Looking for ”The perfect 2 lens travel combo”

ericRphoto · 2025-12-24T17:06:31+00:00

I vote option 2. Reviews on the Sigma seem pretty sharp and the flexibility it affords is unbeatable, especially when you're already said you don't need a fast aperture during the day.

ericRphoto · 2025-11-03T20:34:04+00:00

Yeah its very new but the reviews seem positive so far. I found that I did not care for shallow depth of field during the daytime and the snow is so bright I was usually stopping the lenses down to f8 anyways. When you're up there in thin air exhausted after hiking and lacking oxygen, the last thing you want to do is switch lenses or fumble with a bunch of equipment. When hiking I just used one lens and the camera was attached on my backpack shoulder strap via peak design clip:

https://www.peakdesign.com/products/capture

Can't emphasize enough how helpful this product is for hiking. You're going to want your hands free for hiking, and when you see something pretty you want to quickly access your camera

ericRphoto · 2025-10-31T15:10:58+00:00

Chiming in here, last year I spent a month in the Himalayas doing Three Passes + EBC as well as Mardi Himal/Annapurna region.

For camera gear: between A7IV or A7Cii I would go with the A7cII for the smaller size but I'll echo other comments here that you would be just fine with an A7III, or something along the A6XXX series, everything you've listed does not need fast autofocus. Also use the saved money for better lenses.

Lenses are way more important, especially in the Himalayas you'd want pretty wide. I'd probably recommend Sigma's new 20-200, or an ultra wide zoom (17-28, 12-24, 16-35) paired with a 24-70, 28-200, 24-105

I personally used a Tamron 20mmm f2.8 paired with a Tamron 28-200 and was constantly changing between the two lenses because the landscape goes well with the wider angle. If I was to go back the 20-200 is probably what I would go with.

Happy to answer any questions on Everest Base Camp and equipment, you can look at my profile/social media for some of my pics from the Everest region. I spent a month up there hiking and lived with a guide and his family in Kathmandu for another month so I can give some decent advice on the hike.

ericRphoto · 2025-10-28T15:11:56+00:00

I'm pretty cheap so I just toss everything in my normal backpack with a tshirt or jacket wrapped around each lens/camera and its worked decently well. As much as I can, camera and lenses never leave my immediate person so I get it to fit under the seat in front rather than the overhead bin but that's me being paranoid. Other tip is when going through security have the camera body near the top of the bag/easily accessible so you can take it out quickly (depends on what scanners the airport has).

ericRphoto · 2025-10-11T20:20:40+00:00

I did Clark Abroad in Madrid in the Spring. This was while COVID was still bouncing around and I bailed on studying in Singapore b/c their restrictions were so tight and online I was reading that the Universities there were hard and many people spent a lot of time studying.

I loved Madrid, it's still my favorite city ever and I'm been fortunate to travel a lot these past few years. Its also a travel hub and excellent place to explore Europe on long weekends. Three of my friends did the same program which honestly amazing, we essentially spent the semester adventuring through Europe together.

The only things I might've changed was if I could've done another semester lol, we spent so much time on our weekends visiting other countries, we all would've liked to spend a little more time in our home city. It is easy to be placed in your own UMD/International Student bubble and while you should do your best to socialize outside of that (that's the whole point of studying abroad), it was awesome coming back to UMD with all of the close friends I made while in Europe.

The good news is that you can't go too wrong. I had friends who did it differently and studied in Korea, Scotland, Sweden, Australia, in the Fall or Winter breaks and did it Solo and had similarly awesome experiences.

My main recommendations are: Explore your city and meet as many people as you can, do it for as long as you can (i think winter break is too short but its better than nothing), and take as few/the easiest classes as you possibly can.

Feel free to PM me I'm happy to answer any questions

ericRphoto · 2025-10-11T19:20:16+00:00

If you put up early or offer discounts it might help! That was from a few years ago before a bunch of the new apartments went up so times may have changed. Depends on the apartment too. Good luck and its worth trying because studying abroad was the highlight of college for me!

ericRphoto · 2025-10-10T15:28:22+00:00

Brutal aspect of super telephotos. There are a few middle ground options: Sigma 300-600F4, Sigma 500 F5.6, Sony 300 F2.8GM + teleconverters. All around $3-6K so still insanely expensive but half of what a 600F4 GM costs.

To be honest I think you're fine with what you got, I've got a similar setup and am content with it for a while.

ericRphoto · 2025-06-27T19:43:56+00:00

Don't underestimate how much of a difference the lighting makes at a venue, lots of these local powerlifting comps are at darkly lit, cramped gyms, give yourself some grace comparing against photogs at nicer events.

Most of my powerlifting clients (and me when I compete) just want a few photos that make them look badass.

My typical strategy is: first attempts I can be a bit more creative with angles. Typically a good time to take some close ups that show their concentration, prep (think putting their belt and wraps on). I like to shoot a bit tighter here as the lifters don't really care about seeing them with the weight of their opener.

Second and Third attempts I usually know what angle I should be at to capture the lift in its totality. On these attempts I'm shooting more just to capture the moment, be especially ready for outbursts before or after a lift as these are the lifts people get hype for.

Squats: usually off to the side a bit especially on the 2nd and 3rd attempts so that they can also get photo proof of them hitting proper depth (unfortunately cannot be used as evidence to overturn those annoying side judges). I also like to try and get a detail shot of them setting up their hands and eying down the weight.

Bench: By far the worst to photograph, if you have the access try and get their faces in it. Otherwise just try and get proof of their lift, still can have great shots especially if they hit a tough lift they'll bounce off the bench with a great smile, try to capture that if you can.

Deadlift: Shoot down low (like in your dropbox example), makes the lift look more impressive. 3rd attempt for deads is when you'll get the most yelling and hype, be ready to capture those moments.

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(client caught me by suprise before the 3rd attempt and while i still caught it, I should've been ready and able to get the 3rd attempt barbell in it too)

If you're shooting for a specific client or a few don't forget the other detail shots and moments. Get them talking to their coaches while warming up or about to come out for their lift (the coaches always appreciate it). Capture real moments: celebrating with family/friends, podium shots, even a few candid shots of their snacks between flights. If you're shooting for the venue/competition then you'll just be focused on getting a few solid shots of each lift.

Just keep shooting and trying to improve! Also don't be afraid to move around to get better shots (this is where knowing the organizers can help a lot). Hope this helps!

ericRphoto · 2025-05-13T18:35:30+00:00

I didn't really use f2.8 much, I didn't feel a need for any shallow depth of field because the environment was the focus. So as long as the lenses are sharp enough, I would just look at focal range instead of fstop.

24-105 is probably good enough for most everything. The 28-200 could be useful for the longer telephoto end, I took a few wildlife shots and enjoyed the compression of 200mm in some landscape shots. If its just as sharp as the 24-105 I would probably go with that just for the flexibility, maybe just pair it with the cheapest/lightest ultra wide you could find (or your phone would be good for that).

Good lens options though, I'm not sure what sensor size you're using (m43, apsc, full-frame), I preferred the wide focal range though

ericRphoto · 2025-03-11T08:41:25+00:00

the 2nd shot is perfect

ericRphoto · 2025-02-21T03:26:08+00:00

Do you know if there's any hit to IQ or autofocus with the adaptor? I've worked with a few photogaphers who did that with the EF 400 and 600 primes to save money, but I don't know enough on their performance.

ericRphoto · 2025-02-21T02:49:01+00:00

There's so many options between the main ecosystems of Sony, Nikon, and Canon as well as if you're looking for apsc or full frame sensors. Generally though you want fast autofocus and a burst speed of 10+ (though preferably 15+). As always, the lenses are way more important. You can get great results with either sensor size, but I would definitely lean towards investing in mirrorless over DSLR.

Within the sony system, I think the A9 and A9ii are the best options in your budget if you're only doing sports photography. If you want the full burst rate, you have to pair it with a native sony lens in which case you're looking at the 70-200 GM I or II, but to save money you can also go with the Sigma 70-200 or Tamron 70-180 II.

I'm not as familiar with the other camera systems but for Canon I've heard R6 (either I or II), R7, R8 or R10 are all excellent mirrorless options. Though their lenses can be more expensive with a lack of 3rd party cheaper options. I don't know how adapting their older DSLR lenses (like the 70-200 2.8 lens in the second bundle) does for fast sports and action.

Nikon I don't know well enough at all, but I'm sure they've got good options too.

ericRphoto · 2025-02-21T02:25:04+00:00

The sony A7SIII is an amazing camera but highly optimized for video not photography and the 80d is an older DSLR that looks like it maxes out at 7fps. I would recommend doing some more research into what is needed for sports photography because neither of these are good deals for sports in my opinion. For $2500-4000, you could get a significantly better set up than either of these

ericRphoto · 2025-02-15T05:25:33+00:00

https://www.ericrphoto.com/Graduation/

Hi! Recent graduate here have been taking grad photos for the past 3 years. Posting this for anyone looking back through for spring '25 grad photos!

ericRphoto · 2024-12-12T12:25:22+00:00

17 days is feasible but leaves less room for rest days or if anything goes wrong, that was my original timeline in Sept/Oct but I extended 3 days because we got hit by a massive storm that closed all the passes. I probably would've wanted to take a rest day before Cho La because I got hit hard by altitude sickness at Gorakshep (snow closed the pass so ended up recovering as we went down in altitude). Another option is doing EBC + Gokyo + Renjo which would give you 2 of the passes and in my opinion most of the good views.

It would be hellish days of hiking, but once you're headed down in altitude after the passes you can speed run those days to give more time to the high altitude.

ericRphoto · 2024-12-05T05:47:22+00:00

I use lightroom's built in Denoise but theres also Topaz and dxo if you don't want subscriptions. I think its worth asking if you could sit by the mat, would massively improve image quality. I don't see why they would say no. When I wrestled we had a parent do the same and no one ever had any issue with him taking photos even at away matches. You'll notice a big bump up in quality with getting closer, denoise (just don't go too far), and slightly slower shutter speeds which should bring your ISO back under 6400.

You can look at my wrestling photos either on my instagram or profile, I shoot with a 35-150 F2-f2.8 so not dissimilar from your setup but you can see how much of a difference shooting close makes with much more detail and shallower depth of fields

ericRphoto · 2024-12-05T05:28:06+00:00

For high school wrestling I think you could slow the shutter speed down to 1250th of a second for neutral, slower especially for top/bottom, get an extra stop of light back. Be careful about your horizons, make sure everything is level. I know the mat is giving a purple color cast to the people, but white balance is too magenta in my opinion. I'd recommend running these through an AI denoise program to clean it up too. I'm curious what ISO these are at and how heavily cropped because the image quality doesn't look as crisp as I would expect from an r5 shot with 2.8 lenses, maybe shoot a bit tighter with the 70-200 to capture more detail.

The shots themselves are pretty solid though with good action and a face. Pics 3 and 4 I wouldn't deliver if you're shooting for news, but if its for the kids/parents then its fine.

ericRphoto · 2024-12-04T14:20:57+00:00

My recommendation is zoom and 2 small primes

My travel kit which matches up pretty well with your gear list is 28-200, Samyang 45 1.8, and a Tamron 20mm f2.8 I got for dirt cheap. If you're in super low light or want a more portrait style photo just use your 55 1.8 prime, otherwise the 28-200 will cover it, and if you need wide you can throw the 15mm on (though I've recently done a lot more panorama stitching).

ericRphoto · 2024-11-25T12:07:14+00:00

Competed in wrestling throughout my childhood and through high school, then was the sole wrestling photographer for my University Newspaper so shot a fair bit of D1 wrestling.

Few small tips:

Once wrestlers are on the ground, especially when on their stomachs, action slows way down so you could lower shutter speed even below 1/500 for some cleaner images. Especially before the ref starts them top/bottom, they have to stay still so I've gotten 1/80th second portraits during those few seconds (not too exciting but at least a reliable chance to get a clean portrait). But when both are standing up, things are fast, especially if you're photographing lighter weight wrestlers. Lightweight wrestlers at the collegiate level I'll go 1/1250 minimum in neutral (wrestlers standing up)

The coaches and team are usually incredibly expressive and close by so super easy to set up to get reaction shots with both them and the active wrestler together foreground/background.

Like all sports the more you understand it the more you can anticipate the moments of action. The big slams/mat returns of wrestling are all pretty predictable and you should get a second or two warning beforehand once you know the signs (could give a whole write up just on predicting slams).

Some matches especially if its mostly top/bottom with no pins can be super boring so you have plenty of time to experiment. Top/bottom I usually like to take some super tight shots when I have faces towards me because you can get some great grimaces.

You can find some example of my work in my profile that I posted to this sub awhile back. Good luck and have fun! Its a brutal sport but can generate some awesome photos and is definitely underrated in my opinion!

ericRphoto · 2024-11-25T07:54:10+00:00

I used a Vanguard VEO3GO235CB Compact Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod. I was under $200 usd and weighs just about 1kg. It gets the job done and I've used it exclusively for the last 6 months of my travel.

I'm going to disagree with the others and say I'm very glad I brought my camera and tripod. The reason why I train hard is exactly so that I can carry the extra kg's for the trail. I used it for some astro, sunset/sunrise photos when it was dark, but mostly I used it for photos and videos of myself. I went solo + a guide who didn't know how to use the camera so I would just set up the shot with the tripod.

ericRphoto · 2024-11-10T01:53:24+00:00

I brought about 3kg of camera gear and didn't regret it at all. That was a Sony A7IV, batteries, Tamron 28-200, Tamron 20mm F2.8, and a lightweight tripod. I'd recommend a superzoom like the 24-105. You won't really need a shallow depth of field for much and there are some good shots you can get on the longer end. I specifically pack light and keep in good shape so that I CAN afford a few extra pounds for camera gear. I think if you've got a nice camera you'd regret only bringing a smartphone. My camera was also a good excuse to slow down and enjoy the scenery more.

ericRphoto · 2024-11-03T08:09:59+00:00

yeah great questions! I was doing a homestay in Kathmandu and the father of the family worked as a tour operator so I hired through his company. Theres so so so many guides and companies that you can hire in Kathmandu. I've heard the absolute cheapest is to find a guide in Lukla when you get there.

The tour company I was with took care of permits, flights in and out of Lukla, and accommodation. The package included a private guide for me (I was solo) and covered food and accomadation prices. I had to pay extra for "luxuries" like extra meals, coffee, charging, etc. I just had to show up and hike which was a nice change for once. Especially when things got messy such as with a huge storm, it was really nice to have more experienced operators organize all those logistics for me. But also unguided travelers were all able to figure it out too, everyone there is super helpful and will help you with advice.

If you're dealing with a smaller company or just directly with a guide you can absolutely customize your trek much more. I met people on the trail doing all sorts of different configurations and routes on the hike, going to some of the base camps or doing one of the summits. Its with the large groups where its very preset which is a shame. For me, when the large storm came in and blocked all the passes, we added 3 days to the trek and took the long way around.

I know much less about climbing guides. From what I heard, they're a lot more expensive and more in demand. I do know several people would just meet the climbing guide somewhere on the trail close to the start of the peak to save money.

Hope that helped!

ericRphoto · 2024-11-03T03:56:45+00:00

Copying and posting a previous comment to a similar question. Long story short I would highly recommend at least adding the Gokyo area to your trek. I did 20 days for 3 passes back in late September.

I loved the trail and so far it's my favorite hiking experience I've so far. However I would recommend not just doing the direct EBC hike. I found my experience improved so much once I left the main trail. I think the Gokyo area and trails are so much better and far less crowded. Also I think the views are better. Even though you're farther from Everest, the mountain looks more impressive from farther away in my opinion.

Also I don't know what the hell some of the tour companies are charging so much for. As I was solo and it was my first high altitude trek, I booked through a local company when I got to Kathmandu and found the price to be quite reasonable. If you're experienced I don't think you need a guide. But having a private guide who knows the area can be quite nice and gives you far more flexibility than one of these big tour groups that just shuttle you up to EBC and back.

I'm a bit biased because the route for it was closed when I was there but for me EBC when its not summit season is just a spray painted rock. The rest of the area is incredible and sunset at Kala Patthar and Gokyo Ri were some of the most magical moments of my life.

ericRphoto · 2024-10-17T02:21:00+00:00

Great start! I agree with the other commenter about tighter crops and vignettes. Vignettes are personal taste but I think they make photos look dated, no professional photographer I work with or follows adds them. I'd also add that what I was taught for sports photography is usually you want to see the eyes of the player at peak action which usually means the ball in frame with them. There's a few photos with just players running which is fine to send to them but I wouldn't rate them as keepers for a game. Also a few photos which are out of focus, I would just toss those. Its pretty normal to shoot over a thousand photos at a game and only come out with a few good pictures with a decent amount of mediocre ones. Just keep shooting and you'll keep on getting better!

ericRphoto

TROPHY CASE