[10day bicycle tour] What photo gear to bring?

That's funny. I saw your headline and went to grab a snack. While I was there, I remembered bike trips I'd taken, and tried to remember what I took. Then I figured that if I were doing it today, all I'd take is my Oly XA and lots of film. As it is, I'm perilously close to turning that into my carry all the time camera, since a lot of the time I'm toting a Nikon FG with 35/2, and the XA is not really that bad by comparison, and a lot lighter. You really do NOT need your Pelican case full of gear, and you will regret taking it.

My second choice would be your Leica IIIc pairing. I've done whole vacations with nothing but a Fed 1, 50/3.5 and C/V 15mm, and it's an easy combo. A definite no to any of the weightier gear.
 
Thanks guys. Yeah, I'm definitely taking at least 2 cameras, but want to keep it as few as possible (meaning 2 cameras, I guess).

Yeah, I know that 50km/day is pretty relaxed. I usually do 65-70km in a shade over 2hrs 3-4x a week, but that's on a bare bike along well-paved trails next to a river (effectively almost no elevation change). As this is my first bike tour, I thought I'd be safe and plan a very conservative 50km/day x 10 days (though I'm hoping to do it faster), and also to afford time for photos.

I've yet to fully decide, but I think the pair is going to end up being the IIIc with both 21/4 and 50/3.5 because the 50 is so light, and the XA as the rear-cycle-shirt-pocket camera for quick snaps. the Yashica would be great, but 10 days is a long time to carry a big chunk of weight. If it were a shorter trip, I'd almost assuredly take it (or a longer one with a bike-trailer). Also, I'd prefer to have the same film-type in case of a mechanical issue (yay redundancy).
 
I have just got back from an 11,000 km trip by bicycle over the better part of the last 12 months. For anything to do with cycling remember "Light is Right"! For the trip you have described I would be inclined to take one small camera, with one small lens. If I HAD to take a second camera, it would be a digital point and shoot for snapshots, becuase it is convenient while cycling and because it does things that a fixed lens film camera does not - low light, zoom etc. That way you are never in doubt as to what camera to use. However, I think the must have a back up camera argument is over-stated. If you camera breaks, you can buy a new one at the next town up the road.
Enjoy the ride!
 
I've done long bike trips and have taken nothing more than my Olympus Mju II and a couple of rolls of film in my jersey pocket. Light is right indeed! Weather proofing is good too!

Pack as light as you can, and if you take a spill (which I hope you don't), make sure the gear can either take the abuse or won't break the bank if you need to repair or replace it.

If you're willing to go digital, something like a Canon S100 (stored in a ziplock bag) might be a good idea too!
 
*update*

Going over the negative scans from the XA, there appears to be a problem. Some sort of intermittent difficulty that looks like a light leak, but AFAIK, light-leaks are pretty much either there all the time or not there at all... Perhaps some problem with the aperture blades (since it's aperture priority)?

Not confidence inspiring, so I guess it should be excluded from the list of "potentials..." It's lightweight, but my copy had pretty significant mold/lens etchings, which sometimes seems to really affect contrast and sharpness. Hrrrmmmm
 
Given the update, I'd go with this:


Rollei 35S (40/2.8 scale-focus only)
Leica IIIc (CV 21/4, Russian Industar-22 50/3.5 collapsible)
 
i would just take the rollei then. and maybe u have a small digital p&s, or someone could u borrow one, to put it in your shirt pocket instead of the xa.
 
I would NOT bring Ms... too much shaking. You'll risk some RF misalignment or worse. XA and a digital p&s sounds like a good idea. For this last one option just look for something that takes AA batteries thus you can bring some spare ones with you...
Enjoy.
 
well, i'm back. ended up taking a nikon FG-20 with a 50/1.8 loaded with B&W 400 and an M4-P with the CV21/4 loaded with color 100.

shot 4 rolls of color, 1 of B&W. problem is that the front retaining screw ring of the CV21 unscrewed itself (likely due to the crappy pavement i was riding on for the 2nd half of the trip), but i didn't realize it until it had completely unscrewed itself and the front element had fallen out and was rattling around behind the lens-cap. virtually 80% of my color shots are out of focus enough to be pretty useless, despite having shot everything at f/8 hyperfocaled from 1m-infinity, because the front element of the lens wasn't where it was supposed to be.

aaarrrggghhhh. at least a few color came out, and a couple from the B&W roll are decent. still sucks, though -- i was hoping to have some nice mountain-scenery shots to print as a momento :(
 
Rode from Salzburg to Prague a couple of summers ago, and the only cameras to accompany us were a couple of zoom viewfinder equipped cigarette pack sized digitals: a DSC-W110 sony Cyber-shot, and a Casio EX-Z850. Never regretted leaving the big stuff at home; Doing it again, I'd try to find a second Casio and leave the Sony at home. Along with the film cameras. We brought back about 1500 images. And an infinity of memories.
 
Cagliostro73 said:
I would NOT bring Ms... too much shaking. You'll risk some RF misalignment or worse.
Click to expand...

Absolutely rubbish.

Here is someone who isn't going on internet fables, or hearsay, but actual real-life experience (sorely missing from the internet forumz).

I bicycle most of the year, except for hard Swedish winters (December to April), and ALWAYS have a rangefinder camera with me, either around my neck or in my bag. Most of the time an Hexar RF, sometimes lately a Leica M6. I don't have any shock absorber on my bicycle, not even on my seat, only shock absorption is the tires and my butt, and I have NEVER had a RFF miss-alignment on any of the cameras, not even the Hexar RF, let alone the bullet proof Leicas.

You are back from your trip now but If I could've put in my 2c, I would've said put that M4P around your neck, and let your thighs burn a little.
 
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