Costa Rica - Two Lenses or One?

[35mmdelux]

Im headed to Central America for short trip in a few months. Going to a party on the west coast and may head into the mountains for a day or two.

Taking one Leica M. Not sure about what lenses I'll take. I presently have a 35mm Lux APS, 50mm Noctilux, and 90mm Summicron. I'd like to take some portraits and maybe a scenic or two.

Last time I took a 28mm IV and a 50mm Summilux. I got more use from the 28mm than I ever expected althought it was often too slow forcing me to switch to the 50 Summilux.

EDIT: Films K64 & Fuji 160 NPH.

What say ye? Thanks -- P.

 

[maddoc]

M7 + 35/1.4asph + 90/2.0 🙂

 

[steamer]

You're going on a trip to an amazing place, it wont kill you to take 3 lenses, well maybe carrying the noctilux around might, but still ... Just one body?

Take this advice with a large grain of salt because I usually take 5 or so cameras when I travel.

 

[kxl]

We're actually planning to visit CR ourselves in Aug-Sept, and plan to stay in the north/northwestern part of the country, so it's less city shooting and more nature photography.

While I plan to bring my ZI and possibly a couple of lenses (21 and 35) with a variety of film, my primary gear will be a DSLR with FL coverage from 17mm to beyond 300mm.

I enjoy RF shooting as much as anyone, but IMHO, CR is one place where a DSLR comes in handy.

PS - I'm also planning on bringing a macro lens.

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

The 28/50 combo sounds like a winner. Perhaps a few rolls of a faster film when the lights go low?

 

[aad]

I went to Belize for 2 weeks, took one lens. Had a great time, and the photos remind me of the trip, and make me smile.

 

[aizan]

28/2 + 90/2?

or just 35/1.4 and 90/2.

 

[quadtones]

I am visiting San Jose' as I write this, and have found for the city, using my M8, that the 28mm Summicron and the 15mm Heliar are perfect [for film I'd use 35 and 21]. Outside the city, my 75mm has found some use, so I suspect, were I shooting film, I'd take a 90 as well as the 21 and 35. The city is great for street photograpy [can't post anything right now], and I expect to use longer lenses tomorrow. Feel no need for an SLR. I am glad I brought more than one camera body, but if I were going to bring one body, one lens, it'd be the 35mm for film and 28 for M8.

Cheers,
Norm

 

[reuno]

Less is more. That's what I learned from my few travels. Don't take 35 AND 50, just one of them. If you have both you'll be struggling every shoot and not enjoying 😉 Just go with one lens and take pictures that fit, it's a good exercise by the way. Another lens that won't enter in a competition with the former is always nice. I would go wide with my 21 but portrait seems to be your thing so the 90 will be nice I guess. Enjoy the trip, don't think too much photo and shoot a lot !

 

[35mmdelux]

Im intrigued by the one camera, one lens concept. However, it wouldn't be that difficult to toss in the 90 Cron and 21CV for such a trip and possibly my backup MP to stay in the game. Now Im at 2 cameras, 3 lenses. Hmmmm?

 

[reuno]

I'm going to tokyo for the second time next month and i'm seduced too by the one body / One lens concept but I too much want to shoot the city with newly acquired 21mm. Last time I did the whole trip with summicron-c 40mm while the 50 stayed in the bag 15 days. I'm going to take two lenses this time and I think i'll go with the 50 along with the wide , just to get another perspective from latest trip. 21 + 90 ? No "normal" lens ? Could be very frustrating i guess. Damn, sometime i just want to sell all my gear , keep my M6 plus 35, and don't take so much time choosing stuff. I'm pretty sure my photos would be better without scratching my head about it !

 

[hjfischer]

Costa Rica has an abundance of wildlife. If you're not staying in San Jose all the time, don't leave home without it: your longest telephoto.

 

[RF-Addict]

We spent three weeks in Costa Rica and unless you plan on spending all your time in cities and focus on street photography, I would highly recommend a SLR or DSLR with at least a wide zoom, a long zoom or prime and a macro lens. There is tons to photograph which is beyond the capabilities of a RF camera.

 

[jlindstrom]

How about 21 cv on your primary M and the 90 cron on the MP? 2 lenses, 2 cameras.. possibly different speed films on them, faster film on the MP with the "slower" 90 cron. That way you wouldn't normally have to change lense on the camera but if required you could easily mate the faster 21 with the faster film on the MP. Gives you simplicity, reach and on top of that options and versatility!

2 bodies with different films + 2 lenses. Doesn't sound like too much to carry around to me 🙂 And you'd still be lighter off than the guys with FF digis and fast lensens 😉

 

[35mmdelux]

Im in the city one day visiting friends and then its out to the coast for a few days. Last time my 28 got major use; missed a few shoots where a 21 would have come in handy.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Im headed to Central America for short trip in a few months. Going to a party on the west coast and may head into the mountains for a day or two.

Costa Rica has incredible diversity. So what you should take would be the answer you would give it someone asked you "... going to California, coast and mountains, what lenses...." It is really what you like.

When I went to Costa Rica, I took:
1) Contax G w/ 50mm & 28mm lenses. Used these for 80% of the film I shot
2) Olympus Stylus Epic: 35mm f.2.8 lens on a compact p&s. Only shot 10% of film in occasions when only a one handed p&s would do.
3) Nikonos w 35mm lens. I am not a diver but we did white water rafting, surfing, swimming in waterfalls, picnics in the river. Shot the remaining 10% of the film in this.
But, when I look at the final photo album, the final prints are about 1/3 equally from each camera. The little p&s and underwater camera brought home photos that were truly unique. But you may be constrained to the typical static photo ops.

But, it all very personal taste. My sons family just got back on Wed. Our daughter-in-law shoots only with 70mm-200mm zoom on a cropped DSLR and says she was glad she did not bring any other lenses.
When I edited

 

[rya]

I vote one M and the 35 lux only. You've got it, it will be easy to carry and you'll have no worry about what you should be shooting with.