Ideal camera/lens for Venice

Austerby

Austerby

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I'm a walking morality lesson for the perils of having too much kit. It's ridiculous: I'm struggling to decide what to take on a weekend trip to Venice at the end of Feb.

I know I don't want to take digital as last time I was there I took my D70 and got some great textbook shots of the palazzos and canals (yes, I'm going to Venice Italy, not Venice Beach) so I don't need any more of those.

I want atmosphere, character, detail etc. I also want simplicity.

I'm thinking M3 and my 21/4.5 ZM plus 50/1.5 ZM Sonnar, 135/4 Elmar and a pile of Tri-X. Maybe my Zeiss Ikon with some Ektar as a backup, but it could be my M2 or should I take the CLE or R3A?

I could take other lenses (maybe 35mm or 90mm, some nice vintage Leitz - Summar, Summicrons, Summarit, Summitar) or completely different formats (eg Hasselblad, FujiGA645i)

What would you take?

(nb I'm hoping to have a Harman Titan 5x4 pinhole to take along too!)
 
I would advise you to take a very wide lens, since the configuration and architecture of Venice make the place difficult to photograph. The Teatro della Fenice is famous for being one of the most difficult place to "shoot" (well, not too hard - it burnt three times already) because of the impossibility to go far enough.
 
Strikes me as being a good place to take a Nikonos and a very long strap in case you drop it...

*retreats quickly as people throw things*

Adrian
 
Take a 50 and a 35, get off the 'beaten track' and look for textural details in black and white. You may find some real treasures in the calmer backwaters of the city and quiet corners to inspire you. Venice may be a garden of photographic cliches but is also a rich vein of original possibilities. A simple portable outfit will best help you mine that vein...
Enjoy your trip!
 
I second Teashop's advice, particularly "textural details in black and white": perhaps one of the few non-cliched (or "under-cliched"?) ways of photographing Venice.

I've been several times with all manner of kit. It might not suit your manner of working, but my most successful pictures were taken with a Rolleiflex and OM1n/28+100mm kit, plus FP4...

Regards,
D.
 
I don't know why but the architecture I found lent itself to the square format of the Hasselblad. You can take the details of the buildings and the decay and really relish them with size of negative the format gives you. Having the stock stuff in the bag the slower pace will suit the camera and you will not be under pressure. Get off the beaten track, not hard the crowds are very predictable, and you will be rewarded. I found a two lens set of the 40mm and the 150mm worked. Despite the inability to step back, without getting wet, you will need a longer length to pick out the rewarding detail. Take plenty of film though I found 120 an endangered species and that is a few years back now. Rather than carry both lenses I took one out each day and shot for that lens without noticing what I missed (on purpose).
I would post but the negs have never been scanned only wet printed.
My favourite story is the group gondola ride we took when we getting on almost last. The Gondolier saw the 'blad and motioned us forward to the very front for the best shots saying I was obviously serious and deserved the prime spot. Of course both he and I were amply rewarded.
 
35 alone, or if you really need more than one lens, 28+50.
Nothing wrong with cliches. If you need some inspiration - just look at the amazing work of Renato D'Agostin on Venice. I wouldn't be surprised if it was taken with just a 50 mm alone. He's a leica M6+TriX user, if I remember correctly.

http://www.renatodagostin.com/venezia-2/#1
 
dmc said:
I'd take the 21 and 50. Forget the 135.
Click to expand...
Ditto the above and also forget the color film. Shoot it all Tri-X, baby! Maybe even forget the 50. You've already done this place the standard way. Now go out on a limb. Remember to shoot PEOPLE!
 
I would take fast 28/50. That is, something wide for the palazzos and something less wide for general street shooting. Or, depending on mood 21/35. Whatever the case keep it simple.
 
Great ideas here - part of me is thinking Venice can be explored either with a very wide or a telephoto: getting the big picture but with a near point of interest, or honing in on a detail.

The suggestion of the 'blad with 40+150 is interesting (though I have 50+150).

Keep the ideas coming please: what film would you take and why?
 
The lenses you mention are perfect: they're different enough! A real wide (21), a normal (50) and a real tele (135) for details.

Venice is all about color, at least as much as about B&W... Outdoors and indoors! I'd use as much Ektar as Tri-X, and some Portra800 if you can get it. It can be shot at 1600 or 2000 if necessary. Or Portra400 if you don't want to think Portra800 is better for low light than the full of tales "new" Portra400...

Great city, enjoy!

Cheers,

Juan
 
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