Costa Rica equipment to travel with? Hello fellows and gals. I will be touring Costa Rica next week and plan to take no more than 2 of my lenses along with my Nikon D7000. I have the...

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

Hello fellows and gals. I will be touring Costa Rica next week and plan to take no more than 2 of my lenses along with my Nikon D7000. I have the standard kit 18-55, 35 mm, 18-200, 100mm, and 11-16. Plan to take the Tokina 11-16 and the nikkor 18-200. Any dissenting opinions? Aim is to have a little flexibility, yet be able to carry less and lighter.

Bazbo Loc: Lisboa, Portugal

Elsiss wrote:

Hello fellows and gals. I will be touring Costa Rica next week and plan to take no more than 2 of my lenses along with my Nikon D7000. I have the standard kit 18-55, 35 mm, 18-200, 100mm, and 11-16. Plan to take the Tokina 11-16 and the nikkor 18-200. Any dissenting opinions? Aim is to have a little flexibility, yet be able to carry less and lighter.

I have been to CR several times and it seem those two lenses would cover most of what you need.

A lot depends on where you are going (rain forest of mountains? both?), the only thing I would consider adding is a macro lens (is this your 100?) as you will encounter spectacular opportunities for close-up photography. Also, you might consider a tele converter as most of the birds you will see will be pretty far away.

Anyway, have loads of fun. And post some pix

Kuzano

Elsiss wrote:

Hello fellows and gals. I will be touring Costa Rica next week and plan to take no more than 2 of my lenses along with my Nikon D7000. I have the standard kit 18-55, 35 mm, 18-200, 100mm, and 11-16. Plan to take the Tokina 11-16 and the nikkor 18-200. Any dissenting opinions? Aim is to have a little flexibility, yet be able to carry less and lighter.

Highest priority item, before camera equipment...

Snake bite kit, presuming you are going out of the city into any of the nature areas.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Are you going to be on a tour or on your own? My wife and I went to CR a little over a month ago with a small tour group. I wrestled with what to take, bouncing from a 70D plus 3 lenses, to nothing but a small P&S. I finally decided on a Canon S100 and a SX50. I didn't want the entire trip to be a "haul around the camera stuff" exercise. Both were easy to carry whether in a sling bag or just around my neck. In the 15 days we were there, I took about 750 pics. Another thought is bring the body and a good walk around lens. You can always crop. Enjoy your trip!!

Bazbo Loc: Lisboa, Portugal

Kuzano wrote:

Highest priority item, before camera equipment...

Snake bite kit, presuming you are going out of the city into any of the nature areas.

Although there a few really deadly snakes in CR, if you are with a group (even in the bush) you are very unlikely to encounter them. I would stay clear of the crocs, though...

Don Fischer Loc: Antelope, Ore

I would probably take the same lens your talking about, might even not tale the 11-16. I've never owned a lens that wide and have no idea what they are good for to begin with. You can probably think about lens till the cows come in but, if your not looking for photo's to sell, take a good walk around lens, 18-200!

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

Bazbo wrote:

I have been to CR several times and it seem those two lenses would cover most of what you need.

A lot depends on where you are going (rain forest of mountains? both?), the only thing I would consider adding is a macro lens (is this your 100?) as you will encounter spectacular opportunities for close-up photography. Also, you might consider a tele converter as most of the birds you will see will be pretty far away.

Anyway, have loads of fun. And post some pix

Thank you, Bazbo. Yes, the 100mm is my Tokina macro, but my experience with that lens compels me to also bring my monopod, which I would prefer not to do on this trip. I guess the monopod might come in handy defending against any Fer-de-lance snakes I might encounter :hunf:

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

Don Fischer wrote:

I would probably take the same lens your talking about, might even not tale the 11-16. I've never owned a lens that wide and have no idea what they are good for to begin with. You can probably think about lens till the cows come in but, if your not looking for photo's to sell, take a good walk around lens, 18-200!

Just got the 11-16 and haven't had a chance to use it yet. You might be right. Maybe I will leave that one home and just take the 18-200 and hope for good shot situations. Thanks Don :)

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

47greyfox wrote:

Are you going to be on a tour or on your own? My w... (show quote)

Thanks grey fox. I am leaning now toward just taking the 18-200. We are taking a tour all around CR.

Anandnra Loc: Tennessee

Elsiss wrote:

Hello fellows and gals. I will be touring Costa Rica next week and plan to take no more than 2 of my lenses along with my Nikon D7000. I have the standard kit 18-55, 35 mm, 18-200, 100mm, and 11-16. Plan to take the Tokina 11-16 and the nikkor 18-200. Any dissenting opinions? Aim is to have a little flexibility, yet be able to carry less and lighter.

I recently toured CR for 11 days. Carried the 5d3 with the 24-105 and the 7d2 with the 70-200 2.8ii and a P&S. About 70 to 75% of the shoot was with the 7d2/70-200 combination. Your two selections should be more than sufficient for most situations. Suspect you'll live with the 18-200 for over 90% of your time.

Anandnra Loc: Tennessee

Anandnra wrote:

I recently toured CR for 11 days. Carried the 5d3 with the 24-105 and the 7d2 with the 70-200 2.8ii and a P&S. About 70 to 75% of the shoot was with the 7d2/70-200 combination. Your two selections should be more than sufficient for most situations. Suspect you'll live with the 18-200 for over 90% of your time.

btw, my handle with the twin toucans is from there .....

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

Anandnra wrote:

I recently toured CR for 11 days. Carried the 5d3 with the 24-105 and the 7d2 with the 70-200 2.8ii and a P&S. About 70 to 75% of the shoot was with the 7d2/70-200 combination. Your two selections should be more than sufficient for most situations. Suspect you'll live with the 18-200 for over 90% of your time.

Thank you Anandnra, you have been most helpful. If you were able to shoot most of your pics with your 70-200, I can live with my 18-200 for the entire trip :thumbup:

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

Anandnra wrote:

btw, my handle with the twin toucans is from there .....

Great shot :mrgreen:

Anandnra Loc: Tennessee

Elsiss wrote:

Thank you Anandnra, you have been most helpful. If you were able to shoot most of your pics with your 70-200, I can live with my 18-200 for the entire trip :thumbup:

I tend to agree with that - but if I had a 11-16, I probably would have carried it, just for those occasions when you wish you had your wide angle. Here's a link to my album in case you want to see it.... and have a great trip!

https://picasaweb.google.com/101394433265467423000/CostaRicaJan2015?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCP3djNG-urfKwQE&feat=directlink

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

Anandnra wrote:

I tend to agree with that - but if I had a 11-16, I probably would have carried it, just for those occasions when you wish you had your wide angle. Here's a link to my album in case you want to see it.... and have a great trip!

https://picasaweb.google.com/101394433265467423000/CostaRicaJan2015?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCP3djNG-urfKwQE&feat=directlink

Thank you-still considering it. I don't want to say, could've , should've , etc.