Dream with me: Alaska cruise, money is no object

[conropl]

What are you envisioning with the TS17 and/or TS24? I've rented both in the past for other reasons, and they hadn't jumped anywhere near the top of my list for the cruise. Likewise, what are you envisioning with the 24/1.4? In my head, the "value" of a 24 would be wide-angle shots with the balcony railing in a corner for perspective, and at f/1.4 (or nearly so) only a small sliver will be focused, which in my head seems like a less-desirable shot than f/8 and tripod (in which case I have that covered with the 24-70, or perhaps the TS24).

I've done the intervalometer thing for time lapse, and liked the results: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL47E5215D4BA0EA1C That was done with a 40D and the 10-22 zoomed out to 10mm. For convenience of dual memory card slots and longer battery life, I'd love to pick up a used 1Ds3 and put our 16-35 on it for similar work, but that might be beyond my ability to justify between now and next summer.

Thanks all for the input, and keep it coming! I have a surprise to toss out, but I'll wait a few weeks before I peel back the lid on that.

The Tilt/Shifts are becasue I have never used one, and always wanted to. Also, I assume any cruise around Alaska would allow some land excursions, which is when I would like to take a the 24 TSE to get some super sharp landscapes with DOF from your nose to forever. The 17mm TSE is because the 24mm may not be wide enough for the grandness of Alaska.

The 24mm f/1.4L II is for night shots of the stars. The f/1.4 plus a high ISO camera should allow for great shots with a fairly short shutter speed (see some of Jonathans recent shot http://www.huyerperspectives.com/Lan...ta#!/i-8VZpDQK ), but maybe not a short enough shutter speed for a moving boat. As for the DOF, with a FF camera and focused at the hyperfocal distance of 44.6', the DOF at f/1.4 is from 22.3' to infinity. That alows me to get a pretty good foreground and a nice star filled sky in sharp focus. Works for me.

If you want some easy time laps shots... get a GoPro with different stick-on mounts. Stick a mount on the side of the boat where no one will see it and let it start taking pictures or movies. It sets up easy, it takes decent pictures, it comes with a water proof housing, you can set it up and walk away, and it is cheap. Here is my first attempt at a time laps: http://www.flickr.com/photos/60479608@N05/9338641160/

Pat