2024 Road Trip To The West; Wrap UP; How Did My Gear Perform? Costs? Highs & Lows? Lessons Learned? What Would I Do Differently?

Out of all the photographic gear I took with me, this is what I actually used to make almost 6000
exposures.  Nikon Z8, Nikon Zf, Nikon 24-120mm f/4, 14-30mm f/4, 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 and the
1.4X tele-converter.  As I have previously mentioned I also took a 60mm f/2.8 F-mount Micro lens as
well as the FTZ II  F-mount to Z-mount converter.  I did not find an occasion to use either of those.
These cameras and lenses cover from 14mm to 1260mm (effective).  I shot from 15mm to 1260mm.
I could have left the Zf behind which would have made my kit even smaller, but...it was insurance.
(click any image to enlarge)

This post is a continuation of my 2024 road trip out to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks primarily to photograph grizzly bears and other large mammals.  However, along the way out and back, I planned my adventure to be able to stop at various places and photograph.  You can find Part I here, Part II here, Part III here, Part IV here, Part V here, Part VI here, Part VII here, Part VIII here, Part IX here, Part X here and a post about what gear I took and why here.

As a wrap up to my posts about my 2024 road trip to Yellowstone National and Gran Teton National Parks, I thought a post about how well my gear served me, what would I change about the gear I took, how I planned the road trip, a summary of my expenses as well as lessons I may have learned.

I think the easiest way to structure this post is a question & answer format.  Since this is primarily a photography-based blog, most of you will be interested primarily in my thoughts about my gear, how well it served me, should I have taken something else, etc.  So, gear questions first.

Why did I choose to take my Nikon gear rather than either my Fujifilm or my OM gear?

As I wrote in a post that I published before my trip, here is why I took the Nikon gear.  

"I've decided on taking my Nikon gear for four reasons.  First, I don't have a backup camera for either my Fujifilm X-T5 or OM Systems OM-1.  A backup camera is absolutely necessary.  Second, the Nikon Z8 has the most pixels, therefore the most versatility of any camera I own.  I can even shoot in DX mode (APS-C equivalent) and still have 19.4mp to work with if necessary.  Third, the Nikon Z8's and Zf's AF and AF Subject detection features are the best of the three systems I own.  Finally, the Nikon 180-600mm lens is the most desirable wildlife lens I currently own.  Case closed."

Was I happy with how my Nikon gear performed?

The Nikon gear performed flawlessly.  Not 100% in every situation but nonetheless flawlessly.  Why not 100%?  Operator error.  That said, I can’t say enough good things about the autofocus accuracy & speed, subject detection, AF stickiness, dynamic range, low noise at high ISOs, color reproduction and overall image quality. The camera and lenses were not too heavy or bulky to hold for long periods of time. I thought they might be, but I was wrong.

Would I have been served better in any situation I encountered if I would have taken my OM-1 or Fujifilm kit instead?

I don’t believe so. The Fujifilm’s autofocus and animal subject detection are not nearly as good as Nikon’s.  Also, because some of the grizzly bears I photographed were so far away  having only 20 megapixels in the OM-1 with a maximum focal length of 800mm (FF equiv.) or 40mp in the X-T5 but only a maximum focal length of 450mm (FF equiv.) would not have sufficed.  The Z8 with 45.7mp and 900mm was the best combination.  In non-wildlife situations either of these two systems would have worked fine, however.

Since my X-T5 has been my “go-to” camera for such a long time with its numerous buttons, dials and lens aperture rings, did I have any problem using the Nikon controls and menu system since they are completely different?

I had purposefully used my Nikon Z8 exclusively for several months before taking the road trip to become fully familiar with all aspects of the camera. Therefore, I had no issues whatsoever with adapting to Nikon’s menus, dials, buttons, or configuring the camera in the best manner for my purposes. I had no issues at all making that transition. I thought I might, but everything went extremely smoothly.  Additionally, the OM-1 and my former X-H2S have similar controls as the Nikon.

Is there any photo gear I wish I would have had that I didn’t have?

No.  What I brought with me served me perfectly.

Is there any photo gear that I had inadvertently left behind and wished I would have brought?

No.  I had everything I needed to fully take advantage of every photo situation I encountered.

Occident grain elevator made with the 14-30mm
lens @ 15mm

Is there any gear that I could have left behind knowing what’s I know know?

I could have left the Nikon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens at home. Also, I could have left the Nikon 60mm f/2.8 micro lens at home as well.  Additionally, I could have left my Nikon Zf at home.  I ended up not using any of those. If I had left them behind my kit would have been significantly lighter but then I wouldn't have potential backup gear, if needed.  In other words, I took them ‘just in case.’  

Did I bring too much/many of anything when it comes to photo gear or accessories?

As I normally do, I overthink these kinds of trips and what I need to take. Many things I take, ‘just for insurance,’ as I mentioned above but didn’t actually find them necessary after I’ve returned home. In this case, I took way too many memory cards and too many batteries. I really only needed 2 to 3 batteries and only four memory cards.  

What gear did I use the most?

For the vast majority of my exposures, I used the Nikon Z8 with the 180–600 mm f/5.6–6.3mm lens attached.  That is because most of my images were of wildlife.  Secondarily, I used the 24-120mm f/4 lens for all but a few non-wildlife images.

Was 600mm enough focal length?

In about half of the circumstances, yes. In the other half, no. I found that while in Yellowstone National Park some the grizzly bears were actually too far away in order to make excellent, highly detailed photographs.  But I was so enthralled with the opportunity to photograph grizzlies that I photographed them anyway.  In those instances I ended up setting my lens at 600mm, then adding the 1.4X tele-converter plus I set the camera to DX mode, which gave me 19.4 megapixels instead of the full 45.7 megapixels. Even at that effective 1260mm focal length the bears were not close enough as I had to then crop significantly into the final image (about 2/3 of the way in) to have the bears large enough to be properly composed. With that much enlargement, editing and manipulation, obviously, it takes a toll on image quality. I don’t think there is any lens out there that is affordable that could have been long enough to capture these bears large enough in the native frame. 

NOTE:  Even though I thoroughly tested the 1.4X tele-converter on the 180-600mm lens and the results were sharp, I didn't like using it.  I found I preferred shooting at 600mm and the camera's DX crop mode (1.5X) at 19.4mp instead.  I found I achieved a bit higher success rate of tack sharp images then with the tele-converter attached.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe due to the additional potential camera 'shake' with the extra focal length.  Additionally, I had the FX/DX programmed to a button so it was easy for me to push a function button to immediately switch from full frame to APS-C mode.

How well did the autofocus and subject detection work?

Nikon’s autofocus and subject detection is superb in the Nikon Z8 camera. It is fast, accurate, recognizes the smallest animal in the frame (I was surprised at how small an animal could be and still recognized in the viewfinder), and then locks on and stays locked on. I cannot say enough good things about Nikon’s autofocus and subject detection.

How would you compare the AF subject detection to the feature in the OM-1 and Fujifilm X-T5?

I mentioned this briefly above. Nikon’s autofocus is certainly at least one level if not more above the autofocus in my OM-1 and at least two levels above Fujifilm’s autofocus and subject detection. Not even close.

Did I really need 45.7mp or could I have fared just as well with a camera with fewer pixels?

Yes, definitely. Because some of my subjects were so far away, I ended up having to crop in significantly. The 45.7 megapixel sensor allowed me to do this and not lose significant image quality. I very much appreciated having all those pixels for this particular purpose. 

Generally speaking, however, I don’t think I really need 45.7 megapixels for all-around or general photography. Twenty-four megapixels certainly is enough for me in most cases. It is only when you encounter the outliers when you need a sensor with 45.7 megapixels, in my humble opinion. 

Shot with the 180-600mm lens + the 1.4X tele-
converter + I used DX mode on the Z8 which
is another 1.5X crop giving me an effective
focal length of 1260mm; Oh!  By the way, did
I mention this was handheld!

How often did I use the Nikon Zf?

I thought I would use it more and intended to do so. However, I only used it one time when riding in the rear of my friend’s Toyota Highlander and photographing landscapes as we drove slowly through Yellowstone National Park. I found it just as easy to pick up the Nikon Z8 and use that camera as picking up the Zf.  Also, I normally had a lens attached to the Z8 and not the Zf.  So I would have had to attach one each time I wanted to use it.

Did I find myself handholding the 180-600mm lens or did I mostly use my large, heavy tripod with the gimbal head?

I used a large carbon fiber tripod with a gimbal head attached when possible when using the Z8 and 180-600mm combination. However, I did hand hold it a significant amount of time, and it was no problem for me, even at 72 years of age, to handhold the camera lens for up to 10 minutes. I actually practiced doing so for a few weeks before I left.  Practice paid off nicely. 

Did I use a tripod for the landscape images I made?

No.  The in-body-image-stabilization (IBIS) worked very well.

What were my settings ‘in general’ for wildlife photography and for my other photography?

For wildlife photography I had my Nikon Z8 set for manual mode, 1/2000 of a second, anywhere from f/5.6-6.3 (wide open) to f/11, depending upon the situation, auto ISO, and anywhere from 5 to 15 frames per second. For general photography, I had my camera set for aperture priority, f/8-f/11, auto ISO, and single shot.  IBIS was turned on as well.  I found Manual Mode worked better for me than my previous habit of using Shutter Priority for wildlife.  With Manual Mode, I can change the shutter speed and aperture immediately, if necessary.  With Shutter Priority, aperture was handled by the camera and needing to change it in a fast moving situation would have been problematic.

What was the highest ISO I used? 

The highest ISO I used was 12,800;  That was for both dark interior images in the 1880 Town in South Dakota and for some wildlife;  The noise was not an issue at all.

Would a faster fixed focal length lens have served me better than a slower zoom lens?  For example a 400mm f/2.8 which is very popular with wildlife photographers? 

I feel the ability to zoom out at times was important and I'd rather have the zooming ability than a fixed focal length used with tele-converters.  I did use 600mm most of the time but a surprising amount of time I used shorter focal lengths.  A fixed focal length lens would not have served me the best for this trip.  The other photographer who was with me had a 400mm f/2.8 TC lens and a few times could not get a good image as he could not zoom out.  So there's that.

I took two tripods with me on the trip.  A large heavy carbon fiber tripod with a gimbal head attached and my smaller, tried-and-true travel Gitzo carbon fiber tripod with a geared head attached.  Did I need both? 

My large, heavy carbon fiber tripod with a gimbal head attached was absolutely essential at times.  With an effective 1260mm focal length (600m + 1.4X tele-converter + shooting in DX mode), I found handholding the camera/lens configurated like this slightly (but not significantly) reduced my 'hit' rate (however, the camera's IBIS was excellent!).  The tripod with the gimbal head really helped a lot, especially when photographing a grizzly for over an hour while it ate an elk calf..  If you are planning on photographing wildlife, I highly recommended a large carbon fiber tripod even though heavy and bulky.  As for the smaller tripod, I could have left it at home.  I handheld all of the landscape and general photography I did.  Again, thank goodness for IBIS.

How often did I use my iPhone 14 Pro Max and for what types of photography?

I used it on occasion for general record photography. I also used it for those times when I wasn’t able to use one of my Nikon cameras. I would say, overall, it did a fairly good job. I wouldn’t use it all the time, but I would press it into service in those kinds of situations. 

Did I need to take a laptop computer and backup hard drives?

Yes. For the length of this road trip (23 days) as well as the number of total exposures I made (almost 6000), a computer that contained my Lightroom Classic catalog was essential. Each evening in the hotel I uploaded the day's image files, keyworded the images as I ingested them into Lightroom and then filed them under the proper location folder. (My Lightroom catalog folder system is based upon geographic location since I have traveled and photographed extensively.)  At the same time, I was able to back up all of my images to two small USB powered SSD hard drives.  Being that my images were in Lightroom and backed up, I was able to also edit and post images as the trip progressed.  If I hadn't spent each evening doing the work incrementally, it would have been a really undesirable chore to try to catalog all of those images after returning home.

The medium sized Wacom tablet was necessary as well.  I've been using a tablet and stylus in lieu of a mouse for about 20 years (??) and I would never return to a mouse.  A tablet and stylus is so much easier and more precise than a mouse.  Additionally, when I was working, I found I was susceptible to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

In the future, if I take a trip a week or less, my plan is to be able to upload my images to my new iPad Pro and back them up to those same two SSD drives. I just purchased a new iPad Pro 12.9” with a one terabyte hard drive and that should suffice for any amount of images I make during a seven day period.  I also purchased the new Apple Magic Keyboard and new Apple Pencil as well.  In my preliminary efforts I’ve been able to successfully ingest and edit my images on this new iPad using Lightroom Mobile.  Lightroom Mobile will then automatically sync my images through the cloud and transfer them into my Lightroom Classic program when I return home.

NOTE:  I discovered my Anker hub (which I connect to my laptop so I can connect multiple devices such as card readers and two small SSD backup drives) is extremely slow.  When I tested directly copying to the SSDs versus going through the hub, there was a dramatic difference in speed and time.  About 90% of the time it took to copy files was saved by not using the hub.  This is a cautionary tale to all of you who may use a hub.  I've now found a much faster hub that in my testing only loses a small fraction of time when uploading/downloading.

Could I have done what I needed to do with with my image files with an iPad Pro, dongle, card reader and small backup SSD drives?

No, I don’t think so. They were just too many images and too much keywording that needed to be done. It would’ve been too work intensive as well as (my brain) memory intensive to have to re-create at home after my return everywhere I made images while traveling.

How many exposures did I make?

Just under 6000.

What was the longest focal length (or equivalent) did I use?

1260mm as I had explained in my posts.  That was a native 600mm + the 1.4X tele-converter + setting the camera to DX mode (that is a 1.5X crop mode).

What was the shortest focal length that I used?

15mm.

If you have any other questions about gear, please comment or email me.  Now...

Here is my assessment about the trip in its entirety.

Was my travel plan solid?

Absolutely. There is nothing that I would do differently when it comes to my travel plan. I had spent a couple of months thoroughly thinking things through, trying to anticipate all situations I might encounter and cover all bases as well as potential extenuating circumstances, unintended consequences and a Plan B if my initial plan did not work out for some reason.  My chosen routes were perfect;  I had little traffic, made planned stops to photograph as well as discovered several things to photograph along the way.

Now that I’m back home and have had time to think and digest the entirety of the road trip, is there anything I would have done differently?

No.  My trip was just about as perfect as I could make it.

What was the highlight of the trip? 

My biggest thrill was seeing and getting several excellent images of grizzly #399 and her cub.  That was one of my two goals for this trip.

What else did I think was best about my trip?

Two other things.  First, just getting out on the road, exploring, wandering, and discovering new things.  Also, the trip east with one of my lifelong friends.  We always have a great time when we travel together.  In the past, we've done Route 66 twice, the Lewis & Clark Route out to the Pacific Coast as well as a bunch of shorter trips.  For a couple of old guys, you would think we were teenagers again!

What was my biggest disappointment?

My biggest disappointment was not seeing any wolves at all.  :-(  I was really hoping to at least see some wolves, let alone photograph them.  Oh well.  It is what it is, as the saying goes.

What else may have disappointed me?

My second biggest disappointment was driving the Lincoln Highway in Iowa.  Not anything like Route 66.  Almost nothing to see and almost no signage to direct you to things to see.

What did I find most interesting? 

My most interesting experience (non-wildlife) was the Quincy Mine #2 in Hancock, Michigan.

What memory do I think will stay with me for years? 

My best memory is my feeling of serenity and reconnection with nature as we drove through YNP and GTNP.  It was such a good feeling to reconnect and be surrounded by such grandeur.

What surprised me the most? 

My biggest surprise was the cost of food and hotel rooms.  Wow!  Prices sure gone up a lot over the past 4 years.

Would I consider the entirety of my road trip a success? 

I would consider this entire road trip a success as I achieved my two goals, first, getting away from home, out of my routine and reconnecting with nature and second, seeing and hopefully photographing grizzly bear #399.  Both of those objectives came to fruition.  I am quite fortunate.

Is there any safety gear I should have taken that I may have left behind or I didn’t think of?

No, I had everything I think I would have needed if any safety related issues, either personal safety or while traveling in my vehicle, arose.

Did the clothing I packed fulfill all of my needs in encountering the wide variety of weather experienced?

I took enough clothes so I didn’t have to do laundry the entire trip. That was nice. Not being constrained by flying out or flying back and only able to take one suitcase, I was able to take enough shirts, pants, underwear, socks, T-shirts, footwear and ancillary items that I didn’t have to go to a laundromat to do laundry the entire trip. I took shorts, tennis shoes and short sleeve shirts for the warm parts of the trip, but I also took waterproof hiking shoes, long pants and flannel shirts for the cooler parts for the trip.  Additionally, I took a fleece, medium weight jacket, rain gear, gloves and a Marino Wool hat.  I was well prepared.

How many days did the road trip consist of?

Twenty-three.  I actually returned home a day earlier than I had planned.  That was due to my friend and I getting to his house in Michigan a day earlier than planned.

How many miles did I drive?

5415.0 miles  My 2016 Honda Pilot averaged 27.5mph.  If the speed limits out west were not 80mph (120kph), and the secondary roads 70mph, I may have even done better than that!

What was the most expensive aspect of the road trip?

Lodging

How much did lodging cost?

$4279.87

Where was the least expensive lodging?

Glasgow, MT

Where was the most expensive lodging?

Bozeman, MT

How much did gasoline cost?

$722.88

Where was the least expensive gasoline?

Wisconsin; $2.98/gallon

Where was the most expensive gasoline?

Bedford, PA; $3.69/gallon

How was the cost of food?

Food has become very expensive.  For example it seems to be normal that a hamburger and French fries costs $15-20.  I took advantage of the free breakfast food if a hotel offered it even though it wasn’t very appetizing.

How much did I spend on food?

$522.07

What was my total cost of my road trip, considering lodging, fuel, food, tolls, miscellaneous purchases and money spent on attractions such as museums and other venues?

My total cost was $5854.79.  Of that I spent $300 on miscellaneous things such as museum admission, gifts for my three granddaughters, a souvenir, etc.  Also, for the 6 days of the road trip, my friend and I split the costs of gasoline and lodging so if I had traveled the third phase of the road trip by myself, you could add as much as another $1000 onto this.

An image made with the 24-120mm lens @ 77mm.  A typical "postcard" shot made with a midrange
zoom lens.  Jackson Lake and the Tetons from Leek's Marina.

Last thoughts about the trip.

I would have liked to do more landscape and nature photography in Yellowstone and the Tetons but I wasn't driving and the trip with my two fellow photographers was about wildlife, so it is what it is.  Additionally, for a couple days, the early morning weather was not cooperative so those blue hour/golden hour potential photographs were not possible.

Here is a concise trip summary of days and expenses.

Total number of days traveled; 23

Total milage; 5415.0

Cost of lodging; $4279.87

Cost of fuel; $722.88

Cost of food; $552.07

Cost of miscellaneous expenses: $300

That should about wrap up the trip's summary.  If you have any other questions for me that I may not have covered here, please comment below or email me.

I hope you enjoyed my travelogue.  I certainly enjoyed my trip and would do it again in a heartbeat!  A heartbeat, I say!  I'm ready to go now....

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

All content on this blog is © 2013-2024 Dennis A. Mook. All Rights Reserved. Feel free to point to this blog from your website with full attribution. Permission may be granted for commercial use. Please contact Mr. Mook to discuss permission to reproduce the blog posts and/or images.