p.1 #1 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
I am sorting out my gears right now and it is a bit confusing as I use 3 different systems and lenses don't always overlapse with each other. My main system is Nikon but also have some Sony gears and Fuji GFX 100.
Let say, weight is not an issue at this time if you think it is safe enough to fly to Costa Rica and I check in some of the camera gears in Pelican type case. I will be flying via LAX to SJO. In this scenario, I could bring 15-17 kg worth of camera gears (not including my carryon) quite easily.
For macro, I could use D850 or Z7 with 105/2.8 Macro or GFX 100 with 120/4 macro. I think GFX would be a lot of fun for macro but beside macro, I am not sure how useful GFX would be for the trip otherwise. The longest lens I have is 250/4, even with TC, I would get maximally around 300mm equavalent to FF. Would longer macro like 70-180 be more useful?
I also almost tempted to get Sony 90/2.8 macro as I think it is a much better lens than Nikon 105/2.8.
My main tele will be Nikon D850 and 500/4e FL +/- TC. I guess I would rather bring this instead of 500PF as I understand that light will be an issue here and there so faster lens would be better.
Is this all I need? Would 300/4 PF, 70-200/2.8e FL be of any use? I also have A7r iii with 100-400GM.
p.1 #2 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
Was in Costa Rica about ten years ago. Some of the travel there was by light plane and total baggage weight was strictly limited to 12 kg. - Traveling without a ton of equipment has distinct advantages, and I had just Nikon 24-70/2.8 and 70-200/2.8 with the D700. I did most of my photography from a boat and it was possible to photograph birds and other animals from pretty close distances. You definitively will need rain protection for yourself and your equipment. Fast lenses are definitely a plus and a speed light is recommended especially for close ups and macro..
p.1 #3 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
GiantTristan wrote:
Was in Costa Rica about ten years ago. Some of the travel there was by light plane and total baggage weight was strictly limited to 12 kg. - Traveling without a ton of equipment has distinct advantages, and I had just Nikon 24-70/2.8 and 70-200/2.8 with the D700. I did most of my photography from a boat and it was possible to photograph birds and other animals from pretty close distances. You definitively will need rain protection for yourself and your equipment. Fast lenses are definitely a plus and a speed light is recommended especially for close ups and macro..
Thanks for the tip. If I remember correctly, this trip will be by land only, no domestic flight by small plane that I remember. Will need to check the itinerary again.
Also for macro for frogs, my guess is that I don't really need 1:1 reproduction. Am I right? I was wondering if lenses with reproduction ratio of 1:4 might be enough such as Zeiss 130/2 apo Sonnar and do I really need AF for macro there?
Leica R 100/2.8 apo on Z7 might also be an option.
Unfortunately too many lenses and I want to take them all
p.1 #4 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
I mainly photographed insects like butterflies or leaf cutter ants - Your Zeiss 135/2 would be great and MF with the D850 is easy. I mainly use the Zeiss 100/2 for macro.
p.1 #5 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
I've been to Costa Rica a couple of times, depending on where you're going, you could very well want to use that 70-200 or the 300PF. There are definitely images I captured of wildlife where I needed a mid-telephoto. My last trip there I was doing a lot of hiking, including a good 17 mile day with a lot of hills, and for that I just took the Tamron 10-24 and a 300PF along with my D500.
Just depends what you're doing. But do know that you could very well be quite close to some wildlife, the 300 on the D500 was a bit cramped from time to time on my second trip.
EDIT: Just as an FYI, when I have my 500, I do find the 70-200 to be a really great complimentary focal range.
p.1 #6 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
Don't want to be a heretic, but the A7riii with 100-400 is the ticket. It has good close up capability for frogs and small birds, and enough reach, with the resolution of the camera allowing for cropping with still good quality, for farther subjects. Add the 90mm for macro and you have a complete nature kit with 2 lenses, that is light and easy to walk with.
The issue isn't what you travel with, but what you have to walk around with each day. A 300 pf is a great choice, but I like the flexibility of a zoom especially if you are in a forest. If you have a day where you know you are going to be shooting distant subjects, then take the 500 for that specific day.
p.1 #7 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
Thanks for all the suggestions. A7r iii with 100-400 is also something that I considered. I bought Sony 100-400 mainly because I think it is quite a bit better than Nikon 80-400 so definitely no need to worry about bing a heretic
Sounds like macro, medium and long range tele are all very useful.
Howabout checking in gears in a Pelican case on the plane? When I used to live in the US long long time ago, a lot of people were complaining about their scuba diving gears were being stolen or loss in transit when traveling to Central America/the Carribeans. Is that something to be concerned with now aday? If I need to hand carry all camera gears, my choices will be quite different.
p.1 #8 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
I would never, ever, check my gear in a Pelican or similar box that screams "steal me." Unless your gear is fully insured, and the insurance covers putting it in checked baggage. If you have to, get a cheap hard side suitcase and put the pelican case inside, padded with towels to keep it from banging around.
When I travel with scuba, my regulator, computer and anything really expensive gets carried on and never checked. Only the mask, fins, wetsuit get checked--I can always rent them if I need to if they are stolen.
But for photo, no insurance or rental can cover the shots you will lose on a trip of a lifetime if you gear is stolen on the way. Carry it on and live with the choices that implies. I believe that there are carry on size bags from Think Tank and others that will hold even the 500 plus several other lenses. With such a bag and the "personal item" (which allows a camera messenger style bag, you can carry quite a bit.
p.1 #9 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
I went 2 times last year
My most used combo was D5 + 500e. Light sucks and ISOs will be high
I also took a sigma 150 macro and used it on a D850.
I had a 200-500 for walking around.
Flash is critical especially for frogs at night
I checked my tripod and wimberly (in my suitcase), everything else went with me
p.1 #10 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
suteetat wrote:
Thanks for all the suggestions. A7r iii with 100-400 is also something that I considered. I bought Sony 100-400 mainly because I think it is quite a bit better than Nikon 80-400 so definitely no need to worry about bing a heretic
Sounds like macro, medium and long range tele are all very useful.
Howabout checking in gears in a Pelican case on the plane? When I used to live in the US long long time ago, a lot of people were complaining about their scuba diving gears were being stolen or loss in transit when traveling to Central America/the Carribeans. Is that something to be concerned with now aday? If I need to hand carry all camera gears, my choices will be quite different.
p.1 #11 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
I'd probably try to stick to one system. I've taken more than one system before, but idk. A ff camera like D850 should be fine for iq.
Most people who go to Costa Rica do bird photography, it seems, so if you can take the 500/4, that should be fine.
The Fuji looks great but it's hard to imagine that works well for birds? Although it might be great for macro.
What about landscape and other lenses?
I haven't been to Costa Rica, but some relatives went to the Peruvian jungle and said it was about like the bayous here. I've shot at 25600 using canon aps lately, need to see if I can clean it up, looks good on lcd. So a FF camera should do even better. Should be fine at high iso.
Idk if I have ever checked a body & lens. I don't know if I'm ever gonna.
p.1 #12 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
Thanks, everyone. OK, I will need to rethink my gears a bit. I can definitely hand carry 500/4e FL in my Moose Peterson MP-3 easily with a couple of bodies and other lenses. In this case, it will be D850 and Z7 then since Z7 can back up D850 as well (not great for bif but no problem for more stationary birds).
I used Pelican case for my camera gears to check in when I went to Japan and India and there was actually no problem at all but not sure about the rest of the world
Oh.. and once I flew from Bangkok to Irkutsk for my Baikal Lake trip and checked in my gears in Pelican case and asked the airline to put fragile sticker on it. In Irkutsk, my Pelican case did not come out while my other suitcases and my friends' suitcases all came out very early and the conveyer belt had stopped. I thought, this is it, my GFX 50s was a gonner. Then I saw someone actually hand carry my Pelican case to the belt and handed it to me. What a relief
I will be flying Alaskan Airline to San Jose from LAX and Delta back to LAX. Any idea how strict they are about 7kg allowance for carry on? From Bangkok to LAX, generally it is not a big issue but some friends mentioned that the US airlines are quick strict. I have not been back to the US in almost 20 years so I don't really know the situation there anymore. Flashes, tripods, chargers etc will be well wrapped in put into my suitcases.
p.1 #13 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
AmbientMike wrote:
I'd probably try to stick to one system. I've taken more than one system before, but idk. A ff camera like D850 should be fine for iq.
Most people who go to Costa Rica do bird photography, it seems, so if you can take the 500/4, that should be fine.
The Fuji looks great but it's hard to imagine that works well for birds? Although it might be great for macro.
What about landscape and other lenses?
I haven't been to Costa Rica, but some relatives went to the Peruvian jungle and said it was about like the bayous here. I've shot at 25600 using canon aps lately, need to see if I can clean it up, looks good on lcd. So a FF camera should do even better. Should be fine at high iso.
Idk if I have ever checked a body & lens. I don't know if I'm ever gonna....Show more →
GFX will be great for macro. GFX 100 AF is not quite as good as Z7 or A7r iii but not too far off. May be it is the bigger heavier glasses that slow them down a bit more. I probably would not try bif with it but 250/4 with TC, if I can get any perching birds within range, the resolution is amazing (over here, pigeon is pretty much the only thing ) but size and weight will be too much of an issue if I have to hand carry the cameras and lenses
p.1 #14 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
suteetat wrote:
Thanks, everyone. OK, I will need to rethink my gears a bit. I can definitely hand carry 500/4e FL in my Moose Peterson MP-3 easily with a couple of bodies and other lenses. In this case, it will be D850 and Z7 then since Z7 can back up D850 as well (not great for bif but no problem for more stationary birds).
I used Pelican case for my camera gears to check in when I went to Japan and India and there was actually no problem at all but not sure about the rest of the world
Oh.. and once I flew from Bangkok to Irkutsk for my Baikal Lake trip and checked in my gears in Pelican case and asked the airline to put fragile sticker on it. In Irkutsk, my Pelican case did not come out while my other suitcases and my friends' suitcases all came out very early and the conveyer belt had stopped. I thought, this is it, my GFX 50s was a gonner. Then I saw someone actually hand carry my Pelican case to the belt and handed it to me. What a relief
I will be flying Alaskan Airline to San Jose from LAX and Delta back to LAX. Any idea how strict they are about 7kg allowance for carry on? From Bangkok to LAX, generally it is not a big issue but some friends mentioned that the US airlines are quick strict. I have not been back to the US in almost 20 years so I don't really know the situation there anymore. Flashes, tripods, chargers etc will be well wrapped in put into my suitcases. ...Show more →
There are no carry-on weight restrictions anymore in the US. Only size and # of item restrictions...if it fits and you can lift it, you can bring it on. The MP-3 will be fine.
p.1 #15 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
The GFX 100 would be awesome but for travelling and dynamic shots it maybe too much particularly in Costa Rica. Personally the D850 with your lenses would be amazing. You are almost emulating the MF with the D850 and excellent AF. I would take the 300PF and 70-200E as these lenses lend so much flexibility aside from your 500E
The Sony 100-400 would be a great choice too if you paired it with A9.
p.1 #16 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
arbitrage wrote:
There are no carry-on weight restrictions anymore in the US. Only size and # of item restrictions...if it fits and you can lift it, you can bring it on. The MP-3 will be fine.
p.1 #17 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
charles.K wrote:
The GFX 100 would be awesome but for travelling and dynamic shots it maybe too much particularly in Costa Rica. Personally the D850 with your lenses would be amazing. You are almost emulating the MF with the D850 and excellent AF. I would take the 300PF and 70-200E as these lenses lend so much flexibility aside from your 500E
The Sony 100-400 would be a great choice too if you paired it with A9.
Thanks Charles. Unfortunately I don't have A9 but A7r iii is quite reasonable. I missed a few rare shots in Kenya with A7r iii last year but for most parts it served me well. Most likely I would take it to Botswana next year (may be A7r iv if it turns out that A7r iv has significantly better AF than A7r iii). I tend to use D850 with 500/4e FL with more action oriented shots anyhow as
I think I would be a lot more likely to run away if there is any significant actions occured near me with in 200-300mm focal lenght range
p.1 #18 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
What I have used the most in Costa Rica was the 80-400mm zoom along with either the 500mm f/4 or the 600mm f/4 and both primes were often used with the TC-14 III teleconverter. For macro I take the 200mm f/4 as it provides more working distance and I can be further away from the poisonous snakes and or a tiny poison dart frog.
Out on the open meadows or on the rivers there is plenty of light. It is only in the dense forest areas like Monteverde or OSA or Savagre where there dense forest canopy and light is not great. But on my last trip I took the 80-400mm, 500mm PF, and 600mm f/4 along with a tripod and gimbal head. I used the 600mm about 10% of the time. In dark dense forests the camera to subject distance is too short for the 600mm much of the time. When in Monteverde reserve I used the 500mm PF at f/5.6 with no problems whatsover with it on my D850.
Overall I think that a 500mm f/4 along with a 1.4x teleconverter is better suited to use in Costa Rica than the 600mm f/4 lens. The former provides 500mm f/4 or 700mm f/5.6 and these focal lengths work very well 95% of the time.
On the airplanes going to Costa Rica you can take a carry-on piece of luggage up to 22x14x9 and also a personal item (think small dog or cat pet carrier) which can also be a camera bag like the Nagano 16L that fits under the seat in front of you (except with aisle seats where the support brace is likely to be in the way.
Two bags allow for putting heavy items like batteries and a gimbal head into the smaller bag and the big lens and your cameras in the larger bag. I used to have a 37 lb backpack and realized that it was hard on the body and better to have the load split and distributed in two backpacks.
What is ideal is the 80-400mm on one body and the 500mm on the second body for travel on the small boats up the rivers. The 500mm PF is great as I do not need a tripod at all.
p.1 #19 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
Thank you Elkhornsun, this is very useful information. Yes, I will bring my Moose Peterson MP-3 along with a small camera bag for carry on. That should take care of the lenses , bodies and batteries very nicely. I was told that there would not be a lot of hiking where I need to carry all my gears so that would make life easier. Unlike a possible trip for puma in Patagonia in a couple of years, that one will strictly be 500PF affair.
On the boat, I can handhold 500/4e FL for a little while. Not sure if I will have room for 500PF on this trip but will definitely think about it when I pack for the trip. In Kenya last year, we were in open sided vehicle the whole trip so I handheld my 500/4e FL most of the time without support and that was doable.
PS I was told that for poisonous dart frog, 105 macro is fine as it is poisonous only if I touch it and wipe my eyes or something like that. For snake, I would be happily using 500mm or 100-400 and stay as far as possible from it
p.1 #20 · camera gear for Costa Rica bird photography trip. What to bring?
I am writing this from Costa Rica. This is my 11th trip here in about 20 years.
I am currently traveling with students who are doing research with leaf cutter ants and blue morpho butterflies. Despite my role as their supporting professor, I always make time for some photography. Most of my travel to CR has been for photography.
I think that you need to pick your poison... three systems is a bit overkill and you will find that it may inspire paralysis. In addition, I do not suggest that you check your gear. The key question you need to assess is... how much hiking do you plan to do? If you are going to spend time on the trail, think lean and mean. At this point, I'm all about high ISO shooting. I brought a pair of D500's and a Z6. My lenses are a 24-70, 70-200 f/2.8, and 500mm PFE. I left my 200-400mm F/4VR home and my 105 micro. If macro is your thing, you may want to bring your 105mm micro (though the 200mm f/4 micro would be even better).
I've done a ton of bird and landscape photography and have spent hours on trails...
