Once in a lifetime trip to Japan - Need Camera Advice

Well I land sunday at 5PM.... 1hr bus to hotel.... eat... rest... work 7am-4pm from monday to thursday.... friday is an "if needed" day... it may or may not be used for work. fly out saturday at 5pm and again 1hr bus to airport etc so we'll probably leave hotel at noon on saturday.

Unfortunately this is for work... won't be "too" much time for sight seeing. I just wanna take photos of my trip to help me remember where I went. I really really really want my fisheye as this lens helps me capture that "there" feeling. I think the 24 1.4 is a key lens. 24-105 should be sufficient for the rest.

My mind tells me to just pickup another G7x/Rx100 and go enjoy. However I want that fisheye... and if I do that then I want... want... want... lol... here I go again.

I doubt I will take a long lens. My long lenses are heavy.

Hrm,

GoPro 3+ on a hat?

Very best,

your trip is very short. Between the jetlag and work, you have hardly any time to do anything, might be too tired. Nice gear, but heavy. Without buying anything, I could probably work with the 12, 24, and 50. That would be severely handicapped for my liking, but a very competent kit without spending any money. Doesnt sound like you will have any time for tripod, will be shooting at night a lot, so fast lenses make a lot of sense. Could probably get away with 24 + 50 tbh, the 12 is fairly specialized.

Xyclopx wrote in post #17675702
my opinion: sorry...... but i respectfully but completely disagree on all points.

1. i used my 70-300L a lot. there are many times you will be standing very far away from said castle or temple because of a moat or lake or whatever. you're gonna really want a long lens.

2. as for not needing everything--again, this is THE place to need everything. you got all the variety of home, but all packed into a relatively small island(s). there's no greater need than everything. unless you are restricting your travel to just specific things. you got the castles far away with moats. you got skyscrapers. you got inside temples. you got night life. hot springs. dancing. etc. ......every photographic situation possible.

3. and yes, i even used my tripod from the top of a tall temple. on the ledge. did a 180deg panorama. worked the shot there for 1hr. and it was absolutely packed too, with hundreds of people smashed in.

Fair enough, I was going to reply to the post above to tell I've had a different experience (except for the ultra wide and for the rain, it seems we went at the same period ), and I've seen that's yours too. We've got totally different experiences it seems, maybe things have changed in 2 years.

Reiep wrote in post #17676023
Fair enough, I was going to reply to the post above to tell I've had a different experience (except for the ultra wide and for the rain, it seems we went at the same period ), and I've seen that's yours too. We've got totally different experiences it seems, maybe things have changed in 2 years.

maybe not by too much.... you're right, there are many places where tripods are not allowed. it's just that.... you know the phrase that is something like live life with no regrets, well... i don't got many regrets over my entire lifetime, EXCEPT when I see a shot and can't get it cause i have the wrong equipment!

Talley wrote in post #17675803
Well I land sunday at 5PM.... 1hr bus to hotel.... eat... rest... work 7am-4pm from monday to thursday.... friday is an "if needed" day... it may or may not be used for work. fly out saturday at 5pm and again 1hr bus to airport etc so we'll probably leave hotel at noon on saturday.

Unfortunately this is for work... won't be "too" much time for sight seeing. I just wanna take photos of my trip to help me remember where I went. I really really really want my fisheye as this lens helps me capture that "there" feeling. I think the 24 1.4 is a key lens. 24-105 should be sufficient for the rest.

I have been on trips like that - all work and very little time for fun, and in fact I am leaving for one of them this Monday. I learned to do with small stuff if I have to. A good P&S, a small Joby tripod, and be done with that. You just can't have everything, sorry, but that's life!

for a trip like this I'd also get something small that fits in a pocket. RX100II or III, or a Canon G3-X or Powershot SX-710, something like that. Anything I can grab quickly, fire up, take a shot and put away again. And maybe even take some video (like on your bus ride). Busy trips are no fun to me if I have to lug gear around in addition to other things (briefcase etc) and won't really have time to go out and shoot for a couple hours.

let me propose something that you may not have looked at and something I can highly recommend...Fuji Xt-1 ....and this recommendation is mainly due to its unique xtrans sensor and small size compared to DSLR's. Couple it with a fujinon 10-24mm, a 35 1.4 prime and maybe a 50-140mm f2.8 and you wont be disappointed( btw Fujinon glass is some of the best glass in the world and IMO comparable with Zeiss or Lieca glass...and in some instances better ). Maybe look to buy in Japan as Fuji X-t1 and the better fujinon xf lens are all made in Japan. If you are interested in a fuji then check the prices to buy there before deciding where to buy . Either way it will be a great camera .....

btw...One reason I have one is for travel...and the fact it takes stunning shots due to the "xtrans" sensor. For me its too hard to cart my Canon gear around when travelling overseas..So when I go unless its imperative have my 100-400mm L and some of the other Canon lens's I instead take the fuji X-t1 and I can cover all focal lengths I need for travel shots with the lens being half the weight of comparable canon lens .....And this all with a lens glass quality that is comparable with canons best L lens . ( fyi the 40-140 will give you a length out to 200mm due to apsc sensor size)

Or ...if you want to go ultra light and get back to the old days of fixed lens as travel camera cant go wrong with fuji's x100 either T or S model......Its the consumate travel camera..and for different focal lengths tyou zoom with your feet due to it being a fixed lens ...I had the original and it too was unbelievably good as a travel camera...It made me rethink travel photography shooting style all over again having the fixed lens....And beacsue I thought about it more the better my images got ...certainly more creative ..And this camera is on a par with Leica for quality( and maybe better if you believe some critics . small and unobtrusive yet with Fujis heavyweight IQ..

Happy travels
Clipper

You didn't mention where in Japan you will be. I assume you'll be restricted to the city since your trip is short. Is it Tokyo?

Scrumhalf wrote in post #17677127
You didn't mention where in Japan you will be. I assume you'll be restricted to the city since your trip is short. Is it Tokyo?

Landing at NRT and will be just outside Chiba in an area that if I'm not mistaken called "Mihama-ku" which I presume to be a convention type area. Ironically there is a baseball stadium right outside the office building where our meetings will be at. I know for a fact it's Makuhari where the building is at. I don't know if these are cities or areas or what.

clipper_from_oz wrote in post #17677119
let me propose something that you may not have looked at and something I can highly recommend...Fuji Xt-1 ....and this recommendation is mainly due to its unique xtrans sensor and small size compared to DSLR's. Couple it with a fujinon 10-24mm, a 35 1.4 prime and maybe a 50-140mm f2.8 and you wont be disappointed( btw Fujinon glass is some of the best glass in the world and IMO comparable with Zeiss or Lieca glass...and in some instances better ). Maybe look to buy in Japan as Fuji X-t1 and the better fujinon xf lens are all made in Japan. If you are interested in a fuji then check the prices to buy there before deciding where to buy . Either way it will be a great camera .....

btw...One reason I have one is for travel...and the fact it takes stunning shots due to the "xtrans" sensor. For me its too hard to cart my Canon gear around when travelling overseas..So when I go unless its imperative have my 100-400mm L and some of the other Canon lens's I instead take the fuji X-t1 and I can cover all focal lengths I need for travel shots with the lens being half the weight of comparable canon lens .....And this all with a lens glass quality that is comparable with canons best L lens . ( fyi the 40-140 will give you a length out to 200mm due to apsc sensor size)

Or ...if you want to go ultra light and get back to the old days of fixed lens as travel camera cant go wrong with fuji's x100 either T or S model......Its the consumate travel camera..and for different focal lengths tyou zoom with your feet due to it being a fixed lens ...I had the original and it too was unbelievably good as a travel camera...It made me rethink travel photography shooting style all over again having the fixed lens....And beacsue I thought about it more the better my images got ...certainly more creative ..And this camera is on a par with Leica for quality( and maybe better if you believe some critics . small and unobtrusive yet with Fujis heavyweight IQ..

Happy travels
Clipper

You know... I been wanting to try Fuji forever now and I do agree with you. An Xt1 with a fisheye and a 10-24 would be all I need. Maybe... a 16mm 1.4

It's an expense but I think would be worth it. I'm starting to vacation a bit more these days and literally have a vacation planned to a ranch the weekend after I get back from Japan and then a week long trip at Disney. The Fuji system would work perfect.

hmm....

If another brand a possibility, Sony A7ii, full frame mirrorless,

Kicks Fuji's butt with s larger sensor, and IBIS

MalVeauX wrote in post #17675805
Hrm,

GoPro 3+ on a hat?

Very best,

BADADUMP! Pshhhhhhhh............​...

I think I'll just settle for what I got.... 5D3, 12mm, 15-30 and a 24. I'll just be out and about in the area of the business stuff and dinners. I doubt I will need long and I don't need to justify this trip to purchase more gear. I bought my gear for a reason so it's time to suck it up and travel with it.

NOW...

...I think I want a specialized backpack to hold the camera and those 3 lenses along with my laptop and traveling accessories. need to look for a bag now. My streetwalker not really gonna cut it and I want some storage space for traveling.

Time for some mirrorless.