I'm planning a trip to Costa Rica and this will be my first overseas trip with photo equipment. I have a few questions.
1. Do I need to do anything ahead of time to take my gear with me. I've seen several sites saying that I may need to prove the equipment is mine when I get home???
2. I love my 500mm lens and do enjoy bird photography. That being said, I'm not sure I want to carry it with me throughout my trip. Will I be beating myself over the head if I only take a 100-400 as my long lens?
3. What pack would you recommend?
4. Why are all the good packs out there only available in black? I'm not fond of traveling in a foreign country while screaming "look at me, I have a bunch of expensive camera equipment!"
5. I'm planning on visiting Tortuguero, Arenal, and Manuel Antonio. Any areas nearby those points that I should be sure to put on my list???
Ok, that's more than a few! Any tips/advice any of you experienced travelers have will be GREATLY appreciated! I'm so excited about this trip! Thanks!
Take the 500mm along, most of costa rica is pretty safe and quite a few of the pretty birds are tiny.
The immigration/customs in costa rica are fair and super tourist friendly. You should have no issues taking your 500mm with you. Not sure where your "home" is, but assuming it is the US, you should have absolutely no issues returning with your personal camera equipment. Make sure to carry on all the essential gear as checked gear tend to get delayed/lost in some connections.
The volcano at arenal has been quiet of late. If interested in exploring volcanic regions, i would recommend some of the other volcanoes like poas. La Fortuna (town near arenal) is a touristy town and nice (hot springs,food etc..) to spend a day or two with friends/family but is pretty boring if you are looking for wild places (save for a couple of nice waterfalls).
Which month are you visiting ? Assuming its not the wet season(on the pacific side), I highly recommend the osa peninsula for large mammals. There are also some nice spots to see quetzals in the central highlands.
Thank you Anand. I am leaving from the US, flying in and out of JFK on Continental and traveling in the beginning of March.
Posted by Jim DeWitt on January 7, 2012 at 5:29 PM
(1) 've never had trouble getting my gear back into the states. After many trips, I can only think of one time I've been asked to open my camera bag by US Customs, and the guy's only comment was, "Nice gear." Maybe it would be an issue if you were coming from Hong Kong or Tokyo, but not from San Jose.
(2) Another strong recommendation to take the 500mm along. Not only are many of the birds tiny, they are spooky as well. Remember it is mostly dark under the jungle canopy and you are going to want all of the lens you can carry.
(3) For travel/airline carry-on, I use a Lowe Computetrekker AW Plus, which is comfortable, fits nicely into baggage compartments and can handle my gear. I don't think there's a substitute for taking your camera and lenses to your Friendly Neighborhood Camera Shop, packing stuff in and then trying the bag out. I strongly recommend an integrated rain cover. For work in the field, I carry my tripod, camera and big glass on my shoulder. When you encounter a mixed flock of birds, you won't have time to set up.
(4) Outside of a few parts of San Jose itself, Costa Rica is pretty safe. You're going to look like a tourist no matter what you do; the color of the bag doesn't make any difference. Waterproof matters.
(5) It's been a long time since I have been to CR. I agree with Anand that you should consider V. Poas over V.Arenal. Look into La Selva and the Guanacaste Dry Forest.
Be sure to pick up a copy of Stiles and Skutch, A Guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Are you headed over on your own or as a part of a tour?
Sharon, on my Costa Rica trips I've traditionally used a 300mm 2.8 lens rather than my big 500 mainly due to the lack of light in that environment. That said, given the choice, I'd definitely opt for the 500 over the 100-400. Bring stuck at f/5.6 in the jungle isn't much fun, and if birds are a goal I think the 500 is the better option.
I agree with most of the other comments regarding safety and security issues.
Remember to pack rain covers for all of your gear. It's also difficult to find light, breathable waterproof jackets that won't sweat you to death in the rainforest, so it may be a good idea to pick up a cheap portable poncho (I just got one for $5 from REI). If you want to get a sense of what I take with me on Costa Rica trips, click here.
As for other locations, I'll echo Jim's suggestion of La Selva. It's a nice biological preserve with a great mix of birds, herps and some mammals. On the Pacific Coast, depending on how you're getting to Manuel Antonio, it may be worth stopping at Carara National Park. If you're driving your own vehicle you may have to pay the locals to watch it for you... when I went we hired a ranger to guide us for half a day, which was worth the effort (he found us an orange-collared manakin, a spectacled owl with chick and nearly got us charged by peccaries. ). Near Carara is the Rio Tarcoles, famous for it's big crocodiles, which you can photograph from the bridge above. Also down in that area is Hacienda Baru, a private refuge that's also nice for a mix of wildlife, though it's not on par with a place like La Selva or the national parks.
Discussion
4 replies1. Do I need to do anything ahead of time to take my gear with me. I've seen several sites saying that I may need to prove the equipment is mine when I get home???
2. I love my 500mm lens and do enjoy bird photography. That being said, I'm not sure I want to carry it with me throughout my trip. Will I be beating myself over the head if I only take a 100-400 as my long lens?
3. What pack would you recommend?
4. Why are all the good packs out there only available in black? I'm not fond of traveling in a foreign country while screaming "look at me, I have a bunch of expensive camera equipment!"
5. I'm planning on visiting Tortuguero, Arenal, and Manuel Antonio. Any areas nearby those points that I should be sure to put on my list???
Ok, that's more than a few! Any tips/advice any of you experienced travelers have will be GREATLY appreciated! I'm so excited about this trip! Thanks!
The immigration/customs in costa rica are fair and super tourist friendly. You should have no issues taking your 500mm with you. Not sure where your "home" is, but assuming it is the US, you should have absolutely no issues returning with your personal camera equipment. Make sure to carry on all the essential gear as checked gear tend to get delayed/lost in some connections.
The volcano at arenal has been quiet of late. If interested in exploring volcanic regions, i would recommend some of the other volcanoes like poas. La Fortuna (town near arenal) is a touristy town and nice (hot springs,food etc..) to spend a day or two with friends/family but is pretty boring if you are looking for wild places (save for a couple of nice waterfalls).
Which month are you visiting ? Assuming its not the wet season(on the pacific side), I highly recommend the osa peninsula for large mammals. There are also some nice spots to see quetzals in the central highlands.
(2) Another strong recommendation to take the 500mm along. Not only are many of the birds tiny, they are spooky as well. Remember it is mostly dark under the jungle canopy and you are going to want all of the lens you can carry.
(3) For travel/airline carry-on, I use a Lowe Computetrekker AW Plus, which is comfortable, fits nicely into baggage compartments and can handle my gear. I don't think there's a substitute for taking your camera and lenses to your Friendly Neighborhood Camera Shop, packing stuff in and then trying the bag out. I strongly recommend an integrated rain cover. For work in the field, I carry my tripod, camera and big glass on my shoulder. When you encounter a mixed flock of birds, you won't have time to set up.
(4) Outside of a few parts of San Jose itself, Costa Rica is pretty safe. You're going to look like a tourist no matter what you do; the color of the bag doesn't make any difference. Waterproof matters.
(5) It's been a long time since I have been to CR. I agree with Anand that you should consider V. Poas over V.Arenal. Look into La Selva and the Guanacaste Dry Forest.
Be sure to pick up a copy of Stiles and Skutch, A Guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Are you headed over on your own or as a part of a tour?
You'll have a wonderful time. Enjoy!
I agree with most of the other comments regarding safety and security issues.
Remember to pack rain covers for all of your gear. It's also difficult to find light, breathable waterproof jackets that won't sweat you to death in the rainforest, so it may be a good idea to pick up a cheap portable poncho (I just got one for $5 from REI). If you want to get a sense of what I take with me on Costa Rica trips, click here.
As for other locations, I'll echo Jim's suggestion of La Selva. It's a nice biological preserve with a great mix of birds, herps and some mammals. On the Pacific Coast, depending on how you're getting to Manuel Antonio, it may be worth stopping at Carara National Park. If you're driving your own vehicle you may have to pay the locals to watch it for you... when I went we hired a ranger to guide us for half a day, which was worth the effort (he found us an orange-collared manakin, a spectacled owl with chick and nearly got us charged by peccaries.
Max