I just booked a tour of the Sahara part of Lybia for the end of April: I would like to know of any experience by anyone and suggestions on lenses, films (print), type of bag (against sand), care during and after the trip for my camera and lenses, etc. My equipment: R6, 35-70/4, 80-200/4, (I very much hope to be able to get the new 21-35/4), 28/2.8, 50/2, 90/2.8, 180 apo, 2X, winder, pola and UV filters: what to live behind in order to travel the lightest without regretting? Anything else to buy? Thank you Alex

-- Alex Ferraris (alcav@tin.it), March 12, 2002

Answers

Take an Ewa-Marine waterproof case. Pol filter. Print film I don't use so no clue.

Keep camera after shooting in watertight box to prevent moisture over night, take silicia gel (doesn't harm to put some in the Ewa-Marine case as well).

I'd suggest UVA filters to protect lenses against small sand particles as well.

Bernd

-- Bernd Kunze (bkunze@gmx.net), March 12, 2002.

Keep it simple--you don't want to have to change lenses too often in the desert, and your camel will appreciate the lighter load.

If I were on the trip, I would carry the 28, 50, and 90, plus a second body and call it a day. I might even skip the 90. But I'm interested in the up-close people stuff, not landscapes.

Good luck!

-- Preston Merchant (merchant@speakeasy.org), March 12, 2002.

Minimal cleaning kit including brush, some type of good cleaner, blower and cleaning cloth. I recommend a graduated neutral density filter(s) to deal with scenes where the contrast between sky and ground is higher than the film can hold. All the famous R users who travelled (Haas, Roiter, Maroon) expound on the virtue of keeping your equipment to a usable minimum (whatever that is for you). good luck.

-- Don (wgpinc@yahoo.com), March 12, 2002.

For that destination I would bring the 35-70, 80-200 and in my case a 21 but the 28 in your case, plus the 50/2 in case you need the speed. For film I would use Portra 160VC and take a few rolls of Portra 800 just in case. Bring the 2x as it will turn the 50 into a backup 100. If you get the 21-35 before you leave, skip the 35-70.

I would *strongly* suggest a second body (could be an R5, RE, R7, or another R6/6.2)not only as a backup but to keep one zoom on each and not have to change lenses when there's sand in the air. Strictly as a backup, an economical solution could be a Canon Rebel 2000 and an R- EOS adaptor. This would cost about the same as a used R4.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), March 12, 2002.

alex:

good luck and i hope you enjoy your trip. i personally do not travel any where significant with out a back up body, even if it means leaving a lens at home. i would definately pick up a back up body for the desert. i would put my favorite lens on one body and my second favorite on another and then i would bring two more lenses one for each body. there is very little in the desrt that you can not handle with some geeral purpose lenses since you are not working in tight quarters and can always move around. i would make sure i have a wide angle in order to get a near far perspective with some thing important in the foreground and the desert in the back. although others might disagree, i would also carry a longer lens in order to get a compression effect over a large expanse of area. the other lenses come down to what you feel most comfortable with. you do not want to carry 20 pounds if you do not have to.

-- greg mason (gmason1661@aol.com), March 12, 2002.

above all, keep your film in the plastic canisters before and after shooting. Sand gets everywhere and will ruin your film if you're not careful. The rest is personal preference, but the Sahara should be hot in early May (probably around the 40's as I recall), I'd leave behind as much as you can, the weight of all those lenses and bodies'll knock you out.

Enjoy the desert, I love it myself, although it's been around ten years now.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), March 12, 2002.

I heard of a guy who fabricated a large clear plastic bag on E55 UV filter. This way he could screw the plastic bag on his camera so to say. He then closed it with tape at the bottom. Will allow all control over the lens settings, without a change it gets to block the view. It is a cheaper alternative to a watercase bag but very recommendable to keep the dust out.

Reinier

-- ReinierV (rvlaam@xs4all.nl), March 12, 2002.

Or you could take about 7 Olympus OM-1's with the necessary lenses and trade them to the bedouins when they lock up with grit--all for the price of one new Leica R.

-- Preston Merchant (merchant@speakeasy.org), March 12, 2002.

IF you get the 21-35, I'd take the 21-35, the 80-200 and the 50 for speed. Widest flexibility in the smallest pkg, plus it saves on lens changes around sand.

On the other hand, if Harvey and Salgado can shoot world-wide stories with just 28/35/50, so can you. Depends on what you want/hope your pictures to look like. If you're good, you can probably get a great set of pictures with just the 28 or 28/50.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), March 12, 2002.

Alex: All of the above recommendations are great. I would definitely have a second body as the fewer lens transfers, the better. in fact, if you switch lens or when you replace film, do this is a shaded/safe place such as a tent or building. Be very careful as the least amount of sand will wreck both film and camera. All lenses should be covered with a UV, circ polar or graduated ND. In fact, I would make sure each lens has its own UV and just add the Polar or Grad ND. I would also get a regular ND (2 stops or greater) as well as a colored grad ND for fun. As to the lens selection, less is more. Take the 21-35, 50, and 80-200 and leave the rest behind. Your back will thank you. Finally, take plenty of microfiber clothes, compressed air etc... You will use it. Every night, clean all the equipment thoroughly. Have fun!! fewer lens

-- Albert Knapp MD (albertknappmd@mac.com), March 12, 2002.

Alex,

I would HIGHLY recommend a second body...it can be a beater as long everything works. Remember Murphy's law!

Also, I might again recommend a third addition (even at the expense of an additonal lens) and that is a Nikonos II or (better) III with 35mm lens. The camera is impervious to water and sand. If you drop it, brush it off and don't worry about sand making it's way inside. Also, no batteries to worry about.

-- Todd Phillips (toddvphillips@webtv.net), March 12, 2002.

Hello Alex. I would consider a second camera body to minimise lens changes. Regards.

-- Sheridan Zantis (albada60@hotmail.com), March 13, 2002.