In Peter Galassi's fine book accompanying HCB's show at the MOMA in NY, "The Modern Century"...he discussed HCB's use of cameras in some detail. This quote refers to his trips to China in the early late 40s...
We learn from Galassi’s preface to the “Modern Century” book some interesting things about HCB at work. For the 1948 China trip: “his basic equipment for the trip included two Leicas: lenses of three focal lengths (35mm, 50mm, and 135mm) viewfinders that could be adjusted to each lens and that improved upon the primitive Leica finder of the time; two light meters; and a flash gun. He also carried a medium format camera—a Plaubel Makina that persistently troubled him until he replaced it with a Super Ikonta—and in the course of the journey he acquired a 16mm movie camera. The Plaubel and the Ikonta were necessary because—much to Cartier-Bresson’s irritation—most magazines still insisted on the larger negative for color. Shooting in color was an inescapable part of the business, and although Cartier-Bresson was never completely comfortable with it, he did a great deal of color work…Capa’s dream of moving into television never materialized and Cartier-Bresson never took the (16mm) camera seriously.”
Like any working photographer, HCB fit the tools to the job..