AutoGal

Hello All,

I am sure that many of you have already been there, and I have a few questions I would like your kind answers to, please. Will be Cruising.

1. Do you need a waterproof camera bag/backpac going on and off the small boats.

2. Should I take 2 cameras in the event of one failing...ya never know??

3. What lenses...I understand that a zoom is not really that necessary...like a 300??? I have a Nikon
d7200 (which I just bought used, a deal too good to pass up)
and a Sony a6500.(Still a Nikon lover at heart...)

4. Any and all info that you would like to share with me, I will be most grateful to read.

PS...I am 77 and have new knees but, they do not stop me...will be taking my walking stick as I know
the terrain is not smooth.

Thank YOU!! I drink my coffee with ya'll every morning...this is an AWESOME site and I have learned to much from all of you.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

What are your choices? A zoom like a 70-200 on a cropped body could be all that you need on the islands, or 100-400 on a full frame. The less gear you're lugging, the more can you focus on the situations and shooting. A second short zoom or prime can handle everything else related to the travel.

mikee

I would recommend a waterproof backpack just in case you take a tumble getting in or out of a zodiac. Also there might be some spray while on the boat. The walking stick in soft sand on landings may be more hindrance than benefit. Vs

I took 2 cameras, but one was a waterproof point and shoot for snorkeling.

Most on my trip used 70-200's (+/- a 1.4 tc). I would also recommend a 35 for low light sunsets.

You will likely take 2-3 times as many photos as you think you will. Have fun!

AutoGal

Thank you CHG CANON and Mikee,

Thank you for the advise on the walking stick....i have one that I can shorten. And you just reminded me that I need to purchase an inexpensive waterproof camera. Any recommendations on that??

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

My husband & I went for 2 weeks late April to early May, 2015. Our trip was NOT one that focused (sorry for that pun) on photography. The 14 passengers on our boat ran the gamut from really serious (myself) all the way down to “yup, my cell phone will do just fine”. We were on a very small boat. Neither my husband nor myself are prone to any motion sickness. That being said, I would suggest that you bring motion sickness remedies with you (Dramamine which is over the counter and scopolamine patches - need an rx) just in case. On our trip, a couple of people became extremely ill on more than one occasion. Take them BEFORE the seas get rough. Once you start feeling ill, it’s just too darn late!

Now, on to the equipment. I brought my D5200 with the 18-105 and 55-300 kit lenses. At the time, the D5200 was my only DSLR. I now have a D7200 and yours should be perfect for your trip.The 300mm was usually the longest I needed. Also brought my Canon bridge camera (SX50-HS - which went out to 1200mm), and a Sony point & shoot that I believe went out to 600mm or so. No tripod or monopod. LOTS of memory cards and extra batteries. Took my Lowepro 22L backpack and that worked out well for me on the Pangas going to & from the boat as well as being very manageable while hiking. If you are concerned about being a bit unsteady on some terrain, you can always bring a collapsible walking stick. I’d suggest getting a large dry bag to put your backpack in while going to and from shore. Even a couple of large plastic trash bags from home would do the job in a pinch. As someone else mentioned, there is always the possibility of a disastrous misstep that could land you and your gear in the salt water. We also had small cameras that we used underwater when we were snorkeling. I borrowed my son’s GoPro and my husband had a Panasonic that has been discontinued for several years. We still have ours and hubby presses it put it into service when he needs to shoot in rain when traveling. I just do not remember the model of the Panasonic or that of my Sony P&S.

On our trip, our naturalist sat down with the group late every afternoon and went over in detail what we would be seeing and doing the next day. He also let us know if our landing would be wet or dry so we knew what footwear to plan on wearing. I planned my gear for the next day based on that information. I ALWAYS took my D5200 with me and also took either my bridge camera OR my point and shoot for any land excursion. That way I’d have a back-up camera on my body in case of a catastrophe. There is no way you can go back to the boat to pick up a replacement camera. I’d usually have the 55-300 mounted on my D5200. I don’t think I ever used my 18-105, though. At the time I also owned a Tamron 150-300 and was advised by fellow Hogs to leave it at home. They were absolutely correct. I didn’t need it at all and was certainly happy that I didn’t have to worry about one more piece of equipment.

There were 2 items of clothing that I bought for the trip that I could not have lived without - water shoes for wet landings, and a travel vest with lots of pockets. I chose one by TravelSmith and that sucker has been with me on every trip we’ve taken since the Galapagos. That vest made it so much easier to conveniently carry extra memory cards and batteries out on our excursions.

You should bring some way to back up your images each day. We usually travel with a WD 1TB Passport. We didn’t have it on the Galapagos trip, but got one before our next trip. If your cabin is air conditioned, I would leave your camera in an area without air conditioning. It can take “forever” for the condensation to clear, otherwise. Our boat was small enough that everyone just left their camera bag topside.

If I were to do a return trip to the Galapagos, the only different gear I would bring would be either my D7200 or my D500. I didn’t own either of them at the time of our trip.

I’m sure I’ve forgotten something. If you have any specific questions, please just PM me & I’ll do my best to respond. You will have a fabulous time!

AutoGal

Hello Hello MadMikeOne’s helpful half!!

Thank you soooooo very much for all you shared and I will absolutely pm you with all the many questions that will hit me here and there. We leave early December for Quito.
I did check about renting an underwater camera...did you go snorkeling? It will not be a happy sight, me in a wet suit, but, what the hell. Ya only live once, even with new knees that may drown me.
Edee😆😀

Edee

Our ship will be holding 100 passengers...

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

You are VERY welcome. I wish I could be more helpful regarding a camera to use underwater. My husband has the one he used with him right now, and he’s overseas without me right now. It’s just a very small Panasonic that’s good to as deep as we snorkeled. It was very inexpensive. When he gets back home this week, I’ll get the info & PM you with it. Even though it’s been discontinued for so long, you might still be able to locate one on eBay. One thing we did prior to leaving for our trip was to go to a local indoor pool and work on our snorkeling technique. The last time I’d snorkeled was off St. Thomas in 1972! I found out it’s just like riding a bicycle - not something you forget how to do. Thank heaven! I would suggest purchasing your own snorkel and bring it from home. We also each invested in masks with our eyeglass prescriptions. I’m as blind as a bat without my glasses, and had it not bee; for my custom mask, I would not have been able to snorkel. Any good dive shop can give you guidance on the subject.

mikee

I currently use a Fuji xp from Costco for snorkeling. I think the olympus stylus tough TG-5 gets better photos.

AutoGal

Thank YOU again, MadMikeOne’s Super Helpful Better Half...and
Thank you Mikee, I had no idea Costco sold underwater cameras!!!
I don’t expect “great” underwater photos.
I do large mulipaged Photo Albums after all of our trips. It is all about the memories!! And being underwater in the Galapagos would be just a great fun experience.

Hey, I snorkeled the Red Sea a 1000 years ago...with no camera. Wish I had had one!
Edee

jcboy3

1. Accidents happen. A waterproof backpack than you can put your camera bag into is an inexpensive insurance policy against accidents. Once away from water, you can pull your camera bag out and shoot away.

2. I actually take 3 cameras when I travel; two big boy cameras and a very small P&S (for times when I don't want to go out and about with the big boy gear). The question is this; if the photographs are important, are you willing to accept lower quality if your camera breaks? The shutter on one of my cameras broke on a layover for our 2-week trip to China. Shipped the camera off for repair. That left me with my backup camera and P&S. The backup camera can use the lenses I am bringing, so I can get the shots I want. If you don't own a second compatible camera, rent one. Trip of a lifetime, and all that, you know.

3. Bring a full range, so you can take the shots you want.

4. Get a right angle viewer for your 7200 and a small tripod/stand, so you can shoot from low to the ground. And bring a knee pad.

Also, get a vest with vertical pockets. You can put things in the pockets and not have to dig into your bag.

I have a couple of Eddie Bauer vests; this one is good because it doesn't have a collar:

https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/10112343/vests-for-men/

AutoGal

Yes!! Thank you jcbov3! So much good advice!

Thank you for your mighty good points. The vest was already suggested, and is something I will indeed invest in. Thank you for the link.
In reference to #4...what is a Right Angle Viewer??.....(please note, that I’m a hellkick’n 77 yr ole gal with new knees...and how low can I go....to take “that shot”.... is indeed questionable....
I choose not to bring a tripod...I will have enough to carry....
Again, I truly appreciate you and your responses.

Dsrapa Loc: Outside of nyc

I had 3 cameras with me. Olympus tough ( waterproof , fit in pocket, with me always) canon sx50 (with a neck and waist strap so it didn’t swing) and interchangeable lens camera, (Panasonic) the third was the least used. I didn’t like carrying anything in my hands when getting on and off boat (100 passenger type). Or when walking on rocks. I think a walking stick with rubber tip is helpful. Prepare for video. Seals are great fun. So you need more memory than you think. I also transferred photos to an iPad every night. There were usually short and long walks each day. Short was almost always good enough and less stressful. Don’t need wetsuit for snorkeling. Have a great time!

jcboy3

It lets you look down at the viewfinder.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1132360-REG/

Consider a table top tripod such as this:

https://www.adorama.com/sunt1a20dt.html

Finally, for climbing about, a chest harness like this is very useful:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1345430-REG/cotton_carrier_686grey_ccs_g3_camera_harness.html/

gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

I am sure that many of you have already been there, - We went this year in April.

1. For us no. I also took an underwater camera for snorkeling.

2. I had full frame and crop sensor.

3. I took 100-400 for full crop sensor and 24-105 for full frame

4. PM me if you want additional information.

Walking stick would be good, a lot depends on where you are going, which islands, etc.
You are with a group and time is limited on the islands, the guides could get irritated if you are holding up the group taking shots.
The time on the islands are closely monitored by the Park and your group has limited time at each stop.
For us two stops per day and two snorkel trips, the most time at any stop was about 1.5 hours.
Last thought, I took a waterproof bag, but did not use after the first day, however I did use it when we went snorkeling and hiking on the same island at the same time, stored my equipment in the bag to keep sand off.

PauHana Loc: Tucson, AZ

I traveled there several years ago. First, I suggest you use the search tool on this site to discover previous posts about the area.

Your collapsible walking stick will be valuable because it will save space on the boat and provide stability on the land. Sand won’t be much of a problem, but the islands are all volcanic, and the lava makes for very unsteady terrain.

Traveling with cameras is often stressful especially when you watch the luggage handlers tossing bags across 3 foot expanses over open water so if you can’t carry it, don’t bring it. Since our trip I have begun using a Tough 5 and am impressed with it. The Tough 6 is out now. Great for snorkeling and I now carry it with me as a backup.

I used a 70-300 zoom with my Canon 7D and was pleased. I currently use the Tamron 16-300 and would use it happily there. The animals are usually close, birds being the exception. You actually have to watch your step to avoid trampling the iguanas! And the sea lions do not retreat!

I used a strap long enough to allow the strap over my neck but off one shoulder with a second strap that hung low off my waist to slip the camera into when hiking. It actually was a water bottle carrier that turned out to be the perfect size for my attached lens to slip into to hold the camera safely tight to my body but easily and quickly accessible. I carried a Sea to Summit dry bag to slip it into for transitioning over water. I also carried a small backpack into which I placed a small pouch with spare batteries and cards and lens cleaners.

Enjoy the experience!