We just booked our honeymoon to Hawaii . . .

[markubig]

going to be staying in Maui and Kuai. It's not until November (i know ... it's so darn early to be even thinking about this), but is it worth the effort (and risk) of bringing my 20D with me or would an advanced P&S (like a G-series) be a better option?


dangit!!! i wish i never sold my G3http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_sad.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_mad.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_confused.gif

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[Maureen Souza]

Mark, why bother having the camera if you aren't going to venture out with it?

I am going to Hawaii in a few weeks and the first thing I am taking is my 20D and all my gear. I am leaving Skip at home however...............

I am looking forward to having a week of peace & quiet and all the picture taking I can stand:):)

[Big_B]

Mark, why bother having the camera if you aren't going to venture out with it?

Exactly

[sdommin]

I think that sometimes we tend to get a little too hung up about photo equipment here. First of all, its your honeymoon, not a photo expedition (or maybe my idea of a honeymoon is a little out-of-date!). Secondly, you can get perfectly acceptable travel images out of a G-Series camera in Hawaii (I did it twice, and might do it again next year).

Now, having written all that, would I buy a new G-Series just for the trip if I already owned a 20D? Probably not, but I would think carefully about traveling with too much "junk". Take 1 or 2 of your favorite lenses, maybe a lightweight tripod (if you insist), and some extra memory cards or storage device. Don't take every piece of equipment you own - you'll regret the extra "baggage" and you won't use it all, anyway.

P.S. - Maui and Kauai are my favorite islands! You'll enjoy them. Have fun!

[PacAce]

Just don't take anything more than what you can hand carry on board the plane. What you don't want to do is be forced to check in your camera bag! :shock: :shock:

P.S. Just wanted to wish you an advanced congrats! :D

[markubig]

P.S. Just wanted to wish you an advanced congrats! :D thanks all!

Yes, i want to take it 'cause hawaii would provide some awesome photographs. I went to Disney and Universal earlier this year and brought my 300D along with me. i took tons of photographs but it got tiring by the end of the day and I constantly worried about it getting splashed with water. And that's my main concern going out to tropical areas . . . SAND AND WATER! Ruining the camera or getting it stolen is the last thing I want.

That's why I was thinking advanced P&S . . . so i don't have to worry about it and it would be easier to carry around and still take nice photos

Plus, i would be on my honeymoon so it would probably be good that I (at least once) pay more attention to my wife than my camera http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/tongue3.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif

[pyterps]

I agree with everyone else, take what you will use and by all means remember why you are going. I just celebrated 20 years and have loved every second of it (you notice that I said "I have...." hahahaha

[demstech]

Yep... just have fun.. i am new to the marriage scene...and i am loving it. I pray i will keep lovineg at after 20yrs....My baby is awesome though:)

[Longwatcher]

If I remember November is the "dry" season on Kauai, that is actually one of the best times to go to that island. Maui was mostly boring when I went there, if not for the whales; wrong time of year for that though.

As to camera, if you are going to bring one, bring the 20D and get some travel insurance that will cover it.

Just my opinion,

[C.S.I.]

Take it with you! Youll probably see some of the most beautiful sunsets immaginable (your wife should understand for 1 night of pics).....Id be sorry if I didnt bring mine.

If she doesnt understand, put her on here ..... Ill set her straight (Just Kidding:lol: )

Good luck on the wedding!

[Ken Fong]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and have a great time in Kauai and Maui. Use "Ultimate Kauai Guide" and "Maui Revealed" for your guidebooks. I think you will love Kauai's beauty. If you can get a marine case for the G-camera, you can take it snorkling! You might also want to look into a graduated neutral density filter for sunset shots (you might be able to hand-hold them, so a holder/adapter may not be necessary).

Here are my tips for each island (not necessarily related to photos):

MAUI:
- Haleakala crater: (technically, it is not a crater) Plan for the sunrise visit...it is very surreal and you will need to wake up early. Practice your metering beforehand, and be sure to use a hood on your lens. You have the option to go up with a mountain-biking group, but you might be rushed with your photography, so I would recommend driving up alone with your bride. Plus, you will have the option to hike into the crater (for each hour in, allow 2 hours to come back out...bring lots of water.) When leaving Haleakala, be sure to stop by the vista points...they are all great.

Hana Hwy: supposedly the lushest portion of the island. There is no real destination (some say the 7 sacred pools are the destination). It's almost a full-day commitment, and passengers can get motion sickness from the drive. If you are short on time, you can skip this commitment...you will see the same lushness on Kauai's Northshore...without the drive commitment.

Io Valley: lots of green valleys to photograph - not a big time commitment.

Costco: (near airport) be sure to check it out if you are a member...they sell 'local' things there.

KAUAI:
By far, the Northshore resembles the lush paradise you would come to expect, but it is also the wet (rainy) side...but rain also translates to dramatic waterfalls and GREEN. It usually rains overnight...daytime showers tend to be passing showers, but plan according to the local forecasts. The Northshore has dramatic scenery (mountain ridges), while the Southshore has nicer (drier) beaches.

Hanalei Valley Lookout: (across from Princeville Shopping Center, Northshore) - a perfect postcard photo place.

Waimea Canyon - jr. size Grand Canyon

Kalalau Lookout(s) - beyond Waimea Canyon, at the end of the road, there are some dramatic vistas.

Zodiac water tours - best view of the NaPali coastline is from the air. But if you are afraid of heights, water is the next best. Choose the zodiacs if you want to go into seacaves, choose catamarans for a more stable ride. Boat tours may only be offerred depending on season and weather.

"Secret Falls" hike - a kayak (guided or not) trip up the Wailua River and a short hike take you to a wonderful waterfall. Don't stand under the waterfall too long...rocks tend to come.

If you haven't been to a Luau (and you are staying on the North Shore), try the Princeville Hotel Luau...they have wonderful sunsets.

As for Kauai lodging, you can get a great deal if you use a property management group like www.kvrre.com and book late (you will be booking a property that normally would have gone unbooked if you book within 1 month of travel). As a result, you can get something like a full condominium for the price of a small hotel room....negotiate the price. In November, you might have your choice of places since it is non-peak (Thanksgiving might be the exception.)

[markubig]

Thanks for your feedback, all!

Ken Fong . . . WOW! That's the most detail yet that someone has told us about sight-seeing attractions . . . Thank you so much! It all sounds great . . . can't wait to see all this (and take pictures!) Ill be sure to drop you a PM as the date gets closer . . . seems like you've been there before http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/tongue3.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gifhttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/tongue3.gif

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[Ken Fong]

You're most welcome...I love to talk about Kauai. We had our honeymoon there also. I highly recommend the Northshore if your budget allows. My epinions reviews are here:

Kauai:
http://www.epinions.com/content_142498041476

Maui:
http://www.epinions.com/content_142581272196

Other odd pieces of trivia: between Kauai and Nihau (smaller neighboring island), there is a deep (400 ft?) underwater trough with a submarine station. Many years ago, someone blew out the power generators on the island, so the entire island was powered by a nuclear sub for some extended period. Also, there is an account that after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Nihau was temporarily taken over by a small group of Japanese pilots (or was it just one pilot?)...but they were soon asked to leave by angry locals.

[TammieO]

I would take the tripod. You can get some great shots of you and your bride together.

[Skip Souza]

There are a couple of ways to approach this.

Any excuse for new toys is always good. Either you need a new camera or new lens.
1. For a new camera the S2 IS may be just the ticket (I am a long lens guy) or a G series. They are convenient but do not have the versitle quality of a DSLR.

2. Two lenses. A relatively long compact zoom (28-300 or Dante's favorite 70-300 DO IS ) then something wider, possibly the EF-S 17-85 IS or even the kit lens. They are all decent if you use them with their limitations i.e f/8 or tighter. The IS helps with that.

Remember, the camera is something to have fun with, not be a slave to.
I truly hope that the two of you have a great time.

[markubig]

Remember, the camera is something to have fun with, not be a slave to. So are you telling me that I need to stop taking my 20D into bed with us?

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[Skip Souza]

Well, ... if you're having fun with it, ........... way to much information :-) :-)

[Citizensmith]

I went to Hawaii on my honey moon (7 years and two kids ago). All I took wasa decent P&S and I have no regrets about doing so. I wasn't intending to take the time with photos to get much benefit from an SLR. We were there to have fun, take a few memory shots, and that was it. At times like that I'd much prefer an easy to carry P&S than bringing a kit along with me. Too much extra hassle.

I've an S70 as my P&S and I can definitely recommend it. Very nice little camera.

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

TAKE THE BIG CAMERA AND ALL THE LENS YOU CAN CARRY!!!!!!!!

Sorry about yelling:lol:

But really, I've been to the islands twice, and I can never take enough equipment. Been to The Big Island twice, Maui and Kauai. Favorites are the Big Island (Kona) and Kauai.

Hint for great viewing, go to the spots on the rental car map that they say you cannot go to!

I'll do some digging for names and PM you with some suggestions, don't have access to them right now. (One beach in particular was 5 mile so white sand, huge waves and only 10 people on the beach!)

Seriously, if you don't take the good stuff, you'll regret it. Walk around lens, wide angle and a good distance lens. Zooms would be a good choice. Monopod for stability and transport.

Prepare for a great trip.

And planning now for November aint so bad, we booked for next Jan and Feb, in Feb! Jan 21 - Feb 11 Big Island and Kauai.