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Archive 2016 · China trip advice?

  
 
Vcook
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · China trip advice?


I'm headed to China on Thursday of next week. I'll be there 10 days with the wife on a mix of business and tourism. Will be spending a couple days in the Shanghai area as well as a couple days in Beijing with some factory trips peppered about for the work aspect.

I like to go light when I travel, lugging tons of gear I find frustrating and takes me out of the experience somewhat. I had planned to bring only my 24mm and 50mm lenses for my D800. As we get closer to departure date I'm starting to worry a little that I'll be frustrated by my limited focal range.

Thoughts? Bear in mind I'm not viewing this trip as a photography-centric one, but I'll probably never be back in China again either.



Nov 11, 2016 at 09:55 AM
sjms
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · China trip advice?


you should have at least one good zoom so in cases like this its grab and go. I guess that's sort of irrelevant now. in FX simply the Nikon 24-120/4. that's all you woulf have needed.

these days i'm shooting DX as I'm back in the saddle again traveling. 95% of shooting done with the 16-80/2.8-4 Nikon (24-120 equivalent)

HK summer 2016



Nov 11, 2016 at 10:23 AM
Frogfish
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · China trip advice?


Vcook wrote:
I'm headed to China on Thursday of next week. I'll be there 10 days with the wife on a mix of business and tourism. Will be spending a couple days in the Shanghai area as well as a couple days in Beijing with some factory trips peppered about for the work aspect.

I like to go light when I travel, lugging tons of gear I find frustrating and takes me out of the experience somewhat. I had planned to bring only my 24mm and 50mm lenses for my D800. As we get closer to departure date I'm starting to worry a
...Show more
Can you give us a little more info on your itinerary ?

I've lived as an expat in Shanghai for the past 20 years so have a very good idea of what you'll require depending on which cities you will be visiting.

24mm is a little narrow for Shanghai - simply because the high rises are enormous and there are thousands of them ! Lujiazui (shortened to LJZ by most expats) alone has 3 of the world's Top 10 highest towers (#2, #7 - I believe - and #10) standing right next to each other, I'd say 18-21mm is near perfect but even wider will get you shots you couldn't otherwise (without stitching but that's not always possible with flashing neon coloured lights everywhere). Ditto inside BJ's iconic sights and the wall. 24mm & 50mm are also just fine for most of the industrial cities/towns you may be visiting.

For Street and River shots then your 24 & 50 are just fine. You may want something longer for detail (70-200 but if you want to keep the weight down then a sharp 90-100). A tripod is an absolute must since so much of Shanghai is best seen at night. Keep in mind most of the lights on the iconic buildings in both LJZ and on The Bund (either side of the river) will be switched off at 22.00 (I think - it could be 23.00).

I typically shoot 21/55/100 in Shanghai but also on occasion 15mm and 70-200mm.

Don't be afraid to use the Metro (it's excellent and very easy to use with everything in both English and Chinese - even the ticket machines). Download a Shanghai Metro app that will tell you the route / cost and time it'll take. Take note of the last train (usually around 22.30-23.00). Taxis are also cheap and there are hundreds of them. Make sure you have the hotel card to return to, and the addresses in Chinese of any places you want to visit. Search for many of the free apps on visiting Shanghai and download them ! Including an easy translation app to show people (note they are not good with maps - most taxi drivers can't read them, but everyone uses GPS apps anyway) !

Most Chinese are just fine with being photographed (unlike in say Europe or USA). Many will actually proudly hold their children/babies up for you to get a better shot ! Just flash a smile and wave or show them the shot afterwards (they'll then want a 'selfie' or three taken with you)

Finally Shanghai is considered one of the safest cities in the world (do watch out for pickpockets in crowded places though, and ignore anyone who wants to 'practice English' and maybe 'have a cup of tea with you both', that tea will cost you hundreds of dollars) so just go anywhere you want to - there are always people around and in 20 years I've never ever felt threatened here, at literally any time of day or night and in any location.

Drop me a PM if you require any info on what to see and where to go in and around Shanghai and the amount of free time you'll have.

Apps : Shanghai (Metro) by Mapway), Waygo (to instantly translate signs & menus into English), Air Matters (air quality for many cities in CHina), HiShanghai, That's China (then pick your city from inside the app), Hi SH Taxi, That's Shanghai, China Business and Pieco is an easy, accurate and substantial translation app.




Nov 11, 2016 at 12:17 PM
Vcook
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · China trip advice?


whoa, great post! My itinerary is still kind of influx being driven by the requirement of making factory visits for work. Thanks for all the great info, I'm off to get your recommended apps!


Nov 11, 2016 at 12:30 PM
webmstrk9
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · China trip advice?


I think you found a tour guide in Shanghai .. haha

Frogfish wrote:
Can you give us a little more info on your itinerary ?

I've lived as an expat in Shanghai for the past 20 years so have a very good idea of what you'll require depending on which cities you will be visiting.

24mm is a little narrow for Shanghai - simply because the high rises are enormous and there are thousands of them ! Lujiazui (shortened to LJZ by most expats) alone has 3 of the world's Top 10 highest towers (#2, #7 - I believe - and #10) standing right next to each other, I'd say 18-21mm is near perfect but
...Show more




Nov 11, 2016 at 12:35 PM
webmstrk9
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · China trip advice?


If this helps, when I took a 3 week trip in China in 2010, the most used lens for me was the 16-35, it consisted of approx 95% the photos.

I took a 2 week trip to Europe and only took the Zeiss 50/2 Makro, if I were to do that again, I'd take a 35 instead of the 50.

If it were me, I'd take your lens without hesitation. I don't think you'll need anything longer or wider. Biggest key is that everyone's perception is different, so if you like to shoot wide, the 24 would fit, but if you don't like shooting the 50 but prefer the 85, then I'd lean toward the 85 or maybe the 58.

Keep it simple, don't overthink and mostly enjoy what the city offers.

2010 Beijing - d3s & 16-35 handheld
https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/China-May-2010/Beijing/i-dGFBTm8/2/XL/Beijing-9456-XL.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/China-May-2010/Beijing/i-8VMfmZP/0/XL/China-9671-XL.jpg

2015 Europe d810 & Zeiss 50/2 Makro
Wish I had something wider, needed a traffic cop so I can stand in the middle of the road
https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/2015-Budapest/i-BWbNhjv/0/XL/DSC_1035-XL.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/2015-Budapest/i-mfpMGrJ/0/X2/DSC_1068-X2.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/2015-Regensberg/i-9VRhWqh/0/XL/DSC_0706-XL.jpg



Nov 11, 2016 at 02:07 PM
Vcook
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · China trip advice?


Thanks for the insight!


Nov 11, 2016 at 02:38 PM
Vcook
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · China trip advice?


Frogfish wrote:
I've lived as an expat in Shanghai for the past 20 years so have a very good idea of what you'll require depending on which cities you will be visiting.



Thanks a lot, your post and app recommendations, were very helpful! We had limited time in Shanghai, and the night I was able to get out it was very foggy/smoggy. Actually most of the trip was hampered by significant fog/smog making photography difficult. My shots from the river in Shanghai were better shooting from the Pudong side, as the lower buildings hid the fact that there was so much smog.

http://i.imgur.com/vTYpoYE.jpg







Nov 28, 2016 at 09:46 AM
austinted
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · China trip advice?


That's too bad about the weather conditions. When it's clear it can be beautiful. I was lucky enough to have some clear days/weeks when I was there a few years ago.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-RFzPXd2/0/XL/i-RFzPXd2-XL.jpg



Nov 29, 2016 at 12:10 AM
Vcook
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · China trip advice?


austinted wrote:
That's too bad about the weather conditions. When it's clear it can be beautiful. I was lucky enough to have some clear days/weeks when I was there a few years ago.


I was bummed, but then again I wasn't treating the trip as photo-centric either. I didn't even pack a tripod. The smog in Shanghai was pretty bad, but it was shockingly bad in Beijing.

http://i.imgur.com/AaQ8tIQ.jpg





Nov 29, 2016 at 09:45 AM
henry albert
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · China trip advice?


Vcook wrote:
[. . . The smog in Shanghai was pretty bad, but it was shockingly bad in Beijing.



A friend came back from Beijing two years ago with a bad cough and some frightening photos of the smog. He thinks selling bottled oxygen to visitors at the airport is the route to obscene wealth.



Nov 29, 2016 at 10:41 AM
Vcook
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · China trip advice?


henry albert wrote:
A friend came back from Beijing two years ago with a bad cough and some frightening photos of the smog. He thinks selling bottled oxygen to visitors at the airport is the route to obscene wealth.


I spent about 3 days there and upon my return I now have a dry hacking cough, I expect it to clear within a few days but I can see the value of the masks many wear. Unless you've been there it's hard to fully realize how bad it(the smog) can be.



Nov 29, 2016 at 10:51 AM
sjms
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · China trip advice?


been there twice. once for fun once for work.

Beijing 2009



Nov 29, 2016 at 10:55 AM
Vcook
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · China trip advice?


sjms wrote:
been there twice. once for fun once for work.

Beijing 2009


I took a similar great wall photo to this one: https://photos.smugmug.com/Trips/AQuick-Trip-to-Beijing/i-56Qkj7P/0/X2/_DS75631_DxO-X2.jpg

only mine is much hazier We must have visited the same location.



Nov 29, 2016 at 11:03 AM
elkhornsun
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · China trip advice?


When I make business trips to China and need to travel light I take a FX camera, 24-70mm f/2.8, and the 28-300mm f/5.6 lens. The 24-70mm is what I use indoors and at night where the 28-300mm is too slow a lens.

Appreciate that with the pollution in these cities the available light may be more like winter in Anchorage and you will find yourself using very high ISO settings. With the 28-300mm f/5.6 lens I was using ISO 3200 most of the time during the day in the cities.

Much better light when you can take a train to get away from the cities and with China 200 MPH trains you don't need much time to go quite a distance. Wish we did not have our ancient excuse for a train system in the USA that was better before WW II than it is today.

The only prime I take on trips to urban areas is a 16mm f/2.8 fisheye.



Nov 30, 2016 at 07:14 PM
znikon5
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · China trip advice?


Just came by this thread - I had the chance to visit Shanghai and make an outing to Guilin last year. Shanghai was great. At the time I was shooting a D7200 and only used the 18-140. I found it to be a great combo. Here are some shots from the trip.





© znikon5 2016





© znikon5 2016





© znikon5 2016





© znikon5 2016




Nov 30, 2016 at 07:56 PM
sjms
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · China trip advice?


elkhornsun wrote:
When I make business trips to China and need to travel light I take a FX camera, 24-70mm f/2.8, and the 28-300mm f/5.6 lens. The 24-70mm is what I use indoors and at night where the 28-300mm is too slow a lens.

Appreciate that with the pollution in these cities the available light may be more like winter in Anchorage and you will find yourself using very high ISO settings. With the 28-300mm f/5.6 lens I was using ISO 3200 most of the time during the day in the cities.

Much better light when you can take a train to
...Show more

now if they only had the same setup as the JR with passes.
smooth running on the slower Hikari to Hiroshima.








Nov 30, 2016 at 08:03 PM





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