Jim Bianco

What lenses or lens should I take, I have a nikon 70-300 Afs Vr., a 60mm 2.8 macro, a nikon 20mm af 2.8, a nikon 24-85 afs, a135mm 3.5 nikon and a 28 2.8 promaster manual lens. What do you guys think. Thanks Jim Bianco

PaulB Loc: Alabama

The 70-300 and the 24-85 should cover your needs! Any thing else would be overkill and just more to pack, carry and keep up with! Enjoy the cruise.

jackpinoh Loc: Kettering, OH 45419

Jim,
I would take the 24-85mm and the 70-300mm lenses. The 24-85mm lens will be best for landscapes, people, and streets photos. The 70-300mm lens will be best for birds (lots of eagles up there) and smaller landscape scenes (zooming in on glaciers and other landscape features). Don't bother to take a tripod. Have fun.

d3200prime

I cruised Alaska in 2017 and wished a hundred times I had packed a super telephoto lens. Rent one if you don't own one. You can thank me when you get back.

stu352 Loc: MA/RI Border

We just got back from a Princess cruise from Vancouver to Whittier, plus Denali. I had my Canon 55 - 250 on the DSLR, plus I used my Canon G9x for wide angle, general purpose stuff. There were several times I wanted something longer, seeing the whales feeding, the otters, the bear on the shore, etc.

We were on the nose of the ship as we toured Glacier Bay and College Fjord (see https://pbase.com/sb_photos/glacier_bay and https://pbase.com/sb_photos/college_fjord), and it was cold, like multiple layers, hat and gloves cold. Granted, they said there were warmer days, but this wasn't one of them.

Oh, even with everyone wearing masks on the ship, and trying to be careful on land, we both came down with Covid just as we got home. (mild cases, no worse than a cold, so the vaccine works). So be careful out there...

V2volk Loc: St. Louis area

Agreed!

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

My spin on the question too.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

"and wished a hundred times I had packed a super telephoto len"

"There were several times I wanted something longer, seeing the whales feeding, the otters, the bear on the shore, etc."

So true! My suggestion to Jim Bianco (the OP) is to consider, if possible, cameras more suitable for travel.

Yesterday we returned from a RV road trip to Alaska. Most used by me was a 100-400 on a M4/3 Panasonic (200-800 equivalent). Yes, the sensor is small, but I can move about easily. Panasonic has a dual body and lens stabilization system that makes hand holding effective. My wife used her RX10 at 600mm (equivalent) a lot.

The fundamental problem of a tourist, traveler photographer is size. Cruise ship, or any kind of travel, puts you in groups. Both the wild life subjects and group will be moving. That makes typical DSLRs and long lenses problematic.

This snapshot illustrates the problem. My wife is holding her RX10IV (lens retracted) and the men are holding Sony A1s. The target in this case was a badger. My wife could extend the lens and get the shot before the men could get their tripods set up!

JD750 Loc: SoCal

I see this question a lot. And I go through it when I travel. The answer is always the same.

Take as many lenses as you have room to take.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

Take a big telephoto/zoom. 300mm won't be enough. I carried a 200~500mm everywhere I went. And often wished for more.

Jim Bianco

Thanks

Jim Bianco

Thanks

Jim Bianco

Thanks

Jim Bianco

Thanks for the heads up.

Jim Bianco

Thanks