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Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

tzhang4284
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

chiron wrote:
The advantage of the Fuji is the medium format image quality. It is bigger/heavier than other gear I could use, but I was thinking about it for situations where it easy to carry and keep safe, like seascapes from the boat, approaching and leaving port, in the Bosporus, etc. Two bodies plus the Fuji is definitely a step too far, however.

It is easy enough to take extra lenses and then just select a subset each day. But I would also like to simplify my thinking in terms of what I will think about using in terms of making pictures so...Show more →

If you really want to simplify things, I did the trip with 15mm f2, 35mm f2, and 85mm f2.5 prime lenses. 80% of my photos were taken between 15mm and 35mm. Simple would be 16-35mm and your 90mm f2.8 although I'd probably bring a 35mm or 45mm as a walk around lens.

What other lenses do you have for the Fuji? I'd probably bring it if I had it and feel comfortable taking it off the boat - what's the point of owning it if you're not going to use it? I think you'll be just as much of a theft target with the GFX vs a sony body with the 16-35mm on it. Depending on where else you stop by, there's some good landscape photography opportunities in Turkey (e.g. Cappadocia) so might be worth the trouble.

As for safety, I probably wouldn't bring more than one camera at a time and keep it on you in a bag that opens from the back to protect yourself from pick pockets, etc...

May 15, 2022 at 12:43 PM

chiron
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

tzhang4284 wrote:
If you really want to simplify things, I did the trip with 15mm f2, 35mm f2, and 85mm f2.5 prime lenses. 80% of my photos were taken between 15mm and 35mm. Simple would be 16-35mm and your 90mm f2.8 although I'd probably bring a 35mm or 45mm as a walk around lens.

What other lenses do you have for the Fuji? I'd probably bring it if I had it and feel comfortable taking it off the boat - what's the point of owning it if you're not going to use it? I think you'll be just as much of a theft...Show more →

It had occurred to me to go out with the 16-35 and a 65. That would cover most of what I like to shoot, and the 65 might be useful for reducing some of the visual complexity in Istanbul.

How concerned with you with theft? Anything more aggressive than pickpocketing? I had not planned to take the GFX off the boat, which does make it a lot to carry for limited opportunities. The 50/3.5 is the only lens I have for it so far.

May 15, 2022 at 01:50 PM

chiron
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

sandycrane wrote:
Istanbul is one of my favorite places in the world (up until the latest regime). To get a good mental picture of Istanbul and an excellent guidebook (maybe one of the greatest guidebooks of anywhere ever) for your next visit find a copy of John Freely's "Strolling Through Istanbul".

Thank you! Yes, I have the book on my bedside table. This is our second trip to Istanbul. We spent six or so days there about five years ago. It is an amazing city. Just walking around is more than enough to do.

May 15, 2022 at 01:53 PM

johnvanr
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

chiron wrote:
It had occurred to me to go out with the 16-35 and a 65. That would cover most of what I like to shoot, and the 65 might be useful for reducing some of the visual complexity in Istanbul.

How concerned with you with theft? Anything more aggressive than pickpocketing? I had not planned to take the GFX off the boat, which does make it a lot to carry for limited opportunities. The 50/3.5 is the only lens I have for it so far.

When I was in istanbul, I never felt unsafe. The only hassle we’re the shoeshiners dropping their brush in front of you, so they make you stop and offer to shine your shoes (it gets tiresome after a while) and the guy trying to take $50 for a few apples I bought from his cart. I just took the $50 back out of his hand, gave his apples back and moved on. Never encountered any sign of violence.

May 15, 2022 at 02:24 PM

Oogappeltje
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

chiron wrote:
Yes, I think this would be a very good set to take out each day walking. I'm really tempted on the 16-35, but it seems so large with the other lenses I'm taking.

Sure, usefull lens. Not only size would stop me bringing it. Big lens attracts more attention.

May 15, 2022 at 02:25 PM

tzhang4284
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

chiron wrote:
How concerned with you with theft? Anything more aggressive than pickpocketing? I had not planned to take the GFX off the boat, which does make it a lot to carry for limited opportunities. The 50/3.5 is the only lens I have for it so far.

I thought Istanbul was safe and welcoming especially in the tourist areas and major thoroughfares, at least as of 4 years ago. I wouldn't go around taking pictures of anything controversial (e.g. protests) or go way off the beaten path with your expensive camera gear but if you generally respect their rules and culture, I think it's safer than Paris or Rome where tourists are definitely targeted.

Also re: the Apple cart example above, go to a supermarket. Istanbul is like any other major city - there's plenty of normal sit down restaurants, pharmacies, and supermarkets.

One tip: Research how to deal with the taxi drivers, they tend to rip tourists off and will try to charge you above the meter but other than that, I didn't have any issues.

May 15, 2022 at 02:39 PM

sandycrane
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

tzhang4284 wrote:
I thought Istanbul was safe and welcoming especially in the tourist areas and major thoroughfares, at least as of 4 years ago. I wouldn't go around taking pictures of anything controversial (e.g. protests) or go way off the beaten path with your expensive camera gear but if you generally respect their rules and culture, I think it's safer than Paris or Rome where tourists are definitely targeted.

I've been to Istanbul 7 or 8 times since 1971 and never had a real problem. Sure, the touts around Sultan Ahmed are annoying, but the farther away you get into the old city the better it gets. Exotic but accessible.
I was heartbroken when Hagia Sophia reverted from Museum to Mosque. A bad sign.

Sometimes it's nice to have a small camera like an RX100 along for in the evening going out to dinner or other times you just don't feel like lugging stuff around.

Edited on May 16, 2022 at 10:05 AM · View previous versions

May 16, 2022 at 08:35 AM

Steve Spencer
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

I did a six week trip to China a few years ago and the Batis 18 and Loxia 25 paired very well. To those I would add the Sigma 35 f/2, and 65 f/2. The 90 f/2.8 might be nice, but I suspect the 65 f/2 would be enough. It wouldn't add much weight to take the 90, however, and you could always leave a lens or two in the boat or hotel if you want to carry less. I wouldn't take the Fuji and nice as it is as it will basically double the weight of the kit and not add all that much over the 35 f/2.

May 16, 2022 at 09:38 AM

chiron
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

Steve Spencer wrote:
I did a six week trip to China a few years ago and the Batis 18 and Loxia 25 paired very well. To those I would add the Sigma 35 f/2, and 65 f/2. The 90 f/2.8 might be nice, but I suspect the 65 f/2 would be enough. It wouldn't add much weight to take the 90, however, and you could always leave a lens or two in the boat or hotel if you want to carry less. I wouldn't take the Fuji and nice as it is as it will basically double the weight of the kit...Show more →

Good advice. Thank you. I think you are right about the 65 being enough, making the 90 unnecessary. But I can't go anywhere without the 45/2.8!

May 16, 2022 at 02:05 PM

Steve Spencer
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

chiron wrote:
Good advice. Thank you. I think you are right about the 65 being enough, making the 90 unnecessary. But I can't go anywhere without the 45/2.8!

I love the Sigma 45 f/2.8 as well. I think you would get by very well with the Batis 18, Loxia 25, and Sigma 45 f/2.8 and either or both the Sigma 65 f/2 and 90 f/2.8. My four lens kit that worked very well was the Batis 18, Loxia 25, Voigt 40 f/1.2, and Loxia 85 f/2.4. Even if you took all five lenses your kit would be about the same weight and although you wouldn't have the really fast aperture lens that I had you would have the 65 f/2 in that kit if you needed a bit faster aperture.

May 16, 2022 at 02:14 PM

AmbientMike
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

chiron wrote:
Yes, we are psyched about the trip. There are three of us and we are quadruple vaxxed, but we still worry about getting quarantined if we test positive somewhere along the way--there are lots of testing gateways to pass through. We are going to have to get a pcr test in Istanbul before we can get on the boat!

As for photography---I do love the 16-35. It has been one of my favorites for travel and otherwise. But it is not a small lens and I feel like it takes a lot away from the smallness/lightness advantages of the A7C. So...Show more →

Keep in mind I haven't used these and I'm not familiar with the size and weight, but I'd at least think about 18 or maybe 21 + 24-70. Granted I'm not a big 24mm fan, but I'd hate to take 24mm as the widest to such a potentially gorgeous location.

16-35 might be excellent, but 18 might replace the zoom, for me. Sounds like 16-35 has done a really great job for you and you like it though.

Not sure what to do about teles, ~70-200 or similar nice. 2.8 probably heavy maybe Tamron. Maybe take 90mm?

May 16, 2022 at 05:48 PM

chiron
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

Steve Spencer wrote:
I love the Sigma 45 f/2.8 as well. I think you would get by very well with the Batis 18, Loxia 25, and Sigma 45 f/2.8 and either or both the Sigma 65 f/2 and 90 f/2.8. My four lens kit that worked very well was the Batis 18, Loxia 25, Voigt 40 f/1.2, and Loxia 85 f/2.4. Even if you took all five lenses your kit would be about the same weight and although you wouldn't have the really fast aperture lens that I had you would have the 65 f/2 in that kit if you needed a...Show more →

The 18, 25, 45, 65, and 90 would make a very satisfactory set for me and is not too much to carry while transitioning from home to hotel to boat to hotel to home. I would like to take just a few out each day, and the selection could be based on the kind of places I am going to. For example, Dave Sanders has pointed out the chaotic visual quality of much of Istanbul, and there both the 90 and the 65 might be worth having to help isolate elements. When I was last there a lot of my photos in the city did suffer from too many extraneous elements. But in Ephesus, having more emphasis on the 18/25 and the 45 would make more sense.

I am thinking of taking out most days two a7c bodies, each with a lens mounted and ready to shoot and with a third lens in reserve.

May 16, 2022 at 08:17 PM

chiron
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

AmbientMike wrote:
Keep in mind I haven't used these and I'm not familiar with the size and weight, but I'd at least think about 18 or maybe 21 + 24-70. Granted I'm not a big 24mm fan, but I'd hate to take 24mm as the widest to such a potentially gorgeous location.

16-35 might be excellent, but 18 might replace the zoom, for me. Sounds like 16-35 has done a really great job for you and you like it though.

Not sure what to do about teles, ~70-200 or similar nice. 2.8 probably heavy maybe Tamron. Maybe take 90mm?

It would be good to have all those, but i want to avoid weight and size. I'd like to shoot as discreetly as possible and not have the gear draw too much attention. Thus, the 90 is about as far as I will go with teles. For the same reasons, I like the a7c for this trip and for travel generally. Beyond its very small size and light weight, it is a very unassuming camera body (despite its beautiful design) that can easily be mistaken by non-photographers for lesser and less expensive bodies. The Sigma and Loxia lenses fit this body very nicely.

May 16, 2022 at 08:22 PM

Douglas L
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

For that type of traveling I personally would hate changing lenses. I would put a 16-35 on one camera, a 70-200 on another, have a 50-60mm small prime, and call it a day.

May 16, 2022 at 09:40 PM

chiron
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

Douglas L wrote:
For that type of traveling I personally would hate changing lenses. I would put a 16-35 on one camera, a 70-200 on another, have a 50-60mm small prime, and call it a day.

Hi Douglas. Yes, that would be a nice kit. Personally, if I were going the zoom way, I would substitute the 24-105 for the 70-200.

Either of those combinations would work well. But they would instantly draw attention and I necessarily want to shoot a lot on the streets and in public places. I'd like people not to really notice, feel scrutinized, or overreact to me.

May 17, 2022 at 06:47 AM

serhan_
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

I used different combinations on my trips to Istanbul and Turkey, but last couple trips I picked up a Q2 or Canon G1X III (24-72mm apsc) and maybe an additional long zoom P&S like Panasonic ZS200 (24-360mm 1" sensor) for random zoom shots. I used wide angle for architecture, 25-35mm range for street / people, and long zoom for details and photos from across the water or on a boat trips...People will notice a camera, but it is easier with a smaller one. It is best to walk the streets and enjoy the city / people / food. Some of my old shots:
https://pbase.com/sc_20170/turkey

You can contact me if you need any specific questions. I am in NYC area...

chiron wrote:
Hi Douglas. Yes, that would be a nice kit. Personally, if I were going the zoom way, I would substitute the 24-105 for the 70-200.

Either of those combinations would work well. But they would instantly draw attention and I necessarily want to shoot a lot on the streets and in public places. I'd like people not to really notice, feel scrutinized, or overreact to me.

May 17, 2022 at 01:43 PM

tzhang4284
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · Istanbul to Athens--Advice on Kit

chiron wrote:
Hi Douglas. Yes, that would be a nice kit. Personally, if I were going the zoom way, I would substitute the 24-105 for the 70-200.

Either of those combinations would work well. But they would instantly draw attention and I necessarily want to shoot a lot on the streets and in public places. I'd like people not to really notice, feel scrutinized, or overreact to me.

I don't think you'll stand out that much with a 16-35mm and 24-105mm. Plenty of tourists carrying DSLRs and other cameras when I was there. Also tourists just generally stand out - no one will mistake you for a local.

I do think a white 70-200mm f2.8 is definitely going to give people pause though.

May 17, 2022 at 01:59 PM

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