Antarctic Workflow Question

[Kenneth Sky]

Michael
Unfortunately I can't afford to participate in your Antarctic trip but you have given us a great deal of information on what equipment you will use. Besides your Sony A900s and lenses, I'm assuming you will bring your Hasselblad and P45+ back and do some preliminary processing on a MacBook. But having tantalized us with the results of various applications in handling high ISO RAW files from the A900, you haven't mentioned what your preferred workflow will be for what I estimate to be in excess of 100 gigabytes of files. Since (I'm guessing) 80% of your exposures will be at 800 ISO and under it would seem natural that you would fall back to your preferred workflow in LR 2. But what curious minds would like to know is how you will deal with the minority of high ISO RAW files from the A900. Perhaps this will have to wait till the end of January when you return. Rest assured we will still be interested. As well, we'll want to know what worked and what didn't. Have a great trip and don't run into a "growler"
Ken

[michael]

I do my field work in Lightroom for several reasons. It allows for importing and saving to two drives simultaneously for one thing.

The processing that I do on board ship is superficial. My real processing is done once I get back on a much better screen and I take much more time over it.

With Lightroom I can create a virtual copy and then have it onscreen as a guide as to what I thought was best on the day I shot it. I find this very helpful.

If I shoot something that needs a different raw processor I can then do this at my leisure once I'm back.

Michael

Ps: I expect I'll be shooting with a Phase Camera and a P65+ this trip as well, though that isn't 100% certain at the moment.

[Kenneth Sky]

You will have to tell us, on your return, how you managed to carry all that equipment on board the plane without being forced to place it in checked luggage.

[michael]

Let's hope that I don't have to.

Two Sony A900 bodies and 8 lenses fit in the new Kiboko bag as carry one.

The medium format system is being carried by someone else.  

Michael

[ErikKaffehr]

Nice to have a caddy or a sherpa... I will buy a Kiboko bag next time I go to US, 22-th of January, probably.

I hope that you get an L-plate on the Arctic trip, hard to survive without. A hint, the L plate for the Alpha 700 actually works on the Alpha 900.

Best regards
Erik

Let's hope that I don't have to.

Two Sony A900 bodies and 8 lenses fit in the new Kiboko bag as carry one.

The medium format system is being carried by someone else.  

Michael

[eleanorbrown]

Michael are you by any chance flying LAN Chile from Santiago to Ushuaia?  I will be taking that flight in two weeks (will be on the National Geographic Endeavor that departs Ushuaia three days before the LL ship departs).  I was told that on the LAN flight I have to keep my carry on weight down to 11 lbs.  My Think Tank weights 35 ibs with Phase, H2 and Canon gear.  Have you ever had your carry on checked on the weight scales?  Wondering if have to pulll the lenses in pockets, cameras hanging from my and my husband's necks, etc  thing to get around the weight limit of the airline.  thank, eleanor

Let's hope that I don't have to.

Two Sony A900 bodies and 8 lenses fit in the new Kiboko bag as carry one.

The medium format system is being carried by someone else.  

Michael

[michael]

No, we're on an Aerolinas flight.

There are few simple answers. Airlines publish rules and then poorly enforce them. Aerolinas has similar rules but I've only seen them occasionally enforced.

Just be prepared for anything. If I have to gate check a bag I will, and if I have to send it as baggage I'll take whatever is most valuable and most critical and load up my pockets. I also keep plastic zip ties handy so that I can seal all zippers to prevent pilferage.

Bottom line – it's a crap shoot.

Michael

[DavidB]

Michael are you by any chance flying LAN Chile from Santiago to Ushuaia?  I will be taking that flight in two weeks (will be on the National Geographic Endeavor that departs Ushuaia three days before the LL ship departs).  I was told that on the LAN flight I have to keep my carry on weight down to 11 lbs.  My Think Tank weights 35 ibs with Phase, H2 and Canon gear.  Have you ever had your carry on checked on the weight scales?  Wondering if have to pulll the lenses in pockets, cameras hanging from my and my husband's necks, etc  thing to get around the weight limit of the airline.  thank, eleanor

If you check LAN's website you'll see that the carry-on allowance is 8 kg (~18 lbs) for Economy, 16 kg (~35 lbs) for Business/First.  8 kg is fairly standard for most airlines (you should check for all airlines on your trip though so you know what you're dealing with).  I can't imagine where the 11 lbs (5 kg) figure came from.  Maybe you need to upgrade your tickets if you're worried about it.

As Michael says it's a crap shoot.  But you need to be flexible, and having gear split with a travelling partner definitely helps.  My standard procedure is to have a camera and big lens on a strap ready to come out of the bag, and have plenty of pockets available to offload weight if necessary.  I've been doing this for several years with multiple Canon DSLRs with no dramas, although I haven't had to deal with MF gear too.  I'm flying some LAN legs next week (combined with Emirates and Aerolineas on the same trip) and don't expect any dramas.

It'll definitely be interesting to see how all this gear is going to make it to the boat!  Actually, the scary thing will be seeing the combined zillions of dollars worth of gear finally assembled on the boat.
<insert geek joke about distorting space-time>

[plawrence]

Michael,

Just curious, are you going to also bring your Panasonic Lumix G1 mini-SLR on your Antarctica trip too?  Or are you going to leave it at home?


- Peter

[eleanorbrown]

thanks David.  I had indeed checked the LAN site and noticed the 18 lb notation.  upgrading our ticket is not possible as it would run $16,000 (we checked)...we don't have any american air miles, only AMX and Continental which won't work on LAN.  At any rate I was able to get a Canon 5D II at the last minute so will use that as back up to my H2 Phase gear, instead of the 1DsIII which will eliminate some weight.  I was given the 11 lbs figure for Lan by National Geographic/Lindblad.  They have chartered a LAN flight from Santiago - Ushiaua for their 90 passengers for the trip.  At any rate I will be prepared with pockets, and husband who will carry one of my two cameras if necessary.  You have to play their "game".  eleanor

If you check LAN's website you'll see that the carry-on allowance is 8 kg (~18 lbs) for Economy, 16 kg (~35 lbs) for Business/First.  8 kg is fairly standard for most airlines (you should check for all airlines on your trip though so you know what you're dealing with).  I can't imagine where the 11 lbs (5 kg) figure came from.  Maybe you need to upgrade your tickets if you're worried about it.

As Michael says it's a crap shoot.  But you need to be flexible, and having gear split with a travelling partner definitely helps.  My standard procedure is to have a camera and big lens on a strap ready to come out of the bag, and have plenty of pockets available to offload weight if necessary.  I've been doing this for several years with multiple Canon DSLRs with no dramas, although I haven't had to deal with MF gear too.  I'm flying some LAN legs next week (combined with Emirates and Aerolineas on the same trip) and don't expect any dramas.

It'll definitely be interesting to see how all this gear is going to make it to the boat!  Actually, the scary thing will be seeing the combined zillions of dollars worth of gear finally assembled on the boat.
<insert geek joke about distorting space-time>

[michael]

No, no room I'm afraid. It's more of a lightweight casual travel camera than a "heavyweight" landscape and nature camera.

Michael

[ndevlin]

I played this ridiculous carry-on weight game with Air Transat recently. I just put the bag down, put a lens in each pocket and my 1DsII over my shoulder and put the bag on the scale. The functionary was appeased, I walked on through and promptly re-loaded my bag.

Count yourself lucky if you got on a LAN flight. AA scares me in every way.....

- N.

[gerry s]

Went by LAN from Beunos Aires to Ushaia last year and there were no checks on weight either way, Although the limit is 8Kg on economy you are allowed one other personal item which would obviously be your heaviest body and lens and as others have said you can always stick another lens in your pocket. Its quite a cool little airport at Ushaia by the way. have a great time, Would just love to be going again.

[neal1740]

dear michael have a great trip My wife and i are Going jan 18th on the silver seas the flight from santago is a charter i have a thinKtank international accelerator have a 5d mark 11 50d 24-105 700-200 is f4 100 -400 do i need a different bag should i take my 17-40 my wife loves her G10 I also could take a 5d instead of the 50d  idont own a tripod  any suggestions and the toughest one does my wife need ear muffs thsnks neal1740 ps this very similiar to what we took to rawanda this year

[DavidB]

Wow.  Could someone buy that man some punctuation?  

My wife and i are Going jan 18th on the silver seas

The Prince Albert II?  Very swish!

have a 5d mark 11 50d 24-105 700-200 is f4 100 -400
[...]
should i take my 17-40

I'm taking a similar rig: 5DmkII and 40D, with 17-40, 24-105, and 100-400.
With the APS-C body, the 17-40 provides a nice general-purpose backup lens as well as being an ultrawide on the FF body.

[neal1740]

dear DavidB thank you I will try to improve my punctuation are you taking a lap top and what about a tripod?  neal1740

[DavidB]

are you taking a lap top and what about a tripod?

Yes, a MacBook and multiple backup drives.
And a tripod for those times I'll be doing HDR panoramas on land.  I'm doing another fortnight's work elsewhere on the same trip, so I am bringing some things I wouldn't necessarily need for just Antarctica.

[eleanorbrown]

Mac Book Air is great to travel with if you are a Mac person.  Re: Tripod....I'm going super light with  a 1.5 lb gitzo carbon fiber tripod and the Really Right Stuff B40 (mid size) ball head.  This tripod will really serve as a "three legged monopod" that I can weight down with my hands, as it's really too light to use as a tripod for my gear. Just a suggestion if you're tight on weight and space. eleanor

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

I'm using a Velbon Sherpa Pro 630 with the B40. This weights in about 2 kg, four lb, but handles my 400/4.5 APO (Minolta) quite well, even with extenders. The tripod goes into the checked luggage

A suggestion may be that you could possibly ship some equipment with DHL. I'm not travelling that much with equipment, but I had my carry on weight checked just once.

Practical hints:
Try to board early, if possible. Normal camera bags may not fit in overhead bin on short distance flight but they would fit under the chair in front of you, if you don't sit in the front row or at the emergency exits, that is.
Erik

Mac Book Air is great to travel with if you are a Mac person.  Re: Tripod....I'm going super light with  a 1.5 lb gitzo carbon fiber tripod and the Really Right Stuff B40 (mid size) ball head.  This tripod will really serve as a "three legged monopod" that I can weight down with my hands, as it's really too light to use as a tripod for my gear. Just a suggestion if you're tight on weight and space. eleanor

[michael]

I would be very cautious about shipping things ahead to Argentina. They have very strict import rules and duties, and you could easily run afoul of them.

On the two previous Antarctic trips we shipped several Epson printers down, and even though we tried to arranged to leave them afterward as charitable donations to local schools we ended up having to pay duty.

The other problem, is where to ship things? I would be very nervous about shipping to a hotel ahead of time, in fact more so than checking an extra bag.

My suggestion is that if you have to bring a lot of stuff on a trip like this put it in a well protected case (like a Pelican) and then put that inside an old duffle bag. That way it doesn't screem "expensive stuff inside".

Though we all have heard, and have our own horror stories about lost and delayed luggage, the odds are about 98% that your bags will arrive just fine.

Michael