Taking Photos in Egypt
Feb 27, 2023 12:23:55 #
larryepage
Loc: North Texas area
Carl rl wrote:
My wife is flying to Egypt in 2 weeks after a long... (show quote)
I have come to truly appreciate the 24-120mm f/4 as a travel lens for a full frame Nikon. Although it is not as long as some other choices, it is also lighter and more compact than those other choices. 24mm is actually quite wide on a full frame camera, but if more is needed, a quick two or three shot panorama is easy to accomplish. f/4 will be plenty fast indoors on the D750.
The 18-200mm DX lens is an interesting suggestion. Mine will cover the entire frame of my full frame cameras at 18mm with only very minor corner shading. Just not sure that the D750 provides enough resolution for her to be happy after any necessary cropping or trimming.
Feb 27, 2023 14:20:26 #
Make sure you memorize one word of arabic "La" add "Shukran" if you want to be more polite :)
Feb 27, 2023 15:19:07 #
[quote=Carl rl]My wife is flying to Egypt in 2 weeks after a long 2-year delay getting past Covid. She wants to take photos on her trip using a D750 DSLR and Nikon 28-300 walk-around lens. She has read messages and precautions about not being able to take photos inside regular tourist venues. Some say fees are required or that cameras are not allowed at all or that cameras can be kept in a camera bag. Hoping there are some recent travelers to Egypt that can clarify what she can and can't do while over there.
Also, any alternate lens suggestions...trying to limit the weight?[/quote
Regulations change daily - generally a few bucks make a difference - but nothing too bad - but - for Egypt you are really going to want something wider than 28mm - honest!]
Also, any alternate lens suggestions...trying to limit the weight?[/quote
Regulations change daily - generally a few bucks make a difference - but nothing too bad - but - for Egypt you are really going to want something wider than 28mm - honest!]
Feb 27, 2023 16:27:52 #
Rgandel
Loc: South Orange, NJ
Hip Coyote wrote:
That is absolutely incorrect. I was there two weeks ago and shot away. No restrictions anywhere including inside tombs. I did hear that things changed due to a push by Egyptians to make the country visitor friendly. We had no problems.
I also agree. Was there in Nov. and no restrictions on cameras.
Feb 27, 2023 18:19:18 #
If your wife is traveling with a group the guide will give all the info needed about what can be photographed and where there are fees. Personally I think photo time on a short tour is better spent in street scenes, medieval architecture (old Cairo), and the bazaars. You can buy many beautifully produced and printed books on ancient Egypt with professional photographs taken under perfect conditions that a tourist in a group will never match. I have been twice and found the tombs and museums to be so crowded that great photography was impossible.
Feb 27, 2023 19:03:54 #
I think I'll be watching this subject for a while. I leave for a 3-week trip to Jordan (5-day pre-trip) and 16-day main Egypt trip. As my 24-105 lens on my A99ii seemed to do what I needed it for in France last year (birthday at the Moulin Rouge :), I plan to take it again this time. I leave in 86 days and even though it's the longest and most expensive trip I've ever taken to date, I'm going a day earlier than "standard" to try to recover from jet lag and extending one day so I spend my 60th birthday in Cairo instead of on multiple planes. I've thought about renting an RX10IV, but I've already spent so much money on this trip I don't want to spend any more. I can always put my camera in crop mode and sacrifice MP for distance. I wouldn't be able to afford this trip at all, but I'm using inheritance money from my mom, who was a travel agent for two or three decades. I'm sure she would approve of the expenditure.
Feb 27, 2023 19:46:51 #
planepics wrote:
I think I'll be watching this subject for a while.... (show quote)
Looks like it might be an OAT trip?
I primarily use a 12-100 micro 43 lens as my go to lens. But I knew from experience from Morocco (and personal style) that in Egypt I would need to go wider...not longer. So I bought the 8-25 mm Oly pro (16 to 50 mm full frame equivalent field of view.) I am glad I did. It lived on my camera in Egypt. Egypt (and Petra) scream out for wide wide wide. You will be up close in markets, at gatherings, and inside tombs, etc. I cannot imagine needing a lens longer than 105. I am not done yet processing keepers but initial data is that 1/3 of my shots were taken at 16-20 full frame equivalent and over half were from 16 to 26. Only 2% of my shots were taken at over 100 mm full frame equivalent.
If you are on an OAT trip, pls pm me and I can give you my thoughts.
Feb 27, 2023 20:07:41 #
Hip Coyote wrote:
Looks like it might be an OAT trip? br br I pri... (show quote)
It IS an OAT trip. I went to Israel with them in 2016 and had a good time (birthday at the Ein Gev Kibbutz). I looked at renting a lens, but I think Lensrentals have stopped renting A-mount lenses :( Yeah...just checked 2 seconds ago...they only carry the 28-300....and it's a pre-order. I really don't want to have to buy an E-body, but I may have no choice before too long. I have the 24-105, a 105 macro, a 70-200 3.8 and a 150-600. Plus I have my a77 with an 18-50.
Feb 27, 2023 20:09:59 #
planepics wrote:
see pmIt IS an OAT trip. I went to Israel with them in 2016 and had a good time (birthday at the En Gev Kibbutz)
Feb 27, 2023 23:33:48 #
I was in Egypt several years ago and the post here reflect my experiences.
Expect to be hit on for tips. When looking at purchasing items expect to haggle I suggest keeping a few five pound notes in a front shirt pocket as suggested here. Merchants will reach into your pocket to see how much money you have so keep it small.
Smile a lot.
I was there as a working travel journalist in a group of travel journalist so had a bit more opportunity in photographing locations that were posted as no photography. The photo opportunities in Egypt are vast. If photos were not allowed, don't push it. You are a guest in their country.
The King Tut display is class enclosed. When I brought my camera out, tourist around me suddenly had cameras in their hands. Please do not send this image on but enjoy it here.
Expect to be hit on for tips. When looking at purchasing items expect to haggle I suggest keeping a few five pound notes in a front shirt pocket as suggested here. Merchants will reach into your pocket to see how much money you have so keep it small.
Smile a lot.
I was there as a working travel journalist in a group of travel journalist so had a bit more opportunity in photographing locations that were posted as no photography. The photo opportunities in Egypt are vast. If photos were not allowed, don't push it. You are a guest in their country.
The King Tut display is class enclosed. When I brought my camera out, tourist around me suddenly had cameras in their hands. Please do not send this image on but enjoy it here.
Feb 27, 2023 23:58:33 #
wannabe63
Loc: Bellevue, Washington
Carl rl wrote:
My wife is flying to Egypt in 2 weeks after a long... (show quote)
I was there in October 2021. I took exactly the same gear your wife has plus a 50mm f1.4 (great for tombs and museums) and a light weight carbon fiber tripod (for night shots) that fit in my checked luggage. See attached. Admittedly I took other stuff but didn't need it. I also took an extra D750 to avoid changing lens in windy sand blown situations. If I were to go tomorrow I would take 2-D750, the 28-300 (which was used in 80% of my photos) the 50mm, and the tripod. Using camera's in tombs etc., was apparently more restricted when I was there than what it is today. Tut's tomb was for sure restricted and others as well. I loved Egypt and would go again. The only negative is the constant hounding by the multitude of vendors. I don't like to be rude to people especially since being a guest in their country but by the end of the trip I would have to say I lost my patience.
Feb 28, 2023 01:18:51 #
Feb 28, 2023 10:20:04 #
I lived in Egypt for five years and before that must've visited it perhaps 20 times for the World Bank. One really needs a wide-angle lens much more than a telephoto one. I think that 28 MM is not wide enough for the many, many interiors you will photograph; something like 18 to 20 would be better. My go to lens for the most part was 24-120 on a full frame Nikon, with a 16-35 in a belt bag. Egypt is a wonderful place, and the Egyptians are generally the most friendly persons. Have a great trip!
Feb 28, 2023 12:26:42 #
I made dealing with vendors into a game over the cost of my paying for items.
It made buying something a fun activity that way, I would have a few 5 pound notes
in my shirt pocket which they would reach into as I smiled and pleaded being broke.
I only had one bad experience where I agreed on the price of an item and then the vendor
wanted me to go back to the ship and borrow some money to pay more than he had agreed
to. I went back to the ship and did not go back on shore as I felt what I had paid was a fair amount.
One needs to be abel to walk away if you can't agree to the price. It can also
a method in negotiating the final price.
An interesting fact is some items purported to have been made in Egypt were actually made in China.
It made buying something a fun activity that way, I would have a few 5 pound notes
in my shirt pocket which they would reach into as I smiled and pleaded being broke.
I only had one bad experience where I agreed on the price of an item and then the vendor
wanted me to go back to the ship and borrow some money to pay more than he had agreed
to. I went back to the ship and did not go back on shore as I felt what I had paid was a fair amount.
One needs to be abel to walk away if you can't agree to the price. It can also
a method in negotiating the final price.
An interesting fact is some items purported to have been made in Egypt were actually made in China.
Feb 28, 2023 13:27:17 #
Seabastes wrote:
I made dealing with vendors into a game over the c... (show quote)
I'm not sure about this "game." I'd probably fee nervous or offended if some stranger started grabbing into my pocket for money I my or may not want to spend at his shop. I mean, isn't that just pick-pocketing? At least I think it's quite aggressive. Maybe I'll change my mind by the time I leave in May.
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