What equipment do we use - part 2
In our last blog I promised an update following our trip to Japan. Specifically my thoughts about my taking both Fuji and Nikon gear. To save you having to refer back to the last blog, I took my Fuji XT3 with 10-24mm and 70-300mm lenses, as well as my Nikon Z6 with a 24-120mm lens. So how did this work out? Pretty much as I thought it would - I generally had both cameras with me for each shoot - one in my hand or slung around my neck and the other in a small shoulder bag. This way I could easily switch between cameras without having to carry a big back pack. The lens on the Nikon was the 24-120mm for people and general landscape shots, with the Fuji being paired with the 70-300mm for wildlife and picking out detail in the landscape. The Fuji 10-24mm lens did not see the light of day. So an ideal solution? Not really. At least not when it comes to travel. Two cameras require two different sets of batteries and chargers. This adds to weight and can make it difficult to keep within the 7kg hand luggage limit (as some of our fellow travellers found). Filter sizes are different for the various lenses. Switching between different camera systems takes a bit of thought and can complicate matters if you are in a hurry to capture that shot!
So, where does that leave me. Well, I decided that I couldn’t give up the Z6 and the 20mm lens as they are such a great combination for my night shots (and potentially for wide angle landscapes, if I ever manage to master that particular art). So the question was - how to travel light, as full frame lenses tend to be larger/heavier than those for the Fuji ASPC. The answer - Nikon’s new (ish) 28-400mm. Amazingly light and compact for it’s focal range (although it does externally zoom). One camera, one lens, one set of batteries etc that will cover most situations when travelling. I could also tuck in the light Nikkor 20mm if the season/location provides night shot possibilities. Of course, there will be those that say that image quality suffers using super zooms like this. Well this may be true on the test bench, but in the real world the quality is plenty good enough for me and my simple needs (I was also reassured by a review by a UK based photographer - Nigel Danson. Check out his YouTube videos if you haven’t already).
What about my Nikkor 24-120mm lens - surplus to requirements now? Nope. The 24-120 is slightly smaller & lighter than the 28-400 and I find it a great general purpose match for the Z6. So my local and NZ travelling kit will now consist of the Z6 with the 24-120mm as my main set up. If I’m not walking too far and weight isn’t an issue then I will also carry the 28-400 lens, just in case I need the extra reach. For longer hikes or overseas travel, where weight is an issue, then I will leave the 24-120 at home.
What have I done with my Fuji gear? I sold 3 lenses to help fund the Nikkor 28-400 purchase. This leaves me with the XT3 body and 18-135mm (27-200 full frame equivalent) lens. I will probably sell/trade sometime in the future, but I’m in no hurry to get rid of what has proven a very useful and reliable combination - just in case………
Mike
