|
Camera Gear and vibrations
Hi,
I consider changing over to new camera gear – though I'm not sure yet. It's gonna be Nikon or Canon. My options are Nikon D200 or the Canon 5D. Whatever my choice, I would also carry a non-digital backup-camera with me on the bike. A few years back I had an incident where my autofocus gave up after 2 days of biking in Cambodia. That said - I'm not sure if it was the vibrations or if the camera was on its way out anyway. Has anyone got any good or bad experience with a (digital) SLR failing on them due to motorbike travelling (even in moderate offroad conditions)? Cheers Bjorn |
I used to be a hobby photographer, but nowadays seldom use my nikon, much preferring my wifes do it all camera. For your kind of trip, is it wise to take expensive equipment? Good secondhand or cheaper new stuff wont have you worrying about its whereabouts so much...
I must confess I have decided to live life rather than record it... so if you have to have a camera make it a small one that can live in your pocket. My tent cost £10 two years ago, and is still undamaged... if it were to disappear or go up in flames it would not bother me, as I have had my moneys worth out of it many times over.. BUT.. It probably is not up to protecting me on a mountainside in winter,, well perhaps it does, as it keeps me home and by the fire :) |
We have had a few reports of digital cameras failing - but then we've seen film cameras fail too.
The main thing is to protect them from vibration - in a padded camera bag in a tank bag is generally sufficient, unless you're into serious off-road bumps and bangs, in which case all bets are off. On you is the safest place for the camera, but not so safe for you - if you crash and land on it you'll probably hurt you as much or more than the camera. A rider died when he crashed a while ago - the cell phone over his heart did it. So put the camera somewhere sensible - hips break too when you land on a camera worn there. :( And the best bet - carry a second camera. We always recommend a "good" camera as the main one when you have time, and a point n shoot for quick grab shots. If they're the same brand the menus etc are very similar making them easier to use. We like Canon, but Nikon are as good. Fujifilm cameras have a bad rep for reliability. Also of course take LOTS of memory cards! have a great trip! |
Hi mate,
I've recently come back from a trip to Morrocco and Iran carrying digital SLR equipment. I was using a Nikon D100 with Sigma pro lenses. I was also carrying a laptop. (I'm a press photographer so tend to get a bit anal about having enough gear, even on holiday!) My approach was to have all my eggs in one basket, that is, I put two layers of foam (one low density, one higher density) in the bottom of one of my panniers and then put all this electronic gear in that pannier in individual cases. It perhaps wasn't a perfect solution (but then what is?) but it worked very well. My gear suffered no ill effects from vibes or the slow speed tumbles which plonked the bike on that pannier. I'd say Nikon would be a very good choice and I'm seriously contemplating upgrading my D100 to a D200 in the near future, they look like very nice semi-pro bodies. Canon are also very good, the pro world seems split on wether Nikon or Canon are better and in the end it doesn't matter, with these cameras it will be your own skills that limit your shots, not the brand of camera you have. I heartily agree with Grant that a second camera is a good idea, I've just bought a little digi compact for those snaps which so often turn out the best pix of a trip! Happy snapping. Matt (I've a horrible feeling I'm gonna be taking a digi SLR, manual film SLR and digi compact on my next trip, so much for "The more you travel, the less you find you need!" :) ) |
Helge Pedersen's Method
I think Helge Pedersen uses a backpack like this http://www.lowepro.com/Products/Back...yZone_200.aspx
He straps that to the passenger seat/luggage rack, it is completely watertight and has plenty of vibration dampening padding. But then he's a pro photographer and carries a lot of equipment. Me, I love my Canon S3 IS for its versatility and size. |
Hi,
I have one of those backpacks and they are excellent, but a bit too much to carry around when you are off the bike doing a bit of sightseeing. That's why I had a little side case which I carried around, generally with just my digi body and short zoom in. I did think about carrying it in my pannier but it didn't quite fit and with so much kit in there it would have been unsuitable to just leave strapped to the bike. I have thought about custom building a top-box or side box to exactly fit my Lowepro backpack, but that's a whole other plan for another time! I believe Lowepro do backpacks which have a little camera bag in the bottom with an ordinary 'daypack' style top section which might be suitable for keen amauter snappers. Matt PS- If you are new to digi photography and are wondering wether it is worth it then I have to say it is. If you are keen then you will see your 'learning curve' get much steeper as soon as you switch over. The ability to look at a pic just after you've taken it, see why it does or doesn't work while you can still remember the conditions and what aperture/speed/iso (and being able to remind yourself in EXIF!) you took it at is brilliant. Then being able to fire off shots till you get it right, not caring about the cost of film...well, digi is probably the greatest leap forward in photography since colour film. :) |
All in all I prefer to carry my camera in the tank bag. It's easily and quickly accessible and relatively safe. Besides having a padding under the tank bag I use an Ortlieb waterproof (and dustproof) bag specially designed for SLR cameras, which is also padded. Thus the camera is double padded. This has done the job for thousands of kilometers and many of them on tough dirt roads.
Hans |
Hi Bjorn,
I use a Canon 20D and my long standing Canon D60 SLR camera's, complete with L series lens'. I'm sure that the constant vibrations form the motorcycle help to keep the CCD dust contamination to a minimum, just remember always to store the body with the CCD vertical and try to keep a lens for each body, therefore reducing the dust ingress problems even more. If you saw the dents that my kit's been inflicted with you'll realise they don't get a gentle life! Regards Reggie AKA The Cameraman |
Hi Reggie,
I store my cameras generally facing down with a lens on. Why do you store them with the CCD vertical, is it just so the dust doesn't accumulate on a flat surface or is there another reason? Cheers, Matt |
Hi Matt,
exactly as you say, if the CCD's vertical then there's less chance of any dust landing on it and also, if the focal plane is in it's normal orientation then there's less forces affecting the equipment as you ride along. |
Cheers, will consider this when I work out how I'm carrying my kit next time!
Matt |
Carrying photo equipment on bike
Hi all,
I think we must talk for everyone's problems about this subject. The main problem is: 1. Zoom lenses are very sensitive to vibration. 2. Electronic bodies (digitals are more) are very sensitive to vibration. Ok, how can we solve it? 1. Try to get fixed focus lenses of only one length: For example 24, 35, 50, 85, 135, 200 mms (for 35 mm film cameras) 2. Try to get manual cameras (for example Nikon FM2) If the budget or conditions doesn't allow to do so: try to make very good enough thick )at least 10 mms) vibration dampening padding of soft foam for around the camera and spare lanses. If you fill around the camera and lenses wit foam and other goods, it also helps a lot. Carrying all photo equipment on the backpack seems ok at first glance but in long distance rides it makes you tired and of course dangereous in fall offs. Regards, |
Hi Samy,
I agree that I wouldn't want to ride witha camera backpack on, it would be pretty uncomfortable after a while. My lenses are all zooms and I've had no problems with vibes. However they are 'pro' lenses (Sigma) and therefore built to take a beating. It might be worth investing in pro lenses for an amatuer if they are planning extensive rough usage. Matt |
Hi Matt,
I use canon L series lens and have never had a problem with them. OK they sure look a bit battered these days but they've paid for thereselves many times over. I just wish they were a little smaller as I don't like using up a whole pannier space just for my camera kit! |
I took my big Olympus on a tour, but it was rather bulky and I always worried about breakage since it is not cheap. That took the enjoyment out of having the camera available for capturing those excellent beach scenes or what have you, and I quit carrying it. have since moved to a simple point-and-shoot that will fit in a pocket (a small Samsung 5 megapixel) and which cost 1/10th of the Olympus. I miss the big zoom lens but appreciate that the small Samsung runs on ordinary AA batteries and uses ordinary SD memory cards that are available in any major city if I fill up mine. And if the camera quits working... well, I don't worry about it. I just carry it in the bubble-wrap that it came in, and when on the highway wrap it in a towel, place it in a panier, and call it good.
|
Quote:
|
I used the Touratech Photographer Tankbag to carry two Nikon F100s with lenses through Africa, and later one Nikon D70 with 2 lenses through the Americas. It worked really well for me: it's padded, easy to remove and to zip back onto the bike, and you can carry it around with the included strap: http://www.touratech-usa.com/shop/sh...o?sku=055-1076
The mounting system is especially nice for a F650 bike model-year 2001 or later because it also insulates from the heat (important point on that bike since it will be sitting on the oil tank). I would get the larger model (055-1077): it's good to have a little additional room for snacks and stuff, and it comes with the larger map-holder which is so much better than the small one. Finally, I would never carry a camera on me while riding: too dangerous in case of fall - for me and for the camera too! (the only exception would be when crossing a river - talking by experience). I would not even consider carrying a backpack at all (too much strain on the shoulders). It's much safer to keep the camera gear in a tankbag; it also makes it very easy to pull over and take a quick snapshot on the side of the road, especially if you also have a convertible helmet (you don't even need to remove your gloves or the helmet to take a picture). --- In terms of reliability regarding vibrations, I think that all the good SLR cameras are more or less the same (they fare much better than the point-and-shoot - but you should still take a P&S anyhow for the convenience). The F100, D200 and other "weatherproof" cameras are still one big step above the "prosumer" cameras but it might not make a difference for you unless you clearly intend to shoot in all conditions. My F100s survived the Vietnam moonsoon, the Vic-Falls spray and the Burning Man dust. The D200 is built the same, as a tank, but at $700 more you might want to keep the money for a second body, a P&S, a nice lens or... an additional month on the road. Pro lenses are more reliable because they don't extend when you zoom, meaning you don't risk gripping them with dust or humidity when you retract them. Problem: they usually don't have a wide range, so if you get a more universal lens (like the beautiful but yet-impossible-to-find Nikon 18-200 VR), keep a rag handy to sweep it once in a while. Also don't pack or carry the lens around in the extended position: always retract it first. And don't buy a cheap lense whose tip wobbles around when fully extended (like some Tamron's do). As other people said, keep one lens per body or at least avoid changing lenses in dusty locations, and get as much memory as you can, or an iPod with camera connector for backup (more on that on http://www.photobiker.com/store/electronics.html - I need to update the links on that page but the info is still valid). Burn your pictures once in a while at an internet cafe, mail the CDs back home, and you should be safe. Wow, that was long. Hope this helps... Happy riding, happy shooting! Pierre - http://www.photobiker.com |
2 Attachment(s)
I have a Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D digital SLR with a large vertical grip/battery pack that will not fit in most cases. My solution was a Hepco & Becker Top Case for my BMW R1150R, to which I added a gel foam pad (made as a stadium seat for your fanny) which fits perfectly into the bottom of the top case. This isolates anything put on top of it. Then I got a relatively cheap Tamrac soft case, which just sits on top of the gel pad, within the top case. The top case is roomy enough for my rain gear or other soft items which I pack around the Tamrac case with my 7D inside. A top case is very easy to access and the camera was easy to grab for photos. I used this on a trip from Colorado to Canada, on asphalt roads, so cannot attest to how well this would dampen vibrations on a rougher road but I feel the gel pad adds a lot to the dampening needed to high end electronics, like a digital camera.
|
cheap camera bag
Here is what I use for my trip on and off road . I bought some foam for pelican case and cut it then to fit my cameras in my tank bag .its a cheap but vey good option for your expensive camera,without getting in the way of a fast access for pictures on the road.I did some serious off road ,even fall few time and the protection was great.
my 2 cents. Hendi |
I think Pierre's tankbag setup is the way to go for security and easy access, if you can do that.
I'm on a DR with no tankbag and setting up to carry video and still gear, tripod, helmet cam, etc. This stuff, and what goes along with it, takes up a lot of room. Although the weight isn't that great, it's bulky and needs space. My original plans were to have a Pelican mounted behind my gear bag on the rear that was easily accessible. There's not room for this. I'm going to induvidual soft bags for the cams and another system which will probably be changed...again...:) It's like 2 different lives, if you can understand. |
Bjorn
Back to your original point...the Eos5D has a full frame sensor so your 20 mm lens really is a 20mm lens. If I recall corectly the Nikon D200 has some weather sealing on the body which the canon doesn't. Either one would be pretty bloody fantastic I reckon. alec |
Quote:
|
Either I am very lucky, or my camera is very good. I have a Nikon CoolPix995 digital. I have carried it in my saddlebags, on my clothes, but more recently, I have a pouch bag on my saddlebag guard bars, much like engine guards, in front of my saddlebags of my Road King. That is where I have carried my camera for 2 summers. It still performs flawlessly. Mind you, I do prefer to carry it in my inside jacket pocket, that is if I don't already have them filled with a lot of other 'junk'.
|
Quote:
|
Lowe Pro carries a pretty nice camera bag that you can strp to your chest for easy and quick access... like a bear crossing the road.
|
Hi guys,
Thanks for all your postings, really enjoyed reading this thread! And sorry for the late answer from my side! I've meanwhile decided for a Canon 5D with a f4/24-105 and a Canon 75-300 DO IS lens + 1.4 converter. This is the smallest pro-level equipment I could find. The DO-Lens is a dream, I just tried it out on my last holiday (without bike). Small, high stealth level (compared to Canon's 'white zooms') and sharp. As for carrying it on the bike: I'll soon find out this year – and I'll probably go for a tankbag solution. Apparently zooms are fine for vibrations – the only problem I've heard about are some Canon zooms which contain fluoride. Apparently that's why the NASA for example uses Nikon glass. Bjorn |
Hard knocks are more to worry about!
Hey guys!
I am a wildlife photographer and spend a great deal of my time in some pretty unforgiving territory,admittedly in a 4x4, but i always have my camera on hand. I use both a canon eos 20d and a eos 5n for slide film, both have worked hard. I found that in a good bag or case your kit should be fine with vibes. hard knocks are another story, i have had my film camera take a realy solid hit and this resulted in a damaged miror box! So in all honosty put alot of thinking time into where you put your kit in terms of bumps and bruises. In my experience i feel to many people do not pay attention to the treat of dust!!! Dust is absolute killer for SLR's so keep that in mind when doing your "thinking''. Other than that, although bulky the results in image quality of an SLR, there is in my opinion no comparison. Get to know your gear, how it operates, and keep it safe!! then it will grace you joy and happiness for many years to come:thumbup1: Cheers, Chris |
Hey Allz,
Thought I might chime in with a few comments here...although a bit late. :) Generally speaking, a small digital camera in a tank bag or pocket is a great idea to get some of those instant record shots on the road and certainly some can take some great pictures. Also, there are times and places where using an SLR camera is too noticable buy local au-thoritahz. The Canon 5D is a great camera and I'm sure you'll have some fun with it. I'll live and die by my Nikon D70, which is already getting a bit long in the tooth. The D70 doesn't have weather proofing either but damn is it a tank! The key thing is to make regular cleaning and attention to dust part of your routine which you can do at night before you go beddy-bye. As far as packing goes, it depends on how much gear you want to take and where you're travling. Do you expect lots of wild-life? Then you'll need a longer (and heavier) lens. Like others, I'd recommend packing lens-down in a bag that takes up as much space in the trunk as possible. LowePro's Reporter (various sizes) top loading bags work great and they can be used off motorcycle very nicely. In my trunk I've got. -D70 attached to -Sigma 18-50/2.8 (highly recommended and not expensive) -Sigma 105 Macro/2.8 (very sharp, fast and light) -Sigma 80-400 OS/4.5-5.6 (big, ugly and heavy but best for critters and shy people -Sigma 10-20 -Kenko 1.4xTC -4-5 Batteries -Cleaning stuff -6GB cf cards and GMINI 400 Also, don't be affraid to use a nice fast prime and although some zooms can give you great reach with IS, it's hard to beat a good 2.8 that's sharp wide open. Currently I'm considering the Sigma70mm Macro/2.8 (for my Nikon that's a 105) but for your Canon a 105 macro would be fun! Whelp, good luck on your travels and lets see some pics! :) CC |
The quality you can get from some compact digital cameras these days does not justify using SLR's for photography when on a bike especially if your work is not getting published and I don't mean the web as any good jpeg will do for this.
I like the old Canon G5, just got hold of a second hand one in reasonable shape. This camera shoot RAW 5 mega pixel images allowing me to use my shots for publishing as tiff files. I can really recommend the new G7 from Canon even though it can't shoot RAW anymore. This camera will offer everything and more than what any traveler will need and really free you up from the hassle of dust on the sensor and make the load small and lightweight to stow and carry. This camera shoots 10megapixel jpeg files. My only real complaint here besides not shooting RAW is the fact that the G7 uses rechargeable and not normal AA penlights. Charging batteries when travelling can be a real pain. If SLR is the way you must go I would say that the good old celluloid camera is still the most reliable. Nikon F3p with 24mm, 35mm and 105mm Macro will be the most perfect setup. all lenses in manual focus except for the 105 mm Macro as this lens was never brought out in a manual focus. With the money you save on the digital body and big zoom lenses you can fill ten panniers with film. But beside the cost major problems with digital is that it need lots of battery power, it can't handle dust on the sensor, digital information is much easier lost or damaged than film. The advantages of digital is vast though as one must consider that memory cards take a lot less space than film but is frighteningly expensive compared to film and if you have no way to down load you will have to carry as much cards as spools of film. If you say you shoot lot's of frames on jpeg's then I say you are fooling yourself carrying all this expensive gear to make jpeg images because this is the lowest quality digital images you can produce. RAW takes up loads of memory space but you have an image the same as a neg with all the information and you can make adjustments and process to what ever format you need after. To be able to review your work immediately is priceless and if I would take along a digital camera I would also want to have a powerbook and external hardrive to be able to download and review the work as I go along and keep a backup. This mean more stuff that need protecting from vibrations and more power needed to keep everything alive. As far as lenses is concerned it is real simple. Buy prime lenses in fixed focal lengths. At first this sound stupid but once you start using fixed lenses you will get intoxicated by the simple operation and the compact lightweight. Fixed focal lenses will stand up better to any abuse and vibration but besides this it produces much better quality than zooms, you have a much brighter viewfinder and can normally open up 1 or 2 stops more than on zooms and you save on weight and cost. The secret here is to go with a small selection and do not try and pack every focal length you can find. Break it up in three categories and choose your favorite out of each category. Ultra wide 15mm to 24 mm. Standard to wide from 28mm to 60mm. Long lenses from 85mm to 300mm. I like the 24mm because it give a certain amount of distortion that can help the viewer get the impression that you are near your subject without getting to distorted like the 20's and wider which is good sometimes but I find I get tired of these egg shape heads of people real quick. The 24mm is also a great focal length for landscapes. The next and one of my favorites is the 35mm. This lens to me is my standard as it is wide without allowing any distortion and I almost never use a 50mm as I find this lens too normal, (same angle of view as the human eye). For the long lens I really like the 85mm and also 100mm and at this focal length you also get many macro lenses allowing close focusing. These lenses are really great for shooting people and portraits and perform at their best when focusing a little closer. longer than this become bulky and I find little use for really long lenses unless if you are doing wildlife or sport and I don't think a bike is the right platform to use shooting any of those. Besides here you often need lenses of 600mm and longer to get close enough. With these three lenses you will cover everything you will come across on a journey and it will also make you get of the bike to compose your images properly. This is real important because most pictures shot from the back of a bike looks real lame and is a wast of time. a Fixed lens will make you start thinking about your choice of lens and you will have to move around to find the best angle but I can promise you your images will improve using this approach. For the guys out there shooting on small sensor cameras you will have to convert the info but I guess if you are happy with anything less than a full frame sensor you would not care to get so technical about lens choice as well. Full frame sensors is at this time only available in the Canon 5D and Canon 1Ds Mark II. Although the 5D is considered a prosumer camera it has become very popular with professional photographers and some even claim the quality to be better than that of a Mark II. Nothing can beat the Mark II for build quality though as it is completely environmentally sealed and really well constructed. This camera come at the price of a average bike though but if you have the cash why not, it will sure be one of the best to withstand vibration and abuse. Nikon does not feature in the professional arena anymore as every photographer except for the odd one here or there is still using the Nikon D2X. a Pity though as I still believe the best camera ever produced was the Nikon F3 and with that the press version with bigger dials and rubber seals to keep out the elements. |
Nice post, gsworkshop! I see where you're coming from, but I'd just like to add my 2 cents worth...
As far as RAW format goes (and I'm absolutely addicted to RAW), try a Fuji E900. It's 9 megapixels RAW for a price next to nothing. Not the same build quality as a G5 or G7, but at 100-200 ASA it's fab for up to A3 publishing quality. Two of the best things about RAW: I don't need to worry about nailing the exposure, as I've got at least +- 1 stop latitude. That's a lot if you're used to shooting slide film. I've been on a trip with a mate who's an enthusiast photographer and he kept bracketing his exposures as he had to shoot JPG. Not good, if your subject moves and the light is a bit tricky. The other thing about RAW: You can very easily warm up the images (evening shots, shots in the shade, shots on a dull day) in a very natural way by just sliding the color temperature in the RAW converter. I've used the G7 and it's great – but by not including RAW, Canon pissed me off big time. About charging batteries: Has anyone got any experience with small inverters fitted to their bike? I've just bought an F650 Dakar. It might be a bit of a mission, but I hope to find an inverter that fits into the little compartment behind the seat. Doesn't have to be fixed – I could take it out and attach it to the 12V connector. Other solution: Get a few spare batteries from 3rd party suppliers. I bought 2 spare batteries in the US for my 5D for $12 each. Bargain – they work well and are 30% more powerful than Canon's orginals. About your choice of lenses: there is actually a 105 Nikkor manual focus. I think it was f3.5 or f2.8. Picked mine up for £70 second hand and had it converted to AI for £10. Lots of old-school camera repair shops will do it in 10 minutes. Very nice lens and pin sharp! >But beside the cost major problems with digital is that it need lots of >battery power, it can't handle dust on the sensor, digital information is >much easier lost or damaged than film. I agree dust is a big issue. But then again, digital is easily backed up. And film can be damaged by extreme heat, and: I once had 2 rolls processed in Vietnam and the extreme humidity at the time made the film stick to the sleeves and leave nasty residue from the plastic sleeves... >The advantages of digital is vast though as one must consider that >memory cards take a lot less space than film but is frighteningly >expensive compared to film and if you have no way to down load you will >have to carry as much cards as spools of film. A 4GB Sandisk Extreme III cost me £80 from amazon. On my 5D this takes about 250 frames RAW, which translates to £11.50 for 36 exposures. Film, including processing is not much cheaper. As far as lenses go, I think I've got my travel setup sorted now. I agree, prime lenses are better quality. And especially for less experienced people, they make you think about angles, distances and composition. I learnt to photograph on an FE2 with a 24, a 50 and a 105. For biking though, I'll take the following: f4/24-105 IS f3.5-5.6/70-300 IS DO (very compact lens!) 1.4x converter 100mm Macro (or, possibly, extension rings to use with the small zoom) I might swap the small zoom for a 24 and a 50 prime. But the long DO is fantastic. It's just about 5 inches long, image stabilized and works a treat for some wildlife stuff with the converter. Shooting digitally, f5.6 or f8 is perfectly fine. 800 ASA on a 5D is just as grainy as 100 ASA on film I reckon. I work professionally in digital imaging, and I reckon Nikon is still in the game with the D2x. Even more so for wildlife, due to the sensor crop factor. For long exposures/night time photography, the 5D is a dream. As far as resolution goes, the 1DS MkII is visibly better than anything else on the market – especially when using primes. On a last note: I'm sorry if this posting turned a bit too 'professional'. As gsworkshop said in his post: the high end cameras are as much as a bike. One step 'down' from the full-frame Canons and high-end Nikons, I would probably get a 10 megapixel DSLR, with 2 zooms. One for wide-angle, one for tele-photo. Or, as far as Nikon goes, a 18-200. Pricey but small and versatile. I'm sure anything like that would make most people happy up to A3 print size if not more. |
Thank you
We'll be taking a variety of cameras on our trip - a selection of point and shoots - mixture of Canon and Sony - and then our 'pro' kit - Canon digital SLR with several mixtures of lenses - so I've been reading this thread with much interest and will use a few of the suggestions to keep the kit safe.
But I want to say thank you for inspiring me to go out and grab an old Olympus OM10 with Manual Plug-in - it was my first SLR and bomb proof - I got one with a simple 50mm and 28mm lens for £50 - it it breaks then it breaks, but I'm going to shoot with really high speed B&W - and with any luck produce some of the most romantic shots of the trip :-) |
F650 Dakar
One thing that just came to my mind one week after getting an F650 Dakar is: what tankbag should I get for my new pride & joy?
It's great not having to remove the tankbag every time I fill up – but are there any good camera tank bags for the Dakar out there? Or any normal tankbag where I could fit a Lowepro Microtrekker or Minitrekker? |
I am no pro but I like Matt, cant travel with out my camera, I love it. But anyway I only carry the camera gear that I am going to use. No extras (this does already mean 2 DSLRs, and a point and shoot) I use one of these.The Official Tamrac Homepage - The leading manufacturer and distributor of camera, photography and camcorder bags
I found them great they sit in my rear top box hold everything i need, and i never leave the bike with out it, the point and shoot sits in the tank bag. funny thing though is i am going to lose the point and shoot. There has been maybe two times when i wanted to stop and shoot something that did not require me getting off the bike and getting the SLR out anyway.. My wife and faithfully pillion takes all the happy snapps (us at pub type shots) which i would not do anyway. BTW I am a nikon fan for stills and canon for video.. The one thing i have to say about digital is get a media Vault cus you can lose images all to fast and card space is an issue! |
Got it
Well I got it - just bought the Minolta Dynax 500si from a friend having a clear out - came with the standard 35-75mm lens and a 24mm wide angle - have also bought a 75-300mm telephoto.
So with that lot I think I should be able to cover most situations. Now given the only shots I'll be taking are going to be 'arty' B&W jobbies for the blog and trustedplaces I reckon that'll be enough. Xander - thanks for the heads up on the Tarmac stuff - looks like it'll do the job perfectly. m |
Hiya,
I am a Canon convert and a former Nikon user, so this is not easy to say For your needs the Nikon D200 is a better camera: it is stronger (except mirror) plus you could take a Nikon FM as a back up I have seen two canon EOS 300D's rattle their way to death in a Landrover on a two week safari in Kenya, so i wouldnt recomend them. If you can afford it go for a Professional quality body, like the Canon EOS 1Ds (as opposed to the newer upgrade as you'll save money and it will... should last) Oh and http://www.7dayshop.com does 4GB memory cards for £18, so theyre cheap, buy 5 of them and you are sorted. As for the tittle tattle about using a compact camera: if you werent serious about photography you wouldnt have asked for opinions, and any way you cut it a compact doesnt match the image quality. Oh and the Velbon maxi range of tripods are light weight small and surprisingly good. |
I second photosaf's recommendations. The Velbons are quite a good value for the price and can take a pretty good beating. The lightweight ultra compact tri-pods work for well for light-medium duty work. If you're going to use it for video as well, something a little heavier might be annoying but necessary.
I was thinking about the D200 and it's a great cam but won't exactly pack light and small. As far as the camera's go, don't be afraid to look at the Nikon D80. Lots of people have doubts as to whether they can stand the harsh environments of moto-riding but I'll live and swear by my D70 which has been through numerous spills, from over 5000 to -130m/asl, snow to sand to anything I could throw at it. CrazyCarl |
I will second this recommendation having used one in Africa as well as here in the USA. The Dryzone bag will protect your gear. It is bulky to use as a backpack though. Check out the newer version which includes and area for a hydration bag etc. Lowepro - DryZone Rover
Quote:
|
Using a backpack
Just another point in favor of using a backpack is that your body legs etc take up some of the vibration that a tank bag / top box will pass through.
|
For a RTW trip, I would not go without film.
I noticed that you are buying a 1.4 extender, it will not work (if a canon) on your lenses if it is anything other than the tamron pro 300 dont bother, in fact I wouldnt bother with your lenses.
I agree about the 75-300 DOIS amazing little lens ideal for your needs, but store it disconnected from the camera for rattles. I still stand behind Nikon in this instance, although since last post I now own an XT600 and have been taking my canons (5d and 3) everywhere. with ill effects, though I am suspicious of the 5D! If I were starting again, it would be my Nikon FM2 with 28mm 2.8 and the Nikon D3 with the 17-35 f2.8, 50 1.4 and 80-200 f2.8 with the 1.7 extender and the SB800. As minimum kit. Then I would have to have the 105 VR macro and the 200-400. I take back what I said about compacts and am aiming for a fuji f50fd with underwater housing. as it will go ina jacket pocket for quick reactions. My minimum camera gear is: 17-40L f4 (weather resistant) 70-200L f4 (internal focusing, no external parts) 1.4 extender 550ex speedlight EOS 3 and EOS 5D Where I can I take my 100 f2.8 Macro and my 50 f1.4 and 100-400 or 300mm Sigma primes, but tough on the bike. I am still working around where to put everything but it is going to have to be pelicase's for me! Currently short trips in huge Crumpler rucksac or crumpler sling bag Cheers G |
It's about 10 years since I had to investigate what camera to buy. The concensus back then seemed to be that canon lenses had a 'warmth' to them which gave good colour saturation whereas Nikon was a bit 'colder'. Leica were another make I looked into then and their lenses were supposed to be very sharp and more neutral for colour. Is Canon still seen as warmer??
|
To be blunt, I think in the digital age most any compensation for color temperature can/will be made automatically in post-process. My guess is body design and features will take precedence over warmth of images.
If you only insist on shooting with the manufacturer's lenses then it may be more of a concern but there are other companies, such as Sigma, who make quite a few excellent lenses for less cost and will also have a slightly different color cast. YMMV, CC Quote:
|
Quote:
Photographer Tank bag (Camera Tankbag) ,Part Number: 055-1076 --Doug |
Quote:
I have the large one and think it is a bit large, maybe because I’m not a big fan of tankbags. Anyway it works very nice and the camera is handy all the time. It is padded and keeps vibration to a minimum. It’s also easy to remove the bag and use it as a rucksack, bumbag or just hang it over your shoulder. I have no idea how many good pictures I have lost because my camera has been in my panniers. :-( This is one of the very few Touratech-gadgets I will recommend. I think I should have bought the smaller one, this is how it looks: http://www.actiontouring.com/pic/ttb.jpg |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 09:59. |