I know that I will be carrying my Nikon d700 (without a grip) plus the 28-300 lens. But do I bring a laptop for post-processing and a travel tripod (Benro). We will be traveling by train and other means. I want to travel light, but still get professional quality shots. Perhaps I should just take a ColorSpace Hyper drive (which I would have to buy) and process when I get back. Also, what do you suggest for carrying the camera equipment. I have a Lowepro slingshot, but it won't really accommodate anything other than just the camera equipment, and I don' think it would be efficient for air travel as you need something to carry other item in on board planes and trains-like food, water, clothing, books. So any and all recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks, Cindy
Cindy, I always travel with a larger DSLR and associated kit, so I may be able to offer suggestions. I'd recommend taking the Laptop rather than a Hyper Drive as the Laptop can be used for E-mail, Blogging, checking train connections, etc. How easy is the Laptop to travel with? As you referred to "processing", I'm assuming you're shooting RAW? I normally do processing when I get home, as I don't want to waste too much valuable holiday time in front of a computer. I've packed a Tripod for the last few years and while it's a bit of a nuisance, it's been very useful for night shots. Note that you won't be able to use a Tripod inside most Cathedrals, Museums, etc. For carrying the Camera, if your present LowePro can accommodate the gear you'll be taking, use that along with a small carry-on bag for food, water and other items. What type of luggage do you use, and will you be checking your main bag? This is the method I use (it's always evolving).... During air travel and when I'm moving from one city to another, I carry the Camera in a LowePro Nova 4AW case. It has enough room for the Camera with one Lens attached, two extra Lenses, Flash and accessories such as Chargers and Lens Cleaner. When I'm out touring in cities, I typically carry my Camera "in the open", with a firm grip and also use the strap. I travel with a Netbook but it doesn't have the "horsepower" for processing, so I don't worry about that. I also carry a small P&S Camera, and use that for shots that I'll be E-mailing or posting on the web. The Netbook has a built-in SD Card Reader, so it's very easy to transfer photos, and it also serves as a "backup" for all my photos (I also pack along a small USB Reader for CF cards). Don't forget to pack Plug Adapters. Happy travels!