Help! Student needs advice for Europe travels!

david3558

david3558

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Hi friends,

My name is David and this summer I will be traveling to Europe for the first time. I will be attending summer classes at London School of Economics - though I am extremely excited for my classes, I am even more ecstatic about the fact that the Olympics will be going on! After my studies, I plan to travel around Europe on somewhat limited funds before I return back to the states:

July 1 - Aug 10: London (Possibly Paris on a weekend)
Aug 10 - Aug 21: Barcelona, Florence, Berlin

I know I will be visiting many places, and I have already finalized these plans (as in tickets/housing all booked) - so I really was hoping to get some advice about traveling as an amateur photographer. I enjoy shooting film photos with my beloved MP but I also want to get some feedback on how you guys and gals like to travel. That is, what gear do you travel with and how can I best prepare myself? I am very concerned with security issues and I don't want to lose my MP while I'm out and about. I know the horror stories don't happen to everyone, but I clearly will look like a tourist (as I am of Asian descent). What accessories may help me?

Here is the gear that is available to me, but I want to travel on the light side!

Leica MP + Summicron v3 (50/2) + CV Nokton MC (35/1.4)
Canon 5D2 + 17-40L (f/4) + 28-135
Canon G10 (Powershot, old 'pro' point and shoot)
Domke F3X bag
Pacsafe 25L daypack (daypack with anti theft features, maybe I can buy an insert?)

Finally - I plan to be shooting primarily in B&W, but if you have any suggestions for color film that is relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain in London or the States please let me know. I like my G10 but I wonder if it can serve as a secondary camera well enough.

Thanks again everyone!
David

Edit: I am tempted to save up and buy a Billingham in the UK..
 
Traveling around Europe is fun and easy, at least in the EU. I just returned from six weeks of Spain, France and the UK. Our eighth trip to Europe. Best advice is travel EXTREMELY LIGHT. I've tried light (M3 w/50 collapsible 'cron), and heavy (2 Nikon F bodies and five lenses) and I can say unequivically, LIGHTER IS MORE FUN!!!
We made our first trip in our middle thirties, and are now in our late sixties. We now pack for four days, no matter how long we're traveling. I carry one carry-on suit case and my camera bag. On RyanAir and EasyJet, I put the camera in the suitcase and carry it on. (they only allow one carry-on item.)
I'd recommend that you don't casrry a whole lot of film. I had 20 rolls of Tri-X with me this time and we had MANY X-rays en route. Buy film as you go, BUT do your research first so you don't buy from the wrong shop and thus pay too much. Mail the film home once a week or so, always shooting a short roll of C-41 and processing it at a one-hour place as a test of your camera.
Leave the DSLR home. (or leave the MP home, yeah, right!)
Have lots of fun. Learn a new language. Eat some foie gras.
 
Thank you so much for including that link - lots of great advice there.

However - what is everyone's thoughts on actually going about Europe? I bought one of those anti theft Pacsafe camera straps for the body but I am not sure if that is even necessary.

I used to have a Hassy 500CM and I enjoyed the shots I got but I can't imagine traveling with one!
 
Vics said:
Traveling around Europe is fun and easy, at least in the EU. I just returned from six weeks of Spain, France and the UK. Our eighth trip to Europe. Best advice is travel EXTREMELY LIGHT. I've tried light (M3 w/50 collapsible 'cron), and heavy (2 Nikon F bodies and five lenses) and I can say unequivically, LIGHTER IS MORE FUN!!!
We made our first trip in our middle thirties, and are now in our late sixties. We now pack for four days, no matter how long we're traveling. I carry one carry-on suit case and my camera bag. On RyanAir and EasyJet, I put the camera in the suitcase and carry it on. (they only allow one carry-on item.)
I'd recommend that you don't casrry a whole lot of film. I had 20 rolls of Tri-X with me this time and we had MANY X-rays en route. Buy film as you go, BUT do your research first so you don't buy from the wrong shop and thus pay too much. Mail the film home once a week or so, always shooting a short roll of C-41 and processing it at a one-hour place as a test of your camera.
Leave the DSLR home. (or leave the MP home, yeah, right!)
Have lots of fun. Learn a new language. Eat some foie gras.
Click to expand...

Vics - awesome advice on the testing the camera out with a short roll of C-41. Seriously. I just don't know what other issues I may run into, obviously I am hoping nothing goes wrong! My camera's been working pretty well for me so far, so fingers crossed.

Question - won't my film get X-Ray'd when I mail it home?

David
 
You'll save quite a lot by stocking up on film before you leave as it tends to be more expensive in Europe. You will pass a lot of x-rays, but unless it is fast film, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Your back will thank you if you leave the 5D at home, but I've travelled with a 4x5 and a huge wooden tripod when I was young and foolish, so I have no right to speak.
 
Ditto the advice on buying film here. I will be traveling to England this summer and so checked the price of film there, rather than enduring the security scanner hazards. I was shocked to find that the film in England was the same price in pounds as I generally pay in dollars here - so with the exchange rate, it would be considerably more (1.6x) per roll. As I was planning on buying A LOT of 120 film for the trip, I decided to put up with the security indignities and save a couple of bucks.
 
About traveling in Europe... There are dodgy areas where London's worst scoundrels will be on the lookout for valuable items. Amsterdam train station is particularly renowned in this respect.

Don't do anything dumb, don't leave a bag untended even for a moment. Don't leave a valuable camera on the table while you turn the other way. Take the care you would take in NYC (more than you would take in the Back Bay) and you'll be fine.

Second the advice to travel light, whatever that means to you. For me, that's a D300 and the 18-70 kit lens, polarizer, tiny table-top tripod, a couple memory cards, charger, and electrical adapter.

Buy film here, not there.

I read about the Pacsafe. Interesting, but a bit over-kill in my view.
 
I have a friend who studied at the LSE for 4 years. When I visited him from Boston, continuing my European travels afterwards, I took two cameras and soon realized that one was enough.
Bring your MP+50+35 and your G10 for color snaps (yeah, I know-- two cameras, but the G10 is small).
 
Hey everyone - thanks for the advice. I think I'm going to do just that - G10 along with my small M kit. What do you all think about how to carry my gear? I'm not sure if I should get a bag other than my ratty F3X - I'm afraid it "looks" like a camera bag. What'd you guys use while there?

Thanks!
 
Security--

If you can, keep your hands free when you get on subways, avoid rush hour, the most crowded stations, -- if you are targeted, it will be a group, and what ever is taken will be quickly passed off. Keep your stuff in front of you.

And, an Inland Marine policy added to home owner's insurance is all risk, and mine is about 2% of value per year-- covers impact damage, loss, theft, etc.

Lets you enjoy yourself, no point in having to think about security all the time.

Night trains, my friend's son's car was robbed while they were sleeping, they took all the cameras, except for the Leica Mini I loaned, it was not digital. ;-)

I normally put camera cases in a roller carry on when traveling, looks like everyone's.
 
david3558 said:
...
I used to have a Hassy 500CM and I enjoyed the shots I got but I can't imagine traveling with one!
Click to expand...

Perhaps you need more imagination.

In a kinder, gentler world I traveled around Europe with this...

8.%20Mamiya%20C220%20(2).JPG


and one of these...

CanonIVSB2.jpg


...and carried everything in a German canvas rucksack. The rucksack and the negatives and slides are all I have left.

Given all of your worries, I suggest you take the G10. 😎

Wayne
 
Just use whichever bag you like and is convenient. Any self conscious attempt to blend in or not look like a tourist is bound to fail. My experience when I travel is that people often ask me directions or the time in the local language, but when I am at home with a camera out there is always some hawker trying to get sell me a ride on some tourist trap. You are not likely going to be going to very scary places. Take sensible precautions that you also take at home, and you will be fine.
 
...and another thing:

Carrying a fancy new Billingham bag is going to scream, "Hey! I'm a Griswold! Come and get my stuff."

Wayne
 
Travel rule no. 1: Pack light. My usual kit for long journeys is an M6 with a 50 and a 35 like you have. And maybe a good P&S camera for the pocket.

If you live in the States, perhaps film is cheaper to bring along. EU prices can be high.

Unless you go out of your way to look for trouble, the places you mention are safe aside from the occasional pickpocket. And all are nice cities. Berlin is like the New York of Europe. It's super cheap too, and color is film available at low prices in many supermarkets.
 
david3558 said:
I know I will be visiting many places, and I have already finalized these plans (as in tickets/housing all booked) - so I really was hoping to get some advice about traveling as an amateur photographer. I enjoy shooting film photos with my beloved MP but I also want to get some feedback on how you guys and gals like to travel. That is, what gear do you travel with and how can I best prepare myself? I am very concerned with security issues and I don't want to lose my MP while I'm out and about. I know the horror stories don't happen to everyone, but I clearly will look like a tourist (as I am of Asian descent). What accessories may help me?
Click to expand...

David,
I shouldn't worry too much about standing out, larger towns and cities in the UK are relatively multi-cultural, there are many Chinese who originate from Hong Kong (Kai on Digital Rev TV has an English accent), South East Asians and peoples from all over the Indian subcontinent. An American accent or differences in the way you dress are much more likely to stand out. As for crime, just take the same precautions as you would in any big city.

The UK transport network is London centric, so you can get a long way in a couple of hours. I'm not sure what you want to see, but you could consider Bath, Oxford, Cambridge or York which are easily accessible by train. You can also get the Eurostar train to Paris/Brussels.

Tom
 
tombla said:
David,
I shouldn't worry too much about standing out, larger towns and cities in the UK are relatively multi-cultural, there are many Chinese who originate from Hong Kong (Kai on Digital Rev TV has an English accent), South East Asians and peoples from all over the Indian subcontinent. An American accent or differences in the way you dress are much more likely to stand out. As for crime, just take the same precautions as you would in any big city.

The UK transport network is London centric, so you can get a long way in a couple of hours. I'm not sure what you want to see, but you could consider Bath, Oxford, Cambridge or York which are easily accessible by train. You can also get the Eurostar train to Paris/Brussels.

Tom
Click to expand...

Dear Tom,

Thank you very much - I think at this point only my accent would give me away. I've been fortunate enough to be an avid follower of European tailoring and sartorial inclinations! 😛

Perhaps I will just go with the Domke bag that I am used to using... thanks for the recommendations on using the Eurostar, I believe I will attempt to visit Bath and Paris while I am there, perhaps on a weekend!

Best - David
 
London advice: don't take a map or one of those bloody fanny sacks! Use an iPhone or a little A-Z book and you'll be fine.

PM me if you want to know about London locations. For one thing, I run a little blog about London's markets you might want to check out, www.marketpeople.org

Good luck at the LSE, my niece is there and having a blast... very handy for the British museum and some nice camera stores!
 
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