Can you help out a newbie: Travel Camera

[George S.]

Dave, be careful since you said you're "about to go" on a trip. Apologies if I'm stating the obvious to you..... Any new camera (new to 'you' even if its a used one) should be learned first, AND whether its new or used you'll have to be absolutely certain that it's 100% working and reliable. After all, what do you do if it breaks in the middle of your trip, or you discover a flaw? Or worse yet, you find out you took a shot or two of that flying saucer with the lens cap on. Other than that, you've received good suggestions for what camera to take. I agree that the XA is "good enough" for your trip. I'm still mourning the theft of mine from my truck (with A-16 flash attached) last September...

 

[Doug]

Very good point, George -- reliability takes on more importance far away from home.

 

[DougK]

I've done some nighttime shots with the XA, shouldn't be any more difficult to do than select the aperture, set the focus, set the self-timer, and then press the shutter. I would not try it without a tripod or a support of some sort though.

 

[DougK]

Good point George... whatever camera you choose, make sure you'll have time to run a test roll through it before you go.

 

[daveozzz]

Thanks so much to everyone for the great advice - still can't believe how helpful folk are on here!
So I should let you know what I've plumped for... since a few of you made the very good point that my XA fits the critera I set out in the OP in so far are being small and quiet I decided to go for a 2nd large & noisy camera but with more flexible range of optics available... so am currently waiting for a new Bessa-R with a nokton 50/1.5 to arrive. Different focal length from the XA to play with and hopefully pretty good in low light.
My just-about-to-go means around the beginning of April so I plan on shooting off as many rolls as I can in March to make sure everything's in order cos this will be quite a different kettle of fish to what I'm used to.
Thanks again all!

 

[tedwhite]

Interesting. I just ordered the Bessa R with the 35/2.5 Color Skopar (I think it's called that).

It actually isn't so big, about the size of a Leica M body, and the lenses are quite small due being made for RF cameras. The shutter noise? I hope no noisier than a Pentax Spotmatic.

At least you won't be getting that whirr-katschung-whirr that you get with Maxxum 7.

 

[RObert Budding]

You can never have enough cameras . . .

The G1 seems to be a screaming bargain right now. You can afford a body and a couple of lenses. Just be aware that the bodies with a green sticker inside the film compartment have been modified to take the wider lenses that came out later.

Take a look at KEH - they usually have G's on hand.

Robert