p.3 #1 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
I used a 16-35, 24-70, 70-200 (all f/2.8) and the 24 TS-E when I went to Angkor Wat. The 24 TS-E was used for unique DOF shots of some locals and of course for landscape / architecture. I hardly used the 16-35mm but used mostly the 24-70 and 70-200 if ever. I brought a tripod with me but it was hardly used but if you have a light, travel version I'd recommend taking it.
Just remember you are not alone in the dawn shot of Angkor Wat as you think since it is in the very early morning. There are hundreds of people waiting for the sunrise and depending on the time of year you are shooting against the sun. I was there in September 2009. Perhaps a sunset might even be better there which I never got a chance to shoot because of the monsoon season.
Temples were my primary goal before I got to Siem Reap and then after a very touching meeting with a local who was physically impaired, I started taking photos of the people. I have shots of temples with monks and that surely made my day.
I hope you get lucky and capture some of these.
Since labor is cheap, you might want to have someone carry some of your gear. I had a heavy bag with two pro cameras and I was sweating like crazy.
p.3 #2 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
voltaire brings up a good point about all the people.
A good friend of mine has been twice, and commented on how there were more people there than anywhere else in the world, it seemed. Said it was VERY crowded at times, so he didn't even bother with most shots.
Go to the out-of-the-way temples, of which i believe there are PLENTY in Cambodia.
p.3 #3 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
Voltaire,
Thanks for sharing your experience. I fully expect there to be a few hundred people sharing the dawn with me at Angkor Wat - just means I have to get up a bit earlier to get a good spot ;-) I will investigate more with my guide as to whether he is willing to carry my camera bag, or can he bring along a trusted porter.
Anakha
voltaire wrote:
I used a 16-35, 24-70, 70-200 (all f/2.8) and the 24 TS-E when I went to Angkor Wat. The 24 TS-E was used for unique DOF shots of some locals and of course for landscape / architecture. I hardly used the 16-35mm but used mostly the 24-70 and 70-200 if ever. I brought a tripod with me but it was hardly used but if you have a light, travel version I'd recommend taking it.
Just remember you are not alone in the dawn shot of Angkor Wat as you think since it is in the very early morning. There are hundreds of people waiting for the sunrise and depending on the time of year you are shooting against the sun. I was there in September 2009. Perhaps a sunset might even be better there which I never got a chance to shoot because of the monsoon season.
Temples were my primary goal before I got to Siem Reap and then after a very touching meeting with a local who was physically impaired, I started taking photos of the people. I have shots of temples with monks and that surely made my day.
I hope you get lucky and capture some of these.
Since labor is cheap, you might want to have someone carry some of your gear. I had a heavy bag with two pro cameras and I was sweating like crazy.
p.3 #4 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
ISO1600,
I'm taking a gripped 5D3 and a point and shoot as backup.
In response to your later post, we will first be visiting the remote temples for two days and after our rest day, then tackling the Angkor temples and their crowds.
Anakha
ISO1600 wrote:
I'm not sure you stated it in your OP, but what body(bodies) are you bringing? This seems like a PERFECT scenario for the 6D.
p.3 #5 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
Voltaire,
My guide has quoted me $US20 per day for a porter. It is probably a bit higher than I could otherwise haggle, but I'd will be trusting the person with quite a few grands worth of camera gear, so best not to scrimp too much in this instance!
I think the porter will earn their money when I'm on top of the fifth level of a temple taking photos ;-)
Anakha
voltaire wrote:
Since labor is cheap, you might want to have someone carry some of your gear. I had a heavy bag with two pro cameras and I was sweating like crazy.
p.3 #6 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
I think the porter will earn their money when I'm on top of the fifth level of a temple taking photos
One thing to aware of in climbing the steep stairs inside Angkor Wat: Tourists are guided up one set of unbelievably steep stairs, and then guided down another set of stairs. The up stairs have NO HANDRAIL, and I would estimate the angle of climb is 50 degrees or steeper. The down stairs do have a metal handrail.
This might be no problem for a 20 year old with a cell phone camera. But if you are of advanced age with 20 pounds of photo gear in a backpack, and a DSLR in your hand, it can indeed be very scary.
p.3 #7 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
Don,
Fortunately, I'm still in my mid-30s so not completely decrepit yet! ;-)
I will have to ensure that my porter doesn't topple off the staircases though!
Anakha
Don Clary wrote:
One thing to aware of in climbing the steep stairs inside Angkor Wat: Tourists are guided up one set of unbelievably steep stairs, and then guided down another set of stairs. The up stairs have NO HANDRAIL, and I would estimate the angle of climb is 50 degrees or steeper. The down stairs do have a metal handrail.
This might be no problem for a 20 year old with a cell phone camera. But if you are of advanced age with 20 pounds of photo gear in a backpack, and a DSLR in your hand, it can indeed be very scary....Show more →
p.3 #8 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
Have a blast! I spent 2 years living in Cambodia and 4 months of that living in Siem Reap. As a sort of local, I would recommend seeing the big three (Ta Prohm, Boyoan, and Angkor Wat) at a minimum. Beyond that it is really up to you how much you want to sweat!
On a side note, I took my wife back to Cambodia to visit a few years after I left and our favorite thing we did was a cooking class! Great times indeed. Agreed on the Tonle Sap, unfortunately we never made it out there but I have heard great things.
Where are you staying? Depending on your budget there are some great hotels in Siem Reap for not too much. If your budget affords it I would recommend the Sokha Hotel, right down town and excellent service and comfort. With the heat and dust coming back to a nice hotel has added value.
Can't wait to see your photos! Enjoy my favorite country in the world!!
p.3 #9 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
Thanks DRosdahl,
It must have been a great adventure to be able to spend two whole years in Camboda. Were you there working with an NGO?
We'll be visiting perhaps a dozen temples over six days - I don't expect to find them boring, but my wife might ;-) At least the guide can tell her stories about them to keep up her interest.
Anakha
DRosdahl wrote:
Have a blast! I spent 2 years living in Cambodia and 4 months of that living in Siem Reap. As a sort of local, I would recommend seeing the big three (Ta Prohm, Boyoan, and Angkor Wat) at a minimum. Beyond that it is really up to you how much you want to sweat!
On a side note, I took my wife back to Cambodia to visit a few years after I left and our favorite thing we did was a cooking class! Great times indeed. Agreed on the Tonle Sap, unfortunately we never made it out there but I have heard great things.
Where are you staying? Depending on your budget there are some great hotels in Siem Reap for not too much. If your budget affords it I would recommend the Sokha Hotel, right down town and excellent service and comfort. With the heat and dust coming back to a nice hotel has added value.
Can't wait to see your photos! Enjoy my favorite country in the world!! ...Show more →
p.3 #10 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
Hi anakha et al.
This is been an extremely informative thread as I am off to Cambodia in a few weeks and I am currently working out what gear to bring with me. I plan to visit the Bayon, Banteay Srei, Angkor Thom, Preah Khan plus Beng Melea. If I don't feel overwhelmed, I'll attempt more, but I am going to wait and see how I feel.
My guide is also taking me to Tonle Sap plus some more remote villages and sites off the beaten track.
For those of you who have traveled to Siem Reap/Ankor Wat with a 70-200mm zoom, how often did you use it? I am going with 4 small, fast primes (21, 28, 50, 85) and would like to leave the zoom at home.
p.3 #11 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
Roel wrote:
Hi anakha et al.
This is been an extremely informative thread as I am off to Cambodia in a few weeks and I am currently working out what gear to bring with me. I plan to visit the Bayon, Banteay Srei, Angkor Thom, Preah Khan plus Beng Melea. If I don't feel overwhelmed, I'll attempt more, but I am going to wait and see how I feel.
My guide is also taking me to Tonle Sap plus some more remote villages and sites off the beaten track.
For those of you who have traveled to Siem Reap/Ankor Wat with a 70-200mm zoom, how often did you use it? I am going with 4 small, fast primes (21, 28, 50, 85) and would like to leave the zoom at home.
If you go to Tonle Sap Lake the zoom is a MUST !
Since you will be on a boat yourself, the only way to go around, you will not be able to zoom with your feet. The zoom then becomes very very handy.
I would have never been able to nail that shot without a zoom.
p.3 #13 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
Hi Roel,
I hope you enjoy your trip!
THe collective wisdom available on the Internet these days makes organising travel so much easier than it was twenty years ago! :-)
I intend to post a thread of photos upon my return and look forward to seeing some of your photos here after you get back.
Anakha
Roel wrote:
Hi anakha et al.
This is been an extremely informative thread as I am off to Cambodia in a few weeks and I am currently working out what gear to bring with me. I plan to visit the Bayon, Banteay Srei, Angkor Thom, Preah Khan plus Beng Melea. If I don't feel overwhelmed, I'll attempt more, but I am going to wait and see how I feel.
My guide is also taking me to Tonle Sap plus some more remote villages and sites off the beaten track.
For those of you who have traveled to Siem Reap/Ankor Wat with a 70-200mm zoom, how often did you use it? I am going with 4 small, fast primes (21, 28, 50, 85) and would like to leave the zoom at home.
p.3 #14 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
anakha wrote:
Thanks DRosdahl,
It must have been a great adventure to be able to spend two whole years in Camboda. Were you there working with an NGO?
We'll be visiting perhaps a dozen temples over six days - I don't expect to find them boring, but my wife might ;-) At least the guide can tell her stories about them to keep up her interest.
Anakha
Anhakha,
I was actually a missionary for the LDS (Mormon) Church, it was a fantastic experience. I think having a guide will make a huge difference for you both. Have a blast and post pictures!!
p.3 #17 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
anakha wrote:
Hi Roel,
I hope you enjoy your trip!
THe collective wisdom available on the Internet these days makes organising travel so much easier than it was twenty years ago! :-)
I intend to post a thread of photos upon my return and look forward to seeing some of your photos here after you get back.
Anakha
Hi Anakha,
Thank you again for starting this thread and to all of you who contributed to it. The information was really great - I just returned from Cambodia and had a fantastic trip - the tips here helped a lot.
I don't want to post my photos here as this is the Canon forum and I shoot with another camera system But for those of you who like to see some images plus read what I have to say about a photographer wandering around Cambodia/Angkor, you can do so here:
p.3 #18 · Which Lenses should I take for shooting the Angkor Temples in Cambodia?
Thanks Roel - glad you found this thread helpful.
I returned from my SE Asia trip at the beginning of this month. However, I'm about to complete a major project and can't spare the time to process all of my photos until next month :-(
We visited 19 temples over six days and thoroughly enjoyed it, though it was hot!
Next month, I'll post a link to a thread of my photos here.
