# Gear Advice foe and awesome Greece trip



## Nate (Aug 1, 2013)

Hello

Me and one of my friends are going to go to Greece on 5th of August for almost 1 month. I am planing to visit Santorini (if any of you have been on an awesome island not far from Santorini, let me know), Athens, Meteora, and Thessaloniki. Also if you guys know other places, tell me.

So far I packed 5D3 17-40 with a polarizer and a 8 stop ND filter, 50 1.4, 70-200 2.8 and 1 600EXRT and ST3 trigger. Also I will bring a GoPro Hero 1 and a Manfrotto tripod.

For renting I want a 24 TS-E a fisheye, eather the canon 15 2.8 or the canon 8-15. A GoPro Hero 3 Black, and a quadrotor for changing the perspective.

I will have with me a mac 11 inch to see in some cases if I nailed the focus and two 750 HDD, one main and one back up.
Mostly I am shooting cityscape, landscape, architecture, nature, and I am planing to shot some milky way shots at the islands and at Meteora.

What else should I rent /bring?

Thank you!

Nate


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## Niki (Aug 1, 2013)

I was just in SANTORINI (THERA) it was so GREAT!! SPECTACULAR FOR PHOTOS!

Are you shooting jpeg or raw..? (you might want to bring extra hard drive)

Bring a good backpack.....Have fun!


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## KacperP (Aug 1, 2013)

On last trip I got myself a shoulder spider rig intended for DLSR video shooting, but I used it as extra stabilisation for handheld shots when tripod was not an option. I set it up similar to rifle butt.
Downside is that I grabbed much more attention that tripod users.


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## gferdinandsen (Aug 1, 2013)

Nate said:


> Hello
> 
> Me and one of my friends are going to go to Greece on 5th of August for almost 1 month. I am planing to visit Santorini (if any of you have been on an awesome island not far from Santorini, let me know), Athens, Meteora, and Thessaloniki. Also if you guys know other places, tell me.
> 
> ...



I don't see any zoom in the normal range (a la 24-70 or 24-205). I would not go anywhere sans my 24-70, in fact I always take both the 24-70 and the 24-105.


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## adhocphotographer (Aug 1, 2013)

That's a lot of gear... I prefer to travel light... 24-105 and 70-200... 24 TS-E and tripod maybe.... 

Enjoy the trip!


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## tron (Aug 1, 2013)

Skip the 24 TS-E and get a 17 TS-E instead. It is a totally different focal length (no overlaps), plus you can crop a little if necessary.


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## BL (Aug 2, 2013)

adhocphotographer said:


> That's a lot of gear... I prefer to travel light...



+1

i took a 5D, 16-35II, tripod, and called it a day. 

was there not long ago in june and found it to be really, really hot... all the white walls bounced the sun back in my face

parts of santorini sit on the cliffs of the caldera, which means many, many steep stairs to climb. you'll be punished for every pound you have to carry up and down these steps. 

but either way, you're going to have a fabulous time. enjoy your trip!!


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## AlanF (Aug 2, 2013)

Take travel insurance - Greece is the only country where we have had belongings stolen from a hotel.
Read the thread on the photographer catching fire on lava - you should visit an active volcanic island off Santorini.
Stay in a troglodyte hotel in the face of the cliff - so travel light as previously advised as you will be walking up and down a lot. In any case, humping heavy gear at the hottest time of the year in Greece isn't advisable.


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## hyles (Aug 2, 2013)

If you have time, a visit to milos may be Worth a couple of days. It is one of the most beautifull ciclads islands, with its voulcanic origin and the beautifull colors of the rock. And if you are lucky enough you can meet the rare Milos viper (Macrovipera lebetina schweizeri) that inhabits Milos and a copule of other Island next to it.

Diego


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## Vossie (Aug 2, 2013)

gferdinandsen said:


> I don't see any zoom in the normal range (a la 24-70 or 24-205). I would not go anywhere sans my 24-70, in fact I always take both the 24-70 and the 24-105.



Indeed a standard zoom would be a good addition.
A quadcopter is pretty cool. Do you rent it or own it? I think these need a fair amount of practice as I have seen quite some folks loosing their expensive gear on YouTube (especially above water). 

If you are considering to rent a TS, you could also consider the 17mm. You could then rent or buy a 1.4x TC and use it on the TS or on your 70-200 (in case there are some birds or wildlife to been seen). If you like macro in any way, you could add an extension ring to your gear, doesn't weight much.

For areas with bright daylight A set of ND-grads can help your landcape shooting.

Another thing I particularly like when traveling is a modular bag system. I use the Lowepro S&F system. I like that I can hook up extra stuff easily or leave stuff behind when I want to go light.

If you don't mind carrying lots of gear (which you don't seem to do  ) you may want to have a look at a Dynamic Perception stage one slider. That will allow you to make beautiful timelapses (you wrote about wanting to do some starscapes). 

Pack loads of sunscreen as Greece is hot! during summer.

Enjoy your trip


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## aprotosimaki (Aug 2, 2013)

Nate said:


> Hello
> 
> Me and one of my friends are going to go to Greece on 5th of August for almost 1 month. I am planing to visit Santorini (if any of you have been on an awesome island not far from Santorini, let me know), Athens, Meteora, and Thessaloniki ... Mostly I am shooting cityscape, landscape, architecture, nature, and I am planing to shot some milky way shots at the islands and at Meteora.



Temple of Poseidon at Sounio (sunset). A religious experience.


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## MarcPool (Aug 2, 2013)

Don't forget to take a hat. Because Greece in August is HOT!

I took a 7d, 8-16 sigma and 24-105. Should have gone for the 24-105 and 70-300. Really missed the extra mm. 
Take a variation of ND filters. The light can be really bright.


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## RLPhoto (Aug 2, 2013)

Thats a perfect setup. I recently went on a euro trip also and this is what worked for me.

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=15224.30

17-40L
50mm
70-200L


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## surapon (Aug 2, 2013)

Dear Friends. In Greece, around the museums and Historical Park---No Tripods can be use---I went to Greece 2 years ago 14 days and shoot = 4500 Photos( Yes, I use the Pocket size Tripods and lay on the ground to shoot the night time in Greece)---------Yes, You can take all the Photos inside the museum---BUT NO FLASH AND NO TRIPOD---NO BIG Backpack on your back in all Museums---Both Indoor and Our door Museum ( because Your Backpack might hit and destroy 4000-5000 years old antique---Ha, Ha, Ha.
Yes, Water Bottle is the Must , on your belt all the time---Forget about Yummy Greece Icecream in the Hot Sun, Because 2 Big Scoops =$ 7 - $ 8 US Dollars----But Uzo ( High Octane Whiskey) = The Best at the Dinner before you go to Bed. Please Go to My Facebook , that I post the Photos of each day, and 14 Days, Be my friend in FB." surapon sujjavanich"---And You can see what I bring in that Trip.---Have Fun---But Please do not walk alone in the Dark in Greece---Except very small town---Not In the Big City. Yes, Greece are the most Dusty place, Because of only 3-4 raining days per year---Please Change the Lenses in the hotel room, or Carry 2 cameras with 2 lenses---If Not, You will spend a lot of time to remove the UFO. from your beautiful Photos.


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## surapon (Aug 2, 2013)

Here are some of my Photos in Greece Trip on Face Book Web Site:
https://www.facebook.com/surapon01/media_set?set=a.3707937374705.2171555.1163677771&type=3

Here are my Camera equipment and KATA 3 IN 1-30 Backpack/ Sling Pack
https://www.facebook.com/surapon01/media_set?set=a.2517910984789.2147833.1163677771&type=3


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## surapon (Aug 2, 2013)

Here are my Equipment for 14 Days Tour in Greece---And I keep my Big Tripods at the Hotels :

Yes, Just 2 Camera Bodies and 9 Lenses--From 8 mm. Fish eye Lens, 11 mm. super wide angle Lens, to the 400 mm. long Zoom Lens and normal lenses in between----BUT, The least function is Tripods---Because 95% of the Places such as Museums and the out door ancient Cities---They will not let us use Tripods, Monopods or Flash photography.---Total Weight = 20 Pounds---BUT when I have a trip to Thailand, I carry the equipment = Full load = 48 Pounds or 23 Kilos on my big camera backpack.


Yes, My medium size Backpack Kata 3 IN 1 - 30 can modified the belt , and to use as the front sling back, to keep all camera gears in front of you---Not on the Back as backpack, that The Bad people can use the Razor blade get the great equipment from your back pack. BTW---No store the camera equipments in your hotel room---If you not there, And When you come back to the Hotel--IT WILL BE GONE----Enjoy the Trip.


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## Famateur (Aug 3, 2013)

AlanF said:


> Take travel insurance - Greece is the only country where we have had belongings stolen from a hotel.
> Read the thread on the photographer catching fire on lava - you should visit an active volcanic island off Santorini.
> Stay in a troglodyte hotel in the face of the cliff - so travel light as previously advised as you will be walking up and down a lot. In any case, humping heavy gear at the hottest time of the year in Greece isn't advisable.



Agreed! And keep a hand on your gear bag at all times. My brother-in-law put his pack down for just a moment to take a picture, and when he turned around, it was half-way down the block. He managed to chase the dude into the street and get his gear back, but you might not be so lucky. If you're going to carry all that gear around in the heat, you might as well come home with it all!


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## Famateur (Aug 3, 2013)

Just to add to my previous post, I carry a laptop bag nearly everywhere I go (work related). It contains not only the laptop, with sensitive information, but other items I really don't want falling into the wrong hands. My strategy, if I absolutely _must _ put it down, is to make sure it's in contact with part of my body. For example, when seated at a restaurant booth, I might put it on the floor leaning against my leg at enough of an angle that I always feel its pressure. If someone tried to swipe it, I'd feel it depart.


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## gordonbb (Aug 4, 2013)

When I was in Greece in 2009 I tried to travel light and ended up with:

17-40 with C-Pol
24-105
70-200 2.8 IS
50 1.8

On reviewing the 4000+ images taken over 3 weeks the above list is also the frequency with which each lens was used. If I had to do it again I would leave the 70-200 at home. 70% of the shots were with the 17-40, 25% with the 24-105. I had one shot of an Altar in a Byzantine church using available light that the 50 was absolutely necessary for but with the improvements in sensors these days the only reason in my mind for a fast prime would be for subject isolation.

Greece is definitely wide-angle territory.

I left the 300lb Manfrotto tripod at home and brought a GorillaPod SLR Zoom which I used for some pannos usually wrapped around railings.

Travel in Greece involves lots of walking and climbing in 40+ degree weather so keeping things as light as possible will help and having space in your camera bag for an insulated water bottle will serve you well. I took a Crumpler six million dollar home as I find it looks less like a camera bag.

Make sure your gear is insured and registered with customs in your country of origin. The last is a PITA in Canada but you do end up with a nice list of the Serial Numbers of your gear to provide to Police should the worst happen


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