Germany and the Netherlands: What to take?

jslabovitz said:
I
So now, almost a month into the trip, I've found that a MF RF and a cheap P&S to be a wonderful combination. I can actually carry around both without feeling like I'm loaded up with gear, and can even pocket the digicam if I'm going out and don't want to be carrying anything. (Especially good for going out at night or hanging out with folks.) The P&S is especially nice for documentation-style images, where the image is more about the content than the aesthetics. The footprint, working style, images, and attitude of each camera is so different that I don't feel like I'm bringing along duplicate technology.
--John
Click to expand...

Exactly what I have been doing. Bronica RF and a digicam for those memory/visual notes/pure content shots.
 
This doesn't really answer the original post, but then, it might be useful to others, and it may even help the OP.

Like Francisco I'd go for two RF cameras that can accept the same lenses. I prefer Leicas, but any mix of Leica, ZI and Bessa should be OK. Why RF? Size, weight, and besides, I prefer them.

Put the two lenses you use most on these two bodies. Then carry one, two or at most three other lenses.

I've just come back from 3000 miles on a motorcycle (France, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany) where I used a 35/1.4 Summilux (80-90%), a 75/2.5 Summarit (10-15%) and a 15 Voigtländer (the rest).

If I go by car I normally add the 135/2.8 Elmarit: it's a big heavy bugger but I do like it for landscapes. I may also make substitutions, e.g. 21 for 15, 50 for 35, 90 for 75. But any more than that is just too much to carry when you're NOT taking pictures, e.g. when you're having dinner at night.

Ultimately, though, I find that one or two lenses do the vast majority of what I need, and I'd rather lose a few pictures than struggle to carry 'just in case' lenses. I'm not happy leaving 5.000 to 10.000 euros in a hotel room so I tend to carry the kit instead.

Cheers,

Roger
 
tom.w.bn said:
In Germany Diesel is only 3-4 Euro Cent cheaper than Gasoline right now. The difference was much greater some month ago. So it's probably not worth the effort of switching to a Diesel Car.

I don't know if you like old industry architecture. I do. An hour away from Cologne you find old industry sites where back to the 1980's coal an steel was produced. They transfered these sites to very interesting museums.

There are "Landschaftspark Nord" in Duisburg and "Zeche Zollverein" in Essen.

You can search in Flickr for the words Landschaftspark or Zollverein to look at many photos.
Click to expand...

You can get an extra 30% mileage with Diesel vs.Gasoline. That's a 30% saving.
 
I am going to Europe next week. I am taking three cameras and it may break my back.
I am taking an M8 with four or five lenses, a Canon XTi with one 17-85mm zoom, and a 120 Iskra 2. I know I should just take one camera and one or two lenses. I always overpack. When will I learn...
Eric
 
I just came back from a trip to England and Germany and I took my two MPs with a 35/2 on one and a 75/2 on the other. That took care of most everything. Very occasionally I needed a wider perspective and I had the 24/2.8 in the bag for that. Didn't use it much though. Looking at the pix I might have done better with an 80 or 85 rather than the 75 but the 75 did just fine.
 
For those who carry 2 RFs, do you have one with fast film and one with slow film? Or one for color and one for B+W? I'm considering a ZI+R3a setup.

We've rented a diesel car for the first half of the trip, and I'll probably end up getting an expensive $280 Germany-BeNeLux railpass for the second half.

Eric T said:
I am going to Europe next week. I am taking three cameras and it may break my back.
I am taking an M8 with four or five lenses, a Canon XTi with one 17-85mm zoom, and a 120 Iskra 2. I know I should just take one camera and one or two lenses. I always overpack. When will I learn...
Eric
Click to expand...

Why two digital cameras? Seems like the M8 would be enough.
 
Hmm...

Without taking time to read the whole thread...

Take the ZI (and all mentioned lenses - especially that j9. I'd have killed for it in the day) & the Rollie. Get, unless you have one & didn't mention it, a 50 for the ZI. Personally I find 25/28 to be wide enough though most people seem to think I'm cracked 😉 It really is a taste issue. Perhaps you could rent a 21 & see how it works first?

One final thing - Rothenburg ab der Tauber. Go there. Only city in D-land where the old walls are still fully intact. There is nothing like a picnic with bread, meat, cheese & wine from all local shops in the former moat. That is what Americans think of as the stereotypical medieval town.

Enjoy!!!

William
 
only reading the title line
"Germany and the Netherlands: What to take?"
my immediate response will be: shelter.

(for the ones not familiar with european sports .. i refer to soccer (football))
 
Sam N said:
For those who carry 2 RFs, do you have one with fast film and one with slow film? Or one for color and one for B+W? I'm considering a ZI+R3a setup.
Click to expand...
I use the same speed film in both cameras, B&W or color. So I've taken Reala and Agfapan 100 for example. Last trip to Germany the new T-Max 400 was in both cameras. I like to have the same ISO in both as that makes it easier to make quick sunny 16 adjustments.
 
I have already indicated that most of my cameras are 120s. Normally I load Fuji 160S and 400H print films in 2 different cameras. I found the 160S (though not a high contrast film) very suitable for landscape and buildings in Western Europe.
 
I was thinking of a mix of Tri-X (to expose at 1200-1600), Neopan 400 (@640), Kodachrome 64, and some sort of color negative film. Are there any slower films that will give me very clean, low-grain results with Diafine, or should I just get a normal developer for that?

wlewisiii said:
One final thing - Rothenburg ab der Tauber. Go there.
Click to expand...

It's on the itinerary already 🙂

sebastel said:
only reading the title line
"Germany and the Netherlands: What to take?"
my immediate response will be: shelter.

(for the ones not familiar with european sports .. i refer to soccer (football))
Click to expand...

I was just reading a guide about the Netherlands and its people. It said they are very tolerant, but that one should never mention the performance of their football team around them.
 
Sam N said:
For those who carry 2 RFs, do you have one with fast film and one with slow film? Or one for color and one for B+W? I'm considering a ZI+R3a setup.
Click to expand...
Dear Sam,

For me, one colour, one mono.

Nowadays I usually substitute the M8 for the colour body, which means that I need three or four lenses instead of two lenses and that I never have quite the same focal lengths on both bodies, e.g. 21(28), 35(47), 75(100).

Ideally I'd use four lenses: Tri-Elmar 16-18-21 (21-24-28); 24 or 25 (36 or 37); 35 (47); 75 (100).

Fortunately my wife normally carries 18(24) and 50(75), again with two bodies, but she uses film only; usually one slow, one fast (both mono) but sometimes one colour, one mono.

Cheers,

Roger
 
Recently had a successful trip to Amsterdam with a Leica 35/50/90 and Rolleicord Vb. As on previous travels this combination worked well, enabling both light fast spontaneous shooting as well as more reflective work with the bigger camera (particularly good for the 17-18th c. canalside architecture).

However I never took them out at the same time: too heavy together, although the Rolleicord is both lighter and less bulky than the Leica kit. So I'd only recommend the combination if you're prepared to leave one camera at the hotel.

The OP's ZI outfit plus Rolleicord V would be very similar.

Now I'm starting to print the results it's noticable that most of the best are from the Rolleicord...

Regards,
D.
 
D.O'K. said:
Now I'm starting to print the results it's noticable that most of the best are from the Rolleicord...
Click to expand...

Exactly. Because you are using 6x6 on 120, your film size is some 4 times bigger than 135. There is no David beating Goliath in this field! And bigger is better, especially with your Rolleicord lens too. That's why I will be heavily biased in favour of 120 with my travel gear. Even a Yashica 124G will beat your Leica or what have you 135 format when you start looking at 24x36 inch enlargements.
 
Wait a minute ... you're planning to travel through Germany and Holland and THEN go back to wherever it is you came from? I don't know how old you are but if I were you I would bring all my important personal documents as well and plan to seek asylum.
 
Amsterdam will be very nice in August, but California is the place to be for most of the rest of the year 😀

"USA #1"

PS: Happy 4th of July!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom