# Travel set up



## tomscott (Sep 9, 2014)

Hi looking for some travel camera advice!

Im about to set off on the 2nd Nov on a 2 month trip of South america, then 3 months in California. Cali isn't really a concern as I am renting an RV to travel with.







The itinerary is vast, but it is pretty much all backpacking with hostels busses and a few flights but basically I need to carry everything I need with me. I have two bags, both camera bags one day pack which is the Lowepro Photo Hatchback 22L AW which I will use as a carry on and the Lowepro Rover Pro 45L AW for all the rest of my gear. I intend to use the second bag to hike with too as it is a proper outdoor bag with good support. Both have pull out camera compartments.

The trip includes a fair amount of hiking including the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu but after this trip before I fly on to LA I have a 6 day amazon trip so need to ensure I have a lens selection I can get close to wildlife but also wide enough for landscape. I also want to take my 11" Macbook air not only for keeping in contact with my friends and family but to offload images and do a little sorting in the down time. Both bags accommodate the MBA, I also have a twelve south plug bug which adds a full powered 5A USB port for quicker charging, these two together weigh 1.1kg. I also have a usb 3 card reader a 14,000mah external battery for charging on the road and a 2tb external USB 3 for data redundancy I was thinking of adding 2x 128gb USB3 memory sticks for more redundancy.

For redundancy I will keep each in a (laptop/HDD/cards) separate bag incase the worst should happen.

I currently shoot with the 5DMKIII and a range of accessories in my sig. I was going to take this with the 24-105mm, 50mm 1.8 (for low light cheap light not too bothered about it) and the 70-300mm L, 2x32gb 2x16gb CF cards and I am doubling up on the same in SD cards for dual writing, but also for redundancy I will swap out the SD cards for new ones so I always have the originals. This set up is around 3kg. 

I also have the Nex5n which is a great camera took it skiing and it performed brilliantly, it has better IQ imo than any of the current APC canon cameras except the 70D possibly but weighs 350g with kit lens. Otherwise I would be looking at the 100D or 700D because I have the 17-55mm F2.8. Really think the 18mp sensor is poor, had it in my 7D and was very disappointed with it.

So basically I'm worried about weight and being very obvious with the gear, as it is massive and is professional grade especially with the white 70-300mm screams steal me. It is also my first trip in to the continent and not sure how gear is seen, europe and america I'm not worried about. I was going to take the 70-300mm DO as it is black but after testing it against the L there is no contest and its not that much smaller and lighter the IQ is worth it. 

I was looking at swapping out the MBA for an iPad mini retina. But to get images on and off you need to jail break to get iFile through cydia to use with an external HDD and the lightning cable is USB2 and only one way, so would take twice as long to offload and then backup. Although it is again 1/3 the weight, its capabilities are very limited in terms of editing and sorting. The other idea was to use a windows tablet but again the macbook air is so useful and I already have one. 

So my conclusion to the best way to reduce weight is with a different camera choice. I like the sony cameras I have been looking at the A7 and A7R but prefer the A7 because its cheaper, smaller file sizes and has Phase detect AF. I also like the fact you can charge it via USB means less chargers it also shares batteries with my Nex5N and I have the 14,000MAH battery external battery I can use to charge and the plug bug. 

It is also a 1/3 the weight of the 5DMKIII. Problems… Lens choice, the Zeiss 24-70 F4 is ok and its IQ is apparently equal to or slightly better than the 24-105, its not the best lens from what I have read and you loose on the long end which is a shame but it is pretty expensive for an F4. Then there is the kit lens 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 looks not far off in IQ but the variable aperture is annoying. There is a 50mm 1.8 but because of price will most probably give it a miss, but there is no lens past 200mm and the 70-200mm G lens is supposed to be ok too but not stellar like the 70-300mm L and weighs 800g which is 250g less than the 70-300mm L and obviously you loose the 100mm, 300 is really the minimum I want to take. Also it only has one card slot, so in camera redundancy isn't possible.

So this got me onto the A6000 the IQ is very good very impressive for an APC sized sensor and edges everything on the market atm. It is lighter than the A7 and R, has 97% AF coverage shoots 12FPS and with the crop of 1.5 makes the 70-200mm F4 a 105-300mm equivalent. The 16-70mm F4 gives equivalent of 24-105mm It also has a rotating screen it would be nice to do a bit of vlogging on my trip too and its video AF is very good too.

Problems, I am spoiled with my 5DMKIII it is the perfect camera imo but for commercial photography not for a trip like this. I love the viewfinder its AF system and the lens selection I already have. I am used to the sony APC sensors and I think they are good enough for the trip, would be nice to go full frame with the A7 but the A6000 seems a better camera? I am also concerned that non of them have the weather sealing even close to the 5DMKIII and the weather sealed lenses. I will be in humid, arid and dusty environments. Also I'm concerned with the EVF I used one in store seemed ok but changing AF point seems a hassle and it was a little bland in colour rendition, but everything else the EVF can do is astounding but a little worried about low light.

I also like the idea of the capture pro camera clip by peak design 

https://peakdesign.com/store/

to have an accessible mount for the camera and also take the black rapid too. Just means I can attach it to my bag strap for quick access and it doesn't weigh a lot. I don't think this is feasible with the 5DMKIII too big and heavy will pull too much on one shoulder and on a belt will make my trousers fall down!

So this will save me 1.5kgs with the A7/A6000 16-70mm and 70-200mm and it is more discrete (apart from the 70-200mm G). But will cost me £2000 when I already have all the kit apart from the 70-300mm L so either way I'm spending £1000 to get a new lens. Is the weight saving worth it? or am I thinking about it too much?

This is a trip of a lifetime for me and really want to get the best out of it photographically.

What would you do?

Thanks in advance for the opinions.


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## tayassu (Sep 9, 2014)

I'd get a camo for the 70-300L for ~90 bucks and take the 5DIII with the 24-105 and the 70-300. I don't think I would take the 50 with me, but instead, I see you will go to Iguacu and the Andes, get a wide angle!!! That is crucial! I would get the 16-35/4 for that purpose. If you need the 50 for street photography, take it, it's neither big nor heavy. If that is a trip of a lifetime, take your best gear! 
Have a wonderful trip and always good light!


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## tomscott (Sep 9, 2014)

Thanks for the advice tayassu.

I do have the 16-35mm F2.8 MKII but again its another 640g to carry and the hood is an absolute pain to carry around. bringing the total weight for the camera alone to 3.6kg add the laptop and accessories another 1.5kg 5kg before I have packed any clothes and essentials.

This is my query because the 5DMKIII is 940g and the smaller Sony A systems the whole lot is less than 1500g with equal IQ and more discrete. Its a difficult one.


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## mackguyver (Sep 9, 2014)

That sounds like an amazing trip and I'm sure you're going to have an excellent time. I would be concerned about weather sealing in the jungle as the humidity and rain means that there will be water everywhere. You could look at the Olympus m4/3 as they have nice stuff, but the 5DIII is probably best. Another option is to have a small kit for South America & then have someone ship your main gear to California just before you go there so it will be waiting for the RV portion. I'm sure others who have shot down there will have better advice.


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 9, 2014)

tayassu said:


> If that is a trip of a lifetime, take your best gear!



+1

Also, some kind of support, even a Gorillapod SLR Zoom.


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## tomscott (Sep 9, 2014)

I think the first option is probably the best, the areas I'm traveling are quite touristy so should be ok hopefully.

Anyone who shoots a 5DMKIII have an A6000 or A7 with aforementioned lenses?

Thanks I forgot to mention the Gorillapod SLR Zoom is on order  

Ive heard mix reviews for these being sufficient for the 5DMKIII, is the pro a better option? the Zoom weighs a lot less and from the images I've seen it looks like it would take a 5DMKIII ok and its well within the weight limit of 3kg, even with the 70-300mm L its 1kg off capacity.


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 9, 2014)

tomscott said:


> Ive heard mix reviews for these being sufficient for the 5DMKIII, is the pro a better option? the Zoom weighs a lot less and from the images I've seen it looks like it would take a 5DMKIII ok and its well within the weight limit of 3kg, even with the 70-300mm L its 1kg off capacity.



I've used the SLR Zoom with a gripped 7D and 17-55, and with a 1D X and 24-70/2.8 II, it holds fine.


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## Sporgon (Sep 9, 2014)

Sounds like a fantastic trip, just be sure you start a thread with your pictures when you get back !

I find that what makes a camera like a 5D large and heavy over a long period of time is the lens, which alters the balance of the body significantly even with a good strap. 

If there is a lot of hiking and it was me going I think I would certainly want the 70-300L, but to add to this I would take three small primes such as the 50/1.4, the 35IS and the 28/24 IS. and have them in belt mounted Lowepro cases. Or I might even just go 40 pancake and 28/24 IS if I was wanting to keep ultra light. Then add a CF monopod. 

Make sure your gear's insured, but it's unlikely any bandits will want it if they read CR.


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## shining example (Sep 9, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> tomscott said:
> 
> 
> > Ive heard mix reviews for these being sufficient for the 5DMKIII, is the pro a better option? the Zoom weighs a lot less and from the images I've seen it looks like it would take a 5DMKIII ok and its well within the weight limit of 3kg, even with the 70-300mm L its 1kg off capacity.
> ...



Personally, I found the SLR Zoom sagged and wasn't stable with a 7D (no grip) and a Sigma 28-105 f2.8 (about the same size or a bit smaller than the 24-105 L, but definitely lighter).

Could've been me not using it properly - I just stood it up where bending the legs might have given extra stability, and I don't recall if I knew back then to put the lens over the leg - but I'd recommend you test it with your setup before heading off and then finding it won't hold...



tayassu said:


> If that is a trip of a lifetime, take your best gear!



^This.

Also, have a great trip!


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 10, 2014)

shining example said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > I've used the SLR Zoom with a gripped 7D and 17-55, and with a 1D X and 24-70/2.8 II, it holds fine.
> ...



Here is the SLR Zoom holding a 1D X with 70-200/2.8L IS II (because that was on the camera, and I was too lazy to get out the 70-300L). Also, I usually use the Joby BH-1 ballhead, but the last time I used the Gorillapod was to attach a 600EX-RT to a railing so I had the Joby cold shoe on the head and didn't want to dig out the 'plate', so I just took off the ballhead. However, the BH-1 would support this load. 

You do need to take some care to set it up, but note that I intentionally used an unbalanced load by attaching the Gorillapod to the camera body instead of the lens collar.


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## Kmccarthy (Sep 10, 2014)

Sounds like a great trip, but I think you are crazy to take that much expensive and heavy gear. South America is great, but dangerous. I've been there many times and I won't even wear a watch or wedding ring, particularly in Brazil. You will get robbed! Some counties are safer than others, but you need to plan for the worst.

I would recommend the smallest possible camera. Maybe a cheap EOS M or Sl1 kit. It will make backpacking and travel safer and more pleasurable.
Last time I was in Brazil I took my old T2i with 18-55 kit lens along with my s100. It worked out well, but I was always very careful and vigilant.


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## pwp (Sep 10, 2014)

tomscott said:


> Hi looking for some travel camera advice!
> 
> I also like the idea of the capture pro camera clip by peak design
> 
> ...


Sounds like an awesome trip Tom. Personally I have reduced and reduced down to the most basic kit possible for travel. My last two big trips to Vietnam & Lao were with nothing more than an SL-1/100D with the classy EF-S 15-85is zoom and a shirt-load of cards. Earlier trips were amply covered with a 5D2 and 24-105. I used to take all sorts of stuff but it just got in the way, was a security headache at times and was just plain heavy. I have come to like the enforced creativity push of only working with one lens. For some travelers this is often just one prime like a 35 or 50. That's too tight for me, but experienced travelers seem to all reach a point of distilled-down lightweight simplicity.

A comment on the Peak Design clip. After over $1000 of research and dead-ends on camera straps and clip systems, the Canon neck strap, Black Rapid, CarrySpeed and Spider-Pro Holster system have all made way for the Peak Design sling straps. I like the Spider-Pro Holster and still use it from time to time. I thought the Peak Design clip looked awesome and bought two plus ProPads, hitched onto a utility belt. I never use them. They would be perfectly fine for a very light camera like an EOS M with a pancake, or most point & shoots, but for a real camera they just don't work. The whole setup is annoyingly rigid and fiddly to lock/unclip, regardless of how easy it looks on the Peak Design website. The Spider-Pro holster is a better bet for heavier DSLR's with the small amount of "swing" in the mounting pin just about perfect. I can _RUN _with a 1D Mk4/70-200 f/2.8isII hooked onto a Spider-Pro holster. Mount/dismount is close to instant. Still, even working with two bodies, I find the Peak Design sling straps slung one each side is the best setup I've ever had. And that's saying something. Their quick release Anchors have passed the "tough-test" with flying colors. The quick release straps are great if you also shoot video where straps just get in the way.

Have a great trip! And travel as light as you possibly can.

-pw


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## gregorywood (Sep 10, 2014)

I've not done anything close to what you're about to do, but I have gone backpacking for several days based out of backwoods cabins. I can tell you that several iterations of this have made me greatly reduce what I take in general, and especially with photography gear. I started taking 1 or 2 bodies plus 4 lenses, flash, travel tripod, etc. I used to pack a telephoto zoom, a standard zoom, a wide angle zoom and a wide aperture prime. The last time around, I took the 7D, the 24-105 and the 50 but there was not enough diversity to get all the shots I saw effectively. Taking the advice of someone who posted somewhere on the interwebs recently, the next time I will take my 17-40 and the 70-300 and not worry about the gap from 40-70...my feet can make up the difference.

To someone else's point above, if this is the trip of a lifetime you want to take your best gear. I would disagree with that and say that you want to ensure you come back with photos and memories of the trip with the best gear that is reasonable to carry. Consider this: what if your cards got corrupt and the mac got stolen? what if your body and/or lenses were stolen or damaged? Consider the weight of all that gear. If I were in your shoes, here is what I would strongly consider...

The EOS M is a steal right now at ~$200 for a new body. Buy 2. Get the EF adapter for $60 (no, get 2). Take a travel zoom (18-200, or the like) and a 35mm f2 IS and maybe a fisheye or something clever. That's it...that's the photo kit. Cheap, light, redundant - not professional grade, pixel peeping, creamy bokeh of the full frame and f/2.8 or less...but you get the shots and you have insurance.

Second...either get an iPad and a wireless hard drive and lookup workflows using that set of tools (there are several out there). If you are insistent on the Mac Air, do yourself a favor and get an extra card reader and a bus powered 2TB portable hard drive. Partition it into two drives - use one to clone your system in the event it doesn't boot, and use the other to do import copies of your photos off the cards for another layer of protection.

This is a different avenue, but I like insurance and portability over pro-grade gear toted into regions unknown. I hope that helps to give you another thought process.

I'm envious of your endeavor and hope to see photos when you return. 

Best of luck!
Greg


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## cellomaster27 (Sep 10, 2014)

+1 for weathersealing. Machu Picchu was extremely wet.. I went in January and it was a mixture of rain, cold, wind, then the random sun with nasty humidity. Street photography.. Cuzco was awesome for that. Puno, visit the floating islands. Besides that, not much to see/shoot. I would be careful with your equipment.. people don't care whether you have a nikon, canon, leica, hasselblad, sony, fuji, etc.. I didn't even use a strap. I shot then store away. Better safe! There are plenty of stories people being threatened with knives and stuff. Never saw and didn't happen to me. I spoke some spanish and also traveled with a few others at all times. Tip from locals, keep your bag in front of you. Worked for me and the locals. La Paz is awesome.. at night for photos. Visit some cafes and the city squares. Several of the cathedrals are nice. haha City is quite drab during the day. Dust dust dust is another thing.. It's pretty windy so I'd be a little cautious. Avoid the touristy areas if you want excellent opportunities for street photography/great deals.  
I'd definitely take a wide lens!! That's the lens I used the most. Honestly, anything above 135mm, not needed imo. Maybe a prime lens? 50mm? for low light stuff/street photography. Spare batteries, cards.. should be good. Traveling light will make it more enjoyable. Have fun and share when you get back~


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## dsut4392 (Sep 10, 2014)

I have done a similar trip in 2009, except with more hiking (and with a much lower-budget photo kit). We started in Lima, then after Bolivia we went down to Patagonia (Torres del Paine and FitzRoy), then to Tierra del fuego.

I would make the following comments on your proposed kit and plans, in no particular order:
- If you want to get the most out of it photographically, stick with full frame over APS-C. Up to you where you where you trade off between quality vs weight, but for remote/rugged terrain, never forget that the first thing you have to do to get the shot is "be there". 
- I would take a real tripod over a gorillapod, so you're not forced to shoot everything from ground level (not many trees in Salar de Uyuni, and lots of Inca Trail is alpine rather than forested).
- Any camera gear is going to make you conspicuous, I don't honestly know whether you are any less likely to be robbed of a smaller cheaper camera than a pro-level kit. I've had my backpack slashed in Guatemala city, but they only got a packet of mints (truly). A friend was not so lucky and had his backpack full of all his (dirty) clothes stolen from the roof of a bus in Colombia. Other friends robbed at gunpoint of pocket change in Buenos Aires. Only take what you can afford to lose!
- Take out good travel insurance, and whenever out-and-about in risky places (i.e. particularly the big cities) carry only the memory cards you are shooting on (the hardware can be replaced, photos not).
- Whatever gear you take, the most important thing with regard to security is awareness of yourself and your environment. If you're shooting in the markets in downtown La Paz, I wouldn't carry anything more than a body with wide angle prime, photocopy of my passport, and a small amount of cash in my pocket. Places like this are shoot-from-the-hip territory.
- I would STRONGLY advise some acclimatisation to altitude, which it looks like you are doing. 1 week getting between Salta and Uyuni via San Pedro would be an ideal minimum IMO.
- Swap the 50 for a wide angle, no question. 
- Inca trail has some big climbs. As you will have already been through Bolivia, your acclimatisation should be good, but you will also need good fitness for stairs (more so if you are carrying lots of weight).
- On hikes like Inca Trail you will be able to leave stuff like your laptop and backup HDDs behind with your trekking company - don't carry anything you don't need.
- Don't underestimate the weather. I'm not sure of Nov/Dec weather, but when we went in Feb it was raining hard and not much above freezing on the highest pass - very different to what you will encounter on the rest of your trip before you get to Cali. Good quality outdoor clothing, and a lightweight drybag (for clothes as well as gear) is a good idea.


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## tomscott (Sep 10, 2014)

Thanks for the responses!

Maybe worth adding a little more info.

In terms of the weight and hiking, I'm a 26 year old sport nut so I am on the fitter side, I also live in Cumbria, which is one of the wettest places in the UK so have plenty of weather gear and has many high peeks I frequent with my camera gear so training side I'm quite happy with. I'm also good with altitude and have been 10,000ft+ quite a few times so hopefully should be ok but yes we have a 5 day acclimatisation period in Cuzco.

All my gear is insured because of my commercial work, but I also have a stipulation of £3000 worth of world wide cover which this kit just about fits into, just slightly over. Brazil and Argentina I've read are probably more dangerous, but at the same time you can think that about anywhere and you don't know what situ you will be in, I will only be in brazil a week and Buenos Aires a couple of days.

The tele is a must as I am going to a nature reserve for 6 days and one of my passions is wildlife photography and where better to shoot than the Amazon.

I am in a group of 12-15 people all guided for the entirety of SA so I suppose that adds a little more security, but the bags I have chosen are well designed in terms of access and my day pack which is where my camera gear will mostly be can only be opened from the rear as in the part that is in contact with your back. Both have pull out camera compartments which even if the bag is slashed will be very difficult to remove without me noticing.

I do intend to travel wisely and won't put myself in any unnecessary danger, I will only be carrying my bags between locations and every hostel i stay in has safes/lockers I can deposit the gear I won't be using and try to cut down on eventualities.

I have an iPad mini and have tried the offload technique and it just doesn't do it for me as described above the hassle isn't worth it for the time. It is also not powerful enough to edit anything quick, I tried a 5DMKIII raw file in PS touch and express which is reduced to 10mp during transfer? and it was like watching paint dry. The wifi card reader HDDs are also an option I have looked at but they are £500 for a 2tb version and don't think they are very good value at all. I already have the MBA 2TB HDD and a small card reader and would rather spend the £500 on the trip. 

Im not really a fan of the EOS M and by putting full size lenses on it sort of makes the size pointless would rather have a proper system you can rely on, I have the sony Nex5N (which is miles better IMO) and although I love it, using the screen all the time is a complete pain I like the view finder. I have thought about buying the 100D or the 700D as I have the 17-55mm F2.8 and the 70-300mm would give me some more reach but as said I really don't like the 18mp sensor and that is my main reason not to buy. Which is why I was looking at the Sony options as their IQ is similar if not better than the 5DMKIII but 1/3 the weight.

In terms of redundancy like I said earlier I plan on shooting to both cards keeping the SD card separately and swapping out for duplicate and also dropping all the pictures onto the laptop and the HDD, which I will keep separately in different bags so thats 3 types of redundancy so hopefully that will be enough.

To make my point more clear, I don't think that 3kg of gear is that heavy but its just add it to everything else and its the only area I can think to cut the weight. I imagine my bag with all my clothes and supplies will weigh somewhere near 10-15kg and my day pack 5-6kg so 20ish KG in total.

I need to get it all together and give it a go really, but just because I can carry it doesn't mean I will want to carry it! lol and if the smaller sony cameras are a viable option I wouldn't have a problem swapping the 5DMKIII out.


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## gregorywood (Sep 10, 2014)

it sounds like you have the bases covered. Are you planning on blogging/tweeting or some other "as it happens" communications? I'd be very interested in following if you are.

Best of luck to you on your adventure. It sounds like a fantastic experience and I hope to see some of your photos.

Greg


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## RustyTheGeek (Sep 10, 2014)

I think *gregorywood* and I are on the same page. I just read the whole thread and a lot has been said so I won't repeat. But I am definitely in the '_make it lighter and simpler_' camp of opinions.

Do you really think that during this trip of a lifetime that you (a fit 26 yr old sport nut) will want to spend time editing pictures alone by yourself on a Macbook Air? Unless you have multiple reasons to take a computer, I would probably leave all that at home. Maybe take the iPad mini or even just your smartphone to get online, social media, email and view pictures with the group and shoot small JPGs on the SD card for that purpose.

I know this is a Canon site but have you considered the Pentax K-3? Very rugged and weather sealed. Yes, it's APS-C but having less worry and more simplicity would be nice. Also, I have taken the SL1 on the trail with a couple lenses (EF 10-22 and Tamron 18-270) and lots of batteries and memory for about 10 days and it went fine but it didn't rain much.

Finally, it sounds like you are an experienced hiker so I guess you're set but I hope your multi-pack solution is workable and comfortable. If you hadn't said how much you hike, I would have assumed that the photography was taking priority over the hiking and that would mean a miserable trip IMHO.

I would also follow some photo posts as your trip unfolds. Have a great time and please let us know what your final kit includes after you finally decide!


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## tomscott (Sep 10, 2014)

I was planning on writing a blog in my down time.

I won't be editing a huge amount on the trip just one or two here or there. A large aspect of the trip is traveling by bus/plane so time to do it then.

Main reason is I don't think I can go 5 months without seeing the images I'm taking at a half decent size. Don't know about you! lol and the MBA has much better base for this although only 11" I find it the best all round machine, and I can organise as I go, I can catch up with friends and family Skype etc

Yes the bag I have bought is a specific trekking bag designed to be carry photographic gear one of the only ones. I have agonised over the bags as you usually get great photography packs with crap support or great support and poor photographic handling. Took a great amount of time and trial, error and money to find the right ones lol!

I picked this one in the end Rover Pro 45L AW

http://youtu.be/fCpT5kcoNgA

It will be my hiking bag when needed, and be my luggage bag to put things in the hold during flights etc It also has two pull out camera compartments which can be folded down when not in use, or carry other items.

http://store.lowepro.com/shop/outdoor-adventure/rover-pro-45l-aw
















It has very good supportive straps with an aluminium frame with hip support and a trampoline style rear system for cool air to pass.

I have also bought the Photo Hatchback 22l AW as my day pack its a rear loading camera bag.

This will be for my carry on but also a day pack when I only need a few bits and pieces in the day, it is really compact but holds a lot of gear also has a removable camera compartment allowing it to be a full sized bag.

http://store.lowepro.com/shop/dslr/photo-hatchback-22l-aw
















Between the two I think I have covered most bases.

The trip really isnt all about the photography, I can't wait to sample the culture, food and meet new people, it. But Photography it is a big aspect and I just want to make sure my decisions are the best ones available to me and the forum is always full of great knowledge and solutions I won't have thought about!

Really appreciate everyones input.

I will most certainly start a thread of my journey, documenting my journey. Only 7 weeks to go !


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## miah (Sep 10, 2014)

I've spent nearly a year traveling all over S America, have much the same gear as you and seem to have similar interest in photographing people/wildlife. I would take the 5D3 + 24-105 + 70-300 (I have both the DO and L, and while the L's IQ is superior, the DO is much smaller/lighter/less conspicuous and has afforded me some of the best photos I've ever taken). If you have the space I'd also take a 35mm f/2 (I have the older model which is much smaller/lighter than the newer IS version--who needs IS in a 35?) for low-light street shooting. I also carry a MacBook Air 11-in and love it. People who recommend against carrying a computer have rarely seen how small/light the MBA is and are typically traveling for 2 weeks, not 2 months. I find it a great travel companion that helps me improve my photography technique as I go; heavy editing waits until I get home and have access to a desktop computer.

I second the motion to take a small travel tripod of some sort. You'll regret it if you don't.

Keeping your gear with you, especially being in a group with a guide, you don't have to be paranoid about theft. Most people everywhere are fantastic, just be aware that there are a few bad apples wherever you go. My travels in Central and South America were all solo and I only got ripped off once, in Bolivia, by a known-by-the-police pro who swiped a bag when I turned my back.

Redundancy is key. Have at least two cards and/or HDD's with your images placed in two different places. Buy a few Sea to Summit dry bags for your Mac, your external HDD and cards. These work well for weather, rain, stream-crossings, dust, humidity, etc.

I like the Mindshift Rotation 180 backpack which fits the 5D3 set up I describe in the lower fanny pack--all accessible while still wearing the pack.

No matter what you take you're going to have a great time and get some amazing photos. The truth is 85% of your shots will likely come from your 24-105. Happy trails.


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## RustyTheGeek (Sep 10, 2014)

Based on your backpacks, I assume there won't be any camping? It's just hiking from place to place and staying/eating at hostel type places? (Because even in that scenario, I don't know where you'll pack most of the non-photo stuff. Those bags look pretty small to live out of for 2 months.) Please enlighten me. I may do a trip like this someday and I'd like to know what I'm missing about the logistics. I guess I'm imagining that you'll take two T-Shirts, shorts, socks and a tiny pack towel. Small shaving kit. Done. That's about all that would fit in the top of that pack other than some kind of water bladder, correct?

And I'm an IT guy. I get the need for some kind of computer on a long trip. But I've found that I tend to use mine less and less when I travel and I don't miss it if I leave it at home. The 11" MBAir is probably a great compromise. I wonder what kind of online access you will have while there and what it will cost?


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## tomscott (Sep 10, 2014)

The only camping is on the inca trail, and you get a sherpa that carries all the tents and equipment. The bag does have a sleeping bag attachment at the bottom and has lots of loupes you can attach carabiners to and hang things like shoes etc.

The trip is a group trip of 12-15 people and mostly hostel accommodation.

Well the camera equipment will be in one bag, the day pack mostly apart from hiking. Leaving the 45l completely free for everything else which will be left at the hostels so I don't have to carry it. I will then swap out items depending on the needs for each days itinerary. The compartments in the 45l are removable too and fold flat and can be used as a full sized hiking bag. It is designed as a camping bag so you can attach your tent and sleeping bag at the bottom. 45l is more than enough room I am taking a multitude of clothing, my walking gear is all designed to be layered up, so I have base layers, mid layers flees and rain coat. Means instead of a big coat you can either add layers or reduce depending to your temperature, similar to skiing.

A lot of my walking tshirts are breathable and are very thin and compact meaning they take up no room so taking 5 of these, mid layers are made from wool so clean themselves so I'm only taking two, fantastic things. I then have a zip flees. Then I'm taking a pair of walking trousers which zip off at the knee for shorts. I am taking casual stuff too, two paris of shorts a pair of jeans and 3-4 t shirts and a hoody. 2 pairs of shoes one walking waterproof trainer sort of hybrid to keep weight down but keep my feet dry and a pair of casual shoes. 10 pairs of underpants and 6 pairs of sock and 2 sets of walking socks.

Then I have medical and toiletries bag. All will be in packing cubes so can be condensed and so I can figure out which one is which. But I have all of this down to a fine art, no liquids apart from toothpaste, solid shampoo to cut down weight and lasts 50 days. I will wash my clothes on the way as there are lots of stops its also cheap, so can keep things down to a minimum.

There is a good post about it below if you want to read more about traveling packing tips. This girl runs her business by traveling and carries a lot more than I am, she is also is much smaller!! Im a pretty well built nearly 6ft guy and she's about 5ft5 and half my weight. But she is a lady so taking a lot of things maybe us boys wouldn't need 

Great read

http://www.alexinwanderland.com/2013/10/08/peru-packing-list/

The laptop I understand the concerns, but if you are going away for a week to a month I would say fair enough, because you can sort them out when you get back. But if you are traveling for an extend period of time like me you start to miss the use of your own things, using a internet cafe might be fine but means you can't do it when you want. Also I think I will probably get through at least 5000 images in the SA trip, that narrows down to only taking 100 pics a day… as the trip is 51 days and organising 5000 in one go will be a horrendous experience. Hostels all have wifi access whether its good or not is another question. Enough to post a picture and blog post I would say. 

I am meeting my parents in LA tho so I could do the 2 months without the laptop and get them to bring it with them, would save some weight. I just like to review my images properly especially when some of these places will have miraculous scenery.


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## miah (Sep 10, 2014)

Whoa tomscott, you could drop 80% of those clothes and maybe talk Neuro into loaning you his 600 big white! Leave the jeans behind and wear synthetics: they wash easier and dry faster. I'm a bit of a minimalist, but I ascribe to the "wear-one-wash-one ethos." At most you need 2 of anything, one to wear and one to wash and dry overnight. Your hostels will have sinks. Take a drain stop and a clothesline and you're set. This is an easy place to pair down and save weight/bulk. Think about it, do you want to look stylish and smell fresh as a daisy or nail that Amazonian jaguar shot?


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## tomscott (Sep 10, 2014)

There is being minimalist and being comfortable I don't mind, but the trip isn't just roughing it. Loads of nice restaurants, nights out etc etc and want to have a good mix of the two. Its not a hard core trip. I understand the minimalist approach but there is always a good compromise somewhere 

At the same time my hiking clothes are great but I don't want to look like a walker all the time and its not suitable for the whole trip nice to have a little bit of your home comfort too.


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## NancyP (Sep 10, 2014)

Rain gear for the camera/lens. Regeneratable silica gel containers (Pelican has one you can bake in an oven to regenerate).

How fit are you? Are you training with a pack, progressive distances/elevations and progressive weights? That will be a big factor when you are hiking.


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## RustyTheGeek (Sep 10, 2014)

Wow! Thanks for sharing. Personally, I think you could probably reduce things a bit on all fronts and still have a wonderful time and get great photos as well.

Less Stuff = Less Fatigue and Less Worry

I'm not saying to scale back to a P&S camera and a loin cloth but I bet you wouldn't miss taking one or two less lenses, a few less clothes, etc. Just a thought...

For a clothesline, consider this... (Take a few extra lightweight clips though.)
http://www.seatosummit.com/products/display/3
http://andwhatsinthebag.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/magic-beads-the-sea-to-summit-clothesline/


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## cellomaster27 (Sep 11, 2014)

Okay. about wifi. I wouldn't rely on wifi at all honestly. In the hotels and hostels that I stayed at, internet was a joke. The internet cafes or restaurant wifi works but then that's not at the comfort of your bed/room. The bus terminal in La Paz actually had amazing wifi. never would've guessed. but you have a 2 hr limit login.


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## tomscott (Oct 2, 2014)

Quick update.

Got all my flights booked and my visa for America accepted ;D

Slight change of plans, as the flight from Lima to San Diego isn't direct it stops in miami, another destination I want to go! So I have decided to travel the the other way round east to west. So I fly to miami on the 6th Jan staying there for a week. From there I aim to travel to the keys, palm beach, Tampa and then Head to Orlando and maybe have a few days at the parks. I then plan on traveling to New Orleans then Houston, Dalas, phoenix onto San Diego. From there I am meeting a friend to travel LA and Vegas via the mojave national park, then onto the grand canyon back round to death valley onto Yosemite and to San Fran. From there I want to travel San Jose and Silicon valley because I'm a massive geek, then onto Santa Cruz for some surf. Then to head north to Sacramento via nappa valley! Then I think I will have run out of time and fly from San Fran to Heathrow on the 26th March in time to be back in London for my mates stag do the see the England vs Lithuania game.

So ye thats my next 5 months in a paragraph. 

Month today until I fly! Cant wait but feel a little apprehensive. I have heard of issues with one way tickets so have done as much as I can to prevent problems by booking all travel well ahead.

If anyones interested in the gear I have decided on:

I decided to take the 5DMKIII with 24-105mm L 70-300mm L and a 50mm maybe a 16-35mm if I can fit it in! Just because its no compromise the Sony A7 system would have been nice for weight and size but the price and lack of lenses made it more of a compromise. So to save weight I have decided to leave the laptop at home because even the 11" macbook air with the charger and a 2.5" HDD weighs 1.8KGs so I have bought an iPad mini 128gb retina which is only 330g and believe it or not with Photoshop express it can edit the 5D raw files no problem and you have nearly as much editing possibility as lightroom. It also has a good wordpress app so I can do a little blog on the way round.

So I'm going to write small raws to the SD card and raws to the CF, I have bought a Hyperdrive which is quite a nifty little device has CF and SD card slots and a 1tb HDD and you can back everything up to it. Not just that but it has WiFi so you can stream media from it to the iPad etc. Cool but expensive, So I will back up my CF cards with this so I have redundancy and put all the small raws on the iPad via the Camera SD card cable, so I can view the images and edit the odd one. I think this should be a viable travel alternative, took me a long time to figure it all out because there is compromise everywhere, but I suppose with travel you have to but pretty confident this should get me what I need.

http://www.hypershop.com/HyperDrive/UDMA-2/


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## RustyTheGeek (Oct 2, 2014)

Wow *tomscott*! (You're doing quite a bit of writing lately!) It looks like you have an interesting plan, I hope everything goes well and you have a _GREAT TIME_.

For me, the packing and OCD planning and guessing are the grueling parts of travelling. Once I'm on the trip, I relax, settle in and make it all work regardless.

I don't know if I mentioned it before but Nevada Wier has been travelling all over the world for National Geographic, etc for decades. She has some blog posts that go over everything she does in great detail all the way down to which bags she uses, etc. I think she usually has a safe place to dump things after arrival though at some point. It's been years since I read her travel posts and they change as she modifies her methods. She loves to teach and she shares a lot of her methods on her blog. Packing and equipment ideas are sprinkled throughout her blog. Here are some of the ones I could remember and found fairly quickly...

http://nevadawier.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/ah-packing-its-the-little-stuff-that-matters-and-a-few-big-ones/
http://nevadawier.wordpress.com/2010/10/17/a-vested-endeavor/
http://www.nevadawier.com/tools.html
http://www.nevadawier.com/stash.html


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## tomscott (Oct 2, 2014)

Thanks for the links Rusty!

Very interesting reading about other peoples travels. The packing and planning is stressful making sure you have thought of everything! But like you I will relax once i get going!

Those posts are great! She certainly travels heavy tho, her situation is a little different to mine tho so I suppose she needs all the extra gear. I am trying to keep everything down to a minimum. Those Scottvests look interesting might have to have a look at those!


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## tomscott (Oct 9, 2014)

Finally decided on my kit.

5DMKIII + 24-105mm F4 L
70-300mm F4-5.6 L
16-35mm F2.8 L
50mm 1.8

Circ Polar, 10 stop grad, gorilla pod

iPad mini ret 128gb + 1tb Hyperdrive.

Power - Hahnel ProCube - charges two batteries at a time and has a 5v USB on the back very compact brilliant for travel. Also has a car adapter.
http://www.hahnel.ie/index.cfm?page=li-ionchargers&pId=145

RavPower 14000MaH battery charger

Hahnel Dual power USB charger
http://www.hahnel.ie/index.cfm?page=xtrasforipod_usb&id=148&pId=148

3 weeks 3 days to go ;D


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## RustyTheGeek (Jan 7, 2015)

Just curious, how did this trip turn out? Can you share a few shots?


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## gregorywood (Jan 10, 2015)

RustyTheGeek said:


> Just curious, how did this trip turn out? Can you share a few shots?



Yes, as a lengthy contributor to the thread, and an inquiring mind...I want to know, too. ;-)

Greg


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## RustyTheGeek (Jan 10, 2015)

Maybe he never returned! Perhaps he found a nice pretty native that captured his heart and convinced him to never leave! Or maybe a few days into the trip, he was kidnapped and put to work harvesting crops for the drug trade! Anyway, I guess we'll just have to wait and see if he chimes in and tells us his exciting story!

In the meantime, we can always make up versions of what might have happened! LOL! ;D


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