Anyway, I wish you good weather and a great outing.

Alan

I’m not sure I follow that, the trip gallery I posted used only three lenses. 20-70, 24, 70-300.

I know I posted loads of gear, that was mostly to setup what might go. The only multiple body option would be if I took the infrared body. This seems unlikely.

 

[UncleVanya]

Packed at the moment:

A7RV
SY 24/1.8
FE 28-60
TAM 70-300

This packed selection is fine, but I would recommend the Sony 20-70 f/4 instead of the FE 28-60.

 

[UncleVanya]

I’d take the A7Rv because it has better IBIS and sensor cleaning.

I agree. It’s also my newer toy.

The 20-70/4 and 70-300mm served you well before and are the obvious two lenses unless you plan on Astro.

i would like a bit of Astro but it seems unlikely to be a goal to keep with my wife along.

If you want people shots in the evenings, take the Meike 50/1.8 but don’t carry it unless it’s your only lens.

This time of year people shots would be very limited once the sun goes down. I’m also not in love with that lens.

I don’t have an A7RV - too heavy! I’d take my A7CR, 20-70/4 and 100mm T2.3. For wildlife, I’d take an OM1 plus 40-150/2.8 and MC14 to save lens changes. I might consider something more tele.

I’d prefer to stick to one system lol. My dad lives too far from me for me to go get his OM-1. I do have a Sony FE 85/1.8 I could swap in for the 70-300. It would save a small amount of weight but it feels too short based on the last trip.

This trip I might go to pea island wildlife reserve and see some birds also.

My bag options would be important to the exact choices. On the whole, I prefer holding one body at a time, and top access.

Indeed. I am trying to decide exact bag. Right now it’s a small backpack, but my sling is more useful.

My wife and yours have the same requirements!

lol.

 

[UncleVanya]

What are you afraid you're going to miss out on? Pick a body and three lenses and it will all work out.

Roger that. It’s a 6-7 hour drive and there’s not a lot of times I have this length of time with little agenda.

Places on the possible list:

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge - birds. Not a huge problem if I don’t get stunning images.

Jockey’s Ridge State Park - a basic shot or two may suffice. There’s a wildlife trail I’ve never done that might work for a different less wide set of shots.

Cordova - wild horses - this is where the tele option really is needed. There are rules about how close you can get even if they let you closer than that.

Lighthouses - last time 20mm end of 20-70 was uninspiring - not because the focal length is terrible but the settings didn’t gel for me. The 16 might be worse or better.

I know I’m over thinking this. I’m just trying to organize my decision process.

 

[wheresrunnicles]

Packed at the moment:

A7RV
SY 24/1.8
FE 28-60
TAM 70-300

This packed selection is fine, but I would recommend the Sony 20-70 f/4 instead of the FE 28-60.

That’s on my mind also. I have another two hours or so before I leave. I’m still debating. The 20-70 gives a lot of flexibility I agree. But the results from the 28-60 are excellent and it is smaller/lighter.

I’ll look at bag options before I finalize the decision.

It really depends how much you need 20-27. For landscape I can do without so I’d happily take the weight saving on this sort of trip. Plus you’ll have the 24, so it’s only really 20mm you’d be missing. My solution would be to bring the 21/3.5 but that’s no help to you.

For what it’s worth I always find could get away with one or two fewer lenses than I bring, so think you’ll likely be fine with just the zooms. Important thing is to enjoy your trip.

 

[Craig Gillette]

I just added a 20-70/4 and it's maybe going to shake up my general approach. I'd have taken it instead of the 28-60 because it's "new" to me and adds range. Bu this sounds like an outdoors/nature sort of venture, perhaps more than landscape, and that sounds like the 70-300 may get a lot of the use and the mid-range or 24 are secondary?

With a 70-300 and the like, I don't find the A7Rv too heavy. I've got an A7Riv and it's fine when using somewhat larger lenses. If was considering a mostly urban trip with limited "need" for a long lens, then an A7CR (which I don't have) might be nice with a mid-range.

 

[ahaslett]

I’d take the A7Rv because it has better IBIS and sensor cleaning.

I agree. It’s also my newer toy.

The 20-70/4 and 70-300mm served you well before and are the obvious two lenses unless you plan on Astro.

i would like a bit of Astro but it seems unlikely to be a goal to keep with my wife along.

If you want people shots in the evenings, take the Meike 50/1.8 but don’t carry it unless it’s your only lens.

This time of year people shots would be very limited once the sun goes down. I’m also not in love with that lens.

I don’t have an A7RV - too heavy! I’d take my A7CR, 20-70/4 and 100mm T2.3. For wildlife, I’d take an OM1 plus 40-150/2.8 and MC14 to save lens changes. I might consider something more tele.

I’d prefer to stick to one system lol. My dad lives too far from me for me to go get his OM-1. I do have a Sony FE 85/1.8 I could swap in for the 70-300. It would save a small amount of weight but it feels too short based on the last trip.

This trip I might go to pea island wildlife reserve and see some birds also.

My bag options would be important to the exact choices. On the whole, I prefer holding one body at a time, and top access.

Indeed. I am trying to decide exact bag. Right now it’s a small backpack, but my sling is more useful.

My wife and yours have the same requirements!

lol.

Picking up your comment on lighthouses. 16mm creates too much perspective distortion IMHO, unless the lighthouse is background to a foreground anchor subject. Also hard to compose with a companion urging progress.

A

 

[dcstep]

You're out of your mind. Take the RV, the 20-70mm and the 70-300mm and throw in an APS-C in case the FF breaks.

 

[UncleVanya]

I took the 20-70/70-300/24. So far so good.

 

[UncleVanya]

We arrived late in the day. a couple of quick afterglow shots were all I thought I’d be getting today. But I was lucky, Orion was setting being the hotel and dunes when viewed from the beach. Light pollution is strong, but shooting low allowed the dives to shade the camera and the bright moon illuminated the foreground.
Many images will require a bit more editing this is just a Quick Look.


I plan to work on the raw weekend I get home on files like this.

 

[AeroPhotographer]

Try more exposure on Orion. The Orion nebula will appear as a beautiful red cloud in Orion's sword. It will help to use a longer focal length too. Post it here.

 

[i8z]

A7RV and the 28 prime.

 

[ray_burnimage]

I took the 20-70/70-300/24. So far so good.

Sounds like a solid choice from your initial potential choices and stated genres.

The core of my travel kit is now standardised on 2 lenses. 20-70mm f4 and a fast prime for low light. In my case that’s most often 35mm 1.4 GM.

I add a third lens to my travel bag if needed.

 

[Joe Lynch]

I took the 20-70/70-300/24. So far so good.

Perfect! Have a great trip.

Joe L

 

[UncleVanya]

Try more exposure on Orion. The Orion nebula will appear as a beautiful red cloud in Orion's sword. It will help to use a longer focal length too. Post it here.

If there is a good opportunity I will do so at some point. But this was intentionally a landscape shot primarily, astro is only a piece of it. I will also try some stacking later. The only telezoom I have with me is f4.5 - f6.3 (Tamron 70-300) or f4 (20-70). At home I have a 200mm f2.8 and a 300mm f4.5 prime but terrible light pollution and no views of the sky other than well above the horizon.