Packpacking Through Europe: Big, Ole Photo Vacation

I decided a few weeks ago I want to backpack through Europe next July/August for a couple of months and turn it into a big photo vacation.

I've read that you should only bring pro-level photo gear and a laptop if you're especially skilled at photography and writing (I can vouch for photography, working on writing).

Anyway, I'm going to use this thread as a brain storming session with POTN on what gear to bring and how to document during my time there. (I don't really know where this thread belongs; not really the Lounge, nor a gear-related one, so GPT it is.)

Gear-wise, I'm thinking of getting the D800/E, Zeiss 21 and 100, and perhaps a fish-eye lens. I have the 50MP and from what I've read, the 100MP is pretty much the 100mm version of it. The 21 is supposedly thee 21mm lens. A fish-eye? For cool, creative use. I don't imagine I'd need or want the size of a supertelephoto lens. And the D800/E because of its prodigious IQ. Would I use the resolution? Maybe, maybe not, but I'm known to overdo things. All of the time.

And while I'm there, I figure to regularly blog. I'm not sure how much, because I don't want to take too much time away from the experience of Europe, but enough to "get out there".

Your thoughts?

How are you going to get around? Train, hitch, rent a car? Do you plan on camping? Hotels? Hostels?

I'd say there are several factors in addition to the logistical ones Rick raises.

We've seen a good number of people who have gone on major trips with a lot of photo "enthusiasm" and good DSLR but who've returned with nothing to show for it, or maybe a couple thousand phone shots!

Now I'm not questioning your goals, though. If it was me I'd probably pack a DSLR. some lenses, and also an appropriate tripod for sturdy support but lightweight -- they have ones designed for that type of thing. And, of course, extra memory cards and batteries, and I'd hope to use it all! So, we're on the same page there...in fact, some years ago I bought a backpack that is capable for a body, a few lenses, and then holds either a tripod and a monopod. I've used it happily, although I haven't done extensive travelling with it, I've just taken it to some outdoor nature/birding/scenic shoots and also for one or two events where I hiked around a large venue.

As to a laptop, well, that's a tossup. I could put a laptop in the backpack (there's a slot for one) but I haven't done that. I do have a smaller device that has card readers and a lot of "space" for loading a fair number of images onto, I've used it but I've also had a good laptop close by, not a backpacking scenario but useful when I've been "on the road". I imagine that if I was looking at the trip you are planning I might go for a "notebook" computer approach...

Some years ago, I backpack for half a year with a DLSR. I've improved a bit as a photographer and I think if I had to do it all again, I would just take a 50mm prime and a 24-105 zoom and mini tripod.

As a backpacker, one of the bigger challenges is to stay light and carry less. I would not recommend carrying too much gear. You constantly have to be wary about it getting stolen, wet, dropped, or damaged. A smaller bag is just easier to mange and most day trips involve carrying around not just camera gear but water, maps, books, umbrella, extra batteries, filters, etc. The weight seriously adds up fast.

As a photographer, it is amazing how easy it is to run out of hard drive space. Seriously, buy cloud storage space or bring a big fat external hard drive, most notebook hard drives don't seem adequate. A D800 with its big raw files would make it worse.

Thanks, guys for the responses. (I've been busy lately, sorry about the tardy response.)

I'm not terribly worried about the logistics yet because it's still pretty early. From what I've gathered, deciding to go is the hardest part of international travel, the rest seems to fall into place.

Although not backpacking, I liken my vacation to Tybee Island/Savannah like backpacking -- I just walked around and saw what was there. One afternoon I'd pick a stop to go and just discover what's there. I had one or two camera around me at all times.

Although I might bring a few lenses, they're lighter ones. I'm thinking about a gorilla tripod, although I don't really know much about it other than it theory it should be really nice.

Yes, I'm definitely thinking about online storage. I'm not going to bring enough storage for several-months-worth of 20+MP files.

As for a laptop, well if I'm using a cloud of some-sort, I'd need one. Also, I want to blog about my journey. I'd like to make something out of my trip other than just a long vacation. I'd like to start blogging and see where that goes. Maybe no where, maybe much more.

I think you'll have a great time Christian. I did something similar in 1976 for about 6 months, but I was toting an old Nikon F with a 50mm lens, taking trains, hitch hiking and staying in hostels. I'd mail film home when I got a few rolls. I'd recommend keeping the gear to a minimum and enjoy the experience, I've been back many times since my '76 romp, and lived there for a couple of years but nothing brings back fond memories like the first trip with my backpack.

Thanks. I hope from hostels and couchsurfing to get 2-3 months out of it.

I don't really think I'll have much to bring. Although I'll ostensibly have some big-ticket items, I don't need to bring a whole lot of "stuff". It will take half of the fun away if I don't bring my camera. I don't mind lugging a little extra gear if that means I'll grab awesome pictures.

I personally would not want to bring my laptop (I have a 13" pro) and I know from many trips that I can't bring my laptop AND my pro-dslr I just feel so bogged down, hard to enjoy the trip. I'm also always worried about leaving my laptop and it getting stolen and then I spent the trip on my laptop instead of enjoying myself, or the laptop doesn't get used and I regret bringing it. If I was hell bent on getting amazing pics, i think I would focus on capture instead of edit. I would bring the camera gear I wanted but leave everything else at home, if I was desperate to edit you could get an ipad mini, and the cord that allows you to load pics on to it, but it would fill up super fast so I would say only import a few pics for social sharing. Then at least you could "play" a little when not taking pics but not be bogged down by a laptop.

I would bring a wide zoom, and a a 135mm, and a tripod and my filters. You could fit all that into the low pro slingshot, the slightly larger one, they are nice and low profile and easy to wear when walking a lot.

When I bring my laptop, then I just shoot with my x100.


So for me it would be:

5D Mark III (or my classic if I was worried about damage) no grip.
3 Batteries, 1 Charger, 6 cards or more of 8gig-ish
Lee Filters
Tripod (that would fit on the backpack)
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II
Canon EF 135mm f/2L

All kept in: Lowpro Slingshot 202 0r 302 (the smallest one it would all fit in, I think the 202 could do it! My 102 could almost)

ipad mini as well and wouldn't be any added bulk.

OR

13" Macbook Pro
Fuji X100 w/ extra batteries and cards and the wide angle adapter.

OR

Get the Fuji X-PRO1 and the lens's! Don't need anything else, no laptop either. Super light and fun and an ipad mini to play with for some pic editing.

Travel as light as you can. I would not drag around a D800 for a couple months.

I'm not bringing a laptop to really edit. I may for a photo or two that I want to show, but I'll do the real editing back in the States.

As mentioned, I plan on uploading my pictures onto an online storage site. I don't want to carry around several terabytes worth of storage.

EDIT:
My thinking:
D800E: outstanding image quality, perhaps I'll go for a lower-MP body, but it seems like for prodigious IQ it's a D800/E or MF
CZ 50MP: have it, outstanding IQ
CZ 21: apparently the WA lens
CZ 100MP: am really thinking about it for something longer; from what I've seen the 100mm version of the 50MP, with perhaps better IQ
FE lens: depends on how much I want to spend/carry
I own an i7 ASUS laptop, so unless it breaks or someone gives me a latop/tablet I'm cool with it.
Gorilla arm tripod.

Will you have access to high speed internet? I've traveled through Europe last year and the internet speed was OK for the hotel, hostels or cafes I was at. But I'm not sure if they are sufficient for cloud use. Most of the places had sub 6mbps up stream. Of course if you do not mind spending hours to upload a few d800 raws. Then that's fine.

I did Europe for a month with a mini tripod (next time around I think I'll take my full-size travel carbon tripod), a 5D2, 2 batteries, 50 gigs of cards and ONE lens...16-35L II. I like shooting wide, so I was never left wanting more.

I prefer to pack light/compact and this way as long as I had my camera with me I didn't have to worry about having anything stolen...no laptop, no extra lenses, nothing...

I've heard the internet is common. Yes, I've thought a little about uploading times. I figure that I won't do it more than a couple of times per week, or at least that's the plan.

And I have a history of overdoing things, so I may change my traveling gear...

I know there are some people out there who have sold their DSLRs and bought smaller cameras like the G15 because they wanted a smaller size ... I guess I'm a bit crazy, but anytime I'm doing anything or going anywhere I actually love to drag around my 5D ... I can't even remember the last time I've brought my P&S to anything. All that to say - if I were you, and going to Europe, I would bring my 5D for the best image quality I could get ... I'd also go for a wider lens and then something mid-range. I hope you can figure it out and that you have an amazing time!! I am soooooo envious - I've been wanting to go somewhere and just shoot; funds aren't really allowed that right now. Have fun

imjason wrote in post #15428595
Will you have access to high speed internet? I've traveled through Europe last year and the internet speed was OK for the hotel, hostels or cafes I was at. But I'm not sure if they are sufficient for cloud use.

+1
I would not rely on high speed internet access with good upload speeds. Most places with public internet access I encountered so far in Europe have very flimsy and slow connections. It's often barely enough to surf the web - forget about uploading several gigs of data. Have a plan B! Don't rely on cloud access!