Scotlin
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
Hi  as my very first trip to Vietnam and Cambodia is fast approaching please can I ask some advice of all you seasoned travellers that enjoy taking lots of photos on your trips . I bought myself a panasonic bridge camera a few months ago especially for this trip - I have a spare battery and sd card but wonder if this is enough can I ask what everyone normally takes  , do you take all your equipment in your carry on and if so are there any restriction on how many spare batteries you are allowed in your hand luggage ?  Do you  download your photos on the trip or leave them on the card till back home ?  I am also considering taking a compact for using if out and about in the evenings is this what most people do ? Any other tips would be much appreciated I understand that humidity might be a problem .

Thank you in advance 

 Linda  🙂

SarahS
(Member)
This tour is a photographer's paradise. Make sure you have plenty of capacity on memory cards. I always carry my cameras, bridge and a high end compact as back up, and for evening, in a small padded shoulder bag, with spare batteries and memory cards. Chargers and adaptors go in my hand luggage, and are the first things I pack. I've been on several holidays were people have brought cameras but forgotten chargers.
nixon
  • (Member)
(Member)
Linda

I have traveled the world, I always take more than I need as most times I will not be going back to that country, I take all camera equipment on the plane with me! Nothing goes in the main in case. I charge my camera battery up every night and always have a spare memory card on me at all times, just in case. I got caught out one day out, never again.

Have a great time

Cindy

badskittler
(Member)
Remember rechargeable batteries are not allowed in hold luggage.
AbbaDave
(Member)
Hi Linda

having done Vietnam only last November I don't recall any humidity problems not like as in Borneo, I always carry my main ' Panasonic Lumix ' bridge camera in my hand baggage along with batteries, card/s with my back up camera for evening time in my hold luggage, I generally have three batteries but rarely need more than the Two, charge them at every opportunity even the one in your camera so it has full charge and memory card 16gb or 8bg is ample for most people depends on how many pics your taking or if your planning doing any video shooting

please don't do what I did and LOST my memory card, I must have dropped in when changing the card on a sun bed at the pool at Hoi An resort, everything lost I only had Saigon pics of my own though thankfully one or two fellow travellers very kindly sent me a disc with all theirs on which I will forever be Grateful

no I don't download anything its done when I get home but one guy in Borneo did carry a small laptop and spent a little time daily loading his pics on, carrying a laptop only adds to the weight carrying around and unless I find something like a small tablet which takes memory cards I wouldn't really bother

enjoy Vietnam you'll love it

all the best

Dave

Jaya
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi

Usually I only take one memory card and to date it has been adequate. Mind you, I download all the photos to my computer after each trip and delete them all from the memory card so there is always a large capacity for new photos. For the first time, I took a spare battery with me when I went to South Africa / Zambia and for once I was so grateful. I was charging my battery most evenings, but did not realise that the plug in Zambia was not functioning. My battery ran out when we went on the Livingstone Express and luckily my spare battery was in my handbag. I would have been so disappointed if I did not have my spare battery as I could not have taken other photos, especially my encounter with the cheetahs! So from now on, my spare fully charged battery is going with me on every holiday. I usually pack my chargers in the hold baggage, but will not carry them with me just in case the suitcase goes Awol!

Jaya

Scotlin
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
'SarahS' wrote:

This tour is a photographer's paradise. Make sure you have plenty of capacity on memory cards. I always  carry my cameras,  bridge and a  high  end compact as back up, and for evening, in a small padded shoulder  bag, with spare batteries  and memory cards. Chargers and adaptors go in my hand luggage, and are the first things I pack. I've  been  on several holidays were people have brought cameras but forgotten chargers.

 Thank you Sarah  I am really looking forward to it - think I had better start making a packing list !

Scotlin
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
'nixon' wrote:

Linda

I have traveled the world, I always take more than I need as most times I will not be going back to that country, I take all camera equipment on the plane with me! Nothing goes in the main in case. I charge my camera battery up every night and always have a spare memory card on me at all times, just in case. I got caught out one day out, never again.

Have a great time

Cindy

Thank you Cindy great advice to always have a spare memory card with me  🙂

Scotlin
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
'badskittler' wrote:

Remember rechargeable batteries are not allowed in hold luggage.

gosh hadn't thought of that thank you

Scotlin
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
'AbbaDave' wrote:

Hi Linda

having done Vietnam only last November I don't recall any humidity problems not like as in Borneo, I always carry my main ' Panasonic Lumix ' bridge camera in my hand baggage along with  batteries, card/s with my back up camera for evening time in my hold luggage, I generally have three batteries but rarely need more than the Two, charge them at every opportunity even the one in your camera so it has full charge and memory card 16gb or 8bg is ample for most people depends on how many pics your taking or if your planning doing any video shooting

please don't do what I did and LOST my memory card, I must have dropped in when changing the card on a sun bed at the pool at Hoi An resort,  everything lost I only had Saigon pics of my own though thankfully one or two fellow travellers very kindly sent me a disc with all theirs on which I will forever be Grateful

no I don't download anything its done when I get home but one guy in Borneo did carry a small laptop and spent a little time daily loading his pics on,  carrying a laptop only adds to the weight carrying around and unless I find something like a small tablet which takes memory cards I wouldn't really bother  

enjoy Vietnam you'll love it

all the best

Dave

 Hi Dave ,

                Thank you for your reply I have been reading all the reviews I can find on Vietnam and gleaned so much info from both yours and Bobs posts - I sat last night with a notepad writing down all the tips !

 

That's reassuring your camera didn't suffer from humidity fingers crossed I wont have any problems its a lumix bridge I have too .  You must have been so disappointed losing your memory card I am so glad others were able to help replace some photos its lovely being able to look back at them . Is there anything missing from your collection ?

  I think I will invest in another battery I have two at the minute but don't want to risk missing anything ! - good tip to charge the one in my camera too .

 Thats interesting that most people just leave photos on the memory cards I think I will do the same I did consider  getting a tablet to look at pics on a bigger screen but couldn't find one with an sd slot they all took micro cards - looking at the itinerary I don't think there there would be much spare time to be looking through photos anyway !

 Thank you for your help 

  Linda 🙂

Scotlin
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
'Jaya' wrote:

Hi

Usually I only take one memory card and to date it has been adequate.  Mind you, I download  all the photos to my computer after each trip and delete them all from the memory card so there is always a large capacity for new photos.   For the first time, I took a spare battery with me when I went to South Africa / Zambia and for once I was so grateful.  I was charging my battery most evenings, but did not realise that the plug in Zambia was not functioning.  My battery ran out when we went on the Livingstone Express and luckily my spare battery was in my handbag.  I would have been so disappointed if I did not have my spare battery as I could not have taken other photos, especially my encounter with the cheetahs!  So from now on, my spare fully charged battery is going with me on every holiday.  I usually pack my chargers in the hold baggage, but will not carry them with me just in case the suitcase goes Awol!

Jaya

 Hi Jaya

             Thank you for your reply I have enjoyed reading your posts on the forum you have been on some amazing trips . Its reassuring for first timers like me that so many of the regular travellers take the time  to write reviews and answers questions it has certainly helped calm my nerves about my first ever trip on my own .

  I think what I have gleaned from everyone is not only to take spare batteries and cards but to always have them with you ! Thank goodness  you didn't miss those cheetahs 

 Happy travels 

 Linda  🙂

Jaya
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Linda

Enjoy your trip. I really want to do the Vietnam and Cambodia Laos trip - just have to decide when. The choices are getting longer and it getting harder and harder to decide where to go next. Do post a review on your return as I would love to know how your first Just You experience went.

Jaya

bowen
  • (Member)
(Member)
I'm a fan of the Canon Rebel series. Good bang for the buck, and easy to use. http://thedigitalcamera.net/canon-rebel-t5i-vs-t6i-vs-t6s-whats-the-difference/ 
omoorem
(Member)
I always take more than one memory card. I tend to change the cards part way through my holiday. So if a card corrupts at least I'll have some photos ! I have had one card corrupt - lost all photos - but this fortunately wasn't holiday pics. I also take a spare battery. Again they can fail. I always take the battery chargers as well. I keep all of these in hand luggage. Hope this helps. Happy holidays !
IanWight
(Member)
The best camera is the one you have with you and as a photographer I would say you can never have too much memory or too many batteries.

To put things in some sort of context then as I converted to digital I bought a 30gb portable hard drive as even a 256mb card was in those days extremely expensive. The hard drive cost in excess of £250.00. Today, I have not added a link as deals change all the time, but on a well known shopping site you can get a perfectly acceptable 32gb SD card for £8.99!

How many cards you might need is variable as the number of images you can get on a card is variable. In film days you knew you could get 36 frames, or 38 if you were careful, but digitally all bets are off and it varies considerably depending on the size of the sensor and the quality at which images are captured. The larger the sensor - the larger the file - and fewer images on the card. The same with quality as a raw file will use more memory than a jpeg. And then jpegs come in different quality and file size....

If you have bought a new camera recently then it will usually have a (much) larger sensor than your old one - technology is improving and being passed on - so if you are going to be using the same size card as before you will, larger sensor, get less images to the card.

I can have 12 - 15 cards with me on a trip - I shoot a lot and usually in raw. Most people will not need this much memory! I change cards regularly so that if you lose a card (fingers crossed I have not done so) or a card is corrupted then all is not lost. Incidentally there is recovery software which can be downloaded which may help with a naughty card.

At under a tenner for a 32GB card then this is cheaper than it used to be to buy and process a roll of slide film!

As for batteries, these must be in hand baggage, and I usually have 3 per body! this may sound a lot but autofocus, zooming, and chimping (looking at the image in the screen) and extreme cold all eat up battery power so better safe than sorry and if travelling then it might not always be possible to recharge every night.

Ian

SarahS
(Member)
I would also recommend using high speed memory cards. There's nothing worse than waiting for a shot to download before you can take the next. For moving subject I often use the multiple shots setting, and pick the best of shots when I review my pictures.
Grecos
(Member)
I have to say that I got lost in all the technical details that people have been posting regarding photography. What can I say, being one of the few people on this planet I suspect who has a smart phone but has never taken a photo on it? Dare I say that while you are trying to get the perfect shot maybe you are not absorbing the atmosphere or having contact with the people around you? Certainly I have encountered that on various JY holidays. I understand that it is your hobby but also often have had to stand back from what I simply would like to look at whilst fellow travellers compete (push) for the perfect shot. And  perhaps I see things that others don't because I'm not trying for perfect focus & composition. My photographic memories are in my brain....not trying to impress anyone else.....though I must admit that I enjoy the wonderful photos that fellow travellers are willing to share at the end of a holiday 🙂

Sheila

Simmag
(Member)
'AbbaDave' wrote:

Hi Linda

having done Vietnam only last November I don't recall any humidity problems not like as in Borneo, I always carry my main ' Panasonic Lumix ' bridge camera in my hand baggage along with  batteries, card/s with my back up camera for evening time in my hold luggage, I generally have three batteries but rarely need more than the Two, charge them at every opportunity even the one in your camera so it has full charge and memory card 16gb or 8bg is ample for most people depends on how many pics your taking or if your planning doing any video shooting

please don't do what I did and LOST my memory card, I must have dropped in when changing the card on a sun bed at the pool at Hoi An resort,  everything lost I only had Saigon pics of my own though thankfully one or two fellow travellers very kindly sent me a disc with all theirs on which I will forever be Grateful

no I don't download anything its done when I get home but one guy in Borneo did carry a small laptop and spent a little time daily loading his pics on,  carrying a laptop only adds to the weight carrying around and unless I find something like a small tablet which takes memory cards I wouldn't really bother  

enjoy Vietnam you'll love it

all the best

Dave

Hi Linda

I too did Vietnam in November.  I tend to download all onto my iPad every night so that I can keep track of where I took them!  I carried all my camera equipment Panasonic lumix, spare battery and cards on plane with me. One spare battery seemed enough for me. One word of warning - we had a monsoon downpour at Mon Son so a waterproof bag for your camera is a must.  You will love Vietnam and Cambodia and the photographic opportunities - enjoy

SarahS
(Member)
For me  a big part of holiday enjoyment is having a few pictures to share with family and friends when I get home.  I always try to be considerate of anyone else trying to get a shot. Regardless of the camera used,  most people like to supplement memories with some pictures. I get especially anoyed by those who think because they carry a camera kit the size of my cabin  case they are entitled to block the view of others with their long lenses.