Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/09/20

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Subject: [Leica] Nepal: gear
From: firkin at ncable.net.au (Alastair Firkin)
Date: Mon Sep 20 02:16:18 2004
References: <414A41BE.6050403@Hemenway.com> <3.0.2.32.20040916204632.01d084b4@pop.infionline.net> <414A41BE.6050403@Hemenway.com> <3.0.2.32.20040918175117.01bba538@pop.infionline.net> <ED8B02FA-0A31-11D9-B310-000A9578C446@ncable.net.au> <414D8C55.7050401@cox.net>

You will of course be bombarded ;-) and thanks for the good vibes.

Only 2 weeks to go

Cheers
On 19/09/2004, at 11:40 PM, Steve Barbour wrote:

> I am anxious to see the images. Steve
>
> Alastair Firkin wrote:
>
>> Thanks Marc, I have thought of hiring a troup of porters, but it 
>> seems it will be just me and therefore  a more limited array of gear. 
>> I don't think we sleep at 5500, only scale that height to capture the 
>> vistas. Not that the height of Gorak Shep or Gokyo are to be sneezed 
>> at. We have given ourselves an extra 4 days over the rate which was 
>> originally proposed, and if we only make it to one of the two main 
>> destinations, I'll still be happy and content.
>> Cheers
>> On 19/09/2004, at 7:51 AM, Marc James Small wrote:
>>> At 01:44 PM 9/17/04 +1000, firkin wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ok, I'm climbing to over 5500 meters, the air is thin and the UV 
>>>> must be
>>>> high: now can I use (should I use) a UV filter?
>>>>
>>>> tips please on mountain photography:
>>>> how wide an angle lens will I need?
>>>> how much in the telephoto range would be useful?
>>>> how can I keep the weight down?
>>>
>>>
>>> Alaistair
>>>
>>> There are two conflicting realities in this:
>>>
>>> First, you do not wish to carry a lot of weight with you and, of 
>>> course
>>>
>>> Second, you want to have a really good wide-angle lens and a really 
>>> good
>>> long-focus lens for topographic photography, and either a 35mm or 
>>> 50mm lens
>>> for shooting around your camp and taking pictures of your party in 
>>> action.
>>> I would recommend a Questar (1300mm), a Viso outfit of the 400, 280, 
>>> and
>>> 200 lenses, and Leica RF lenses -- 3.4/135, 2/90 APO Asph, 1.4/50, 
>>> and
>>> below this your choices are your own.  But that load would require a 
>>> party
>>> of three Sherpas to tote, so I would probably restrict it to a 
>>> 3.4/135,
>>> either a 1.4/50 or a 1.4/35, and a wide lens to your choice.
>>>
>>> Third, 5500 meters is 18,000 feet in real terms.  This is pretty 
>>> much the
>>> cutting edge for high-altitude adventure.  If you are going to use 
>>> oxygen,
>>> make certain that you sleep with your gear in place and operating.  
>>> If not,
>>> then go high for a week or tenday, and then go low for at least a 
>>> week.
>>> You ought to then be fully acclimatized.  (18,000 feet is the 
>>> absolute
>>> limit for extended humna existence without oxygen and, even then, 
>>> this
>>> works best with folks adapted to it such as Peruvians and Tibetans.)
>>>
>>> Smoking helps.  If you are a smoker, light up at altitude and the 
>>> kick of
>>> the nicotine helps you adjust more rapidly to the effects of reduced 
>>> air
>>> pressure.
>>>
>>> Marc
>>>
>>> msmall@infionline.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
>>> Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>>
>>>
>> Alastair
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
>
Alastair



In reply to: Message from Jim at hemenway.com (Jim Hemenway) ([Leica] Scary Who, Howard, and Wilson)
Message from msmall at infionline.net (Marc James Small) ([Leica] Scary Who, Howard, and Wilson)
Message from msmall at infionline.net (Marc James Small) ([Leica] Nepal: gear)
Message from firkin at ncable.net.au (Alastair Firkin) ([Leica] Nepal: gear)
Message from kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour) ([Leica] Nepal: gear)