Advice for beginner on Arctic Cruise

[ljmanning7]

I will be taking a small ship Arctic exploration cruise in August, and need some advice on equipment. I am not an experienced photographer. I will be taking a (vintage!) Pentax P3 film camera, and the 50 mm lens it came with. My challenge is figuring out what other lenses I can/should secure for the trip. My criteria:
- I don't shoot a lot so I don't want to invest a ton of money
- We will be taking many excursions by zodiac, doing long hikes, etc., so I don't want to be weighed down with too much gear
- I also want to be sure I can capture this incredible experience, and not be frustrated with photos that "coulda been closer" or don't really show what we saw.

My tour operator recommends slow film, an 18 or 24mm wide angle, and a 300mm zoom. But the more I research, the more confused I'm getting. I don't want to spend all my time swapping lenses or fussing with gear - I want to enjoy the trip. At the same time, I know there will be wonderful landscapes and wildlife that I will probably never see again.

Please help! All advice is welcome.

[bob_r]

ljmanning7,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM!!

I'd have to agree with your guide that a wide angle, the 50mm standard lens and at least a 300mm telephoto would be the minimum. I'm not familiar with Pentax equipment, so can't advise if there is a zoom that would satisfy all of these requirements.

One of the guys on a non-photography forum that I visit has made a number of trips to the arctic and he's also a photographer. Of the pictures he has posted, I would have to say he used his wide angle lens the most. I think I would want the telephoto too, just in case any animals were spotted.

Hopefully, someone with Pentax experience will chime in here with a recommendation for you. Please be sure to post pics of your trip when you return.

Bob R

[Bonish Photo]

I'm not a Pentax user, but you might want to check and see if they offer a lens that might include everything in one. For instace, I have a 28-300 lens for my Canon.

Usually with a lens like that, you give up a few stops in the Aperature range, but for the luxury of not having to change lenses, it more then makes up for it. Being as you'll probably be outside most of the time, a low F-Stop lens probably wont be needed.

Being as the film bodies have dropped so much in price, you could always look for another body so you wouldnt have to change lenses at all. I know I saw some film bodies the other day for $50 in a pawn shop. The guy said he'd make me one hell of a deal because everyone is pawning their film equipment to switch to digital. You might want to look at a few Pawn Shops before you buy anything.

Good Luck, and make sure you post some pictures after you return

Pat
http://www.everymilesamemory.com

[gldiana]

Hi,

since you're looking to carry a light camera with maximum capabilities without the bulk and price of an SLR my suggestion is that you buy a good point and click. With your current setup, stuck with just a 50mm lens you would be kicking yourself in the butt for the missed opportunities. Plus, shooting film, you might come home with under/over exposed photos and kick yourself in the butt again. The Canon S3IS (Click here for info) right now goes for less than $300 and it provides built-in image stabilization, 6 megapixel, a 12X optical zoom, swivel screen and more.
For what I think you need it will make you happy.

Luca
http://www.lucadiana.net