Best Travel Kit? A7r, Nex-7, Leica, or D800E

[douglasboyd]

Hi,

I'm going to Hawaii next week for Christmas Vacation. Plan to photograph grandchildren, surf, waterfalls, valcanos, sunrises/sunsets, and stars. I sometimes print big, up to 30"x40" when I get a good shot, otherwise facebook. I know this covers a wide range. One of the nice things about Hawaii is that there is same day E6 processing in Honolulu, so film is a good option. In the past I've taken a Fuji 6x17 film camera system, and also used the Gigapan Pro with digital when I wanted to shoot big. This time I am hoping to take a more compact system choosing between:

Leica M system (CL, CLE, Hexar RF, etc)

Sony A7r system with Leica-M mount lenses for portability, and Alpha lenses for more options

Nex-7 with a few zooms and primes

or

Nikon D800E kit which pretty much does everything except no tilting screen.

I have comparison photos here.

 

[lam]

I'd go for the A7R and the 40/90/15 setup. 🙂

 

[coelacanth]

I like traveling light so I wouldn't do DSLR.

If you get Hawk or CV (I got this one) helicoid close-focus adapter for your M/Sony setup, it can cover close up shots.

I'd probably do A7R plus just a few lenses, coupled via close-up adapter.

Oh and if that was me going, I'd have to bring my full underwater rig (MFT) as I'd be diving all day everyday. 😉

 

[segedi]

If it were me, I'd take the A7r. Size, IQ and convenience.

 

[hausen]

Just been away for a couple of days on my Motorbike and I took A7r, M6 and 55 1.8 FE, 28 Summicron and Minolta 90/4 and was perfect.

 

[zleica]

If you have grandchildren, I would recommend you just take the Nikon D800 with one lens, either 24-70/2,8 zoom or 24-120/4 zoom. Even though it's large and heavier than the other systems, it's much easier to use.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Addy101]

Nex 7: smallest, AF and zooms.
Since you ask, I guess you find your D800 to cumbersome, and you your second guessing manual focus. Nex 7 has AF, zooms and IQ, easy question.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Silly question to ask on a RANGEFINDER forum!

I'd go for a Leica, but then, I always would.

Cheers,

R.

 

[dshfoto]

What size prints do you want to make?

 

[doolittle]

From your selection, the answer for you would seem to be obvious: A7r. Why else would you have bought it? if you have the Nikon 14-24mm and a Nikon to E mount adapter, I would bring that too (great for landscape and star photography).

Unless I had to travel really light, personally I would bring a film leica and one or two lenses along with the Nikon D800 and 14-24 and 24-70 and a good tripod.

However, with your options I would bring the A7r, just to see how it works out.

 

[bwcolor]

Hawaii and Velvia 50 are made for each other. That said, my last visit was recorded with an X100s. My previous trip .. X100. I don't think that you are seriously considering lugging around a DSLR.

 

[douglasboyd]

Reply

Reply

Wow,

I'm getting replies from some really talented people and they more or less reflect my own thoughts-- all over the map.

David has one potential solution-- carry a combination of cameras.

What size prints do you want to make?

For Dshphoto: I generally print Costco 20x30 for proof prints and to give to people, but for final mounting I print at either 30x40 or 30x45 on on Fuji Crystal Archive Flex silver-based paper. Of course the framing costs in the hundreds of dollars, so a only do a few of those a year.

I also post snapshots to facebook at either 2000-3000 pixels on the long edge, but I'm thinking that I should post to facebook at 4K since in the near future Facebook may support (and people may use) 4K displays.

I often frame loosely and crop appropriately in Lightroom. This is one of the main advantages of a 36 mp sensor. The other huge advantage of the newer Sony sensor's is the huge dynamic range which means many scenes can be photographed without using bracketing. This is one of the reasons why digital today is so much easier than film.

==Doug

 

[bwcolor]

Of course digital is easier. That is why using film, especially E-6 is really challenging.

 

[Bill Clark]

Wife and I spent time in Hawaii last November. Used the iPhone a lot. takes nice pics plus video and can upload most anywhere. Also brought a Leica M 4-2 with about a dozen rolls of B&W film 36 exposures each.

Fun!

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Of course digital is easier. That is why using film, especially E-6 is really challenging.

I enjoy a challenge 😀

 

[35mmdelux]

NEX-7...or the M9. Stop it down, hyper-focus and you're in the zone.

 

[douglasboyd]

This is an example shot with the A7r and cron 40mm a couple of days ago. There is some post-processing in HDR eFax ProII but should print okay at 20x30-- not necessarily higher. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28282672@N08/11486441916/lightbox/

 

[ornate_wrasse]

This is an example shot with the A7r and cron 40mm a couple of days ago. There is some post-processing in HDR eFax ProII but should print okay at 20x30-- not necessarily higher. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28282672@N08/11486441916/lightbox/

That is a very nice image!

Ellen

 

[marcr1230]

I thought I had posted on this earlier - perhaps I didn't press the post button

I will be there next week - If you see a guy with a Leica, it's probably me 🙂

last time I went I brought the D800 and hardly used it - I found the most "fun" camera to have was a pocketable waterproof one.

This time - still thinking about the kit - definitely bringing the Oly TG-2 for fish/turtle photos. For film - Leica w/35 Zeiss. It's kind of crazy to bring a lot of equipment on a family vacation - but I can't help myself. Will also bring an E-M1 w/ 12-40mm.

I will not bring the D800 this time. might bring a tripod although I didn't use it much last time.

Have fun - Mele Kalikimaka!

 

[uhoh7]

After shooting both extensively, I would not recommend the a7r over the a7.

With the A7 you save 600USD, and gain edge performance with many lenses.