Egypt Photos and Advice: Greetings, I'm not new to Ugly Hedgehog but this is my first attempt to search the universe for advice on my upcoming Viking River trip to Egypt and Jordan.

Jeffak

Greetings,
I'm not new to Ugly Hedgehog but this is my first attempt to search the universe for advice on my upcoming Viking River trip to Egypt and Jordan. I'm a Canon shooter looking for advice on lenses to bring and general equipment recommendations. My normal body is the 5D3&4 and have the typical array of common L lenses plus the 11-24 f4. Any ideas?
Thanks, Jeff in NJ

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

My favorite travel lens is the 16-35 f/4L IS. Your 11-24L is an awesome lens too. I'd prefer the IS option to be prepared for indoor / no flash shots, but either could be a 1-lens for all the touring, off boat situations. The 35mm length would be good enough for onboard too, or a fast prime or zoom covering something in the 24-105 range, and you should be happy with just 2 lenses if you can't limit to just one lens.

David Taylor

Did the same trip with a 28mm equivalent. Lighting is low in the tombs at Valley of the Kings and Cairo Museum, f2 was useful.

PhotoDerek Loc: County Durham, UK.

2 holidays in Egypt- visit via cruise to Pyramids, lots of hassle from flower sellers to buy but our security guard (sub machine gun under armpit) kept them at bay when I was shooting images. 2nd holiday in Luxor - hot dusty, amazing archaeology, many guards from army to keep you safe. Nikon pro body and 28-70 f2.8 (c 1998 and 2003) film photographer then Fujichrome 100asa. All hand held. If you have a chance to enter a tomb just increase your iso. Tombs were dusty and claustrophobic but fascinating. Did not use a tripod or table top tripod (early in my photographic hobby) not sure if you would have the opportunity to use without having to pay bribes.
Have fun, a fascinating country.

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

Bring cleaning supplies and a lens like an 18-50 f2.8 so you don’t have to change lenses. If you go during the rainy season bring protection. Also for the boat I would bring a monopod. I used on on an Alaska cruise, very helpful.

02Nomad Loc: Catonsville, MD

There are policemen mounted on camels at the pyramids. I fell for the "would you like to take my picture?" and then he called over one of his fellow policemen. So, being my birthday AND being gullible, I took the shot. The original guy immediately put his hand out and asked for money. Despite repeated statements that I didn't have any money with me, he persisted. Finally, I held up my left hand displaying my wedding ring and said: "I'm married, I don't have any money!". It worked!! (True story).
Also, if a vendor hands you any of their wares and tells you that it's free for you, try to give it back and be stern. If all else fails, drop it on the ground and walk away. Our tour guide told us that it's a common trick that they use, if you accept it and begin to walk away, they will shout "thief!", bringing the police over. My sister-in-law almost got caught up in it, despite the warning!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You have a choice of two approaches: go there to take pictures, and bring as much as you can carry; go there to enjoy the trip and take pictures. I prefer the latter. I travel with a compact camera, preferably in a case on my belt. There are many excellent quality compact cameras available. I can't imagine going on a big trip with big, heavy gear. Of course, if the purpose of your trip is photography, then bring all you can.

DJCard Loc: Northern Kentucky

Jeffak wrote:

Greetings,
I'm not new to Ugly Hedgehog but this is my first attempt to search the universe for advice on my upcoming Viking River trip to Egypt and Jordan. I'm a Canon shooter looking for advice on lenses to bring and general equipment recommendations. My normal body is the 5D3&4 and have the typical array of common L lenses plus the 11-24 f4. Any ideas?
Thanks, Jeff in NJ

A D810 + Sigma Art 24-105 f/4 did a great job with out a tripod. Only once or twice would a 16-35 f/4 have helped; only brought the one lens. We visited all the major temples along the Nile, and visited Abydos and Giza. Travel light bc it’s very hot, even in Sept. Make sure to take time to enjoy the people and temples with your eyes and Heart, though. Enjoy!

PhotoDerek Loc: County Durham, UK.

Absolutely agree re placing on ground and walking away.
Saw a old English couple having trouble with a ‘free gift’ - ended up telling them to place on the ground as wife was upset with the hassle and husband froze told to place on floor and walk away- they did.
Egypt beware of diarrhoea and what you eat, I lost 1lb a day with this problem and I thought I was careful obviously not.

RiJoRi Loc: Sandy Ridge, NC

Many years ago a friend was over there. She did OK (boiled water, etc.) until she forgot the ice in the iced tea would NOT be boiled! OOPS!

PhotoDerek wrote:

Absolutely agree re placing on ground and walking away.
Saw a old English couple having trouble with a ‘free gift’ - ended up telling them to place on the ground as wife was upset with the hassle and husband froze told to place on floor and walk away- they did.
Egypt beware of diarrhoea and what you eat, I lost 1lb a day with this problem and I thought I was careful obviously not.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

PhotoDerek wrote:

Absolutely agree re placing on ground and walking away.
Saw a old English couple having trouble with a ‘free gift’ - ended up telling them to place on the ground as wife was upset with the hassle and husband froze told to place on floor and walk away- they did.
Egypt beware of diarrhoea and what you eat, I lost 1lb a day with this problem and I thought I was careful obviously not.

I have a friend who is a physician. While he will not tell you to ignore the water, he says the secret to avoiding digestive upset when travelling is to avoid the seafood...especially the local catch. Seems that because many tourist destinations are in locations where the waters are warm, the normal microorganisms in the seafood are different from those to which we are accustomed in our more temperate climates. We therefore have no resistance to their presence and they make us sick, even while they do not affect local residents at all.

khalidikram

I lived in Egypt for five years, and additionally must have visited at least 20 or 30 times. Most of the time, I was using a wide angle lens, or the widest part of my zoom lens. I'm a Nikon man, so I'm not knowledgeable about Canon lenses. When I was traveling around Egypt and wanted to carry only one lens, it was the 24-120 on a full frame body. If I was traveling around the country today, I would probably just carry a pocketable camera with a zoom that went down to at least 24 mm. most of your photography will be inside tombs, museums, temples, mosques, and in markets. Hence the importance of the wide-angle.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

Jeffak wrote:

Greetings,
I'm not new to Ugly Hedgehog but this is my first attempt to search the universe for advice on my upcoming Viking River trip to Egypt and Jordan. I'm a Canon shooter looking for advice on lenses to bring and general equipment recommendations. My normal body is the 5D3&4 and have the typical array of common L lenses plus the 11-24 f4. Any ideas?
Thanks, Jeff in NJ

Travel light - bring a single camera and a single lens, and no tripod. Otherwise, you won't be able to keep up with the group.

worldcycle Loc: Stateline, Nevada

Don't do group tours. But I do travel extensively. My travel kit that covers virtually everything worth capturing consists of a 5DMIV with 3 lenses, a 16-35L, 24-105L and a 70-300L. This all fits in a very discrete leather office shoulder bag, does not look like a camera bag at all. If I am actually shooting, I put my camera on a over the shoulder sling that my camera rides on the right side and the bag rides on the left. Camera and any lens always ready. I do have a carbon fiber tripod/monopod combo that fits in my check-in luggage. I also carry a back-up 5DMIII and leave at hotel for just in case disaster happens. I do not carry the tripod unless I know I will be doing night scenes. I always deal with low light by bumping up the ISO and concentrating of bracing/steady hand held.

Hand held, 24-105mm, Mexico City

Handheld, 16-35mm, Karakoram Highway, China

Hand held 70-300 Havana Cuba
Hand held 70-300 Havana Cuba...

Tripod 24-105 Istanbul Turkey
Tripod 24-105 Istanbul Turkey...

IDguy Loc: Idaho

You’ll want a 300mm (on DX) to take images from ship while cruising. The Viking upper deck very enjoyable for that.

Tripod/monopod of no value.