Gear Help? Driving Across N. America

You need one of those dinky little luggage racks that sit on the boot (trunk?) lid of the MX5 (Mieta?) where you can put a weatherproof case or bag with clothes and stuff and then keep your cameras in the car.
1 rangefinder
1 MF and
1 SLR
 
I've driven across the US, coast to coast, at least half a dozen times, and I've used everything from 14mm to 400mm (a Telyt on a Viso). The former was great for interiors; the latter, for Midwestern landscapes where the countryside is so vast, flat and sparsey populated that you often need to compress it in order to get two visible elements in one picture.

What I wouldn't do is carry multiple formats, or (worse still) half a dozen different cameras that would give me substantially the same sort of vewpoint, with only variations in image quality or 'look' to distinguish them. patrickjames put it considerably more harshly than I would, but I have to agree with his underlying message.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
What I wouldn't do is carry multiple formats, or (worse still) half a dozen different cameras that would give me substantially the same sort of vewpoint, with only variations in image quality or 'look' to distinguish them. patrickjames put it considerably more harshly than I would, but I have to agree with his underlying message.
Cheers,
R.
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I thought you'd recommend he got a motorcycle, which would certainly force a gear reduction!
But then he says he's headed for Nova Scotia for the summer. Now, I've never been there, but I was under the impression that they didn't have summer up there. Maybe not motorcycle territory?
 
Leigh Youdale said:
I thought you'd recommend he got a motorcycle, which would certainly force a gear reduction!
But then he says he's headed for Nova Scotia for the summer. Now, I've never been there, but I was under the impression that they didn't have summer up there. Maybe not motorcycle territory?
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That would, indeed, be the classic fractionally-helpful RFF response, as in:

Q: I am looking for a 6x7cm camera, as the best combination of quality and shots-per-roll. Any advice on what to choose?

A1: No, 645 is better

A2: What about 4x5 inch?

A3: If you're going for 4x5 inch you might as well get 5x7 inch...

So: instead of buying a motorcycle, what's wrong with buying a bigger car so you can carry it all...

Some such replies are helpful, in that they make you re-evaluate your priorities. Others amount to "I have absolutely no knowledge or experience of anything except what I own, but I can't believe that anyone else needs anything else."

Cheers,

R.
 
I don't do the wide array of formats you do. However, with pen fv half frame, LTM, and M mount I already have more choices than desirable at times. Were it me making the trip, I would use the logic I often employ in deciding between half frame and 35mm. Will I shoot snapshots or something where quality is the primary concern? IOW/ will you see those places again any time soon?

Bring a big one, take careful shots, and keep something tiny with a single lens (40 or wider) on-hand for the unexpected situations.
 
Between us, Frances and I have had 3 cameras fail in 40+ years of travelling (M2, 500C, Mamiya 645), and 4 lenses (Leica, Voigtländer, Vivitar Series 1, Nikkor).

That's a trivial failure rate. But once is enough.

Cheers,

R.
 
You'll be shipping the cameras and lenses you don't carry in the car?

You can't envision everything in advance. No matter what you take, you'll see seven things every day that will make you wish you'd brought something else. Since space seems to be at a premium, decide what kind of pictures you be taking most of the time, select the lenses that can handle that, and a minimal, preferably a single, number of bodies.
 
Spleenrippa, don't shoot yourself in the foot and get the right tool for the mission: take the M3 and the Nokton.

Goodtimes, Radar Tech...
 
It's not just a photo shoot trip is it? Not with that kind of a car 🙂
I always have trouble pulling over to take shots how about you? you stop for every cool shot or do you just drive by and think that would have made a nice photo?
oh yeah I would take the Leica M3 and 2 lenses that suit you, good light meter too of course .... lots of film.
Have a great trip
 
Thanks for the replies, everyone- harsh or not. You guys are always awesome.

@paulfish4570- thank-you so much for the 'thank-you.' I've been in nearly ten years now, and my family has been serving for the past 60 or 80. It's not too often that anyone expresses gratitude.

@patrickjames- how is my assortment of cameras useless? I've never let my gear or choosing my gear get in the way of anything. This is the only time I've ever asked advice regarding gear choices, and only because it is such a special opportunity.
Why should I sell both my MF systems? I'm not allowed to shoot MF at all? 🙁
Bottom line is, I can afford (within reason) whatever cameras I want- better someone plays with them than they rot.

As for having the Nikon film cams instead of consolidating my collection- a few bad experiences with earlier Canon 1-series cameras have put me off of them. My film Nikons, on the other hand, were (quite literally) dirt cheap and perform flawlessly.

Anyway, I'm thinking the M3 + 40 is a good idea. I might add a CV 15 to my inventory (so much for one lens guy, haha). I will then have a super wide and a 'normal.'
A long lens for the ETRS might just be the ticket for rounding things out and letting me enjoy some MF negatives post-trip.
 
jsrockit said:
Bessa R3a- Nokton 40/1.4
Leica M3- 50/2 Summitar
Bronica ETRS- 75/2.8
Fuji gs645s 60/4
Canon 1DIIN

Sell everything else.
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Gasp! Sell the T2I? A couple reasons why I picked it up as soon as it came out:
1) the extra resolution is occasionally nice- full body shots, and shots to be stitched into panoramas.

2) the video is great. My brother and I shoot all kinds of things that we probably shouldn't be proud of 🙄
I implore you to check out the 'cinema' section of our website. Just click the link in my signature... You know you want to.
 
Oh I forgot it's Canada Day today; hope you enjoyed it 🙂 any wacky goings on in your part of the country?

it's not said often enough ...Thank you for your service.
 
Spleenrippa said:
Gasp! Sell the T2I? A couple reasons why I picked it up as soon as it came out:
1) the extra resolution is occasionally nice- full body shots, and shots to be stitched into panoramas.

2) the video is great. My brother and I shoot all kinds of things that we probably shouldn't be proud of 🙄
I implore you to check out the 'cinema' section of our website. Just click the link in my signature... You know you want to.
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Oh, I was thinking in terms of still photography only. Is your site work safe?
 
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