Road Trip!!

[Barracuda]

Well, going on what is becoming somewhat of a late-spring / early-summer annual photo/hike/get the fuck out of town road trip next week. Just booked two nights in Beavers Bend OK, and two nights in Hot Springs AR. Going to spend the day between the two along the talimena scenic byway.

So, also going to rent a lens, and probably a body too, from BorrowLenses. Thinking something WIDE, maybe the 11-16mm Tokina that I got last summer during my Oregon trip, along with maybe a T4i for the better ISO performance over the XSi I have (thinking some night astro stuff in the evening/night along with lots of good landscapes – though maybe the 28mm would be best for aiming upwards??). Other thoughts/suggestions welcome.

My current kit
Canon XSi
18-55
55-250
28mm f1.8
50mm f1.4
100mm f2.8

Canon S90.

[ravnostic]

The T4i uses the same sensor as the 3 and 2, so if it’s cheaper to rent either of those, go for it. Same goes for the 5. I really wish they’d upgrade that sensor, preferably before I shell out the 2 grand for the 6D :o)

[fluffybunny]

I looked long and hard at the Tokina some time ago because of its aperture (2.8 IIRC). What I did not realize was at those short focal lengths 1/FL still applies and you don’t need f2.8 as much as you might think. I shoot my Canon 10-22 down at 1/25s and some times slower, all hand held. It is by far my favorite lens for a number of reasons. The f2.8 will still help with astro but you’ll probably see more impact from the T4i and lower noise than the slightly larger aperture. The Canon helps with minimizing lens swaps with the larger FL range. There is also some “magic” with Canon upper tier lenses. The 10-22 produces the most saturated blue skies of anything I have.

/My $0.02

[Barracuda]

Rav, I’m holding out hope for a 70D sooner than later (as in, it’ll be out long enough for any kinks to get worked out before December when I want to upgrade kind of soon). Good to know on the T3i/2i having the same sensor. Diff in rental is <$5 though. Good points on the 1/FL reminder fluffy, certainly something to keep in mind. I've got a decent tripod and a remote release, though also thinking of hunting down one of those programmable gizmo types as well.

Found the cabin I’ll be staying at on Google Maps, looks like I’ve got a pretty decent sized opening in the trees not far from the cabin to setup on that I can get pointed due north/south or west from. Got lucky and found a cabin that’s a single unit ‘guest house’ to another property of semi-permanent residents so it should be plenty quiet (exactly what I had in mind). Also see miles of back roads in the area, so may take one of the bikes afterall, we’ll see about that.

[Barracuda]

BorrowLenses was all out of the T4i and T3i and even T5i, so……. I ordered a 60Da instead, along with the Tokina 11-16 f2.8. So between the two, hopefully some nice night shots – the weather had best damned cooperate too!

[orionid]

BorrowLenses was all out of the T4i and T3i and even T5i, so……. I ordered a 60Da instead, along with the Tokina 11-16 f2.8. So between the two, hopefully some nice night shots – the weather had best damned cooperate too!

It rained for two weeks straight on my trip. Not a single night sky shot…. But I had awesome daytime portrait lighting!

[Barracuda]

Right now the forecast is “partly cloudy” most of the trip, hoping or a few hours of cloud free in the evenings. If not, the partial cloud cover should at least provide some interest in the sky for the wide landscapes.

[chupathingie]

Get busy with whatever nature offers. And a +1 to fluffy’s comment. I’d go with the fast lens and a burst of darkframes as the temperature changes to counter noise if there’s gonna be dim light action, myself (campfire, M80 in the camp toilet, etc). Put the lens cap on and shoot a dozen at once a few times over the course of the night, easy and useful (eats mem, of course).

[Barracuda]

Body + Lens + P-CL filter arrived a short while ago. Going to have to work with the 60D some tonight to familiarize myself with the controls a bit compared to my XSi. Picking up my 55-250mm back from my friend on the way home, then a short shopping trip for some assorted food stuffs for the road and I’ll be ready to get the wheels turning as soon as I’m able to get off work tomorrow. Plan is to work through lunch for an even earlier departure so I can take as ‘scenic’ route up to Broken Bow as possible, going to go through Paris (Texas) to get a few shots of the Eiffel Tower they have there. yes, yes they did.

[Barracuda]

Teaser – straight out of camera – but a few samples of the shots as I have time to upload them. I have Wifi here at the cabin, and should also have internet connection at the hotel when I get into Hot Springs, so should be able to upload a few more in the coming days.

So far today 199 photos (and probably going to step outside for a few more right now before bed).

https://plus.google.com/photos/102637182371352471338/albums/5894000641126095745

[Barracuda]

🙁 Wife called this morning saying that our pup wasn’t doing well, I knew this was day was coming, but hoping to have made it through the trip first. I drove back home from Beavers Bend this morning and now wrestling with the difficult choices ahead for Penny. 🙁

[fluffybunny]

Very sorry about Penny.

[nobigdeal]

Sorry man. That sucks.

[Barracuda]

Thanks all. Tried to burn off some frustration this afternoon doing some processing on the shots I did get. Rather disappointed with what I did get this morning on my hike before I turned back and then home, but yesterday did yield a few keepers.

The good stuff is being posted up here: https://plus.google.com/photos/102637182371352471338/albums/5894272197174440657?banner=pwa

Oh, Rav, this is the best I got last night of the night sky, a glimpse of the milky way is all I got on the right side of the frame, but unfortunately this one I was running a tad too long on shutter speed for the focal length as these were supposed to just be some test shots.

The good news in all of this is that the sunset last night did yield some shots worth the trip.

[CauseISaidSo]

Awww, man, that really sucks. So sorry about Penny, ‘Cuda. She looks like such a sweet happy pup.

// Love that last shot, though.

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