Gear for Cotswold Way hike (England), and Ireland visit.

[Midway]

I debating what if anything to bring on a last minute trip we have been invited to fill in on for a couple that had to cancel. I have half a mind to leave everything at home and use my iPhone. The other half knows I would be constantly thinking about the shot I would take if I had my camera though the iPhone might make do.

I have a trip late September through early October to England and Ireland. My wife and I will be traveling with two other couples. We will arrive in London for a couple days, spend 6 days hiking northern part of the Cotswold Way, spend a couple days in Bath, and finally on to Ireland.

I am the only photographer and since a car will be transporting our luggage between cities during the Cotswold Way hike, I am limited to 20KG/44pounds in the suitcase and what I carry on my back. The way my wife packs, there will not be an option to have her carry any of my gear. I wouldn’t consider myself a landscape photographer and tend to primarily use long glass but do OK with landscape.

I have a Z 9 and only own 3 Z lenses; Z 50 1.2, Z 600 f/4 TC and Z 400 f/4.5. I will not be bringing a 600. I also still own a D850 and all the F prime zooms from the 14-24 to the 180-400 TC but find it tough to use the D850 much anymore except for macro and use with an underwater housing. One other option would be to borrow my daughters new compact, I think it is a Ricoh GR IIIx. Thanks

 

[GrandNagus50]

In the Costwolds it's gonna be gorgeous landscapes and quaint English town stuff.

Do you need zoom, or are you fine with a single focal length? The Ricoh compact will take fabulous photos at 40mm full frame equivalent, but your photographic task would then be "using your creative sense to maximize one focal length," a challenge a lot of people relish but may or may not be your cup of tea. If you would prefer to have a range of focal lengths then you need perhaps to overcome your resistance to using your "old" D850 and bring that camera, along with an F mount zoom of perhaps 24-70 or 24-120mm.

Truth be told, in this day and age, you actually could do fine with your iPhone, if you have a reasonably recent one.
You might want to tell us about what your thought is re "the shot I would take if I had my camera" as opposed to your iPhone. What comes to mind is a zoomed-in landscape or "details" shot. If you feel you will need that kind of reach, then dust off the DSLR and bring a lens (or two) that will make this possible.

 

[Midway]

In the Costwolds it's gonna be gorgeous landscapes and quaint English town stuff.

Do you need zoom, or are you fine with a single focal length? The Ricoh compact will take fabulous photos at 40mm full frame equivalent, but your photographic task would then be "using your creative sense to maximize one focal length," a challenge a lot of people relish but may or may not be your cup of tea. If you would prefer to have a range of focal lengths then you need perhaps to overcome your resistance to using your "old" D850 and bring that camera, along with an F mount zoom of perhaps 24-70 or 24-120mm.

Truth be told, in this day and age, you actually could do fine with your iPhone, if you have a reasonably recent one.
You might want to tell us about what your thought is re "the shot I would take if I had my camera" as opposed to your iPhone. What comes to mind is a zoomed-in landscape or "details" shot. If you feel you will need that kind of reach, then dust off the DSLR and bring a lens (or two) that will make this possible.

I am fine with fixed lenses. With a sports photographer background my eye still tends to see in a telephoto perspective. I can easily carry the Z 9 with Z 50 or the Z 9 with FTZ and 14-24 with a temptation to also carry the Z 400. It is light enough but realize it is not typical for landscape. Leaning towards my iPhone and daughter's camera or just the iPhone. Last thing I want to do is hold up the group though they will appreciate the pictures latter. Thanks.

 

[hef19898]

No idea why otherwise serious photographers would gonto nice places without their kit, or it least some of it. Or why the limit themselves to one genre (sports, wildlife, street, landscape...), they miss out on a lot, IMHO.

Most, basically all, my vacations amd trips are with family, so no time for extended, hour long sessions on site. So, travel light: no tripod, some general purpose lens (for Nikon, something like a 24-70/120). Wide angles take too much effort and tike to do properly (that is le so, if you are comfortable with a 14-24, take that).

I think you'd regret only having iPhone pictures, England and Ireland are stunningly beautiful places.

 

[Abinoone]

The Cotswolds are spectacular, so you can be sure to have a wonderful time. There's a postcard almost any direction you turn, so no shortage of appealing subject matter - bucolic landscapes, charming villages, and lots of sheep and other livestock. Since you'll be hiking, you might appreciate having a lightweight camera, or just use your iPhone. I'm not sure I'd want to lug along a serious camera and lens(es) on long daily hikes, so personally I'd leave them at home. When I was last there about 15 years ago, I toted a nice but simple 15mp point and shoot, and was plenty pleased with my memory images.