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Nikon D3 & travel

S

S.P.

Guest
The Nikon D3 + 24-70/2.8 is very big and heavy for street shooting.

I would take the M8 + 21/2.8 ASPH, 35/2.0 ASPH, 50/1.4 ASPH

I was very happy with the M6TTL + CV15/4,5, 28/2.0 ASPH, 50/1.4 when I travelled to Cuba.

CUBA 2004

Stefan
 

charlesphoto

New member
Just got back from Dominican Republic where I was doing a job. Keep in mind that it is HOT down there. I would limit your choices down to the minimum. I was working, so I had a D3 plus a gaggle of primes (though looking forward to that 24-70 when I can actually find one) and an M8. The M8 didn't actually come out on the job, but was great to walk around with during down time. I just brought the 28 summicron and the 18 zeiss. That will be my set up for for a month in Europe later this summer, with the possible addition of my 35 lux for night work.

If I was to wander with the D3 I would probably limit myself to a 35 f2, with maybe a 24 f2.8 and/or a 85 1.8 in my bag. As great as the zoom is, it is pretty intimidating and has expensive written all over it. I find it's not so much the size of the camera (a camera in hand is a camera in hand) but the size of the lens that people react to. Also really tough to tuck into a small bag if the need arises compared to the body with a small prime on it.

An ex-girlfriend of mine who fancied herself a photographer went off to Mexico once for a Mary Ellen Mark workshop. She had a couple of cheap Nikon zooms for her film camera (an N80 or some such thing) and I persuaded her to borrow a manual focus 35 1.4. Miss Mark, upon reviewing her gear, made her lock the zooms away in the hotel room and insisted she take all the photos for the workshop with the 35. It made a huge difference in her photography.

David Alan Harvey only uses the 35mm focal length (35 on M film bodies, 28 Summicron on the M8 and 20 f2.8 on D200). Sometimes less is best.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Ray called me today and i said the same thing on the 24-70 zoom leave it home. I said take the 28 f2 and 50 F2 zeiss instead. Less intimidating and most likely better quality. he is adding his 105 macro too and a extender. I think a good choice if he is leaving his M8 home.
 

dfarkas

Workshop Member
David Alan Harvey only uses the 35mm focal length (35 on M film bodies, 28 Summicron on the M8 and 20 f2.8 on D200). Sometimes less is best.
Same with Costa Manos. 2 Black M8s with 2 28 f/2 ASPH lenses. He also does the "throw away your zooms" bit at his workshops.

Must be a Magnum thing. :)

David
 

KurtKamka

Subscriber Member
I brought the D3 with me on a short trip to Florida. I thought that it'd be insane to bring my 200VR. Turns out, I was insane for not bringing it. I didn't realize that the hotel is located next to a wildlife preserve ... dooohhh! All I can do is make the best of the longest lens in my bag, the 85/1.4 and think about what would have been with the 200mm. :)

Kurt
 

woodyspedden

New member
I brought the D3 with me on a short trip to Florida. I thought that it'd be insane to bring my 200VR. Turns out, I was insane for not bringing it. I didn't realize that the hotel is located next to a wildlife preserve ... dooohhh! All I can do is make the best of the longest lens in my bag, the 85/1.4 and think about what would have been with the 200mm. :)

Kurt
May be Kurt but I think the focal length you used did a pretty good job of putting the great Blue Heron into his environmental context. Not saying you would not have gotten different (and perhaps better) shots with the 200 though because it is a super high quality lens.

Woody
 

KurtKamka

Subscriber Member
But I was hoping to see a little less environment and a little more critter in instances in which I wasn't able to get as close. ;) For instance, here's the 85mm and the D3 full frame.
 
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