photogdave
Shops local
Galapagos Islands and the Inca Trail:
What Worked and What Didn’t
(With apologies to Michael Reichmann)
In a nutshell, everything worked and nothing didn’t work. Let me elaborate:
In October my girlfriend and I went on a small group tour taking us to Ecuador to visit Quito and the Galapagos Islands, and Peru to travel to Cusco and hike the Inca Trail to Machu Piccu. This tour presented a number of photographic opportunities, not to mention the expanding of one’s horizons, and I wanted to make sure I took equipment appropriate enough to get the good photos I was after without interfering with the overall enjoyment of the experience.
The Trip
We flew from Vancouver to Quito, Ecuador. We had two nights and a full day before flying to the Galapagos Islands. With 11 other people we sailed aboard a well-appointed motor catamaran for five days in the Galapagos, visiting several islands to experience the wide variety of flora and fauna.
From there we returned to Quito for day before flying to Peru to spend some time in Cusco before embarking on a trip through the Scared Valley followed by the four-day trek up the Inca Trail to the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu.
The Gear
Nikon F100
Nikkor 20mm f/2.8
Sigma EX 150mm f/2.8 Macro
Sigma EX 1.4x Teleconverter
Leica M6
Leica CL
Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 SC
Voigtlander 21mm f/4
Leitz 40mm f/2
Leitz 90mm f/2.8
Pentax Optio 43WR
Gossen Digisix meter
Lowepro CompuRover AW
Lowepro S&F Utility Case
Domke Photo Vest (and Tilley hat to complete the dorky look!)
Ultrapod travel tripod
Cable release (2)
Circ-Pol for Nikon system (not used)
Velvia 100F, Provia 100F, Sensia 400, Agfa and Neopan 400 B&W, Agfa Scala
Pentax 8x40 PCF WP binoculars
Whew! Seems like more gear than it actually was now that I’ve written it all out! Knowing that the two halves of the trip would be very distinctive of each other photographically, my idea was the Nikon kit with Velvia would primarily be used in the Galapagos, while the M6 and Provia would be my main camera on the Inca Trail. The CL would be kept handy and loaded with B&W for backup and general use.
The CompuRover and Utility Case were my carry-ons for the flights. I stuffed the CL and 90mm in the Utility Case along with passport, wallet, tickets, toothbrush, headphones and Frisks. All other photo gear and carry-on items such as book, light sweater, eye glasses and sun glasses fit in the CompuRover.
What a great bag! It was perfect for this trip as it held almost all of camera gear and more, and its proper strap and waist belt system helped balance the load comfortably when hiking. The built-in rain cover saved the day during the downpours too! I really like Lowepro’s Compu-series; I also have the CompuDaypack. I never carry a laptop around with me but those separate computer compartments are so handy for carrying extra clothes or picking up a couple of bottles of wine on the way home from work.
The Nikon System
I bought my F100 brand new in 1998. It was the first pro-level camera I could afford to buy new. It’s been in the shop a few times because I haven’t been gentle, in fact just before I left I had to replace the prongs that hold the film cartridge in place because they had completely disintegrated. With the appearance of DSLRs and my current preference for rangefinders I had been tempted to try and unload the F100 but I’m glad I didn’t. It’s a great machine for shooting slide film. The meter is excellent, the viewfinder is big and bright and the camera itself is pretty light, especially without the vertical grip, which I left at home.
In the Galapagos you are able to get extremely close to the wildlife, which is generally quite docile. So the focal lengths I chose to bring served me well. I was concerned that it was foolish to bring a 20mm focal length for both systems but it proved to be a good idea because I shot a lot more frames with the 20mm on the Nikon than I would have guessed!
The 150mm macro was just about perfect for this trip. I was able to get some nice close-ups and detail shots of the animals without having to move in too close and risk disturbing them. With the teleconverter I had a 210mm f/3.5 equivalent which was fine for the further away subjects. I don’t think I missed anything terribly important by not having a longer lens. I felt kind of sorry for the lady I saw in another tour group who was lugging around a Sigma 120-400mm on a monopod the whole time!
If I had to do it over again, the only change I would make would be to add a medium-wide like a 24 or 28mm. Some times the 20mm was just a bit on the loose side. However, I don’t think I lost any important shots using what I had.
The Leica System
What can I say? It worked flawlessly. I used the Leicas for street shooting in the cities and towns and mainly on the Inca Trail hike. I left the Sigma lenses at the hotel in Cusco and packed away the Nikon and 20mm in the Rover in case of emergency. I spirited the CL and lenses in the various pockets of the Domke vest and kept my trusty M6 slung over shoulder and ready for action throughout the trek, rain or shine. (Blindly reloading the M6 under my rain poncho during a deluge at Machu Picchu was an interesting challenge but actually not too difficult!)
Obviously the metering system in the rangefinders can’t compete with the Nikon, but using a combination of the Gossen, in-camera meters and Sunny 16 I’d say I got a better than 90% success rate for my exposures.
I used the Voigtlander 21mm most of the time and the 90mm the least. I brought the 35mm Nokton to have a fast aperture lens but I think I only used f/1.4 once in a local disco in the Galapagos that our boat crew took us to. The light was always very bright in Ecuador and Peru.
Again a medium-wide lens would have been a nice addition but not a make-or-break. I had actually ordered the Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron but I had to let it go to pay for the repairs to my Nikon and M6 before the trip. The cities of Cusco and Quito have very narrow streets and cramped markets where the 35 wasn’t wide enough and a 28mm would have been faster to work with than the 21mm (if you focus with the RF patch and frame with the external VF).
On Film Or Digital
Please note the lack of the word versus. I didn’t hold a to-the-death gladiatorial contest to see which was better, I just made my choice according to what I’m comfortable shooting with, what I wanted to do with the final images, and what I could afford. So film it was.
I seriously considered getting a DSLR just for this trip. I even tested the Olympus E-420 with 25mm pancake and 50-200 f/2.8-3.5. I figured I could buy the body and 25mm and rent the telephoto all-in for about $900. It’s a very good camera, the lenses are truly excellent and the 2x crop factor would give lots of reach from a relatively compact setup.
But I knew I would be shooting slides with the Leica. How would I make a complete presentation of the entire trip? Would I have time to learn the camera completely before I leave? Should I shoot everything in RAW, and if so, how long will it take me to process all those files when I get home?
So with these concerns in addition to the disappointing battery life of the Olympus I decided to simplify things and should the whole trip on film. My Nikon is rugged, reliable and I know it intimately. It uses the same batteries as the point-and-shoot digital and flashlight I’m bringing on the trip. If I’m in a real jam, AA batteries are not hard to come by. As nice as the Olympus is, it’s not a real replacement for the Nikon and a D300 or D700 are WAY out of my budget.
The digital version of my M6 is also WAY out of my budget. Even a 1.3x crop factor is too restricting to my lenses and there is no way I would felt comfortable shooting the M8 or RD-1 in the torrential downpours I was using my M6 in.
I was also figuring the variable ISO of a digital would have been handy but it really wasn’t an issue. The light was plenty bright and my lenses plenty fast enough for ISO 100 film.
When I got my slides back I knew I made the right choice. Those bright colors just leap off the light table! I personally find it easier and more fun to sort through physical slides than thumbnails on a monitor, and I’ve yet to see the digital equal of a well-exposed transparency, projected through a high quality projector like my Leitz Pradovit.
As far as the workflow goes, I figure it takes about the same time to scan and correct a frame of film as it does to process a RAW image. But I find the sorting of which frames to work on faster and more pleasurable with film.
The other nice aspect of shooting film was that when I was done for the day, I was done for the day. Shooting is over, turn off camera and put in bag; head to the bar. All the digital shooters were busy uploading and sorting on laptops, or squandering precious time ashore looking for internet cafes so they could upload precious data to online storage sites. I was relaxing with a Pisco Sour while they were agonizing over slow dial-up connections.
But we did shoot plenty of digital. We made over 200 frames and a few video clips with the little Pentax. It may be only 4 MP but when we’ve published the photos in one of our iPhoto books from Apple, the pictures will hold their own against my scanned slides! This waterproof camera has proved its value time and again. I will always own one for as long as they make them – it does everything a comparably spec’d normal camera does and you can take it anywhere. Mine has worked flawlessly for more than four years and I almost wish it would break so I have an excuse to buy the new model with 5x wide lens.
On Film and X-Rays
Not a single roll of my film saw the inside of an x-ray machine. All the films were taken out of the packaging and put in clear ziplock bags. I asked for a hand check at every security point and the most resistance I got was at the Vancouver airport before boarding the very first flight!
One fellow at the Quito airport pretended not to understand and made believe he was going to push the film through the x-ray machine but stopped at the last second with a smile. We had a good laugh about it and shook hands. I made an effort to thank all the airport personnel who checked my film and to let them know that cumulative x-rays CAN affect even slower speed film. I brought a print out from Kodak to verify that information if need be. If I had to out the film through the machine at every checkpoint it would have gone through about 10 x-rays!
On Red Dots and Long Lenses
The first time I pulled out the Nikon with the Sigma macro there were a couple of comments about being a “real” photographer but since there were no other serious photographers in either of my tour groups I was able to concentrate on my shooting without any gear talk. The animals didn’t seem too bothered by the white Nikon logo.
A couple of people were surprised I was shooting film but they seemed satisfied with my explanation. These same people were also completely flabbergasted that I don’t own a cellular phone but after giving my reasons they seemed jealous of my high level of freedom.
The Leicas caused no reaction anywhere. The people in my group took no notice. Other tourists, be they German, American or Japanese, made no mention. Potential pickpockets in the larger cities and towns didn’t give me a second glance. The blinding light of the Red Dot did not cause me to miss any pictures I wished to make.
No black gaffer’s tape on any of my cameras.
Miscellanea
Although I had been to Quito and Lima in the past, I had never traveled to the Galapagos Islands or to Machu Picchu. Considering I didn’t really know what to expect I feel lucky that I chose almost the perfect set of gear for the trip.
The Nikon and lenses proved ideal for shooting wildlife in the Galapagos and the rangefinders were well suited for candid photography in the cities and towns, and packing along for the trek on the Inca Trail.
My girlfriend was mainly in charge of the waterproof Pentax digital and she got some really nice shots with it. She was the only one in the group who could take photos during the snorkeling excursions and nail critical photos of the mist dissipating around Machu Picchu during the heavy rainstorm that morning.
The Lowepro bags kept my camera gear safe and dry, and gave me the space to pack other items needed throughout the trip. The Domke photo vest proved its value to me on a trek again, as an ideal way to have lenses and film easily accessible
The little Ultrapod travel tripod came in handy. I was able to get some interesting angles of Cusco’s main plaza at night by strapping it to a park bench. I was intending to use it to get some night shots of our camp on the Inca Trail but it was raining too heavy.
The Pentax binoculars were a real treat to have along for wildlife observation. I bought them a couple of years ago because they were on sale, but they hadn’t seen much use until this trip. They are in the mid-range of Pentax’s lineup optically but still much nicer than some of the cheapo department store binos I’ve used in the past. Now I can see why people will spend big bucks on Leica or Zeiss glass for observation. Maybe one day when I’ve satisfied all my camera gear needs I’ll look into a nice pair of Ultravids, or at least upgrade to some brighter Pentax SP glass.
Travel Advisory
If you plan to travel to Peru take note: each visitor is only allowed ONE CAMERA and up to 10 rolls of film. Any equipment beyond this (including a limited amount of memory cards) must be declared at customs.
I had absolutely no knowledge of this until were handed the customs declaration cards on the inbound flight. The cards say anything found that is not on the declaration form will be confiscated, no exceptions. A duty will be levied on declared items based on their assessed value.
With four cameras on me I understandably freaked out.
I decided I didn’t want to risk any confiscations so I would declare the extra cameras. My girlfriend quickly became the proud but temporary new owner of my M6 while I kept the Nikon, CL and Pentax in my bag.
The customs officers seemed surprised that I was actually declaring my cameras and didn’t quite know what to do about it. There were some anxious moments as a lady kept scraping my CL across the rough counter with her fingertip pressed firmly into the rangefinder window. They Googled the camera models and finally decided that the Pentax was worth $200 and the CL $250. They made me pay a security of $85, which I could claim back at the end of my trip when I proved I still had the cameras. Luckily I wasn’t robbed or I would have been out the 85 bucks as well as the cameras!
Trying to find the customs office again on my way home was another story altogether, and despite the fact that they had originally miscopied the serial number of the CL, I got my money back and all was well. They never did ask about the film.
PS: I meant to insert images throughout the body of the text but I still can't figure out how to do it. So please check my gallery for photos from this trip.
What Worked and What Didn’t
(With apologies to Michael Reichmann)
In a nutshell, everything worked and nothing didn’t work. Let me elaborate:
In October my girlfriend and I went on a small group tour taking us to Ecuador to visit Quito and the Galapagos Islands, and Peru to travel to Cusco and hike the Inca Trail to Machu Piccu. This tour presented a number of photographic opportunities, not to mention the expanding of one’s horizons, and I wanted to make sure I took equipment appropriate enough to get the good photos I was after without interfering with the overall enjoyment of the experience.
The Trip
We flew from Vancouver to Quito, Ecuador. We had two nights and a full day before flying to the Galapagos Islands. With 11 other people we sailed aboard a well-appointed motor catamaran for five days in the Galapagos, visiting several islands to experience the wide variety of flora and fauna.
From there we returned to Quito for day before flying to Peru to spend some time in Cusco before embarking on a trip through the Scared Valley followed by the four-day trek up the Inca Trail to the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu.
The Gear
Nikon F100
Nikkor 20mm f/2.8
Sigma EX 150mm f/2.8 Macro
Sigma EX 1.4x Teleconverter
Leica M6
Leica CL
Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 SC
Voigtlander 21mm f/4
Leitz 40mm f/2
Leitz 90mm f/2.8
Pentax Optio 43WR
Gossen Digisix meter
Lowepro CompuRover AW
Lowepro S&F Utility Case
Domke Photo Vest (and Tilley hat to complete the dorky look!)
Ultrapod travel tripod
Cable release (2)
Circ-Pol for Nikon system (not used)
Velvia 100F, Provia 100F, Sensia 400, Agfa and Neopan 400 B&W, Agfa Scala
Pentax 8x40 PCF WP binoculars
Whew! Seems like more gear than it actually was now that I’ve written it all out! Knowing that the two halves of the trip would be very distinctive of each other photographically, my idea was the Nikon kit with Velvia would primarily be used in the Galapagos, while the M6 and Provia would be my main camera on the Inca Trail. The CL would be kept handy and loaded with B&W for backup and general use.
The CompuRover and Utility Case were my carry-ons for the flights. I stuffed the CL and 90mm in the Utility Case along with passport, wallet, tickets, toothbrush, headphones and Frisks. All other photo gear and carry-on items such as book, light sweater, eye glasses and sun glasses fit in the CompuRover.
What a great bag! It was perfect for this trip as it held almost all of camera gear and more, and its proper strap and waist belt system helped balance the load comfortably when hiking. The built-in rain cover saved the day during the downpours too! I really like Lowepro’s Compu-series; I also have the CompuDaypack. I never carry a laptop around with me but those separate computer compartments are so handy for carrying extra clothes or picking up a couple of bottles of wine on the way home from work.
The Nikon System
I bought my F100 brand new in 1998. It was the first pro-level camera I could afford to buy new. It’s been in the shop a few times because I haven’t been gentle, in fact just before I left I had to replace the prongs that hold the film cartridge in place because they had completely disintegrated. With the appearance of DSLRs and my current preference for rangefinders I had been tempted to try and unload the F100 but I’m glad I didn’t. It’s a great machine for shooting slide film. The meter is excellent, the viewfinder is big and bright and the camera itself is pretty light, especially without the vertical grip, which I left at home.
In the Galapagos you are able to get extremely close to the wildlife, which is generally quite docile. So the focal lengths I chose to bring served me well. I was concerned that it was foolish to bring a 20mm focal length for both systems but it proved to be a good idea because I shot a lot more frames with the 20mm on the Nikon than I would have guessed!
The 150mm macro was just about perfect for this trip. I was able to get some nice close-ups and detail shots of the animals without having to move in too close and risk disturbing them. With the teleconverter I had a 210mm f/3.5 equivalent which was fine for the further away subjects. I don’t think I missed anything terribly important by not having a longer lens. I felt kind of sorry for the lady I saw in another tour group who was lugging around a Sigma 120-400mm on a monopod the whole time!
If I had to do it over again, the only change I would make would be to add a medium-wide like a 24 or 28mm. Some times the 20mm was just a bit on the loose side. However, I don’t think I lost any important shots using what I had.
The Leica System
What can I say? It worked flawlessly. I used the Leicas for street shooting in the cities and towns and mainly on the Inca Trail hike. I left the Sigma lenses at the hotel in Cusco and packed away the Nikon and 20mm in the Rover in case of emergency. I spirited the CL and lenses in the various pockets of the Domke vest and kept my trusty M6 slung over shoulder and ready for action throughout the trek, rain or shine. (Blindly reloading the M6 under my rain poncho during a deluge at Machu Picchu was an interesting challenge but actually not too difficult!)
Obviously the metering system in the rangefinders can’t compete with the Nikon, but using a combination of the Gossen, in-camera meters and Sunny 16 I’d say I got a better than 90% success rate for my exposures.
I used the Voigtlander 21mm most of the time and the 90mm the least. I brought the 35mm Nokton to have a fast aperture lens but I think I only used f/1.4 once in a local disco in the Galapagos that our boat crew took us to. The light was always very bright in Ecuador and Peru.
Again a medium-wide lens would have been a nice addition but not a make-or-break. I had actually ordered the Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron but I had to let it go to pay for the repairs to my Nikon and M6 before the trip. The cities of Cusco and Quito have very narrow streets and cramped markets where the 35 wasn’t wide enough and a 28mm would have been faster to work with than the 21mm (if you focus with the RF patch and frame with the external VF).
On Film Or Digital
Please note the lack of the word versus. I didn’t hold a to-the-death gladiatorial contest to see which was better, I just made my choice according to what I’m comfortable shooting with, what I wanted to do with the final images, and what I could afford. So film it was.
I seriously considered getting a DSLR just for this trip. I even tested the Olympus E-420 with 25mm pancake and 50-200 f/2.8-3.5. I figured I could buy the body and 25mm and rent the telephoto all-in for about $900. It’s a very good camera, the lenses are truly excellent and the 2x crop factor would give lots of reach from a relatively compact setup.
But I knew I would be shooting slides with the Leica. How would I make a complete presentation of the entire trip? Would I have time to learn the camera completely before I leave? Should I shoot everything in RAW, and if so, how long will it take me to process all those files when I get home?
So with these concerns in addition to the disappointing battery life of the Olympus I decided to simplify things and should the whole trip on film. My Nikon is rugged, reliable and I know it intimately. It uses the same batteries as the point-and-shoot digital and flashlight I’m bringing on the trip. If I’m in a real jam, AA batteries are not hard to come by. As nice as the Olympus is, it’s not a real replacement for the Nikon and a D300 or D700 are WAY out of my budget.
The digital version of my M6 is also WAY out of my budget. Even a 1.3x crop factor is too restricting to my lenses and there is no way I would felt comfortable shooting the M8 or RD-1 in the torrential downpours I was using my M6 in.
I was also figuring the variable ISO of a digital would have been handy but it really wasn’t an issue. The light was plenty bright and my lenses plenty fast enough for ISO 100 film.
When I got my slides back I knew I made the right choice. Those bright colors just leap off the light table! I personally find it easier and more fun to sort through physical slides than thumbnails on a monitor, and I’ve yet to see the digital equal of a well-exposed transparency, projected through a high quality projector like my Leitz Pradovit.
As far as the workflow goes, I figure it takes about the same time to scan and correct a frame of film as it does to process a RAW image. But I find the sorting of which frames to work on faster and more pleasurable with film.
The other nice aspect of shooting film was that when I was done for the day, I was done for the day. Shooting is over, turn off camera and put in bag; head to the bar. All the digital shooters were busy uploading and sorting on laptops, or squandering precious time ashore looking for internet cafes so they could upload precious data to online storage sites. I was relaxing with a Pisco Sour while they were agonizing over slow dial-up connections.
But we did shoot plenty of digital. We made over 200 frames and a few video clips with the little Pentax. It may be only 4 MP but when we’ve published the photos in one of our iPhoto books from Apple, the pictures will hold their own against my scanned slides! This waterproof camera has proved its value time and again. I will always own one for as long as they make them – it does everything a comparably spec’d normal camera does and you can take it anywhere. Mine has worked flawlessly for more than four years and I almost wish it would break so I have an excuse to buy the new model with 5x wide lens.
On Film and X-Rays
Not a single roll of my film saw the inside of an x-ray machine. All the films were taken out of the packaging and put in clear ziplock bags. I asked for a hand check at every security point and the most resistance I got was at the Vancouver airport before boarding the very first flight!
One fellow at the Quito airport pretended not to understand and made believe he was going to push the film through the x-ray machine but stopped at the last second with a smile. We had a good laugh about it and shook hands. I made an effort to thank all the airport personnel who checked my film and to let them know that cumulative x-rays CAN affect even slower speed film. I brought a print out from Kodak to verify that information if need be. If I had to out the film through the machine at every checkpoint it would have gone through about 10 x-rays!
On Red Dots and Long Lenses
The first time I pulled out the Nikon with the Sigma macro there were a couple of comments about being a “real” photographer but since there were no other serious photographers in either of my tour groups I was able to concentrate on my shooting without any gear talk. The animals didn’t seem too bothered by the white Nikon logo.
A couple of people were surprised I was shooting film but they seemed satisfied with my explanation. These same people were also completely flabbergasted that I don’t own a cellular phone but after giving my reasons they seemed jealous of my high level of freedom.
The Leicas caused no reaction anywhere. The people in my group took no notice. Other tourists, be they German, American or Japanese, made no mention. Potential pickpockets in the larger cities and towns didn’t give me a second glance. The blinding light of the Red Dot did not cause me to miss any pictures I wished to make.
No black gaffer’s tape on any of my cameras.
Miscellanea
Although I had been to Quito and Lima in the past, I had never traveled to the Galapagos Islands or to Machu Picchu. Considering I didn’t really know what to expect I feel lucky that I chose almost the perfect set of gear for the trip.
The Nikon and lenses proved ideal for shooting wildlife in the Galapagos and the rangefinders were well suited for candid photography in the cities and towns, and packing along for the trek on the Inca Trail.
My girlfriend was mainly in charge of the waterproof Pentax digital and she got some really nice shots with it. She was the only one in the group who could take photos during the snorkeling excursions and nail critical photos of the mist dissipating around Machu Picchu during the heavy rainstorm that morning.
The Lowepro bags kept my camera gear safe and dry, and gave me the space to pack other items needed throughout the trip. The Domke photo vest proved its value to me on a trek again, as an ideal way to have lenses and film easily accessible
The little Ultrapod travel tripod came in handy. I was able to get some interesting angles of Cusco’s main plaza at night by strapping it to a park bench. I was intending to use it to get some night shots of our camp on the Inca Trail but it was raining too heavy.
The Pentax binoculars were a real treat to have along for wildlife observation. I bought them a couple of years ago because they were on sale, but they hadn’t seen much use until this trip. They are in the mid-range of Pentax’s lineup optically but still much nicer than some of the cheapo department store binos I’ve used in the past. Now I can see why people will spend big bucks on Leica or Zeiss glass for observation. Maybe one day when I’ve satisfied all my camera gear needs I’ll look into a nice pair of Ultravids, or at least upgrade to some brighter Pentax SP glass.
Travel Advisory
If you plan to travel to Peru take note: each visitor is only allowed ONE CAMERA and up to 10 rolls of film. Any equipment beyond this (including a limited amount of memory cards) must be declared at customs.
I had absolutely no knowledge of this until were handed the customs declaration cards on the inbound flight. The cards say anything found that is not on the declaration form will be confiscated, no exceptions. A duty will be levied on declared items based on their assessed value.
With four cameras on me I understandably freaked out.
I decided I didn’t want to risk any confiscations so I would declare the extra cameras. My girlfriend quickly became the proud but temporary new owner of my M6 while I kept the Nikon, CL and Pentax in my bag.
The customs officers seemed surprised that I was actually declaring my cameras and didn’t quite know what to do about it. There were some anxious moments as a lady kept scraping my CL across the rough counter with her fingertip pressed firmly into the rangefinder window. They Googled the camera models and finally decided that the Pentax was worth $200 and the CL $250. They made me pay a security of $85, which I could claim back at the end of my trip when I proved I still had the cameras. Luckily I wasn’t robbed or I would have been out the 85 bucks as well as the cameras!
Trying to find the customs office again on my way home was another story altogether, and despite the fact that they had originally miscopied the serial number of the CL, I got my money back and all was well. They never did ask about the film.
PS: I meant to insert images throughout the body of the text but I still can't figure out how to do it. So please check my gallery for photos from this trip.
Last edited:
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
Glad to hear everything went well
Nice pictures, I love the one in Cusco Street
Nice pictures, I love the one in Cusco Street
photogdave
Shops local
Thank you! Quito has really cleaned up since I was there nine years ago. It was a pleasure to go back. Cusco is a really great place too.
slm
Formerly nextreme
That was a great post.
Cheers.
Cheers.
urban_alchemist
Well-known
To poste photos into the text:
1. Set up an account at www.photobucket.com
2. Upload the images
3. Copy the third link of each photo and paste it into the text.
Et voila! Sounds like an amazing trip - can't wait to see the photos.
1. Set up an account at www.photobucket.com
2. Upload the images
3. Copy the third link of each photo and paste it into the text.
Et voila! Sounds like an amazing trip - can't wait to see the photos.
mich8261
Well-known
Dave,
That sounds like quite the trip. My wife has been to Machu Pichu and the Galapagos, so I will make sure she sees your galleries. I am curious about your Scala shots. Do you have them grouped in one album? And what about scanning Scala, any recommendations? I find it challenging to scan well.
Cheers,
That sounds like quite the trip. My wife has been to Machu Pichu and the Galapagos, so I will make sure she sees your galleries. I am curious about your Scala shots. Do you have them grouped in one album? And what about scanning Scala, any recommendations? I find it challenging to scan well.
Cheers,
photogdave
Shops local
Hi Michel, I haven't had the Scala developed yet. I'm not sure which lab to use, Main or DR5. I posted a thread about this in the film section but only got one reply!
I guess I'll make up my mind this week and send the films off.
I've heard if you scan them as negatives first it works better but I have not tried it yet.
Steve Bellayr
Veteran
Very interesting about Peru. A question: Were you able to buy film in Peru? Or, if you have more than 10 rolls what happens?
Warren T.
Well-known
Dave,
Thanks for posting this. I really enjoyed reading about your experience on this trip and I appreciate the useful, first-hand information that you provided. Your pictures look great.
--Warren
Thanks for posting this. I really enjoyed reading about your experience on this trip and I appreciate the useful, first-hand information that you provided. Your pictures look great.
--Warren
photogdave
Shops local
Thanks for the positive replies everyone.
Steve, to answer your question. I did see color neg film like Kodak Gold for sale. Although I claimed my extra cameras I didn't mention my extra film and they didn't ask. According to the customs forms would have to pay a duty on the films based on their assessed value.
Steve, to answer your question. I did see color neg film like Kodak Gold for sale. Although I claimed my extra cameras I didn't mention my extra film and they didn't ask. According to the customs forms would have to pay a duty on the films based on their assessed value.
nightfly
Well-known
Wow, hats off to you. That's a lot of gear to bring! I did a similar trip about 15 years ago if you substitute surfing in northern Peru for going to the Galapagos with just a Yashica T4 and was very pleased with the results. One day, hopefully before they fade, I'll scan all those slides.
And to think I left my Pentax K1000 home at the time because I thought it was too much...but then I thought nothing of dragging around 2 surfboards.
And to think I left my Pentax K1000 home at the time because I thought it was too much...but then I thought nothing of dragging around 2 surfboards.
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mich8261
Well-known
I got mine done through Main and was happy with the result, but I have nothing to compare to. Look forward to seeing your scala stuff. I have enjoyed the pictures you have in the gallery now. Expecially the one of Machu Pichu in the mist.
urban_alchemist
Well-known
Out of interest: who did you do the tour with? Would you recommend them?
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
dr5 received lots pof praises at ApUG
photogdave
Shops local
W did the tour with Intrepid. They were pretty good but I was a little disappointed with their time management during the Galapagos portion. What was made to sound like a leisurely day on the island in the original itinerary, sometimes turned into less than two hours rushed along a trail so they could get the group back to the boat in time for lunch and snorkeling. If you don't snorkel you're stuck on the boat because they won't take you back to the island.
jan normandale
Film is the other way
Dave, trip of a lifetime. I'm going to surf thru your galleries now! I've heard Main is the place but who knows I think both are good or they wouldn't advertise for the business.
photogdave
Shops local
Thanks Jan. As to your "knees" comment on the photo, yes it was very hard on the knees. Especially the day of the "Three Thousand Steps" down. I pretty much blew out my right knee and by the time were at Machu Picchu I could barely walk!
Nickseve
Newbie
Updated Peru Travel Advisory
Updated Peru Travel Advisory
I know this post is a bit dated but am looking for a little more information from some who have experience shooting in Peru.
I plan on going to Puerto Maldonado which is close to the border of Boliva. The city is mainly a mining town so the metropolitan vibe of Lima is not present here. I plan on bring the M7 and the M6 as back up due to worries about the humidity. My main concerns are traveling the city at night, which I do plan to do, as well as shooting around the river. Any tips or advice from anyone who has shot in Peru concerning camera safety or even personal scenarios you encountered would be really appreciated. Lonely Planet guidebooks don't exactly cover this in detail..
Updated Peru Travel Advisory
I know this post is a bit dated but am looking for a little more information from some who have experience shooting in Peru.
I plan on going to Puerto Maldonado which is close to the border of Boliva. The city is mainly a mining town so the metropolitan vibe of Lima is not present here. I plan on bring the M7 and the M6 as back up due to worries about the humidity. My main concerns are traveling the city at night, which I do plan to do, as well as shooting around the river. Any tips or advice from anyone who has shot in Peru concerning camera safety or even personal scenarios you encountered would be really appreciated. Lonely Planet guidebooks don't exactly cover this in detail..