Cycling and photography

Here's a shot taken with an Olympus p&s while out cycling in Enid. Can you imagine a small community college with an observatory?
 
and isn't Sheldon's webpage fantastic? A very useful source of information for anyone wanting to maintain their own bikes. Or build them. Or whatever.

I settled on an Olympus XA2 for when I'm riding, unless I'm setting out specifically to take pictures in which case I'd take more stuff.
 
Taffer,
Thanks for the great link to Sheldon's website. Great info.
Richard
 
Cycling / Photography & New to RFf

Cycling / Photography & New to RFf

Hello,
After lurking for a couple of weeks, I thought I'd write. I've gotten re-obsessed with RFs since picking up a Yashica Electro 35 GT in pretty good condition and loving 'catching the moment' over my most recent digital camera (Canon G2). I have a pretty eclectic camera collection: Minox 35GL, Yashica T5, Leica 3x (don't know exactly what it is since it was my fathers), a Canon T70 and now 3 new cameras off of ebay in the last week! (Oly XA, Canonet GIII/QL17, Canonet QL19). On the topic of biking at hand - I commute to work 2-3 times a week over some of the nicest views that Ottawa has to offer and missed shot of one magic foggy morning because I didn't have a camera. So I've decided not to be without one if I can help it. Yesterday took my Minox with me and stopped about 4 times. I carry it in the top of one of my panniers, but am thinking that either a seatbag or small handlebar bag might be a better solution. Having a kickstand is proving to be really useful for this as well. That's all for now, just wanted to say 'hello.'
 
Hi, I carry my camera in my Camelbak but like some of you i find it too darn hard to get to when i really need it. It's ok if i'm just going for a bike ride and happen to see a photo but no good at all if i want to get a bit more involved with the picture taking process. I think a camera like the Olympus XA in a shirt fronyt pocket would be ok for casual photo opps. Anything else really involves getting off the bike taking out the camera and switching to photo mode. The big issue with a Mountain Bike is that falling of is going to happen and that is not good for any camera....
 
No bicycle here but I ended up taking in a lot of gear to work a few weeks ago. I am the project manager for a medical device and we just finished producing unit number of a run of 150. I wanted to get some shots of it before we shipped it and at that time my only available work transportation was my motorcycle. I packed two light stands and umbrellas, tripod, photoflood housings and bulbs, Mamiya 645 and lenses, light meter and film. Also two 50ft extention cords and my normal daily stuff such as thermos, lunch and a book to read at lunch.

I don't have a picture of what the bike looked like loaded but I do have a picture of all the gear I took to work after I set up for the shoot.

Since then I bought a car which makes this a lot easier to do.
 

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Man, I didn't know you guys were talking about Sheldon last year, he has a soft spot, and a great section of his website, devoted to english roadsters. I scored some leather brake shoes from him a few years back.
iiif/canon 135
 

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Glad to see this thread revived. Do those who bring rangefinders on bumpy rides worry about, or see, problems with RF alignment? Or is the general opinion that it takes a fall or other serious impact to mess alignment up?
 
No lightweights

No lightweights

My old Schwinn Varsity survived lotsa crashes with cars,
and it could always be riden home.

A Nikonos III would doubtless survive a spill and come up shooting.
No rangefinder, no meter, no problem.
Weather and rain-proof, too...

"Excelsior, you fathead!"
-Chris-
 
Hi
I ride everything from a new DBR racing bike to a 1965 Moulton, my comuting is done on a single speed GT and allways have a camera. I use a Crumpler BeesKnees which is their largest messenger bag and either Crumpler PhotoBucket inserts or padded bags from a camping store (Katmandu are my prefered) to carry evry thing from a CL to a Nikon D50 (even my yashimat 124G goes in there) and haven't had any real problems with damage to cameras.

For long rides (either on my DBR or the love of my cycling life a Surly pacer) I carry an Olympus MjuII (Stylus Epic) or an Olympus AF ( the Mju's dad) both of which are water proof and fit a jersy pocket)

I have started recently bought a couple of folders as they seem to be the ideal manual cameras to carry on cycling expiditions. So far i have a Retina IIa, voigtlander Vittesa (which needs some work but that's another story or thread), Ziess Ikonta super B and an ensign comando. these are all pretty heavy but so nice to use.
 
My son and I went for a nice long ride yesterday. We stopped half way along our route at a trailside cafe for a big hot breakfast. Still, I carried a lot in my saddlebag (the one pictured a few posts up): my barn jacket, a fleece, a football, a cooler bag with 3 chicken sandwiches, a bottle of lemonade, crackers, fruit snacks, my xa (snug in a side pocket) and my M3/J8 in the other side pocket. I like to carry everything in the saddle bag, nothing over my shoulder. I've never had any alignment problems, but my bike has a big floaty ride I guess. 🙂
BTW Simon, I think Sheldon Brown's monicker used to be "Mouldy Oldie." I'd looove to have a Moulton. Oh, and a Bike Friday Triple Family Tandem. 🙂
 
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Simon, my wife and I usually go cycle touring once a year (twice if we are lucky). We ride Specialized Hardrock mountain bikes (12+ years old) and carry all our gear in panniers (Ortleib are expensive but waterproof and very durable - ours seem indestructable. I think they are well worth the money.)

Cycle touring is a great way to see a country and take photos. you see something interesting, you stop and take a picture - try doing that on a tour bus! You see an interesting road, building, group of people, you can go and investigate. It is also a great way to meet people. My philosophy is that the closer your back side is to the ground, to more you see.

Regarding carrying cameras on a bike, shoulder bags are ok but tend to get in the way, I much prefer to ride unencumbered. I have a Macpac handle bar bag (called a 'glovebox') that clips on and off the handle bar easily. I carry a Rolleiflex TLR, a Yashica Electro 35 and a Gossen's Lunar 6 light meter in the bag. When you see a photo opportunity you unclip the lot and carry it with its shoulder strap. I think Ortleib make a similar product.

I try to carry the cameras wrapped in thin towels (stops rub marks from kms of bouncing around) inside waterproof lock top plastic food storage boxes (Pelican cases are great but too bulky and too heavy).

Hope this is useful. Enjoy the Snowies - should be a spectacular ride, beautiful country.

Andrew. (photos of our ride in Cambodia in September 2006 attached)
 

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