I chose (did research and wasn't bound by equipment) Nikon because of much better support for work with off camera flash (CLS and better sync speeds).

I'm still heavily in DX. If Pantax had 1/250+ snyc speeds back then, I might have considered.

I love msmoto's Nikon F with its patina of use and love. Very nostalgic and romantic!

My last film camera was a Nikon F100 that I still have and I had several lenses for it that carried over into my first digital body- a D200. The F100 remains the best 35mm film camera I have ever used. What impressed me at the time was the seamless transfer to the D200, with almost all the controls being instantly familiar. I cannot comment on Canons as I have never used one but several colleagues of mine have them and they seem to produce very good results. They like them.

It might be worth remembering that before about 1990 or so, I don't think Canon really featured on the professional scene at all (mostly being used by keen amateurs) and therefore many photographers from the 60s, 70s and 80s grew up with Nikon as THE professional 35mm. camera and continued to use them after that. They had a reputation of being literally bullet proof- Don McCullin's Nikon F stopping a bullet in Vietnam that would have otherwise killed him as I remember.

My favourite camera is in my camera cupboard, unused for a couple of years now, my beautiful Horseman 5X4 monorail. I aim to shoot some B&W on it in the spring. I regret no longer having my stunning Nikkor lenses for it though!

Other than being heavily invested in Nikon-compatible equipment, my reason for sticking with Nikon is that I find the ergonomics better than the Canon-equivalent cameras, particularly at the semi-pro and pro end. Button and dial placement is much more comfortable to me on Nikon cameras.

Safyre.......don't worry about what "some people" think about K.R.; the guy's sharp as a tack on a lot of stuff; I just think he's "all wet" about "never needs no stinkin tripod"! Lotta people around who are just jealous of Ken; (how many guys you know who can make a great living with just a website ?) (answer: not many!)

Now;
Way back in "the day" I had a very nice Canon F-1; I loved that camera! I had a bunch of focusing screens for it, a REALLY cool flexible right angle "or straight through gadget that replaced the penta prism.......(wish I could use that thing on my D SLR); also had some VERY nice Canon FD lenses; then BAM! Canon went digital.....just like that ! "but what am I gonna do with all this "glass" that cost me a bundle ?" Canon: "Not our problem.....use 'em for door stops"!

I guess they figured if they came out with a new lens mount, everyone would just "run out" and buy all new glass ! I gotta tell you....that kinda pissed me off; (and please forgive my "course" language) So.......even before I went digital, I "upgraded" to a Nikon F-5; as far as I'm concerned, the thing has the finest view finder of any 35mm camera I have EVER looked through; I even bought a 300mm/ f:4 MF for it, an 80-200 / 2.8 , and about 4 more; guess what.........Nikon "went digital too"........and all that glass still works ! How's that ? Say you can't "get by" without auto focus ? Poor you! For some stuff, I prefer MF. (And I REALLY appreciate that Nikon didn't leave all of it's thousands of customers sitting with a pile of useless "glass" that they spent a fortune on !)

(I don't tell tell anyone who asks all of that; I just say "I prefer Nikon")

Charley

kanuck said:
Yes the Holly Trinity set of enormous weight^^

you got that right! Im thnking about tanking my 28-70mm for a 50mm as I never zoom with that thing... My 14-24mm and 70-200mm stay.

Yes the Holly Trinity set of enormous weight^^

If you are talking about desert conditions.. i would seriously consider taking the tough little coolpix AW100.. and you can have that with almost all the time ! :-) even in the shower ! :-)

Geoff_K said:
A portable HEATED shower. ;- >

I could see that being handy, lol

msmoto said:
One thought I had was to take any other gear you have at the moment, pack it into individual shipping boxes and address them, then if needed you could have someone ship them to you.

Also, you made a statement about your fiancé not being too happy about all this. Not certain why you said this, but maybe you can sit down with someone and discuss the entire trip, goals to be accomplished, and then look at the equipment. So often, a non involved party can help us when we are going off for a long time. Maybe there is something else you are forgetting.

This all relates to playing in the big sandbox across the pond (from the US) as some have called it. My photography has nothing to do with the goals to be accomplished looking at it from a job standpoint, this is just something for me to relax and focus my attention somewhere else.

The fiance not happy about this is more of a stress for me feeling bad about leaving her behind you might say, she understands and is proud of me but still does not want to see me leave. With all this, I more wanted an outside check to make sure I was not forgetting something basic that would have been photography critical you might say. So far it seems I didn't loose my mind totally, lol.

Gear choice might be a bit strange but I understand and agree that it really depends on the person and location your heading to really know what your going to need. Unfortunately I really don't know all the information either so I am flying a bit blind on this trip. Thanks for everyone's input.

Nice to see this pos come back to the front. I'm heading out of town on the 14th to about the 24 or later. So I have decided to take...hmmm lets see....Everything! Less the monopod. LOL!

D4
D7000
10.5 2.8 Fisheye (DX)
24 1.5G
35 1.8G
50 1.4G
85 1.8G
105 2.8G VRII
The Holly Trinity Set (14-24, 24-70, 70-200 2.8)
SB 700
RRS Tripod
GPS Units
Promote Controle System
Extra Batteries for both bodies and flash
ND, CPL and color filters
17" MPB Pro Laptop
Two Backpacks to hold all the gear

And some more goodies...but you get the idea. I hate not having the what it take to get the shot I'm after. :P

Ooh and I get lucky to hook up with Eric up in Napa (which is where I'm heading), I just might get my hands on his 300 2.8 for a bit as well.

I have realized that each individual decision regarding what to take on a trip is actually made on what is to be photographed. And, I do not have any idea what the end goal is, scoobysmak.

One thought I had was to take any other gear you have at the moment, pack it into individual shipping boxes and address them, then if needed you could have someone ship them to you.

Also, you made a statement about your fiancé not being too happy about all this. Not certain why you said this, but maybe you can sit down with someone and discuss the entire trip, goals to be accomplished, and then look at the equipment. So often, a non involved party can help us when we are going off for a long time. Maybe there is something else you are forgetting.

A portable HEATED shower. ;- >

I was looking back at this original post and saw that the memory cards you were bringing were quite small for such a long trip. I realize you will be uploading to drives or a computer, but maybe for sanities sake a couple of 16GB cards might come in handy? Also, a vari ND filter would be a nice addition to anyones list for travel as well. A useful 77mm thin one from Singh Ray would round out anyones "must bring" list.

I do understand the need for a spare camera, my only option would be my D7000 but honestly I hate the controls, it works fine though. I am limited to 100 lbs of total weight of which 42 lbs is already accounted for with the stuff they are makeing me take, I will be gone possibly more than a year so everything is a balance, that extra pair of socks had to be left at home.

I admit the flash stuff seems a bit off but I need to practice with it, its something I have the equipment but lack the skill and have not had the time to really work with it. Since the rest of my life has been put on hold, this hopefully will give me the time to work on my photography. I didn't have room for another camera body but breaking down the flash parts and putting a piece here and there I managed stuff it in. I do have an SB-900 but I couldn't put it where the SB-700 fits.

Thanks for the comments, I just figured it would be better to say what I got now instead of what I forgot later, lol...things like memory cards or the cord to the battery charger, ect.

Re spare camera the D700 is pretty reliable
but if you do get a spare, why not anther D700 quite a few bargains at the moment
taking 2 flashes makes sense to me; I would also add an SB 910
if the tripod needs a plate, take a spare
I would be tempted to take a spare battery charger and sensor cleaning kit
As you are not taking a macro lens, may be a close up lens or extension rings
I would take 3 TT5's and forget the TT1 but that's just me

but you will have a much better idea of what you need than us

For certain having a backup camera which will accept all the lenses. I like your choice, but would take along the D7000 as well, something to shoot with if the D700 malfunctions. I do not understand all the flash equipment. Shoot available light like in the old days....or at least some of us remember shooting ISO 400 at night.

That is my thought today.....

* Backup camera : its usually a good idea to carry a tough P&S like the coolpix AW100, just in case your camera breaks down. Most people seem to take a second camera as well.

* why 2 flash ? one should be more than enough... cant think of a good reason to use a flash anyway. - unless you have some specific need.

* some people take a lot of memory cards and periodically send a copy back to themselves(or a friend). Just in case all the gear gets lost( or trampled by an elephant or fall into a ravine), you still have some photos that have been mailed home.

Well this thread has not been too popluar lately, since I was the last one to respond to it.

I am now about to leave the country and figure I would post my gear list so everyone can tell me what I forgot, since I it seems I am not with it lately. Too much other stuff on my mind, like my fiance that is not happy about all this. Either way here it goes:

1. D700
2. 16-35mm F4 VR
3. 50mm 1.4D
4. 70-200mm 2.8 VR2
5. TC-E 1.7
6. Two battery packs and a charger
7. 6 memory cards various from 4 to 16 GB
8. Lens cleaner
9. Filters: ND grads, ND, Polarizer, Haze, ect
10. Cable release
11. Portable tripod
12. Tablet PC with lightroom 4
13. Pocketwizard one AC3, one TT1, and two TT5's
14. SB-700
15. SB-400
16. Gray card

I figured I forgot something but can't think of it at the moment, life has just been way too busy. This actually might be a break for me in some ways, I haven't taken but maybe 100 pictures since July. Maybe I can contribute to the PAD during my trip but I won't know if I have internet until after I get there.

I know that this is not gonna be a popular answer, but it was originally Ken Rockwell that got me on the Nikon bandwagon. Back when I got my first SLR around 5 years ago, Ken's site had a large amount of information that helped make the foray into the DSLR market less intimidating. I know a lot of people have strong opinions of him, but one needs to realize that his target audience is beginners and amateurs; and for that he does a good job of telling people whats important to get out there and shoot, and not worry too much about the technical jargon. Now, that I've developed my craft, I very rarely check out his site anymore, but but his message still applies to this day, which is spend less time analyzing on the computer and more on actually shooting.

Nice thread.
I keep it simple.
I just say it has great glass and consistent reliability over time, any conditions, under a sickening amount of use by me.
I don't have to think so much or treat it like it's fragile.
I can just count on it, and I really like that.

fjota said:
Well, it is a good and easy question to be answered.
My first camera was a Nikon FE purchased in 1982 with a 55mm 2.8 MF MICRO lens that I use until now with my D7000 DX camera. There was others many steps between both cameras.
Since 1982, Nikon, for me, is a lifestyle, that reflect the attitudes, values and worldviews of your users and mine. The yellow color in the Nikon logo and in the square logo of the National Geographic Society are representations of adventure and proficient’s photographers living together, surrounded by the yellow color of the sunset in the Africa. Romantic, probably… But it is a real connection for many.
Our lifestyle controls our use of technology, while technology influences our lifestyles, Nikon did this with me.
fjota

Well, it is a good and easy question to be answered.
My first camera was a Nikon FE purchased in 1982 with a 55mm 2.8 MF micro lens that I use until now with my D7000 DX camera. There was others many steps between both cameras.
Since 1982, Nikon, for me, is a lifestyle, that reflect the attitudes, values and worldviews of your users and mine. The yellow color in the Nikon logo and in the square logo of the National Geographic Society are representations of adventure and proficient’s photographers living together, surrounded by the yellow color of the sunset in the Africa. Romantic, probably… But it is a real connection for many.
Our lifestyle controls our use of technology, while technology influences our lifestyles, Nikon did this with me.
fjota

msmoto said:
Well, I guess I could not resist this one... mine from the 1960's... a little used maybe...

Msmoto, that is beautiful.

Well, I guess I could not resist this one... mine from the 1960's... a little used maybe...

"I was sold on Nikon years ago when I walked into the Nikon House in Ginza and decided the F2 with the was the perfect camera for me. Until then I used Contax. I don't know if Nikons are any better than your camera, but I've taken them all over the world and they have worked well for me."

I was once showing a print to a Canon user and he said "Wow, that came from a Nikon?". I don't know why users of either system are snobby about it.

I started with Nikon because that's was my boss used and recommended when I started getting into photography.

I recently used a Canon T3i and while the pictures are great, trying to navigate the buttons and menus drove me effing crazy.