Going to Mexico..need advice

[Alexsi]

hello everyone,
I will be going to Mayan Riviera in Mexico.
I am taking with me my XSI kit. Thinkng of buying an extra lense. maybe a 1.6 50mm.
Can you guys give me some advice on camera settings to use?

[cbouchez]

Well, from my experience in Mexico City with the pyramids a wide angle was really nice to have. I only had a fish eye at that time but it did the job…

About the settings well I think a polarizer filter would be nice. You will be shooting landscaping mostly right?

The 50mm is going to work really nice and it is quick compared with the rest of your gear. Bring a lot of memory cards trust me I think I did about 500 pics that day…


My overall thoughts get a wider angle lens.

[Alexsi]

Yes, landscaping, beaches, my wife (you know), etc.
Assuming its going to be nice and sunny, what about ISO settings, aperture, shutter speeds? thanks and sorry for the noob questions.

[justin240]

well settings depend on many variables and what you are trying to achieve with each photo. Low aperture value for portraits, and higher for landscapes is a very general rule. I wouldn't bother with 50mm as you already have that covered with kit, unless you are interested in low light head shots. Find what focal lengths work best for you with your kit lens. Buy a prime based on that.

I have been thinking about Sigma 30mm1.4 lately

edit: Keep your ISO below 800 preferably with the XSi. Higher ISO's for low light and/or moving subjects. If you are a newbie perhaps stick to focal length x 2 = shutter speed. Ex. focal length 50mm, shutter speed 1/100s to avoid camera shake.

[oldtimingman]

Al - It was 2 consecutive trips to Cancun and the Riviera that got me into dslr's from point and shoots. And of course I haven't been back since. I look back at my photo's from the trip and decided my P&S didn't do half bad. Judging from your questions about manual settings here's something to consider. The most important thing should be to capture good photos of the important moments so 30 years from now you can prove to your grandkids that you weren't born old. These modern dslr's can take pretty good shots in P mode (you set the iso, the camera sets aperture and shutter)) and also creates a raw file for more advanced editing. Come the time when you can pick up your camera and the settings you need are already in your mind, by all means go to manual or aperture/shutter priority and never look back. The more control the better. But job #1 is get the shot, especially if movement is envolved. Landscape allows you time to experiment and you should but maybe not on vacation. Just an opinion.
If I were to add a lens to your kit for travel it would definatly be an ultra wide 10-22 range. Also things to do/remember:

- bring $$
- bring lots of sun screen
- go light on long pants and shirts with sleeves
- see the Ruins
- go snorkeling in the caves/cenotes
- slowdown,relax lay on the beach and read a book
- visit the native Maya in Coba, bring gifts for the kids
- remind your wife how lucky she is
- bring $$

.............old

[Alexsi]

^^ heh thanks for the advice...Ill make sure I do that

yes, as a newbie, my concern is too light or too dark photos. which is why I ask what settings to use.
Having a DSLR for me, means no to shoot in auto unless you really need to or unless you are shooting something you dont care about so much, etc.

[halitime]

The XSi manual is really good and take as many practice shots as you can.

[bps]

Alexsi,

Welcome! Camera settings are completely dependent on the conditions, your gear, and what you are artistically trying to create. There is no way any of us can give you advice unless it is for a very specific situation.

Your first stop should be learning about ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. There are some great resources available online and in books. A favorite amongst many POTN members (myself included) is "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. Amazon is a great place to buy this book. I highly recommend it as it will give you a much better understanding of the fundamentals.

Bryan

[nprdavid]

practice

don't forget a tripod

if all you have is the 50 then you could practice stitching the photos together for pano shots.

don't know how often you would be able to get there but you may want to pick up a WA lense because some places won't provide much room for the 50 to take landscape. Take a look at the sigma 10-20

+1 for a good polarizer

edit..
forgot to mention, if you are near cancun on Thursday, they used to have the bull fights

[jrm27]

I took mine down there last year and had a blast shooting. Everything was shot manual, so I wish I could recommend a setting. I got my 50mm 1.8 the day before we left, so it was a fun learning trip for the lens. I actually wish I would have brought a small tripod. That would have enabled more fun... But the faster aperture of the 50 was nice to have.

Here's some of the shots from the trip. All done with either the kit or the nifty 50:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrmelot/sets/72157609220588715/

[Alexsi]

jrm 27 >> I took a look at your photos, very nice

Would you say f1.4 50mm is worth the money over f1.8 50mm

[jrm27]

Thanks Alexsi! I can't chime in on the 1.4 vs 1.8 as I only have used the 1.8. Hopefully someone else can!