So I'm going to NY...

Wow, thanks a lot for all the replies!

So I'm going to have a look at the prices for the 17-40L. They vary quite a bit. Or maybe try to pick up a good second hand one. My tickets to NY were 200€ more expensive then I expected, so I'll try to find a good deal. I have quite a large shopping list (eg Pelican 1514, which is around 200$ cheaper in NY than in Belgium), so I'll have to watch my budget for the next months

pbelarge wrote in post #11638410
1. How long will you be in NY?
2. What have you thought that you may take photos of?
3. Do you plan on visiting any of the museums?

We booked a hotel for 4 nights, but we arrive in the morning and leave in the evening. So 5 days alltogether.
Besides the 'regular' tourist shots, maybe some architecture and street photography. I'm not going to do fashion photography or wildlife, so my reflectors and camouflage gear can stay at home .
I read a bit about the Guggenheim and museum of modern arts, but we'll have a lot of reading to do before we get there. I'll be there from 24 till 28 March, so I'm hoping for dry and warm weather .

Is B&H or Adorama worth paying a visit?

Cpt.Vanquisher wrote in post #11638450
Is B&H or Adorama worth paying a visit?

I shop at Adorama, but B&H is more of a place to behold - it's larger and there's something fun about all of the gear riding the roller coaster above your head (they get stuff to the pick-up area with a series of belts/lifts/rollers).

Listen to WhyFi and leave any paranoia at home. NYC is the "world's city" for a reason: enjoy as much of it as you can while you're there. Comfortable shoes are essential: it's a walking town. Sleep when you get back home.

And DEFINITELY shop Adorama, B&H, etc. They not only have great prices but also have GREAT specials and close-outs. And they WILL bargain (if you know how). Those and many other camera stores are owned by orthodox and Hasidic Jews who observe Saturday as their Sabbath, so they're closed on that day (and from Friday, sundown). Plan accordingly.

Enjoy your trip! Ask the locals for help, directions, etc. Carry some cards with your email address: you're going to make some wonderful friends you can stay in touch with forever!

Do not listen to information center people, they told us we should see the guggenheim museum while we were in town for the day.. after a couple subways and a long walk we were finally there.. infront of a closed guggenheim! Its closed on thursdays, jackasses.

Map out the busses, theyre more useful than subways imo!
Go to brooklyn for a pic of manhattan

Dont mean to threadjack, but would you recommend buying a small/cheap tripod at B&H or adorama? And any tips on how to bargain with them?

The area of Adorama is more photogenic. But yes Dumbo is worth a visit shooting into lower manhattan.

The 17-40 alone should be enough for NYC. (it is for me anyway).

Leave the 28-70 at home and bring a tripod instead. The city is gorgeous at night.

Can't offer any bargaining tips on a short thread like this. It's an art. Most cultures around the world are "bargainers." Americans? Not so much. If you don't already know how to bargain (there are books on it), I wouldn't suggest pushing it. You'll instantly be spotted as a "rube."

I WOULD try some variation of the following. It can't hurt and it will probably help a little. Once you've shown genuine interest in an item, asked questions, obviously are thinking about purchasing it, etc., and they give you a price, try something like (speaking to the salesman confidentially), "Look. I've saved everything for this trip and hadn't planned on spending on something like this, but . . . is that the best you can really do?" Then, if they come back with an offer you like better, think about it briefly (they may come down a little more), thank them appreciatively and buy it.

Either way, you'll get great values at trusted NYC camera stores like Adorama and B&H.

Good luck!

not to much room to bargain At adorama or bh, they already have excellent prices. But it may not hurt to try, you might save couple of dollars,

I take photo trips to NYC once or twice each year - normally spring and fall. I couldn't imagine going without all my gear.

I don't have a ton of stuff, but I sure use it all; 17-40, 24-105, 70-200, 85 1.8 are the most used.

Unless it's a total burden on you, I would never go all the way across the Atlantic to a great destination like New York and leave half my stuff at home. That doesn't make sense to me at all.

With that said, if ALL you ever take are wide shots then adding a 17-40 to your 28-70 would sufice. The skyline shots from DUMBO (or from New Jersey) are generally wide, but there's plenty to zoom in on as well.

Just how I'd approach it...

It's a great city - you'll have a great time!

Go UWA - I used my 11-16 90% of the time, very few shots with 24-70. Visit Adorama and BH - it's a must. Take a look at Benro Tripod - Travel Angel. Remember Adorama and BH close early Friday and stay closed Saturday.
Be prepared to walk for hours, up to 10 miles a day. buy a 7-days unlimited http://www.mta.info/me​trocard/mcgtreng.htm#7​day
download http://itunes.apple.co​m …map-lite/id310459806?mt=8 to your iphone
Enjoy, it's best place on Earth

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/47829441@N04/5​300073574/

He is using FF, a 17mm is eq to 11mm on aps-c

DL.Photography wrote in post #11639660
The 17-40 alone should be enough for NYC. (it is for me anyway).

Leave the 28-70 at home and bring a tripod instead. The city is gorgeous at night.

A flash could be useful to expose the foreground correctly too.

Max Powers wrote in post #11638337
Go to the Top of the Rockefeller plaza for some nice photo's!

Love it up there!

I live near by NYC. I also reccomend the top of the rock. Great pics up here. I last went during sunset. It was great. The observation deck on the empire state building is great, but the problem is you can not see the empire state building from it.

If you have that 70-200L it does not make sense to leave a lens like that home. Worst case leave it in your hotel. A UWA is a must ( need one for my next trip as a tourist).

Enjoy. It is a great city.