Getting ready for Hawaii - Need advice

Below is my list of goodies I have in my arsenal. Just trying to figure what to take is daunting enough.

I plan the following:
Helicopter rides on Kauai, and Maui (hopefully doors off). Will probably take one boat trip (maybe deep sea fish) Will rent a car on both islands. We will have a week on each island and I'm sure I'll be taking plenty of pictures.

I think for sure I will take:

Both Camera bodies

24-70 ii
17-40
100 2.8 macro - or take the 180 macro
1.4 iii & 2.0 iii tele-converter

gitzo travel tripod & Monopod (assorted filters)

Unsure about the 70-200ii (I think it really needs to go but willing to read your comments)

Now the big question, do I car the 400 ii 2.8? I hate to go there all that way and wish I had it but then again, will I use it. Maybe some surfing shots at the beach.

OK - here is your time to either lighten up my luggage or make it heaver. I will appreciate your comments as I leave on Feb 6th.

Jeff


Cameras/Camera Bodies:
Canon 5Diii with RRS B5D3-LA Plate
Canon 7D – Gripped and RRS B7D-L Plate


Lenses:
Canon 400L 2.8 ii with RRS LCF-53
Canon 70-200L 2.8 ii
Canon 24-70L 2.8 ii
Canon 85L 1.2 ii
Canon 180L 3.5 Macro
Canon 24-105L 4.0
Canon 17-40L 4.0
Canon 100L 2.8 Macro
Canon 50 1.4

Teleconverter
Canon 1.4x iii
Canon 2.0x iii

Flash equipment:
Canon 430ex II
Canon 580ex ii
Pocket wizards flex tt5 (3x)
Sekonic L-358 with radio trigger for pocket wizards
Assorted studio lamps, umbrellas and stands
Youngnu - xxxx

Support:
Gitzo GT1541T Carbon Fiber Tripod
Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod
Sirui P-326 Carbon Fiber Monopod
Ball-head - RRS BH-55
Ball-head Photo Clam PC-33NS
WH-200 Wimberley Head Version II (Gimbal)

Bags
Tamrac Expedition 6x
Think Tank Digital Holster™ 50 V2.0

5DIII , Canon 70-200L 2.8 ii + Canon 2.0x iii ,Canon 24-70L 2.8 ii and Canon 17-40L 4.0 would capture all your needs. Leave the 400mm home, It all depends on the location you will shoot for surf shots and if the weather permits. I'm usually walking around with a 7D and 35L most days oh or my 100L.

I went to Kauai in 05 with a 20D, Sigma 18-200, 70-300 which I don't think was ever mounted and a Canon S1 IS which saw use both for landscape stuff & underwater. Here's the link to my heli tour (no doors) and I used the full range of the 18-200. Unless you'll be there in Whale season you may not get much use from a really long lens but you'll be sure to use wide ones. Also note that on the heli tour we did they weren't even going to let me bring my small camera bag due to the tight quarters & I sure wouldn't recommend swapping lenses while in flight.

http://picasaweb.googl​e.com …copterTourWithI​nterisland

Also note that if you do the Waimea Canyon trip to the top of the mountain it was 20 degrees F colder up there than on the coast & we didn't take clothes for that. Being Canadian helped but it was still chilly.

http://picasaweb.googl​e.com …012497/KauaiSWa​imeaCanyon

Hate to say this but stay safe when visiting, some of the locals don't like outsiders type of deal. Sounds bad but it is true. Stay safe and hope you have a great time in Hawaii.

Whale tour would be fun. On Oahu you can take the Makapuu trail to watch the whales.

E Komo Mai.

I went last February and basically took ALL of my gear, and I think 99% of the time it was ony my UWA that was ever mounted. With the landscape there you want to get as much in as possible. I am sure you will find the same, you will mostly want an UWA on the body!

Is this a photography trip or a vacation? The recommendations are going to be drastically different.

Forgot we have a great rental shop in Kaimuki area http://www.hawaiicamer​a.com/ if you wanna travel very light for your vacation, after all it is a vacation?

I go to Maui for 2 weeks almost every year, and went to Kauai 2 years ago, and did the "no doors' helicoptor ride in Kauai. Honestly, if you just took the following gear and nothing else, I think you'd be fine:

5D3
17-40L (walkaround)
24-105L (helicoptor)
50 1.4 (night time)
Lightweight tripod and filters (waterfalls)

In November I was in Maui for 2 weeks and took my 6D, 17-40L, 24-105L, and 70-300L, along with a small tripod. The 70-300L almost never left the hotel room. But, if you are going during whale watching season (February) than obviously you'd want all the reach you can get. And really, with the exception of the road to Hana, I think 90% of my pictures were with my 17-40L on a blackrapid strap. Easy to carry around, no lens creep, etc.

One thing to consider- on the helicoptor- no camera bags allowed. So you'll head out there with nothing but a rain jacket (take one, it'll rain at some point) and your camera with a single lens. Set the shutter plenty high as it vibrates around a good amount.

If you have any specific quesitons, especially about Maui, let me know.

Well, it is a vacation for my wife and I but it usually turns into a photography trip for me and she helps. I'm not the lay on the beach guy, I'm the guy up at 6:00am and back at 10:00pm.

Probably a day to two, she will be on the beach and I'll be out finding little spots for pictures.

This is a great thread for me! I'll be going to Hawaii for the first time this summer. I have a lot of the same gear as the OP and had the same questions about what to bring. In my case, it's also a vacation for my wife but will be a photography trip for me. We're probably going to do Oahu and the big island for our first trip, but Maui isn't off the table yet. I was thinking about bringing the 16-35, Zeiss 21, 24-70, the 70-200, and either the 50L or the 85L...and the 1.4 III and 2.0 III extenders...although I might want to leave one of the first three lenses home. Just not sure which one.

24-105 or the 24-70 will take care of most of your shots unless whale watching. I run to Waikiki weekly for pictures and 2.8 is struggling in some areas for night shot if no tripod.

On most of my trips, I use my camera to take a photo journal of my trips and artsy type pictures in between.

Lost of breakins around the island and they target the rental cars to watch out.

there are some nice spots in maui. Road to hanna has some excellent views..

Up north there is a beach where all the professional surfers surf the massive waves.. near pai (Sp?) and right before the road to hanna.

.. took this at 105mm (with a 50d & 24-105)
and the sec pic at 47mm (so 75.2mm and 168mm equivalent)

If you are looking to pickup the surfers, a 70-200 on a ff would be great. In the morning, I'd go for a walk and take pictures while my wife was sleeping. Right around wailea beach by the marriott.. far and away the most beautiful place i've been to.
I picked up a nice b+w polarizer right before I left, so that helped as well...

IMAGE LINK: http://postimg.org/ima​ge/w6k9b1oz3/

IMAGE LINK: http://postimg.org/ima​ge/uq8qswm27/

eddie3dfx wrote in post #16589228
there are some nice spots in maui. Road to hanna has some excellent views..

Up north there is a beach where all the professional surfers surf the massive waves.. near pai (Sp?) and right before the road to hanna.

.. took this at 105mm (with a 50d & 24-105)
and the sec pic at 47mm (so 75.2mm and 168mm equivalent)

If you are looking to pickup the surfers, a 70-200 on a ff would be great. In the morning, I'd go for a walk and take pictures while my wife was sleeping. Right around wailea beach by the marriott.. far and away the most beautiful place i've been to.
I picked up a nice b+w polarizer right before I left, so that helped as well...

IMAGE LINK: http://postimg.org/ima​ge/w6k9b1oz3/

IMAGE LINK: http://postimg.org/ima​ge/uq8qswm27/

I stay at that Wailea beach Marriott, incredible shots there. I posted some over in the Hawaii travel section.

One thought about the 400mm...isn't it whale watching season? If so might come in handy but has to pretty much hand held shooting.

gocolts wrote in post #16589700
I stay at that Wailea beach Marriott, incredible shots there. I posted some over in the Hawaii travel section.

Yeah, its my favorite hotel there.
Great restaurants in kihei.. don't forget stella blues!