Approaching The Scene 301: Packing for Costa Rica (A Nikon 400 2.8 TC As Carry-on)
(LINKS BELOW): I’m off to Costa Rica and carrying my new Nikon 400TC S on the plane. Watch this video to see how I do that as well as what else I’m taking and how I’m packing for carryon and checked bags. We’ll talk a bit about why I’m so stoked about this new lens too.
Nikkor 400 2.8 TC S: bhpho.to/3xPWT7u
Zemlin Lens Accessories: www.zemlinphoto.com/
Zhuyin M20C panel light: amzn.to/3UufYot
My monopod and head: amzn.to/30bGq9C amzn.to/3reFmxr
Osprey Transporter 120 duffel: amzn.to/3UreETn
Minix travel charger: amzn.to/44bap1o
Lifestraw filtered water bottle: amzn.to/3Wjtexs
Our complete selection of Kase filters: bit.ly/HHKase
My custom tripods & support parts: bit.ly/HHPTripds
Our selection of NYA-EVO packs & RCIs: bit.ly/HHP_NYA
XL RCI will be available in late May at: bit.ly/NYAEVOHH
Updated links to all the gear I use and recommend: bit.ly/HudsonsLinks
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I invite all of you to join Rick, David, Darren and me for our next free live Office Hours session. Leave us a question for the discussion when you sign up.
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Thanks to everyone for the great questions you are sending in. Keep them coming either in the comments below or by emailing me directly. I hope to see you in the next Office Hours session.
Stay safe and healthy.
LINKED TABLE OF CONTENTS:
00:00 Intro to ATS 301
01:05 Yes, I bought at 400 2.8 TC S for this trip
02:30 Karl Zemlin makes the best hoods and caps.
02:57 How I’m carrying all this gear on the plane in my NYA-EVO 60C
08:00 How NYA-EVO’s XL RCI helps with big lenses in the 60C
10:45 How I’m packing checked gear.
It was a great workshop and scouting trip! I can't wait to return next year!
Safe travels Hudson. Looking forward to your return with amazing photos & videos.
Congrats on your 400 2.8 TC Lens!, it really is a beautiful lens, I cancelled an order for the Z 800 Lens and went with the 400 TC, it was one of the best decisions I've made (although really haven't had the chance to take it out much). I love that 60c Camera Bag, and thanks for showing how the 400 2.8 TC can fit in with additional accessories, I'll be looking for that bag in the very near future, couldn't help but to notice that you upgraded your Lens Foot on the 400 Lens, I switched mine out for the RRS LCF-22, it does make carrying the lens a lot easier. Can't wait to see the photos from your trip, I'm more than sure that your 400 2.8 TC will absolutely shine :)
I was stunned how light the Z9-800 combo was about this time last year when I visited the studio. Excited you scored a 400 and can't wait to check it out!
It's a smidge heavier, but worth it.
So helpful and educational information.
The issue is never size, but weight. Even on some international flights, there are carry on weight restrictions (Quantas). Also, as mentioned, internal or charter flights almost always have weight restrictions for carry on baggage. I have run into this issue too many times.
And as I always say the wallet cuts all that into a non issue. I was 40 pounds over on the last leg. That equaled $70 extra. Africa, Asia, south America, Europe, etc. The story is the same. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto That does work sometimes. Not always. There are airlines that have very strict carry on weight rules. I saw a man break down in tears at the Quantas desk in LAX, as no matter what he said or offered, they would not let his carry on on board due to weight. He was 15 lbs over and had no way to repack unless he checked camera gear.
Well then he should have purchased a higher weight ticket or more bags long in advance. You check that on major airlines. It's the Bush planes that are generally the issue and they always take cash. From the arctic to just about everywhere else I've been doing this for decades and never ever had an issue cash didn't solve. Period. You always buy your weight and bags in advance on the big planes. Always.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto I agree to a point. That works well for checked bags. Either extra bags or extra weight. I spent years traveling for underwater photography. I was the king of overweight checked luggage (dive gear and camera housings). But for strict carry on weight restrictions, I only found two things that worked. One was to travel business class if possible. There is a lot more leeway in business class. The second was to wear a "photo vest" with lots of pockets. I have had to transfer gear from my bag into my vest. They don't weigh you. After getting through security, I put everything back in the bag.
Congrats on the z 400 f2.8 tc, I'm buying one in the next couple weeks. Looking forward to seeing some of the photos you take in CR with that lens, and also your thoughts on image quality if you end up using an external tc.
I've been using them both. I'll be creating that video soon. I was shocked how good it was even with it's TC in front of the 1.4 & 2.0. The 1.4 is very versatile with it for more distant subjects. If you buy from B&H here's my link: bhpho.to/3xPWT7u You'll LOVE it. It's probably the best lens I've ever owned.
Have a great time in Costa Rica Hudson! I'm looking forward to hear what you think not only of your new (to you) 400mm f/2.8 TC but also that little 16mm f/1.8. I'd be curious to learn if it would be a suitable lens for astro compared to the Nikon Z 20mm f/1.8S. (Is the 16mm f/1.8 available in Z Mount or are you shooting it adapted? I only saw Sony E Mount when I was on their website.)
Shhhh, but can't say
Hudson might want to be sure to check with Costa Rica airport on the Allen wrenches in carry on. In medico my Allen wrenches were confiscated
Yeah. I should have mentioned that. I had that once too. I move them to checked. So silly
The Viltrox 16mm is my next purchase
It definitely has my attention after this video! I am curious if it comes in a Nikon Z Mount (their website only shows Sony E Mount) as well as how it compares to the Z20mm f/1.8 especially for astro.
Yes
Hi Hudson - Great video. So are you and/or David Archer still using the outstanding Pelican Air case? I'm wondering how it might be reconfigured for the 800 lens. (Might need replacement materials from Pelican - but also am not sure if the Zemlin hood would work in it, though probably could carefully pack that in a duffel bag). Congrats on the 400 2.8.
It can work, but requires new trek pac divider panels. B&H has em here. We love them, but weight limits on this trip kept me leaner.
great video Hudson. The problem I find is that once I've flown the international legs, there's a short internal flight which very often has horrible weight restrictions - as little as just 5kg carry-on ! My last to South Africa 2 weeks ago, they restricted us to 8kg! A z8, z180-600,z24-120 and a 35mm prime was the limit.
Tiny planes often make your make tough choices. I usually sweet talk someone into letting me carry it to the door at least on a little plane. I just stowed my NYA-EVO 60C with the 400 TC in the Otter's internal netted cargo area myself this morning on route home. I'm on a Delta plane now replying with it over my head.
I've been flying to New Zealand and Australia regularly from Japan for the past few years with a 7kg limit to carry ons. In March it was: Z8, z14-30, z24-120, z100-400, z20mm prime, z1.4 tc all in medium RCI in NYA-EVO 36 liter. That was about 7.3kg and I thought if they checked the weight that I'd just pocket the TC or the 20mm. They never checked. Plus, if they did make me check, I'd have just pulled out the RCI and carried it on. My only real complaint about NYA-EVO bags is that they are too heavy. Of course, it's a trade off cuz the gear is well protected. An ultra light version of NYA-EVO bags would be amazing. Say reduce the weight of the bags and RCIs by 50%. I'd love such a bag and I think it could be protective enough, but I have no idea if that is a feasible option.
The 50C is much more minimalist. Not 50%, but way lighter and less feature driven than the 60C. I often miss those features, but it's a sweet smaller, lighter option.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto My 50C is on order! I got in on the early-bird deal on kickstarter! It's even lighter than my Fjord 36 with much more space, which is a move in the lighter direction, and I'm super excited about that. I do find the 36 to be just big enough for me, but a bigger and lighter 50C is always a benefit. Most of the other good bags on the market are about the same weight or more than NYA-EVO, and honestly, I love my NYA-EVO. I certainly put it through the paces in the harsh shooting conditions of New Zealand. I collapse a small RCI in my checked luggage and then have both the medium and small RCIs at my destination, which give me a bunch of carry options.
Have you had trouble on packed flights with flight attendants insisting that you take your backpack carry-on (full of your expensive camera gear) out of the overhead and put it on the floor? I had a Delta flight attendant jerk my backpack (with several thousand dollars worth of camera and computer gear) out of the overhead to make room for some kid's roll on bag. She didn't care that my bag didn't fit under a seat. Because my backpack doesn't have wheels, the flight attendants give priority to passengers with roll on luggage. I'm considering finding a backpack-ish bag with wheels for my camera gear to avoid this problem. Great youtube channel!
Never. That's awful.
Everyone's talking about weight limits on flights and I'm still laughing about a NCAA tournament band trip (chartered flight) where the bass amp, heavy as it was, just got checked as if normal. I guess $ solves everything.
When you travel with your big lenses, do you put them in the overhead bin, or do you have them at your feet?
Overhead either in the NYA-EVO 60c or Pelican Air case
Do you think that the THE RCI-XL will Fstop Tilopa 50
No. Different widths and depths.
Is your bag not limited to 12KG on inside airplanes?
No, not typically. Only budget airlines and Iceland air. I always check and upgrade if necessary. I have upgraded on Iceland air in the past and noticed that they never weigh backpacks except BIG camping packs. Not worth the risk though.
Why the 400 TC instead of the 600 TC? I’ve been agonizing over that choice for months.
3 big reasons after using both extensively. 1) I can handhold it all day while the 600 is hard except limited durations, 2) it's more versatile. For many situations 600 is a bit tight. Without an external TC the 400 is 400/600dx f2.8 or 560/780dx f4. Add the TC's. Plus it takes the external TC's. 3) 2.8 for low light work.