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

[coelacanth]

Alright, this IS yet another travel camera choice question.

I'll be traveling France and neighboring EU countries (likely Spain and Germany) in January. It will be a week long trip, and I'm planning to travel extremely light. Staying at friend's place, a backpack or tiny carry on luggage only. Mostly be in city area, just a personal solo-trip mainly shooting local streets and drinking coffee.

I might bring an SX-70 and Ikon Zeiss Nettar II just for fun (and an XA as fail-safe), but I'll be shooting b/w in 35mm format most of time.

Options:

A. MP & M2 + Elmar-M 50/2.8, Summicron 35/2, possibly Tele-Elmarit 90/2.8

B. OM2n & OM1n + 50/1.4, 85/2, possibly 35/2.8

C. Mix and Match, most likely MP + 50 or 35 & OM2n + 85


If the choice is A or B, the second body in the list is half backup, half alternative focal length lens holder depends on time and place.

Of course with C, I can take advantage of both RF and SLR, but I'm leaning towards the idea of limiting myself to one system and make the decision making simple. I'll probably stick with either 35mm or 50mm for majority of times. I'll take the system I didn't take this time to the next trip.

If you were in my situation, what would be your choice?

 

[xxloverxx]

SLRs are definitely out of consideration if you're travelling light, much less 2 bodies; as it is, your SX-70 will be large enough. Looks very bulky to me. If you're willing to drop a body or 2, forget the SX-70 and/or the XA; then you'll be shooting in full manual.

In your situation I'd just bring the Leica set and some faster film to compensate for the stop's difference (your Leica lenses are slower than your Olympus set, but a rangefinder is, a lot of the time, easier to hold steady. Depends on what you shoot)

Out of interest, is your Elmar collapsible? And are you taking a separate light meter?

 

[fixbones]

i would go for option A definitely.
Just returned from travelling (3 weeks total) first to Egypt then to Cambodia.
Brought along MP and Zeiss Ikon and 50mm, 35mm, 28mm. Used the 50 and 35mm 90% of the time.
Used mostly ISO 400 and it was REALLY sunny throughout my trip. Never a problem at all. Though in ur case, it'll be winder in the EU, so more the reason to bring faster film me thinks.
Also, i am VERY glad that i brought along my XA which lives mostly in my pocket while travelling. Allows for some very spontaneous photography.

 

[coelacanth]

xxloverxx,

Well, OMs are super small and light for an SLR, but of course Leica M + Collapsible Elmar 50 / Cron 35 can easily be in my coat pocket.

SX-70 is for an ongoing little project, and I won't be carrying everyday. XA will probably be kept in friend's place just in case, say, whole bag stoken or me getting robed, and when I'm sure I'll be wasted at a bar with friends, etc. 😛

As you said, I'm not concerning match about lens speed differences.

And no, I'm not planning to carry a separate light meter. I'll be fine with my own "mental" light meter / Sunny 16 in case of full manual exposure (M2, Nettar II, battery fail, etc). Will be shooting exclusively Tri-X 400 at rated speed. (exception for XA which probably be set/pushed to iso 800)

 

[seifadiaz]

Option A. Two is one, one is none.

If one body fails, your 35/50/90 will not be paperweights for the duration of the trip.

 

[coelacanth]

fixbones,

Thanks for great input. I might dedicate one body to ISO800 or even 1600, but I'll try to stick with 400 speed all the way, at least for the main-arms.

And yeah, probably I should keep the XA in my pocket all the time.

Hmmm. What do I do what do I do... It's been too long since the last time I did longish travel.

 

[coelacanth]

Option A. Two is one, one is none.

If one body fails, your 35/50/90 will not be paperweights for the duration of the trip.

Yeah, that's very true. So I'm pretty much torn between Option A and B. I love both systems, pictures they take, and thinking of a few advantage/disadvantage of each system.

It's cold in EU in January. Leica kit in my coat pocket sounds good. It will be more discrete with quieter shutter sound and smaller lens. But OM can cover much closer focal distance, and the backup body without lens is actually quite smaller than a Leica M.

 

[Chyn]

I would be infinitely happier with Option A plus the XA (or a small P&S with flash) as backup. The Summicron will definitely come in handy for interiors, especially if you like cafes and coffee houses.

It's pretty dark during the winter months, so you may find yourself pushing to 1600 fairly often. I think Trix is the perfect choice, although a few rolls of Fuji Neopan 1600 wouldn't take up too much room.

 

[oscroft]

When traveling I generally choose between Leica M and Olympus OM systems too, and if I was on a city trip, mostly shooting around the streets, I'd go for the Leica M system pretty much every time (in my case, it's an M6/M2 system, versus a selection from OM1,2,4).

I tend to mostly like SLR gear when I'm shooting countryside stuff, nature, landscape, village life, etc, and RF gear for city/street stuff (though that varies - last year I took only my M2, plus XA backup, to Angkor).

So yes, another vote for option A.

 

[alexz]

In last 2 months I had 2 short trips - one to France (Grenoble), the other one to China. Both were for work and lasted no more then 3-4 days each.
Albeit being more 50mm guy in general, I picked 35mm lens (on my M6) only and quickly realized that for being light and "maneuverable" this is perfect fit.
For general street work 35mm lens covered perhaps 90-95%, very seldom I remember wishing having something other then that.
Besides, 35mm (in contrast with 50mm or longer) provided me the ability of quick people snapping based on scale focusing (due to deeper DOF of wider lens).

 

[HMFriedman]

I am planning a similar duration trip with my family, albeit without getting wasted in bars or crashing on sofas. So far I've settled on my Holga with an M6 + 50mm Elmar as a backup ;>) Neopan 400 for both, with Neopan 1600 for the M6 in low light.

 

[KoNickon]

Hmm, if you're traveling "extremely light," forget the SX-70, Leica and the OM, and stick with the Nettar and the XA only! I think you'll find those will do the job for you fine.

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

I miss a wider angel. At least a 28 or even better a 24.
Europe is not so wide as California. You can't always step back if you want to get more in your picture.
Cheers,

Michiel Fokkema

 

[rbiemer]

Were it me, I go with option A and the XA.
Possibly minus the Tele-Elmarit depending on how light you need to pack. I would likely skip the 90 and bring something wider than the 35 instead; 21, 35, 50 for me.
Rob

 

[emraphoto]

i would bring the mp and 35mm cron and the sx-70. that is it that is all.

i spent 2 months wandering around the less than savory parts of the EU about a year or so ago with an m6 and 35mm cron. never found myself wanting more. i would suggest loading up on film prior as man o man it's pricy over there.

now the sx-70? that would be cool!

anyhow, my opinion. which of course amounts to a hill of beans.

 

[FrankS]

Were it me, I go with option A and the XA.
Possibly minus the Tele-Elmarit depending on how light you need to pack. I would likely skip the 90 and bring something wider than the 35 instead; 21, 35, 50 for me.
Rob

ditto what rob said. a wider lens comes in handy in europe where streets often much narrower.

a second same-mount body is a good idea to cut down lens changing when you use the same film, it gives you the possibility of shooting 2 different films simultaneously, and the second body is a backup in case one body breaks. i would not bother with such a backup when travelling close to home, but if the travel is to a distant, not often revisited site, not having a backup is too risky, imo.

 

[degruyl]

If it were me, I'd bring the Mamiya 7. It being you, I would choose Option A.

I would probably only bring one camera and 35/50/90. I might leave one of those home.

(If I were bringing the Mamiya 7, I would probably also pack the M6 w/ 50: there are known reliability issues with my Mamiya).

 

[wgerrard]

I've decided that the more precise framing of an SLR is more suited to the kind of travel photos I take. So, if it was me, I'd take the OM-2N and the 85 and the 35. I'd leave the 50 at home.

If you go for a different style of travel pic, then one of the Leicas and the 35/50/90 combo might suit you.

The size and weight differences between that Oly kit and the Leicas with the 3 lenses is pretty much a wash.

I like the idea of sticking an XA in your pocket. But, I can't be bothered to carry around a backup camera body.

Recommendations for a wide lens like a 21 make sense. Also, consider the kind of film you'll use to cope with Europe's January sun.

 

[raid]

The first thing that came to mind when I saw your questions: "he needs a fast 35 or 50 for the dark interiors of churches and castles ... etc."

Your RF set has a 50/2.8, which is too slow.
The Olympus lens is a 50/1.4. I prefer a RF lens, but a 50/1.4 is more useful than a 50/2.8.

Leave any tele home. You will have very few uses for it.

Maybe: SLR camera + 50/1.4 plus MP with 35/2. This would be an optimal set for your travel. The 50mm lens can be used as a short tele, when needed. There is a need of a wider lens, but the 35 mm lens will do. Step back.

 

[coelacanth]

Wow. Extremely helpful tips. Thank you very much everyone!!

I'm amazed many of you had XA as sidearm pocket camera for trips. I think an XA with pushed trix is pretty much given at this point.

SX-70 is, again, pretty much given for a project so that and this green guy gotta go with me for sure. 😀
http://www.flickr.com/photos/guruguru/3355357114/in/set-72157614510258587/


Now for the main arm, very good points from both sides. It's "only" a week long so I can't possibly see much of deep deep europe within the limited timeframe. I'm thinking of city areas (not so touristy stuff though) this time and leave most of countryside and nature stuff for next time. I think that should go well with cold dark weather and b/w.

Great point about narrower streets and need of wide angles. I remember I stuck with 35mm when I went to Japan although I'm a 50mm guy. I really hope I will get my Summicron 35 from Sherry in time. If that doesn't happen, I might end up buying a CV 35, maybe a 35/1.4, but I do prefer the images out of my v3 'cron...

I guess I should also consider pushing all rolls to iso 800 or dedicate one body to 1600. That said, it would be easier for me to forget about exposure adjustments and focus on the subject by keeping all rolls to one iso. My brain light meter works best with 400, I must say.

Hmmmm.