What Gear to Take on Trip

I'm a real novice to the whole DSLR thing. My experience up to now when going on a trip has been to throw the P&S in my pocket and board the plane.

Now, I'm headed to Maine in a six weeks and have no idea if I should carry all of the gear or not. I'm sure most of my shots will be "landscape" type.

We will be covering lots of ground, but primarily in the Acadia/Bar Harbor area most of the time doing day trips from there.

I am not overloaded with equipment. But it is far more than just a P&S. Here's the list (excluding a few filters, bag and hoods, etc.):

Rebel XT (350D); Canon EFS 18-55mm, Canon 50mm, Canon 28-135mm IS, Tamron SP AF11-18mm (f4.5-5.6); Bogen 2031
Canon SD870IS

Should I take it all or can I leave any of this at home?
Also, can I carry the Bogen on an airplane?

Thanks,

Jeff

I brought all my gear with me to Philly & DC last year. I carried on my camera laptop backpack on the plan, but checked by tripod with in my suitcase with my clothes. It's probably too big to get it on the plane.

Day by day I only carried the gear I needed. Since we were there for a week, I could go back with my tripod later so I don't have to carry it all day.

I would bring it all again, maybe carry my small camera bag for my flash & lenses this time.

Looking at your gear, I would bring the 28-123 & the 11-18, and defiantly the tripod.

Bring this:

Carry on camera & lenses. When I have traveled I have packed my tripod in check-thru luggage.

take ALL!!

Tri-Pod will have to go with the luggage. Make sure you bag with gear meets the particular airline standards for under the seat, as you DO NOT want you gear in the upper luggage bins. Also, I don't see that you have anyway to store you images. You need something or some way to clear your CF cards and store the days shooting so you have clear cards for the next day. Happy Trip.

joayne wrote in post #5254047
Tri-Pod will have to go with the luggage. Make sure you bag with gear meets the particular airline standards for under the seat, as you DO NOT want you gear in the upper luggage bins. Also, I don't see that you have anyway to store you images. You need something or some way to clear your CF cards and store the days shooting so you have clear cards for the next day. Happy Trip.

I'll have my Mac and a card reader with me, so will dump to laptop nightly.
Thanks for the tips.

Why not in the overhead??

In case you hit turbulence and the overhead compartment springs open, most likely...or the (reasonably remote) possibility of someone rummaging in your stuff while you're in the head/napping/eating.

My Lowe pro back pack as way too big to fit under the seat. It had to go up overhead, and it barely fit there thanks to all of the ridiculous straps. As I walked down the isle I was hitting people with them.

I didn't need to get into it, I got my mp3 player & book before I sat down. Also my 17" laptop was too big to use on the plane anyway.

I've got a Computrekker that I have to stow overhead, as well. I'd like to find a messenger type bag that would hold my laptop, camera and lenses, but it's a long slow search, being overseas.

Leave the kit lens at home. No point in taking it when you already have a wide angle, a 50 prime, and a telephoto zoom. Use that extra room for cleaning kit, extra batteries, or extra memories cards.

Also, how do you feel about getting a macro? If you are out in nature, it might come in useful.

gefblueapple wrote in post #5274236
Leave the kit lens at home. No point in taking it when you already have a wide angle, a 50 prime, and a telephoto zoom. Use that extra room for cleaning kit, extra batteries, or extra memories cards.

Also, how do you feel about getting a macro? If you are out in nature, it might come in useful.

Yes, I have begun giving thought to getting a macro. Never have had one and new to the DSLR world so suggestions would be welcome.

Well, I just dropped in to start a thread with this same title, and lo and behold here's one already started.

I'm going to Florida next week and am looking forward to having something green to shoot (I live in MN).

Though I'm new to DSLR, I ended up with the XT and XTi bodies, both with kit lens (it was the deals I came across, then when I went to return the XT after getting XTi, guys at the store talked me into keeping it).

Anyway, I think I will take 1 of the kit lenses, plus the 50mm f/1.8 II and the 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 II USM. I want to keep one lens on the XT at all times for family shots - would the kit be more flexible than the 50mm?

Looking at bags was a nightmare - so many different styles and brands (at the local retailer). If money was no object, I'd have 3 bags: a travel bag that holds laptop and rolls; a medium bag, like the Lowepro Slingshot 300 that I bought; then a smaller bag for 1 body and a couples lenses.

I'm taking 2 books to read on the plane: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D Digital Field Guide by Charlotte Lowrie, and The BetterPhoto Guide To Digital Photography by Jim Miotke. I'll post my thoughts on these when I'm done with them.

I thought I heard that lithium batteries were an issue with carry on, but I guess not since no one mentioned it here.

Good advice here, thanks everyone.

If the primary point of the trip is photography, I'd bring everything.

For instance: I'm in Toronto this week, but the point of the trip isn't photography. Still, I hate to be without a camera, so I brought the 40D and the Sigma 17-70mm...