i am cruising in 2 weeks and would like tips from 35mm photogs. i have not graduated to digital yet. what lenses and film do you recommend. my lens is a nikkor 24-120. its the only lens i have used for years and i love it. but i am worried that i need a longer lens. the really good one is about $1000. the less expensive hasn't gotten the greatest reviews. i am debating buying it anyway. any thoughts? thanks

This tip won't break the bank...

Do you have a circular polarizing filter? I love how mine will enhance the blue and green colors. It is like putting sunglasses on your camera. You will definitely need to take the filter off in low lights.

You will need to know the "ring size" of your camera lens. If you don't know it, take your lens with you to the camera store. If you have a Ritz or Wolf Camera in your area, that is something that they can easily handle. Smaller places may not have it.

You mentioned buying a new lens. Where have you been looking? I've gotten some terrific deals advertised in the back of magazines like Popular Photography or Photographic. Be warned of the warranty difference. There are some stores I just wouldn't touch. Others are very reputable and offer quick service via mail order. Also, do your research, you may be able to find a worthy lens built by Tamron or Tokina for much less than a Nikkor lens. I've not read specs in several years since I too have gone digital.

If you are investing in a longer lens, you might want to consider a neoprene camera strap. They are the same material used for diver's wet suits. They help reduce the weight and are quite comfortable.

thanks...i literally just checked my filters and i have my polarizer ready to go. there are a few discount stores in ny where i live that have excellent prices. i am going to have to do some reasearch on the lens. may i ask what digital camera you use?

We did an Alaskan cruise in July 2004 and had not graduated to digital cameras either. I have a Minolta Maxxum Tsi and a Tamron 70-300 lens attachment. I am only a novice but got great photos while in Alaska. I have had this camera and lens for over 6 years now and still love the pictures I get from it. I've even been asked to do wedding photos and family portraits and I know next to nothing about all the bells and whistles on cameras The camera and lens together when I purchased them were less than $1000 at the time but well worth it IMO. Pam

This is an out-of-the-box suggestion but worth thinking about. Instead of investing $1k in a good long lens, why not spend about half of that and buy your first digital camera with a good long lens.

I have a Canon S2IS with a 12x optical zoom and 5 megapixel resolution that I love. I started with the Canon S1IS with 10x optical zoom and 3.2 mp that is very satisfactory except for long wildlife shots. I carry both of them now and my film cameras haven't come out of their cases in months.

They are fairly light and compact so you don't need to replace your 35mm film cameras. Just carry the digital in addition.

If you do, I suggest buying a couple of high capacity storage cards (make sure you get the correct type for the camera you buy) and rechargeable batteries and a charger. I have 1gb cards for each camera and another 512mb for the S2. The 1gb cards are the functional equivlaent of about 65 rolls of film in the S1 and about 58 rolls in the S2.

Shopping on line will allow you to purchase all of that for less than $500. Prices vary day by day so shop the various sites. On the day I bought my S2 a month or so ago, Wal-Mart on-line was the least expensive.

If you do decide to purchase a lens keep in mind that gray market or import items (those not made for the US market) they are cheaper than those for the US, but do not usually come with a US warranty. You will have to ship lens overseas for repair or pay for the repair yourself - if you can find someone to do it for you at all. Nikon repair will not work on any gray market merchandise.
If you are looking for a less expensive method to get a longer lens might consider getting a tele-converter which will increase your magnification by 1.4, 1.7 or 2x. This will run you $300-450. You will loose light using these however. If your 24-120 lens is f/4 using a 2x teleconverter will give you a 48-240mm f/8 lens (this is now your maximum aperature not f/4 so you will need faster speed film or a slower shutter speed to compensate.
Could also consider getting a used lens from any number of firms. Might try www.bhphotovideo.com.

thanks for all the replies. i never thought of used. .