A week trip to EU, only one 35mm kit to bring

Let's get real!

Let's get real!

You have one week in Europe, so you want to be active every day. You'll be on the move all the time, so weight is the most important factor to consider after the ability to get nice shots.

Do not carry a mix of systems. If you carry a leica and an OM you'll have to bring both sets of lenses to stay flexible in your use of film. Let's say you shoot neopan 1600 in one body and neopan 400 in another. If you take both your leica bodies you can take just three lenses and use these on both bodies, and more importantly, with both film speeds.

You should take the leicas and not the OM's. The 50/1.4 is fast, but you immediately lose one stop because of the mirror slap of the slr. Effectively, it's a 50/2.0 if you compare it to a rangefinder lens. The summicron 35/2.0 will therefore be the fastest lens in your kit. Because it's a wideangle you can get away with longer shutter times. I use a Hexar AF in bars to shoot jazz gigs, and I'm very happy with it, I even get away with 400 iso. (no flash of course!)

So, take your MP & M2, take your summicron and tele-elmarit (Shoot portraits! Photos of people have so much more emotional content!) and get yourself a 28/2.8! I've been to Paris and Berlin, and I live in Amsterdam. When I go out with my 2 Contax G1 bodies (for 2 different films) I use the biogon 28/2.8 the most. It's really really useful, and after your trip you'll agree that it isn't too wide at all.

As for film development, have it done in the last city you visit. You've enough time to find a place before you leave. Ask around, perhaps a rff-member has some suggestions. You don't want your undeveloped film spoiled by a x-ray machine on the airport, and fast film is really sensitive. You should buy your film when you arrive for the same reason. Having it delivered to your hotel seems a perfect idea.

If you happen to visit Amsterdam I'll give you a tour.

Douwe
 
Thanks again for excellent tips and insights.

I'm pretty much convinced that I should bring only minimal setup this time.

MP + Cron 35/2 + Trix@1600 will be the ONLY daily carrying camera, except for the XA in bag that's just so small it will remain "invisible" till it's needed.

SX-70 will be out only for some project shots for a day or two.

M2 will remain at my friend's place just in case something goes wrong with MP.

Dealing with cold, dark, snowy weather is tricky enough although I'm sure I'll love it for photo shoot. As many of you suggested, I think I should minimize "brain switching" from using different film, lens or body.

With this setup, my brain will have to deal with only one full manual photo shooting that is one M2 style body, one focal length, one iso rating at a time. Still thinking of a wider lens, but I'll have to talk to my wallet on that.

Since it's a short trip, it's likely that I'll spend most of time in France, probably a day or two of train trip to outside of France. That's all I know right now.

I'm all in for local coffee shops, lovely little streets and dark cold european winter. I'm not much of touristy type although I'm sure I'll make such a typical TOURIST look being a Japanese guy with camera and expecting the whole world to understand English. 😛

Any photo shooting location recommendations and coffee meet up would be fantastic. 😉
 
Way too much stuff. I mean, three cameras?

I hardly ever take more than one body nowadays, maybe a P&S digicam for documenting things. Otherwise, over the last two years or so it was one of these kits:

* M5 plus CV 21/4 plus J-3 50/1.5. Last time I took this kit was for weeks' work in the Caucasus in August and I was happy with the combination, but eventually I'll need a better 50 that handles light situations more consistently. If I had to pick one lens only, it'd be a CV 40/f1.4.
* Nikon F2AS plus 24/2.8 plus 50/1.8, or 24/2.8 and 17/3.5 if I feel like doing wideangle. If I had to pick one lens only, it'd be the 24/2.8.

The F2AS is nice, but heavy. Eventually I'll replace it with an FG or an FM3 for travelling.

In your case, the XA is just another rangefinder with a 35mm lens. There is no advantage at all to taking it - it's compact, OK, but then you'll take a second camera anyway, so there's no point. You want to travel light? Go for it, travel light then. Don't be afraid of limiting yourself.
 
Hi Sug,

For one week: Leica MP, 35mm/Cron and wider angle lens (21/25/28mm VC, your choice).
Backup: Epic P/s or similar.

On a two week trip to London and Paris a few yrs ago I took Nikon FM & 35mm/2.0 and only one occasion did I feel I needed something wider. No camera bag to worry about, no deciding on lenses. As of late I carry a 21mmVC, 35mmLuxPRE-asph, M7.

Happy holidays - Enjoy the trip.

P.
 
2 interchangeable bodies (one as a spare, left at your chum's house if need be, though I prefer 2 cameras around my neck).

2-3 lenses.

Then you don't need backups.

Cheers,

R
 
There is a new thread asking about gear for france trip, and I realized I should put some closure to this thread with some result pics and my thanks to you all.

I ended up pretty much what Roger said: 2 bodies (MP & M2) and 3 lenses (Elmar-M 50/2.8, Nokton 50/1.5, Summicron 35/2) and SX-70 for a project. Brought Arista Premium rolls and shot them all at 1600.

Next time, other than whatever equipment for specific project, I'll just bring one M+50mm combo, and maybe a backup M body or IIIf as emergency backup. I found, even with narrow streets in Paris, I still prefer 50mm over wider lenes, but this might change in the future as my taste changes.

Thank you very much to you all with great suggestions.

I'm still developing/printing but here are some of the shots from this trip, many are on RFF somewhere already though. Most of them are with Elmar-M 50/2.8, maybe one or two night shots are with Nokton. All are darkroom prints on either RC or FB papers.

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A Pola.
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And one touristy Eiffel Tour shot, made into darkroom printed post cards. 😉
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Cheers!
 
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