Packpacking Through Europe: Big, Ole Photo Vacation

emelvee wrote in post #15434907
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

Thanks. I'm looking forward to it.

I just thought about this: how is the 4G network over there? If it's good, how fast would it be acting as a mobile hotspot?

4G / LTE is brand new in Europe. To my knowledge there are only few places that already have deployed LTE last year. Somebody might chime in here - but I certainly would not rely on 4G for my data backup.

Thanks, that's kinda what I thought.

Get a Eurorail pass, makes getting around easy. Keep close eye on your belongings. If your out walking around during the day and bar owner/ barkeep outside a bar offers you a free drink, its a scam but you can use against them. They offer beer to see if you like the place and come back that night. Go ahead and take the free beer. A woman will come sit down next to you. Idea is to get you to either think she likes you or that shes a prostitute. She will try and get you to buy her a drink. That is the real scam. That drink will cost hundreds of dollars. And Yes the police will make you pay it. Instead, drink your free beer, refuse to buy woman anything. Then leave. Barkeep might try and tell you that you owe for that free beer. You dont. kindly remind him that he said it was free, then leave. Got tons of free beers while backpacking around europe this way, especially in the Mediterranean countries.

Oh and another thing. Some smaller hotels/B&Bs might request holding on to your passport as security for the room. Do not let them, that is against both US law, and against the law in every country in Europe as well.

Thanks for the advice. That's probably more valuable than what lenses to bring.

Lately I've been thinking about southeast Asia. Why? Simply, it much, much cheaper.

Anyhow, what experience/ideas does everyone have? Is 30USD/per a good ballpark average for the region? (I'm thinking about 3 months, so I can pretty much go everywhere there.

Essentially, it's the same idea as Europe, but different location.

And I can't change the thread title... Eek.

30 bucks a day in SE Asia will get you around...but you'll have to stay at cheap hostels. Cheap hostels don't always have the best security/aren't always in the best parts of town/etc, etc. You'll have close to 10 grand worth of camera/laptop equipment with you. Good luck with that.

I've travelled a lot, most of it backpacking (the rest were roadtrips in the States/Canada).

I'm tired of lugging DSLR gear around. Takes up too much space, weighs a ton, has to be matched with a big tripod, attracts a ton of attention, I'm constantly scanning my environment for potential thieves, etc.

That's why I'm going to be getting a mirrorless system (likely Sony NEX-6, though may eventually switch to a Fuji X-E1)...are the pictures going to be quite as high quality as my 5D2? No. Will they still be great? Yes. Will I enjoy my trip more? Absolutely.

Yeah, I realize having that gear makes me a target. But that is kind of the reason I want to go.

nphsbuckeye wrote in post #15806566
Yeah, I realize having that gear makes me a target. But that is kind of the reason I want to go.

I'm assuming the reason you want to go is your gear, not to be a target...

Have you travelled much in the past? I mean internationally? What many people will tell you is you have to have a sort of 6th sense when travelling, especially with valuables.

I've travelled a lot and with expensive gear (1D3, 5D2, L lenses, etc), and never had an issue...but...I leave as much as possible at home and I'm a decently smart traveller...

LowriderS10 wrote in post #15806587
I'm assuming the reason you want to go is your gear, not to be a target...

Have you travelled much in the past? I mean internationally? What many people will tell you is you have to have a sort of 6th sense when travelling, especially with valuables.

I've travelled a lot and with expensive gear (1D3, 5D2, L lenses, etc), and never had an issue...but...I leave as much as possible at home and I'm a decently smart traveller...

Haha, yeah, something like that.

No, I haven't traveled internationally. From spending a little time research, it doesn't seem like that part of the world has abundant crime, but they aren't commenting on if you have fancy electronics either.

Uhmmm....what part of the world? SE Asia is pretty darn big. Some places have higher instances of theft, others, lower. It really depends on the countries you're planning on visiting.

After looking at the region for a few days, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, maybe Myanmar, Philippines, and Indonesia. Yeah, I'm trying to make them all the same country when they're not...

nphsbuckeye wrote in post #15808171
After looking at the region for a few days, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, maybe Myanmar, Philippines, and Indonesia. Yeah, I'm trying to make them all the same country when they're not...

Those are all countries I'm looking at going to next spring (except for the Philippines, where I went to in 2011). (By the way, just so you know I'm not just making stuff up, I've been all around South Korea, Canada and the US, and backpacked in China, Japan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Bosnia, and Italy). This year will be Japan (twice), Taiwan and Indonesia. Next year will be Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia. I really like to "rough it,"...in Japan I spent a night sleeping at the end of a breakwater, leaning against a lighthouse, in the Philippines I slept in abandoned beach huts, the outdoor patio section of a restaurant, etc...plus, tons of buses, airports, etc, etc.

Do some reading and you'll see that in Vietnam and one other country (it was either Cambodia or Laos, I can't remember), there's this thing where they have guys on motorbikes whipping by you and their passenger relieves you of any valuables hanging off your shoulder. If you happen to be attached to that piece of valuable, then make sure you have good medical coverage because they'll think nothing of dragging you along with the camera behind the bike.

I live in South Korea, where I and my friends do two things: Work to make money to travel and travel. Generally, I haven't heard of too much trouble in SE Asia...HOWEVER, I hear of people having valuables stolen FAR MORE in those countries than China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, etc.

When I went to the Philippines, I had my 1D Mark III and my 16-35L II...about as big a combo as you could imagine, plus my G9 for videos...no issues. When I went to Europe, I took my 5D Mark II and the 16-35L II, again...no issues. However, I was constantly aware that I had a big camera that, at times, attracted attention.

I'm not sure how big you are, but at 5'10, 170 lbs, I'm quite a bit bigger than most SE Asians, so this helps (In 2 weeks in the Philippines, I only met ONE dude who was bigger than I am). Still...there are so many great mirrorless offerings out there, that I'm going to be leaving my big, heavy gear (when you start travelling you'll start appreciating things that don't take up half your backpack rather quickly) at home and travelling with a small kit. Also...having those heavy cameras hanging off my shoulder for 14-18 hours a day got REALLY old after a couple of weeks.

Yes, I'm very passionate about photography. However, when I go travelling, *I* go travelling, not my camera. I'm #1. If I can take a camera that weighs 25% of my DSLR setup and takes up a fraction of the room in my backpack, AND is less likely to attract thieves while getting 95% of the image quality...I'm going to do it!

Just something to think about...