Cruise Ship Camera Recommendations?

[lonemantis]

Hi all, I'm going on a cruise trip with family to the Caribbean in the next few days and I'm stumped as to what cameras to bring with me! I have never been on a cruise before, and most of my vacations have been to urban/rural settings where I could rely on my usual street shooting or landscape kits.

The ship is stopping in Mexico and another island, with a mix of cultural tours and some beach/watersport activities. I'll take a disposable waterproof camera for the more extreme parts, but otherwise I'm trying to decide from amongst my Leica M, a TLR, various 1970s 35mm SLRs, and a compact rangefinder or two. I generally like to pack very light though!

Does anyone have any experience or advice they can share? What sorts of subjects/conditions should one expect?

 

[_goodtimez]

If I was myself for the gear and youself for the trip I would grab a Leica M or LTM with 3 lenses (28, 50, 90) + a Nikonos III with the 35 f2.5 and my Polaris lightmeter.
That is probably the gear I will prepare for my 2013 USA tour 🙂

 

[awbphotog]

Take whatever camera you like using the most? If you forsee needing more than one camera for the occasion, take more than one. I would take the Leica + 50mm, maybe an SLR with a wide, and if you've got an underwater camera...go for it. Honestly the camera you are most comfortable photographing with is the best camera to take. You don't want to miss a shot because you were too busy fumbling around trying to figure out how to use the damned things, switching lenses, or digging through your camera bag. Just my two cents!


EDIT:: Make sure to bring a lens cloth, and watch for sand if/when changing lenses. I ruined a perfectly good Konica 55 1.4 by letting it too close to the beach on a blustery day. Sad, sad things can happen when you introduce sand and salt to camera bodies and lenses! Just be careful, and you should be fine. Above all, enjoy yourself first and take photos second. Most of the time the best photos come from situations when the photographer him/herself is immersed in the same excitement that his/her subjects are! Cheers!

 

[kxl]

A TLR would be an interesting challenge, but a trip "with family" probably means you'd be on the go most of the time. The gear you bring really depends on your itinerary, but I would guess the following:

• A Carribean cruise that includes Mexico probably means an opportunity to see Mayan ruins, so I'd say bring a wide angle lens (20mm, 21mm or wider)
• If it includes an opportunity to see Dunn's River Falls in Jamaica, a short tele might be good -- 75mm or 90mm.
• 35mm or 50mm to cover eveyrthing else.

The most convenient way to do this would be an SLR with a 24 or 28 - 85 or longer zoom, plus a 20mm.

It should be a lot of fun!!!

 

[lonemantis]

If I was myself for the gear and youself for the trip I would grab a Leica M or LTM with 3 lenses (28, 50, 90) + a Nikonos III with the 35 f2.5 and my Polaris lightmeter.
That is probably the gear I will prepare for my 2013 USA tour 🙂

That's quite a nice kit! A Nikonos would be a really interesting option. I've always been pretty fascinated by them, but unfortunately there aren't many opportunities to either buy or use them up here in the great white north. I'm hoping a disposable waterproof camera will do instead.

I originally wanted to go all film for this trip, but I've now decided to bring my OM-D instead. It's really versatile, and I can't ignore that it's tough and splashproof with the 12-50 on it. Another consideration is that apparently you have to go through an x-ray every time you board or leave the ship, so film could be problematic in that situation.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

[randolph45]

Most of my cruises I bring a Canon G5+Canon 30D with 17/40 and 70/200 1.4 extender and strobe. the link shows some panos taken with the G5
http://www.pbase.com/randolph45/image/124987237

 

[jsrockit]

What will you be photographing? That should tell you what you need to bring...