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Phototrip....2 mirrorless cameras or 1dSLR

Mark K

New member
Dear all
I finally get my rare chance going for a photo trip on my own in April. It will be a short 7 day trip to Southern Part of China shooting Thai's New Year. There will be landscape as well as festival shots of people. The thing is which system I should carry.
My initial plan is to carry
A7r, 24-70f4, 35f2.8, 50f1.8 and Nex6/5r, 10-18, 30macro, 16-50 plus a 70-200 lens (of which a mount Sigma 70-200 f2.8 OS or Minolta 70-210/f4)

Alternatively
1. A99 (not yet bought) 24-70f2.8, 16-35f2.8, pluse Nex6 as backup
2. 5D3 24-105f4, 17-40f4, 70-200f2.8 IS, 100 macro
3. d800 50f1.4, 35f1.4, 14f2.8, 150 macro and nex6 as backup.


The total weight of carrying the last three dSLR system is around 5Kg...and on top of that I am also carrying a flash gun and a tripod

Can anyone give me an advice which to bring? My may concern about A7r is the AF speed in capturing fast moving people. My previous trial using A7 with Sigma 70-200f2.8 did not impress.
Thank you all
 
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Based on what you have in 'inventory', I'd probably take:

A7r with 24-70f4 and 50f1.8 and the Nikon-mount 14mm with an adapter to use it on the A7r

Nex6/5r with 70-200 lens for longer shots

and multiple batteries!
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Travel light. I mostly bring 2 mirrorless bodies, same mount and sensor size, one WA zoom, one "normal" zoom or prime and one telephoto prime, usually 120-150mm eqv. When I travel, I use a Gorilla Pod instead of a conventional tripod, but that requires a lightweight camera with a flip-up screen to be comfortable to work with. I never bring a flash, but that's me :)

I used to carry an 80-200/2.8, but it's been 3 years since the last time, and I don't miss it a single second. Better to bring two primes (85 + 135mm?) that are lighter, smaller and have larger apertures.
 

mazor

New member
I would have thought that with the A7r, the quality is that good, that you would just use one body and carry an assortment of lens, like the 24-70,70-200 and a fast normal prime lens. If you must carry a second body, then the smaller Nex 5r with the 10-18mm will cover the ultra wide angle range.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I would have thought that with the A7r, the quality is that good, that you would just use one body and carry an assortment of lens, like the 24-70,70-200 and a fast normal prime lens. If you must carry a second body, then the smaller Nex 5r with the 10-18mm will cover the ultra wide angle range.
The reason why I carry a second body is for backup. Something may always break, and it's annoying to stand in the middle of the winter on the Great Wall of China without a tourist in sight but also without a camera that works. Done that, hated it, still hate it :mad:

Mirrorless bodies are small and lightweight, and the backup camera doesn't need to be the latest, greatest. It won't be used often anyway :)
 

mazor

New member
true true, I have had this happen to me! In Cambodia on the first day, the mirror of my 5D came loose!! Lucky the tour guide was kind enough to find a street side stall that sold elephant glue (super glue) which worked a treat. Infact the mirror 3 years later is still being held by that glue!

For emergencies, I always ensure I carry a good smart phone with a descent camera, aka Nokia 808 :)
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Mark, I wonder if the a6000 will be available before you leave? That has the AF speed you crave for moving people, and takes the native FE lenses you'd be carrying for the A7R.

The 1.5X crop factor of the 24 meg a6000 would also give you a bit more effective reach with the FE lenses, plus you could add a wider native E lens that could still be used on the the A7R in a pinch.

The a6000 Instruction Manual is available from Sony already, so perhaps the camera can't be far behind (?):

http://support.sony-asia.com.edgesuite.net/consumer/IM/4532055111.pdf

Just a thought.

- Marc

P.S., the a6000 takes the same battery as the A7R.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Mark, I wonder if the a6000 will be available before you leave? That has the AF speed you crave for moving people, and takes the native FE lenses you'd be carrying for the A7R.

The 1.5X crop factor of the 24 meg a6000 would also give you a bit more effective reach with the FE lenses, plus you could add a wider native E lens that could still be used on the the A7R in a pinch.

The a6000 Instruction Manual is available from Sony already, so perhaps the camera can't be far behind (?):

http://support.sony-asia.com.edgesuite.net/consumer/IM/4532055111.pdf

Just a thought.

- Marc

P.S., the a6000 takes the same battery as the A7R.
Looks like a no-brainer if you ask me. Same battery and same lens mount = real backup.
 

Viramati

Member
Personally I would travel light and with not to many lenses otherwise you can spend more time thinking about which lens to use and changing them. Personally with your kit I would probably just take the 24-70/4 and the 55/1.8. You may think this is limiting but on the other hand you may find it liberating as you can concentrate more on your photography and less on your equipment. I often travel/work with 2 bodies and lenses, this used to be 2 leica M9's with a 50 on one and 28 on the other but I now use an M with the 28 and the A7 with the FE 55. If you are thinking about spending money on another camera why not consider the A7 as then you could have both lenses ready to use and a back up if necessary.
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
I would take the A7r with 24-70 f4, 35mm f2.8 and either an adapted Leica M 90mm macro elmar (weighs nothing and is amazing on the A7r) or the upcoming FE70-200. An A6000 for backup, tracking focus and reach and a Giottos Traveller CF tripod, very light and flexible and seems fine with the camera.

The reason I choose the 35mm rather than the 55 is that the zoom does damned nearly as well at the 55 at f5.6 and f8 and the 35mm is so small and unobtrusive, but very good.
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
The reason why I carry a second body is for backup. Something may always break, and it's annoying to stand in the middle of the winter on the Great Wall of China without a tourist in sight but also without a camera that works. Done that, hated it, still hate it :mad:

Mirrorless bodies are small and lightweight, and the backup camera doesn't need to be the latest, greatest. It won't be used often anyway :)
Nothing like bouncing your M8 off the cobblestones on the Charles Bridge. At least I was able to find a local camera shop and bought something to (inadequately) bridge the gap.
Whatever your preference of camera it is wise to look for as much commonality as possible in lens mount, battery, and don't forget lenses which can also suffer mishaps, think about survival if one lens bites the dust. The other extreme is to use something radically different that is small, "adequate", and self-contained that can cover in a pinch.
And always bring your smartphone :D
-bob
 

Mark K

New member
Thank you for these great inputs. I was silly enough two years back bringing D800 plus A77 as back up. The bulk of two system not only broke my back but also...most of my precious glass.
 

MikalWGrass

New member
Don't buy a new camera that you will have to familiarize yourself with; take something that you already know the ins and outs of.

Did someone say a6000? Are they available in the States yet? Why am I getting an echo?
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I would get something that takes your Sony A7r glass be it a A7 or even the new A6000. You could even leave the backup in your hotel room and the most you would lose is maybe one day of shooting. Just bring your iPhone everywhere which 99 percent of us do anyway. I like to travel with most of my gear but I will leave stuff in my room to keep it light when out and about shooting unless I'm on a gig than everything goes since i am being paid. LOL
 
How about the A7r + 24-70 and a 135mm prime. And then rx1r for backup?

You'd have versatile zoom woth the a7r and 135 for reach. The 36mp gives you digital zoom by cropping in post. And the rx1r gives you pretty fast 35 and light, high quality FF backup. And it'll survive crop probably to around 70-80 equivalent if need be.

And the signature of the cameras would be pretty similar too. And the tx1r would be light enough to be kept in a jacket pocket or "man bag" all the time.. for evening dinner time you'd probably take just the rx1r.

//Juha
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I think its time for me to retire now. Lol

Man bag really and here I thought it was a Think Tank bag
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I think its time for me to retire now. Lol

Man bag really and here I thought it was a Think Tank bag
Okay back to manly work . Trim trees mow lawn take out the dang trash. Never met a woman that does garbage. ROTFLMAO

Mine don't even know the color of the dumpster. LOL
 
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