UK & Greece, leave the 500 at home?

Spending a little over three weeks abroad. About two weeks around Wales and the rest on Lesbos Island in Greece via Athens.

I'm thinking that I won't see enough wildlife to make it worthwhile to lug my 500mm lens around. Am I wrong about that?

At this point I'm thinking most of the time I'll carry two cameras, a 5D2 with the 16-35 mounted and a 1D4 with 24-105 on it and my 70-200 in a bag. (with extenders)

I'll have a tripod and not sure about bringing a flash.

Any suggestions?

Perhaps I am a bit weird. I would never dream of taking that kind of equipment on a vacation. I travel once a year. My goal is to relax, enjoy myself, and hopefully have a new experience or two. I can take photos at home.

As my wife is not into photography, I take an ungripped 60D and 1 lens. Next year in Las Vegas, it will be the 10-22. I can't imagine carrying that much stuff around for three weeks.

If you're taking the trip specifically to photograph wildlife, you should, of course, take the 500mm. But, my sense is that you're just concerned that you might get there and see some wildlife and wish you had the 500mm with you. In that case, leave it behind. You're more likely to be annoyed with yourself for taking it than annoyed with yourself for leaving it behind.

I always travel heavy. I have learned how to carry a lot of gear comfortably all day.

One of my concerns is different voltages in Europe. I'm not sure about adaptors for my chargers.

Also I'm thinking of purchasing a fast prime. (35mm f/1.4 ?)

35 L is beautiful, would work fairly well for walking around providing you like using your legs!

Pretty much every charger will be rated for 100-240V - read the label to confirm this. You'll be fine with the voltage. Just get some adapters for the plug configuration in Europe (should be less than 5 bucks on Amazon) and you'll be set.

most modern chargers work anywhere, check the label on the back. All my canon chargers work in Europe just fine. You do need an adapter for the wallsockets though.

I'd also not take that much with me. This summer we went to Paris and Germany, I brought my 5D3, 24-70 and 70-200 (which I didn't use once) and my G12. Mostly used the G12. Of course, this was family vacation, not a "photography trip". If it were the later, I'd bring everything (but not the family, LOL)

for travel 70-300L or 100-400L unless you are going specifically for wildlife.

If you plan to go on an excursion, then bring it. If you are planning general tourism stops, I doubt you'll need it. The 500 is going to grab a lot of unwanted attention. Not only will it be a bit heavy, it will need a set of eyes on it at all times, or a very secure location to store it.

I'd rather not buy a lens just for the trip, but would consider something that I might use often at home.
I will need to pick up another 32GB compact flash card. (I'll bring about 150GB of memory.)

Security isn't a big issue as I'll be staying at my sister-in-law's in Wales and my nephew's in Greece. A few days in Athens in a hotel is when I might have to worry.

You don't have to worry about the voltages to your chargers. They are switching power
supplies, so they can take 100 to 250 volts automatically. The only thing you will need
is a plug adapter to match the country you are it. And you can usually pick them up at
the airports, if you don't have a universal travel adapter kit.

I've taken my Sigma 150-500 OS with me a few times now. There is no such thing as
to much reach, if you like wildlife photography. And there is always something around
if you take the time to look.

I don't carry as many bodies as you, but I do carry a good selection of Lenses. If you
don't have them, you can't use them. And with an All Perils insurance policy, I don't
worry about loosing them any more as I know I'm covered. Just keep your full memory
cards in a different location than the camera equipment.

For my last couple of month long trips to France, I took 5 - 64Gig cards so I didn't have to
worry about running out of space. The Transcend 400X cards are very inexpensive any
more and are more than fast enough for anything I'm doing.

Have fun on your trip.

--Evan

I would think a 35L or 35 f2 IS would be a good investment, especially if you're going to be doing shooting indoors. I wish I had either with me on my last trip abroad.

I would leave the 1d4 at home, along with the 24-105
You will be able to use focal from 16 to 200mm range, as your extenders will expand both lenses ranges
The tripod will be useful, but not so sure about the flash - can't be used inside museums anyway.
As far as an extra lens, 2.8 on the 16-35 will be enough for night/evening shots, but even more useful would be a TS-e lens (17 or 24) IMHO.
Open wide views in Greece and narrow streets with towering buildings in London, that's your focal forecast

Tapeman.
This Greek always travels heavy. In a Thinktank Streetwalker Hardrive, I carried two 7D Gripped bodies, 10-22, 17-55, 24-105 L, 70-200 f/2.8 L IS II in Germany last month. I am glad I brought it all along. I did not bring my 100-400 along and to be honest I never missed it.
I also brought my tripod and Two Canon 600 EX-RT's and one ST-E3 transmitter.
Where in Greece does your nephew live.

YashicaFX2 wrote in post #16301092
Perhaps I am a bit weird. I would never dream of taking that kind of equipment on a vacation. I travel once a year. My goal is to relax, enjoy myself, and hopefully have a new experience or two. I can take photos at home.

As my wife is not into photography, I take an ungripped 60D and 1 lens. Next year in Las Vegas, it will be the 10-22. I can't imagine carrying that much stuff around for three weeks.

This: I trekked through Japan with a 30D, 10-22, 18-55 is, 50mm plastic fantastic and a 70-200L F4, flash, mini tripod. It was a big mistake. I should have taken the 10-22 and the 18-55 (for portraits), no flash, no tripod, no 70-200.

If I were doing something similar today I'd get an Eos M kit and a 11-22 and it would save me a sore shoulder. And if I was dead-set on range I'd get a m4/3 system. When you travel light you can go to many more places, besides it takes away the phpotgrapher stigma making you more accesible... and making you more a participant than observer.

But that's just me (and Yashica^^).