HOLIDAY CAMERA SET UP

I am shortly visiting the northern Ireland coastal route. Not my usual photography. What set up will I need to take for walkabout and landscape shots using my K10.
regards Thoramay.

Whatever lenses you possess? I don't understand the question

Tripod, nd filter(for sunsets and water),small mm lens Ie 50mm f1.7

If you expect burnt out sky's try a graduation filter (blue, smoke grey)

and a bit of commonsense, think about your shot (don't act like a complete novice)

But enjoy your self.

why not do some research on-line before you go.

where you are going

as we don't know what kit you have it's hard to give advice

James

edit get down low with your t/pod and find unusual perspective

The kit lens or it's equivalent will be fine. It is a great walkabout and also good for landscapes, and close-ups. Not as wide as some would like or suggest, but really it is good.

Maybe a tele-zoom too - great for compressing landscapes and giving a more graphic effect.

A tripod is useful, but it depends on if you are prepared to lug it - it is no use in the boot of your car.

Filters: Circ pol could be useful, an ND grad to avoid burnt out skies, and for sunsets.

Lens cleaning cloth is essential and maybe even some lens cleaning fluid is a good idea because of possible spray.

A comfortable strap or harness.

I am restricted in my mobility, so, close up and macro is my normal. I have about 13 different lens covering most of the range. Normal kit lens plus tamron 75-300. Tamron 100mm macro. A35-105. F 24-50. F 70-210. F 35-105. FA 28-80. FA 100-300. F 17-28 fisheye. F 1.7 AF adapter and others. I will take my tripod. Many I do not use for my normal work, so! I need advice on which to take, please. I do not know the area except from the usual promotional pics. It will be a trip to remember and so I want to take full advantage of the opportunity.
regards Thoramay.

As Gwyn says, the standard 18-55 kit lens is a good walk about. If you can manage the Tanron 75-300 (should that be 70-300?) then you could take that for the long stuff.

Other than that you could go out and buy a Sigma 18-200 (or similar) like I did. That one lens covers 90% of what I need on a trip and the other 10% I just crop the image!

from this list I would choose F70-210 - help reach the places mobility makes more difficult, the 18-55 or F24-50 as std lens, 100macro with&without AFA, the fish might give some interesting views of the rock formations at the giants causeway, if you have an A50 or A28 one might come in handy but you have tripod so not essential. My 70-210 saw a lot of use for landscapes - I don't go in for wide sweeping views so much, so perhaps it's a matter of taste.

lenses aside, a couple of extra SD cards, polariser, ND8 filter all rather useful. depending how sturdy the tripod is a remote for use with delayed shutter release could be invaluable, I've been amazed in the past how much blurring I could get from an ordinary tripod without use of MLU or remote.

enjoy the trip

If your traveling light Pentax 18-250 lens is all you will need for sure, it would be nice to know your location though,
Jack.

Interested in this because I plan to do the same trip later this year. Already been to Ballycastle twice but not done the whole coast trip. Two thoughts -
1. The weather can be dire. If you can be flexible, booking at the last minute when the forecast is good may be safer - but don't know if this would work for you?
2. Although not strictly on the coast, the "dark hedges" are not far away. You may already know about them, but well worth a google to look them up if not - consider a small diversion?

Have a great trip.

Paul

I am told the north coast of Ireland from Belfast round to Kerry is rugged and beautiful. I want to capture as much of this as possible. Having little or no experience of this type of pic taking makes me want to ask questions. It would be frustrating to know that I could have done better had I chosen the right lens. It would seem from your comments that the DA 50-200, or 70-300 plus the DA 18-55 and maybe the 1.7 adapter could be a good bet. I have a sturdy tripod. Tempted as I am to get a 28-250 lens, it would probably be used solely for this trip and maybe not worth the expense. I have three SD cards, a poloriser but no ND filters. Are these different from the skylight filters I use to protect the lens?
regards Thoramay.

The area around Kerry is superb, a circuit known as " The Ring of Kerry " ( well sign-posted ) is well worth visiting and you could spend at least a week here.

I just love Kerry. Would move there tomorrow if I could.

To answer the question on ND filters. No, they are not the same as Skylight filters. They are dark ( various grades of dark ) filters designed to block light. This way you can stop the sky blowing out if you are trying to expose for foreground, or leave shutter open for longer if trying to get "cotton wool" waterfalls etc.

I tend to wander around the Northumberland coast(craggy & wet just like Ireland ) quite a lot and have limited my kit too:

DA 16-45, that extra 2mm makes all the difference
DA 50-300
Three Cokin ND Grad filters
Tripod
Umbrella (for the camera lens not me)
Waterproofs

If I had a macro I probably would take that as well.

I am staying near Cushenden for a week and traveling each day in a hire car to locations, then on to the Ring of Kerry area for three days and then back to Belfast. Physically, it will be challenging but am really looking forward to this and the photo opportunities. There is not much challenging scenery where I live. It will be an experience and a challenge. I am grateful for the usual good advice I have been given.
regards Thoramay

You will need a wide angle lens. The kit lens seems to be the widest you have. I'd take the F 70-210 over the Tamron 70-300 if it suffers as badly from purple fringing as mine did! Along with the 100 macro and teleconverter that should cover most situations. A Polariser would be useful as you will be getting lots of sky and water in some of the shots. The fish eye could produce some interesting shots too along the coast or the hills of Kerry. A fast standard/wide could be useful for the evenings or inside some of the more atmospheric pubs. Even if you don't drink they are worth a visit in the evenings, especially if there's some live traditional music playing.
Things to see near Cushenden are the "rope bridge" even though it's steel cables these days. Giants Causeway, and the near by Bushmills distillery if thats your thing.
Just keep your eyes open along the coast road as there are lots of almost hidden gems.
In Kerry, well you're spoilt for choice. The coast, mountains and general scenery. If the sun shines it's beautiful and if (WHEN!) it doesn't it can be very dramatic. There is always the possibility of a spectacular sunset or stormy sky along the Kerry coast. And the light and views can change from minute to minute.
If you do like whiskey ( and even if you don't!) the best and smoothest ( and most expensive!) Irish whiskey is made at Middleton just outside Cork, which is not far from Kerry.