What camera and lens would you bring on a rugged trek through mountains / forrest?

[paradoxbox]

I am going to be making a gold prospecting trip in a mountainous and forested area of Japan later this month or next month. Sounds adventurous right?

Anyway, the mountains here are not very high but they're steep, close together, and there are many of them. I will be walking through the valleys of them and occasionally climbing to the top.

I'll be hiking/trekking/hammock camping for around a week or so while I sample some areas for gold (A friend of mine who left Japan discovered gold in the areas and told me the rough of location).

What camera would you bring if you were going on such a trek?

I am debating about whether to bring my Leica M3 and a lens or two, or whether to keep it more simple and bring my old trusty Pentax Asahi Super with its F1.8 55mm lens - the Pentax is a big metal SLR equivalent to a Nikon F.

For equipment and lenses, I have the following:

RF lenses:
Voigtlander 15mm
Voigtlander 35mm
Leica Elmar 50mm
Jupiter-3 50mm

Cameras:
Bessa-R
Leica M3
Pentax Asahi Super S2
Ricoh GRD-3
iPhone 4S (This will be coming with me no matter what, I can also use it as a lightmeter)
Epson R-D1 (Don't think I want to bring this, battery life and risk of being damaged by water or falling is too high)

 

[Shutterspark]

M3, with the Elmar + 35mm or 35mm + 15mm, and maybe the Bessa R as a backup. iPhone would be good enough for snaps.
I'd favour leaving the Elmar on the M3 most of the time so it's nice and compact, I hate it when I whack lenses against rocks when climbing.

Does sound like a fun adventure.

 

[skibeerr]

Your M3 with the Elmar 50mm would be my choice.

 

[Rob-F]

M3 + Elmar; I would have the 35mm lens along also.

 

[tuanvinh2000]

i would say one camera + one lens and as small as possible. M3 + 35mm/50mm is good to me. Bring enough film! I do hiking with my Rd1s on top of snowy mountain/lake in frozen temperature and it was all fine. And if you plan to take less than 200 shots, the battery is long enough (thinking 5 rolls of film for 1 week).

 

[ruby.monkey]

Eh, I'd look for a beater Nikon F2 with 50mm f/1.4, and a hand meter.

 

[FrankS]

Yeah, when I think rugged, I think Nikon F2.

 

[sevo]

Whatever suits the subject - the worst I've gone climbing with were a RB67 and Sinar F2, and I know some guys carrying ULF (greater than 8*10) gear up mountains that need advanced climbing skills.

 

[venchka]

Colorado around 12,000 feet, circa 1975

Colorado around 12,000 feet, circa 1975

Been there. Done that. Carried the only camera & lens I owned: Pentax 6x7 & 105mm lens. My "one camera, one lens" kit. I guess I was ahead of my time.
If I were going back tomorrow, I would take medium format again.

Wayne

 

[back alley]

heresy warning!!

the sony rx100...

 

[paradoxbox]

Keep in mind guys I gave a list of the cameras and lenses I have, I'm not going to buy more!

I do have a Rollei TLR (Medium format) but I don't think it would be a good companion on a super rugged hike. I don't know though.

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

 

[FrankS]

Substitute your Pentax SLR for Nikon F2.

 

[ruby.monkey]

I'm not going to buy more!

Heresy!

I do have a Rollei TLR (Medium format) but I don't think it would be a good companion on a super rugged hike. I don't know though.

Doesn't take much of a knock on the lens board, to screw up the focus; and you wouldn't find out 'til it's too late.

 

[whitecat]

Save the weight and take a Contax T3 and a Nikon 28ti for the wide shots.

 

[Richard G]

I've carried an M2 and 50 Summilux up a lot of hills and it was heavy. Point and shoot film camera for me on the trip you describe. For a shot like Wayne got, which is unlikely by the sound of your walk, you would want some sort of tripod and maybe your 35 Elmar would do it justice. My Olympus mju is not going to do too much worse.

 

[venchka]

Keep in mind guys I gave a list of the cameras and lenses I have, I'm not going to buy more!

I do have a Rollei TLR (Medium format) but I don't think it would be a good companion on a super rugged hike. I don't know though.

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

There is no think. There is only do. Take the Rollei.

Wayne

 

[crispy12]

I would take the M3 and Elmar 50, CV 35 and 15. Or just the 50 and 15 for 2 lenses. Or just the 35 for one lens.

I wouldn't use the iphone as a lightmeter, I'd save it for emergency calls/gps.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

I'd take a Nikonos. keh.com currently lists a Nikonos V with 35/2.5 lens for just over $100.

Chris

 

[Bingley]

I backpack and hike regularly. Weight is critical. I would not hesitate to take the Bessa R and Elmar 50, plus one wider lens from you collection, w/ the iPhone for digisnaps. The M3 is too heavy, if you're carrying other gear too. The Bessa R is robust enough; I've carried a Bessa T on backpack trips w/out a problem.