JeffR Loc: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Will you be allowed to go anywhere in Russia without a group and guide? If not, then there will be no need/opportunity to use a tripod whatsoever.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

"Will you be allowed to go anywhere in Russia without a group and guide?"

We were there last year. Russia is as free and open to tourists as anywhere I've been. Getting off the cruise ship we were funneled into a quick, efficient passport control system that was not at all offensive.

anotherview Loc: California

Agree totally: "In order to not be a drag on a tour, photographers have to be quick and efficient. One camera, one lens, no tripod and frequently no flash. See the shot, grab the shot and continue with the tour."

I agree from experience, having done three group guided tours in Europe, one of which included St. Petersburg and Moscow.

I can recommend a zoom lens with a range of 24-105mm, with image stabilization, on a full frame camera. Thus, you may skip the tripod as unnecessary (with good hand holding technique).

Bring a simple lens cleaning kit, and an extra battery with charger, along with one or more extra memory cards.

You will want to include a card reader for downloading your pictures to your computer or perhaps to the Cloud. Alternatively, your camera and computer may communicate wirelessly for transferring photos to the computer.

I trailed the tour group so as to avoid interfering with its movement forward.

Fit all items in one bag. You could carry a flash unit in the bag for those occasions when you may use flash lighting.

Enjoy the experience. Do not fret about photo gear. Keep it simple.

Note that if you keep everything in one bag, then you can carry it with you on planes and buses, not having to check it as baggage.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I stated above that, as a traveler, I like to keep cameras light as small so they don't impede the adventure. That said, I do carry a tripod! In fact I have several for travel. Two are GorillaPods. One is tiny with video head for pocket sized cameras. The other is a medium size that I works with smaller M4/3 travel cameras. I also have two Manfrottos. After using the Pixi Mini, I discovered one slightly larger with extendable legs and had to have the Pixi EVO Mini!

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

My wife and I did that river cruise with Viking last year. First, the tripod, bring it because you need to take up space in a suitcase, no other reason. Other than the boat itself, you won’t have much time to set up, you’ll be a pest to other travelers, and end wonder why you brought it along. As for camera, you’ll see practically every combination from phones, iPads, to large DSLRs. I brought my Sony a6000 with 18-105mm f4 and 10-18mm f4. I used the 10-18 sparingly. Also, I brought a Canon SX60 bridge than came in very handy when cruising. My bag when I carried one was a small messenger bag with a separator insert. The most common was phones and small compacts. Rarely saw a DSLR. Camera choice is your personal choice obviously, but I can’t recommend enough that you not bother with a tripod. But... don’t forget at least one extra battery! 😎

grberg

I took a Nikon 18-300 Lens to Italy a couple of years ago and got some great photos, but in looking at the hundreds of Italy pics recently I found that very few were shot beyond 90mm. For my next trip I’m considering one of the smaller Sony or Panasonic 1” sensor cameras that I can fit in a pocket.

xt2 Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Leave the heavy-weights behind! Been there done that and highly recommend a smaller camera. Maybe, for crackerjacker photos a Fujifilm X100F, a Panasonic Lumix ZS200 / TZ200, a Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV, a Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II, a Panasonic Lumix LX10 / LX15, or maybe one of my favs, a Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V. Have fun...

Take a look at this link for details: https://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-capture/cameras/best-compact-camera-2013-34-reviewed-963985

John Solak

Watch you luggage, don't let anything or anyone get between you and it - or it won't be there when you look back, I've been told that by and experienced traveler!

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

My wife bought one similar to your list, the Panasonic Lumix ZS100, for our trip to Russia last year. It sucks because HER pictures keep popping up around the house and they look so much better than mine! My sensor is bigger than hers. My lenses are bigger than hers. Even my strap is bigger than hers. She doesn't even have a tripod. My camera bag is bigger than her little padded pouch. At lunch her cute little thing hides in her purse while mine is banging into the table, getting lunch spilled on it. Even if they do see it, the rare thief has no idea it might be worth $700! It even is capable of shooting 8MP stills at 30 frames per second when it is not shooting 20MP stills a little slower. The camera and lens at 25-250mm (35 mm equivalent field of view) fits in her tiny travel purse?

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

If you don't have it and have the time and budget take a look at Nikon's 70-300. It is not as heavy as the 28-300 if you can give up the width.,

timepass Loc: Yardley,PA

Be careful in St. Petersburg,I saw a photographer online walking down the street who was surrounded by a group of guys who took his camera and lenses.Don't let anyone try to approach you.Just a word to the wise.

Techrod

I find the 24-120VR plus 18-35m works fine for most travel photography - you need the wide-angle in most European cities as they have so many narrow streets meaning many buildings can only be framed with a wide-angle. If you need a longer shot, then the D850 resolution gives you a lot of leeway to crop. Nevertheless, taking a more discreet camera than the D850 should be considered given the destination. A security tip for the D850 or any high-value camera is to use black tape over the Nikon logos and camera name and/or use non-Nikon lens caps; and of course, get rid of the Nikon strap, which is a horrible strap anyway.

Techrod

I also take a mini tripod when I travel - my choice is the RRS pocket pod and I use it quite a lot though you still need time to set it up and a convenient surface, which may be difficult when with a tour group. It can fit in a bag or pocket and provides stability when needed. My big tripod I just keep for car excursions and landscape photography.

mikegreenwald Loc: Illinois

I did the same trip with Viking Cruises last year - used a FF Canon with 24-105 IS2 exclusively, and felt nothing extra was needed.
I've done a similar trip with a Sony Rx100/2 several years ago, with good results, but two photos that I wanted to enlarge greatly were not quite up to speed.

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

I have a Nikon a900 for most of those reasons. It fits in my pocket. It takes good photos. It doesn't look like an expensive camera worth stealing. It may not be difficult to convert a cane/walking stick into a monopod.