How much is too much?

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Geoffc

Senior Member
We are travelling to the US in just under three weeks visiting Salt Lake City, Bryce Canyon, Vegas, Death Valley, Yosemite, Monterey and San Francisco. Unfortunately I'm still pondering what to take. My paranoia even starts with my bag which is a Lowepro Vertex AW300 rucksack which I purchased for this trip. At the time of purchase I had a set of criteria including the ability to house my 15.6" laptop. It's right on the limit of those baggage gauges for carry on, so I'm paranoid that they will tell me to put it in the hold even though US Airways gives a whopping 18Kg carry on allowance. I keep telling myself it's irrational but that's just me. With regards to camera gear I'm planning to take here goes:


  1. D800 body - Essesntial for the landscapes
  2. D7100 body - This is our backup body as it can replace my wife's D7100 or my D800 if they have a problem or it's my crop body when I want extra reach. It's roll really depends who you are asking as it was part funded by my wife selling her D300 :eek:
  3. Nikon 24-120 F4. If I could only take one lens it would be this one.
  4. Nikon 16-35 F4. If I don't take it I will almost certainly wish I had. Also if the D7100 backup is needed because my D800 goes faulty it's a really useful lens on DX for normal stuff.
  5. Nikon 70-200 2.8 VRII. This useful for all sorts so I will only wish I'd brought it. I also have a TC-20E III to give me 400mm. I was going to get a 28-300 to provide reach for this trip but as I already own this it seemed not to make sense.
  6. Nikon 50mm 1.8G. I could undoubtedly get by without this but it's so small I can just chuck it in. But should I? Ok I can afford not to take this.
  7. Nikon 105 VR Macro. I'm certainly not going with the intention of shooting macro, however am I likely to see so many bugs that I will be kicking myself for leaving it. As my wife also has the Tamron 90mm I'm thinking that more than one macro is probably just extra weight and it is a heavy old beast.
  8. SB900. I suspect it will get little use but perhaps we will get the chance to do some star shots and we want to light the forground? On that note should I also take the pocket wizard triggers and light meter :eek:
  9. All the usual grad and polarising filters.
  10. Lowepro AW75 toploader- This is going in my suitcase but it's handy for walkabout.

That little lot weighs about 11.5Kg so far. I suspect for 90% of the time I could use the D800 and 24-120 lens, so everything else is only for the other 10%.

Next my wife's bag of stuff:


  1. Lowepro rucksack - Fine for carry on.
  2. D7100 - Essential
  3. Tokina 11-16 - Essential
  4. Nikon 10.5 fisheye - My wife will not leave home without this for some reason.
  5. Nikon 18-200mm - Essential
  6. Nikon 70-200 2.8 VRII. Same reasons as mine and has the Kenko 1.4TC. Should we only take one between us?
  7. Tamron 90mm Macro. As above, should we just take one macro or even none? This is a lot lighter than the Nikon and comparable IQ.
  8. 35mm 1.8G. Having spent a lot of time in the bag, this has been used a lot recently after the sharpness over the super zoom became so apparent.
  9. SB900. I don't think it's worth taking two
  10. Filters and stuff.


The problem is we have some OK gear and I will really kick myself if I spend time wishing I'd brought it. We are both keen photographers so this will form a big part of the trip. Oh dilemmas. The way my back has been for a few week I suspect that will play a bigger part in the decision than anything else. Please note that this is not an entirely serious question as I know that only we can answer it.
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
If there's anything I'd leave home it would be the 24-120. Seems that with the 16-35, 50 and 70-200 you're quite covered. The 24-120 is great for people and parties, but for landscapes, I think the 16-35 will be more useful.

But this is only my opinion and do feel free to take what you feel you need to.

Have a great trip!
 
S

SteveH

Senior Member
Mail your heaviest lenses to a fellow Nikonite who lives in the area and collect them when you arrive... Lower baggage weight, meaning you can buy stuff to bring back? :cool:


ETA:- I'm jealous of both your trip, and your list of lenses. Enjoy the holiday!
 
P

Pretzel

Senior Member
1 word... OOF! How far are ya gonna walk with those packs? LOL I run around with my D7100, 18-55, 70-300 and 50mm 1.8G (all Nikkor) plus the SB700 in a sling bag, and I can verify how heavy it is about halfway through any walk (I state halfway, as at the point the weight starts getting THAT noticeable, I usually turn around and start heading back). I didn't see a tripod listed, either. Are ya carrying one of those?? Again I say... OOF!

Having said that, looking forward to your pics, and hope you have a fantastic time on your trip!
 
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Geoffc

Senior Member
Marcel said:
If there's anything I'd leave home it would be the 24-120. Seems that with the 16-35, 50 and 70-200 you're quite covered. The 24-120 is great for people and parties, but for landscapes, I think the 16-35 will be more useful.

But this is only my opinion and do feel free to take what you feel you need to.

Have a great trip!
Click to expand...

Marcel,

Well that's just caught me right off guard :) I think at a technical level you're right but I'm just not that disciplined. I'm afraid the 24-120 is just my crutch.
 
W

WayneF

Senior Member
Marcel said:
If there's anything I'd leave home it would be the 24-120. Seems that with the 16-35, 50 and 70-200 you're quite covered. The 24-120 is great for people and parties, but for landscapes, I think the 16-35 will be more useful.

But this is only my opinion and do feel free to take what you feel you need to.

Have a great trip!
Click to expand...


My own case is the opposite. :) For extensive travel involving significant walking in scenic destinations, I have learned to leave all my heavy f/2.8 lenses at home. The 24-120 is the only one lens I even take on the trip. :) It may not be 14mm or 200 mm or f/2.8, but it does one really nice job. At the end of each day, carrying only one lens feels good. :)
 
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Eyelight

Senior Member
I got lost on # 5 and I really over-think stuff. Course I am only on the first 2/3 of the first cup of coffee.

Deciding that I owed yiou the effort of reading the whole novel before I responded, I picked up at #6 and continued. Glad I did because I found there was no need for me to worry, because you already know who has to figure it out.

However, in the spirit of the community, and if I grasp the general idea of the query:

Beyond the necessities, if you take it, you probably will not use it. If you leave it, you'll need it every day.

There is an old rule of comfort (rule of thumb on a larger scale) when carrying gear on your person or having to keep track of it all when traveling. You need a certain amount of water to survive for several weeks. Everything else you carry is for your comfort. So, what you carry is a tradeoff. How much discomfort are you willing to endure in order to be comfortable?

If you leave something behind you figure out you gotta have, there are camera stores over here, and unless it is a rare piece, Amazon can have it at your door in the morning.:)
 
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Geoffc

Senior Member
Pretzel said:
1 word... OOF! How far are ya gonna walk with those packs? LOL I run around with my D7100, 18-55, 70-300 and 50mm 1.8G (all Nikkor) plus the SB700 in a sling bag, and I can verify how heavy it is about halfway through any walk (I state halfway, as at the point the weight starts getting THAT noticeable, I usually turn around and start heading back). I didn't see a tripod listed, either. Are ya carrying one of those?? Again I say... OOF!

Having said that, looking forward to your pics, and hope you have a fantastic time on your trip!
Click to expand...

Pretzel,

Your point is valid, however I have no intention of hiking with all this stuff. Most of the time I would decide before I left the hotel what I was planning to do and just take a body plus typically the 24-120 and 16-35 in my AW75 toploader. Yes I have a Benro travel angel tripod that I'm taking in the luggage. Even if I wasn't taking a tripod I wouldn't admit it on this forum :playful:

OOI (Out of Interest) what does OOF mean?
 
R

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
I can't add much other than to say you are visiting some of my favorite parts of the US. I've only traveled there via motorbike, so didn't have and significant camera gear, but still some of my favorite memories.

Your bag looks like it could be just at the size limit for carry on. The US Airways dimensions (since I'm also flying them for my trip next week) is 10x14x22, where the bag looks to be 10.4x13x21.7. Are you carrying the big Lowepro with you everywhere while on your trip, or swapping over to the AW75 once you're here?
 
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Eyelight

Senior Member
OOF

- out of flash (ran out of batteries) New I should have packed more.

- out of foreground (too close to subject) If I only had the wide angle.

- out of firewood (cold night) Bought more gear in lieu of hotel room.

- out of fuel (carried too much today) Self explanatory.

Coffee has kicked in:)
 
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Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Geoffc said:
Marcel,

Well that's just caught me right off guard :) I think at a technical level you're right but I'm just not that disciplined. I'm afraid the 24-120 is just my crutch.
Click to expand...

OK then you could leave the 16-35 behind and to some pano stitching if you really have to go extremely wide. If you still have the original carrying case for the 70-200, you could keep that lens in it so you could have day trips with only the body with 24-120 and the 70-200 in it's case.
 
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Geoffc

Senior Member
RocketCowboy said:
I can't add much other than to say you are visiting some of my favorite parts of the US. I've only traveled there via motorbike, so didn't have and significant camera gear, but still some of my favorite memories.

Your bag looks like it could be just at the size limit for carry on. The US Airways dimensions (since I'm also flying them for my trip next week) is 10x14x22, where the bag looks to be 10.4x13x21.7. Are you carrying the big Lowepro with you everywhere while on your trip, or swapping over to the AW75 once you're here?
Click to expand...

Swapping once I get there, or certainly emptying it of things but putting my packed lunch in it.
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Here's my take. For the parks the 16-35mm and 24-120mm are mandatory. I'm trying to think of how often I was on the long range of my 28-300mm when I visited Yosemite and San Fran in 2011, and I'm thinking that while they are great lenses, having two 70-200mm f/2.8's with you may just be overkill. If you're looking more for wildlife than for landscapes then you may just be able to get away with leaving the 24-120mm at home, but like you, that's my every day lens and I can't imaging leaving home without it.

Yes, the 50mm is small, but I can't see you using it other than just because I brought it.

I suspect 1 macro will be enough, but it depends a lot on your plans, and you could find some interesting minutia in some of those places. If you insist on two 70-200mm's then take only one macro.

You're going to a lot of wonderful places, so I totally understand the desire to not leave anything behind. That said, I don't see a tripod in your kit.
 
C

crycocyon

Senior Member
You:
D800
24-120
16-35
50 1.8G
SB900

That's it plus filters. No second body because your wife already has a second body. No triggers, no meter.

Wife:
D7100
10.5
18-200
35 1.8G
(no second set of filters except for what are on the lenses)

No 70-200 f2.8s. Unless you are doing event shooting, everything is close enough unless you plan to do birding.
No macros. The 35 1.5G focuses pretty close. Remember a D800 gives you such incredible cropping ability that you don't necessarily need a dedicated macro, and personally I don't think you'll have the time to sit down and set up macro shots.

Bring a small table-top tripod.

One flash is enough.

Airlines go as much by size as weight for carry-on. If it doesn't fit in their size check aluminum frame, you will have to check it and you don't want to do that. Err on the side of a smaller bag or make sure the dimensions match the specs for the airline as mentioned.

I would NEVER EVER EVER leave my camera equipment in a hotel room. US hotels are not responsible for lost or stolen items from the hotel room and they will suggest you put your valuable items in the hotel safe, or some hotels like the good ones in Vegas have a locking steel drawer by the bed that could fit a camera body and smaller lenses but not bigger lenses. So if you want to have that much equipment, be prepared to have it with you all the time, or risk losing it.

I got by in Vegas with a D800, 50mm 1.4G, 85mm 1.4G and SB-800. That was it. If I had the 24mm 2.8 with me at the time I would have had that as well but that would be all I need:

http://nikonites.com/low-light-night/20465-nikon-d800-night-las-vegas.html
 
G

Geoffc

Senior Member
BackdoorHippie said:
Here's my take. For the parks the 16-35mm and 24-120mm are mandatory. I'm trying to think of how often I was on the long range of my 28-300mm when I visited Yosemite and San Fran in 2011, and I'm thinking that while they are great lenses, having two 70-200mm f/2.8's with you may just be overkill. If you're looking more for wildlife than for landscapes then you may just be able to get away with leaving the 24-120mm at home, but like you, that's my every day lens and I can't imaging leaving home without it.

Yes, the 50mm is small, but I can't see you using it other than just because I brought it.

I suspect 1 macro will be enough, but it depends a lot on your plans, and you could find some interesting minutia in some of those places. If you insist on two 70-200mm's then take only one macro.

You're going to a lot of wonderful places, so I totally understand the desire to not leave anything behind. That said, I don't see a tripod in your kit.
Click to expand...

Jake, I'm shocked that you thought I wasn't bringing a tripod :friendly_wink: I'm actually taking the Travel angel tripod. I did wonder about the two 70-200s but we are going to Monterey and could even end up on one of those whale watching trips. Unfortunately we end up doubling up because more often than not we both want the same type of lens at the same time. I would be more likely to leave home without my passport than my 24-120. If things got tight I could easily run with the 24-120 for three weeks. I suspect you're right about the 50mm so that's just missed out on a holiday.
 
G

Geoffc

Senior Member
crycocyon said:
You:
D800
24-120
16-35
50 1.8G
SB900

That's it plus filters. No second body because your wife already has a second body. No triggers, no meter.

Wife:
D7100
10.5
18-200
35 1.8G
(no second set of filters except for what are on the lenses)

No 70-200 f2.8s. Unless you are doing event shooting, everything is close enough unless you plan to do birding.
No macros. The 35 1.5G focuses pretty close. Remember a D800 gives you such incredible cropping ability that you don't necessarily need a dedicated macro, and personally I don't think you'll have the time to sit down and set up macro shots.

Bring a small table-top tripod.

One flash is enough.

Airlines go as much by size as weight for carry-on. If it doesn't fit in their size check aluminum frame, you will have to check it and you don't want to do that. Err on the side of a smaller bag or make sure the dimensions match the specs for the airline as mentioned.

I would NEVER EVER EVER leave my camera equipment in a hotel room. US hotels are not responsible for lost or stolen items from the hotel room and they will suggest you put your valuable items in the hotel safe, or some hotels like the good ones in Vegas have a locking steel drawer by the bed that could fit a camera body and smaller lenses but not bigger lenses. So if you want to have that much equipment, be prepared to have it with you all the time, or risk losing it.

I got by in Vegas with a D800, 50mm 1.4G, 85mm 1.4G and SB-800. That was it. If I had the 24mm 2.8 with me at the time I would have had that as well but that would be all I need:

http://nikonites.com/low-light-night/20465-nikon-d800-night-las-vegas.html
Click to expand...


Great shots of Vegas, it gives me something to aim at. The second body is in case either my D800 or her D7100 fail, as we are away for three weeks taking lots of pictures. If we had to share for that time it may result in a divorce. Like others have said the 70-200 doesn't make the list so this has me thinking.

Interesting what you say about hotel security. I do wonder if the gear is safer locked in the trunk of the car?
 
G

Geoffc

Senior Member
Marcel said:
OK then you could leave the 16-35 behind and to some pano stitching if you really have to go extremely wide. If you still have the original carrying case for the 70-200, you could keep that lens in it so you could have day trips with only the body with 24-120 and the 70-200 in it's case.
Click to expand...

Marcel,

Thanks for reminding me about those 70-200 bags as they're really useful for walking around.


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