Just a few thoughts from another frequent traveler (all 7 continents, 108 countries including all on your list).
--Don't get too involved with planning shots that you fail to "absorb" the experience.
--With a crowded travel year as you have planned (we did this also (5 internationals cancelled last year, ugh), you should take a good laptop/ipad and get as much of your post-processing done before you get back. You will be surprised at how you can get backed up when the next trip is just a month away.
--Your gear should be planned for where you are going and what activities are there. So for a safari, you will be happy to have all the reach you can get--at least 300mm (we've been on five and really love these trips). But if you are doing mainly cities, leave the big guys home. I have a Nikon D850 (love it) and found the 28-300 a good one-lens solution (I would strongly suggest a sling strap, e.g., Black Rapid). In Machu Picchu, if you can, you should take the hike up Huayna Picchu (that large pointy peak behind the ruins). It gives an incredible view not seen in any brochure.
--Don't take big/heavy gear to the Galapagos and I hope you get to some of the less-visited islands--marvelous.
--On some of your destinations you might consider a nice monopod that stores and deploys easily.
--we saved cruising for when we got older (which is now, lol) so we've only taken a dozen or so but really enjoy it. --I just got a drone and really like that photographic genre more and more. They're fairly inexpensive and give incredible footage for some destinations.
Sorry, it got more verbose than I planned. I hope you enjoy this chapter of your lives!!
Hip Coyote wrote:
I am headed to Morocco. We travel quite a lot but am looking for personal experiences and/or recommendations. I've planned for trips to Africa, etc. and things worked out well on cameras, lenses, focal lengths, etc. I am used to local customs, etc. and will investigate that as well. My impression is the Morocco is more of a wide angle shooting environment. Off hand, I don't see a need for a long telephoto (shooting M43 gear so a 100-400 is a looong lens.) My thought is to take the M43 body (not sure which one), the 12-100 pro lens and maybe a smaller 9-19 lens and leave it at that. I am not a long lens shooter other than wildlife when needed.
Thoughts?
I am headed to Morocco. We travel quite a lot but... (
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You didn't give your itinerary. If you are going to spend a few nights in the desert, protect your gear from blowing sand, get sunrise/sunsets over the dunes. I found a role for a moderate tele. I have a Nikon D850 and used a "walk-around" 28-300mm. The extra reach was nice to have several times on the trip from the desert to the High Atlas Mtns to sometimes in the cities. If you go coastal south, the goats in the trees weren't always near the road so a lens reach was nice there as well. If you do "faces", the gear you mention will work well. Good luck, it is a marvelous experience--don't get too caught up in the photography to not marvel at the culture and experience.