p.2 #1 · Grand Canyon Trip and Kit Change Opinions
sippinsoma wrote:
I didn't read anyone else's posts.
The 70-200 won't do you a whole lot of good. I never used anything above 50mm, and changing lenses will absolutely get your camera filled with dust and crap. Even the time you use to clean your sensor will just get more dust inside. I used my 15mm fish and 17-40 all the way down, and a 50mm here and there for some plants and butterflies. I could have easily left the 17-40 on the entire trip. The sealing is necessary, and with how physical the way up is, you don't want anything heavy on your back or neck.
Besides squirrels (yes, squirrels), condors and ravens are all we saw the entire time. You won't even care about the condors and thir 9' wingspan on the way down, because you will be getting so many great pictures of the canyon. Wide is necessary for everything. The times that I left my 50mm on after plants/insects, I lost a lot of shots.
All I had on my back was my camera equipment, and my fellow hiker had a backpack with 8 bottles of absopure.
The way down is great. On the way up, I thought the joints in my knees were going to give out, and I'm a pretty athletic twenty-year-old. Granted, we went up basically jogging instead of taking it easy ...Show more →
Some of my best shots were taken with my Bigma (50-500) at longer focal lenghts. I didn't have a problem with the dust. I changed lenses often (grand canyon, bryce, zion, and even atelope canyon) and the only dust I saw on my sensor was minimal and there before I took the trip (yes, forgot to clean it). I only wish I had seen the condors (went looking for them during the day in the boring light). I don't mean to contradict everything you say, but you say it as if it were absolute truth which it is clearly not.
take the 70-200. You can take some great landscape and nature shots with it. Its only weight if you take it...lots of regret if you don't and need it.
p.2 #2 · Grand Canyon Trip and Kit Change Opinions
sippinsoma wrote:
The 70-200 won't do you a whole lot of good. I never used anything above 50mm, and changing lenses will absolutely get your camera filled with dust and crap. Even the time you use to clean your sensor will just get more dust inside. I used my 15mm fish and 17-40 all the way down, and a 50mm here and there for some plants and butterflies. I could have easily left the 17-40 on the entire trip. The sealing is necessary, and with how physical the way up is, you don't want anything heavy on your back or neck.
It depends on the level of fitness and experience one has. If you don't have alot of experience hiking with a pack, that wouldn't be the time to push it. Find a comfortable pack and take the minimum. If you are used to 50# packs, lugging 30# of photographic gear is a cakewalk. I got there expecting the worst, and was really surprised how easy it was.
Besides squirrels (yes, squirrels), condors and ravens are all we saw the entire time. You won't even care about the condors and thir 9' wingspan on the way down, because you will be getting so many great pictures of the canyon. Wide is necessary for everything. The times that I left my 50mm on after plants/insects, I lost a lot of shots.
I would mostly agree with you on the animals, however I would mention to keep your eyes open. I met two hikers on their way up that saw a bighorn right off the trail. Unfortunately, the group of 7 gregarious hikers ahead of us scared it off. And there were 4 quite tame deer we saw on the way up, about arms length away just chomping away.
As for dust, I suppose it depends on the season. I was more worried about the mud, since it had rained HEAVILY the day before. And avoiding the mule poo.
All I had on my back was my camera equipment, and my fellow hiker had a backpack with 8 bottles of absopure.
The way down is great. On the way up, I thought the joints in my knees were going to give out, and I'm a pretty athletic twenty-year-old. Granted, we went up basically jogging instead of taking it easy
Lucky you!!! Hiking poles are really useful too. Once I was introduced to them, I haven't looked back. They really help save my knees decending (my knees are fine with ascending - go figure). Oh, and preventative ibuprofen.
-Patrick
Feb 22, 2005 at 11:51 PM
sippinsoma Offline • • • [X]
p.2 #3 · Grand Canyon Trip and Kit Change Opinions
CTYankee wrote:
I don't mean to contradict everything you say, but you say it as if it were absolute truth which it is clearly not.
p.2 #4 · Grand Canyon Trip and Kit Change Opinions
I'm not used to 50 pound packs, so a 30 pound one will be heavy for me. I'm doing some test runs with 20 pounds in a the pack to get used to it. I've got an REI Talus 5000 and a Mountainsmith Approach 2900. Right now I'm happy with the smaller Mountainsmith bag.
I'm normally a "no-filter" guy. But perhaps I'll invest in some basic filters to limit the amount of potential for dust scratches. They'll get use later at the beach. So no loss. I plane on avoiding the mule droppings, I'll already be pretty aromatic when i get to the bottom, no need to add to it.
I've got a bunch of options in the WA zoom range, too many to choose from, which may result in not trying to make a decision in the short time frame. canon 17-40, sigma 18-50 2.8, sigma 18-125 3.5-5.6, can 17-85is. Or perhaps just a nice prime WA to go for some landscapes. The problem is I like to shoot lots of different things, close up w/ shallow DOF, and then landscapes with large. Call it a disease, but i've got it...
I'll take a look on the buy&sell and see what I can find.
