Going to NYC - What gear to take?

technoholic

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Hi all

This is a while away yet, but in December i'm going to New York with the (newly married) missus for part of our honeymoon. I've been before but she hasn't so we will be doing all the touristy stuff a lot of the time.

My dilemma is what gear to take. I want to take the opportunity to try and take some good pictures, especially of Christmas time in New York, but equally I don't want to be spending our time setting up and wasting precious hours of our honeymoon composing perfect pictures and generally annoying my other half by waiting around for that perfect shot. At most I might do a half day of "proper" photography across the week.

Therefore I'm debating what I need to take. I'm obviously not going to take my massive camera bag, but should I even take the 70D at all? If I do, I will probably take along the new 24-105L that I recently picked up (which I absolutely LOVE), but having been to NY, I still think the 24 might even be a little long on my APS sensor for some things.

The other option is buy something else, a smaller bridge camera or perhaps something like an EOS M, but that won't necessarily give me a smaller sensor, though it does mean I have a second body to use my lenses with.

The other thing to consider is that I really hope to do some camera shopping while im out there, and subject to costs, might look to pick up a 5dIII, so thats something to think about too.

Any thoughts?
 
I'd suggest a wideangle. You could buy a used Canon 10-22mm or Tokina 12-24mm or something like that, use it for the trip and then resell it again afterwards if you don't see you getting any future use out of it. I did that a couple of years ago for a cruise and I ended up losing just £15 at resale, after having it for a month... not bad, and much cheaper than renting or buying another camera. The 24-104 will get a lot of use for sure, but you will need wider.
 
That's not a bad idea, I was trying to avoid buying any EF-S lenses as I want to move to FF especially if I buy a 5d out there, but I suppose selling it after could be a possibility. Is the Tokina an EF or EF-s Mount?
 
My guess is you will be out and about most of the day, do you really want to be carrying a heavy DSLR and lens around all day long, especially in the hustle and bustle of a busy place like Manhattan? Some folk are fine doing this, some aren't.

I'm not, and so I've bought a M4/3 and love it. Also Panasonic have just launched the FZ1000 bridge with 1" sensor to compete with the Sony RX10 and is cheaper with a longer reach, albeit sacrificing aperture a touch.

However, if you're happy carrying a DSLR the cheapest and arguably best option would be to buy a wider lens imo.
 
I think im leaning towards probably getting a small camera, but I've never tried just carrying out the DSLR and one lens with a carry case just for those, so I don't know. I imagine I will have some sort of rucksack with me, so I could carry it in that. I have a crumpler bag which has a small camera section at the bottom and a normal rucksack part in the top half, so that might work. But i#m still leaning towards the lighter option of a smaller camera.
 
I think im leaning towards probably getting a small camera, but I've never tried just carrying out the DSLR and one lens with a carry case just for those, so I don't know. I imagine I will have some sort of rucksack with me, so I could carry it in that. I have a crumpler bag which has a small camera section at the bottom and a normal rucksack part in the top half, so that might work. But i#m still leaning towards the lighter option of a smaller camera.
I recently went to Marrakech and just took my DSLR on a sling strap (didn't have my M4/3 then) which was fine for the most part. It's ideal in that it's generally comfortable to wear, and the camera's there in an instant to take a pic without having to get it out of the bag. The only annoyance I had was walking around the busy souks when you're squeezing past folk they would often bash the camera as they walked past so I just held it in front of me then rather than having it on my hip. I'd assume you'd have a similar issue on the busy streets of NYC. That being said I only went for 2 hours at a time, I don't know if I'd have fancied carrying it all day.

I wouldn't even debate it now, I'd just take the M4/3. I can have this around my neck for hours, let alone on a shoulder/sling strap. Plus at a push I could probably fit it into a large coat pocket. Also, I can carry spare lenses in my coat pocket and not even know they're there, and when I don't have a coat most even fit in jeans pockets :)
 
Just got back from the big apple.
1. If you land at JFK use a Taxi to get to Manhattan (Fixed price 60 USD) The shuttle buses are cheaper but in our experience not worth the saving. Actually ours were bl**dy awful.
2. As above a CSC camera (with a VIEWFINDER) and a standard short zoom lens will do most things. I used a NEX5R with a 18-55mm lens.
3. Visit B and H on 9th avenue. take empty credit card (Yes even after a wedding!!)
4. Do NOT miss ground zero and the museum. Tell your wife to have some tissues at the ready.
5. Times square is a building site and rammed with people. Leicester Square it is not.
6. have a good time and wear good shoes to do all the walking. (The subway is fine)

Cheers

Nick
 
Thanks that's some good advice. If im going to get a CSC, what would you recommend? I'd like to be able to use my lenses if possible, but i suppose its not a dealbreaker. It would need to be something shared with my other half, and she doesn't like the EOS M as it doesn't have a great hand grip. Any other suggestions?

Also, im looking forward to visiting B&H but I reckon it's going to cost me! A 5dIII is hopefully on the cards, but we'll see. Just bought a house so that might not be a great idea!
 
Thanks that's some good advice. If im going to get a CSC, what would you recommend? I'd like to be able to use my lenses if possible, but i suppose its not a dealbreaker. It would need to be something shared with my other half, and she doesn't like the EOS M as it doesn't have a great hand grip. Any other suggestions?

Also, im looking forward to visiting B&H but I reckon it's going to cost me! A 5dIII is hopefully on the cards, but we'll see. Just bought a house so that might not be a great idea!
5DIII's always a great idea ;)

If you're not going for the canon then you'll not be able to use your lenses without and adapter (if at all) so you will need to invest into a new system so all depends how much you have/want to spend?

Sony's A6000 looks a great camera but I wouldn't say it was a particularly compact camera, and the lens selection is poor imo. The Fuji X-T1 is a nice camera (if you like the layout and controls, which I don't), gives excellent pictures, but again isn't the most compact of CSC's, plus the lenses tend to be bulky too. I would see this camera as a replacement to a DSLR rather than a smaller complement to a DSLR, but that's just my opinion.

To me, if you're looking at a CSC as a smaller complement to your DSLR the obvious choice is M4/3. IQ is comparable, yet the package is generally MUCH smaller (unless you go for the 12-40mm pro lens, and 100-300mm, which by the way is a 600mm equivalent). I've posted this a few times recently, but here's my two systems, my Sony A77 and Olly EM10 with more or less equivalent lenses (in terms of FL) and you can see here how much smaller the package is. The weight difference is huge.

DSC04720_zps3c9b4fbc.jpg


You could probably get away with something like the EM10 and 14-42mm EZ (28-84mm) to cover all bases. It's not the fastest lens, but IQ is pretty reasonable and the FL should cover most things. However, at £679 it's not the cheapest package. You could of course go for something much cheaper like the Panny G3 with 14-42mm for £229, but I've no experience of what this camera is like, plus you're adding a bit more bulk again.

If you were worried about low light for a little under £150-200 you could get a mint Panny 20mm f1.7 which is highly regarded (if not the fastest AF) which should just about be wide enough for 'landscape' type shots. Alternatively you could get the 14mm f2.5 which can be picked up under £100, although it's not going to give much better (if any) IQ improvement over the 14-42mm and so you're paying £90 for 1 stop better light.
 
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Hmmm, all those options seem to be quite expensive (except the pang but not sure about that). Seems the best option might be an EOS M and get the other half to live with the lack of hand grip, or forget about that totally and go for some sort of bridge camera?
 
If you're mainly doing touristy type photos why not take the 70D anyway? When I went to Dubai earlier in the year, I just took my 1DX with the 24-105 for my main photos and a Sony compact (inc chargers, filters etc) for wides and panoramas, all wrapped in a slingshot 202. Yes I could have done with the 16-35 but I certainly didn't miss it and as a bonus it all came in well under the weight limit.

I also took my Benro CF tripod in my suitcase but could just as easily have hooked it to the side of the camera bag and still been ok for the overhead storage.
 
I could do that, don't really want to take it if I'm likely to buy a 5dIII but if im going to do that i could make it a priority to buy it first and just take my lens and then ill have the camera when I get there. I would really like to avoid having 2 cameras though, and a 70d with a 24-105 will just be too long i think.
 
I could do that, don't really want to take it if I'm likely to buy a 5dIII but if im going to do that i could make it a priority to buy it first and just take my lens and then ill have the camera when I get there. I would really like to avoid having 2 cameras though, and a 70d with a 24-105 will just be too long i think.

In that case then yeah, just take the lenses and treat yourself over there. With the pound being so strong at the mo you'd pick up a bargain. :)
 
Surely the 70D is a brilliant camera and if you are used to it then take it with you as using a new camera on important events is probably best avoided.
For my money you have a great camera and have the opportunity to buy more and better glass at a good price.
Plus no customs worries as the new glass will just be part of your camera system.

As boltlock says the pound is good so spend and spend on whatever takes your fancy.
Bye the way you do know that you can phone them and pre-buy using your card but once this done the good is yours so tread carefully on this.

I only have a CSC because I do not want to carry loads of heavy stuff. used to have a Canon A1 with loads of lens - my shoulder has now recovered! But I DO miss it.

All the best

Nick
 
Bye the way you do know that you can phone them and pre-buy using your card but once this done the good is yours so tread carefully on this.

Sorry, what do you mean by this?
 
I just came back from abroad where I took DSLR and most of my gear with me. Granted I had a car there and was only lugging it when walking around towns or hiking. Biggest issue I had was having to constantly changing lens, which was PITA. I guess with 24-105 it will be a little bit better, I was forever changing between 17-40 (plus filter set) and 70-200.

My mrs had my old 450d with her (in full auto mode :facepalm:) and between us we took something like 35GB of photos.

I don't regret taking it with me.
 
Sorry, what do you mean by this?


When I was going to buy a Fuji X-E2 I saw that the special price was going to end before I could get to the store so I phoned them to see if I could reserve one. I was told that I could pre-buy but not reserve. If I wanted to pre-buy they would take my card details and take payment and the camera would be available to collect when I arrived in the store. It was explained that this was the only way to buy at the "special" price.
Hope this explains my remark.

Nick
 
Oh i see, yes that makes sense and is good to know. Also do you know if anyone from abroad can benefit from any mail in rebates that might be applicable to products in the US? And are the prices shown on their website the final price including relevant sales taxes that need to be paid?
 
Sorry can't help on this one except to say that I bought a Canon battery LP-E8 for 44.95 USD and a Lens cap for 7 USD and paid local tax of 4.61 USD on the total sum. (51.95 USD)
I don't know if they do tax free sales such as overseas buyers can enjoy in UK.

Nick
 
Sales tax isn't added to the prices on their pages because most states have different rates of tax unlike the UK where it's a blanket 20%. Depending which state you're ordering from (mail order of course), the appropriate amount is then added at checkout.

New York will have its own set rate for local people and visitors buying in-store.
 
well I might be being stupid here, but I knew about different sales taxes and federal taxes and so on for the different states, but if i've calculated it correctly, the 5DIII comes out at $3700 from B&H with taxes, which at todays rate is roughly £2170, which to me isnt a massive saving considering John Lewis for example have the same body for £2299. Is that the sort of saving I can expect in general?
 
I'm on my phone atm so can't check for you but you're right in that it's not a great saving. IMO you'd be better off getting it from Panamoz for 1738.00 all in.
 
yep, that's what I was thinking. Bought most my gear from them so far, looks like thats the best option. Still be good to visit B&H though, i hear they have so much stuff
 
I've never been there myself but my sister who lives in NY said its massive and that you could easily spend a day there just wandering around. I'd be like a kid in a sweet shop lol!!
 
OP I think you need to ask yourself one question, will you find carrying a DSLR around the streets of NYC, on the subway etc a hassle? If no, then save your money buying a CSC and just take your canon. If yes look into a CSC ASAP so you have time to familiarise yourself with it before you go.

As for not taking your 70D with you and buying a 5D3 when you're there, whilst this is an OK idea in theory you could end up missing shots before you buy. Plus do you really want to spend your first day there looking round camera shops? What if they don't have any? Of course there's the pre-buy option according to posts above.
 

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