Hiking with cameras

[ZeissFan]

I generally take a Contax IIa with 35-50-135 lenses and the turret finder. I also usually pack a folding medium format camera. Then I add a meter and film for both cameras. This has been my basic travel setup for some time, although I sometimes will sub the Contax IIa kit with a Rolleiflex SL 35 E SLR and three lenses: 25-50-135. Then I don't need the meter, but I'll pack a spare PX28 battery for the Rolleiflex.

 

[Vics]

I don't know as I don't bring a lot of stuff with me when I go on a journey. Going to Houston soon to see my son, his wife and our grandson. Will take a IIf with a 50mm Summicron, lots of film B&W only, maybe a small Sigma digital although my iPhone does a good job with stills and video.

Oh, I almost forgot, I will bring my trusty Sekonic light meter.

Did I say lots of B&W film?

That's it.

When I served in the military I only had one camera, a Nikkormat with a few lenses.

I'm a minimalist!

Plus one. Take the M6 and one lens, with lots of film.

 

[Pioneer]

The last time out I packed my Fuji GF670, time before as well. This time I carried 5 rolls each of TMX100 & 5 rolls of Delta 3200, a couple of filters, a hood, case and a light tripod. It was a nice compromise.

Next time I will try packing in my Zeiss Ikon Icarette 551/2. If Barnack would have been packing one of these into the mountains he may never have invented the Leica. 🙂

My hikes do not last anywhere near 5 weeks though. One night in a sleeping bag is plenty enough for me.

 

[ktmrider]

Take the M9 and 2 lenses. Four batteries give you over 1200 exposures and you mention hotels on your route so any chance to recharge would extend your capability. Forty rolls of film would be a lot to pack to get the same number of shots.

As I stated before, I want to take an M9 with 21/35/90 with two batteries. Everyone has advised to take a backup or a film M but I got to say they won't be carry the gear. If the M9 breaks, I will buy a point and shoot when I get back to town.

 

[benji77]

Have a great trip!

I am in the same shoes as you, deliberating on what I shall bring for a 12 day hike in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Its more difficult than I thought!

 

[alan davus]

I've been a hiker for near 40 years and still head off into remoter, often untracked regions for up 12-13 days where everything has to be carried. Generally speaking my pack would peak at around 19 kilos with food for 2 weeks. (Most of my longer trips are in New Zealand and carrying water is not a huge concern.) At the moment I'm using a little Fuji X10 with 5 batteries and my days of carrying a Leica and 2-3 lenses are long gone. My philosophy has always been "take absolutely everything that's necessary and absolutely nothing else". If you are staying in hotels or huts and don't need to carry little more than your jimjams and a toothbrush take as much as you can comfortably carry.

 

[benji77]

my pack would peak at around 19 kilos with food for 2 weeks.

My philosophy has always been "take absolutely everything that's necessary and absolutely nothing else".

Wow. 19kg. Thats excellent packing! Its tough to pack so light yet with all the necessities.

Wise words you have there, many thanks!

 

[Scrambler]

As I stated before, I want to take an M9 with 21/35/90 with two batteries. Everyone has advised to take a backup or a film M but I got to say they won't be carry the gear. If the M9 breaks, I will buy a point and shoot when I get back to town.

I checked and my advice is consistent - weight is a major factor.

FWIW, attached is my 2 week packing, including hiking in the PNG highlands where heavy rain is a given, visiting the lowlands where malaria is a given, and generally being prepared for anything short of a blizzard. Weight, carried and worn, fluid (for air travel). My total weight, including worn clothing, is around 9kg.

This is the walk - the rain was letting up by this stage! The phone and the camera were both waterproof- which proved very handy.

0890 by Scrambler@4350, on Flickr

 

[Scrambler]

I've been a hiker for near 40 years ... If you are staying in hotels or huts and don't need to carry little more than your jimjams and a toothbrush take as much as you can comfortably carry.

Great advice Alan, but after 40 years you probably know the answer to the last, while the OP may not.

Your 19kg pack weight would be 2/3 food (+fuel), wouldn't it? Perhaps a better comparison for the OP would be the weight your pack comes home at - i.e. what your necessities and emergency reserves weigh.

What feels fine at home for 5 minutes is so different to what feels fine after a full days walking.

 

[nongfuspring]

Everyone has really good advice!

I dont hike, but I do travel light (<8kg backpack) for months at a time. I take an x-e1 with 35mm 1.4 and a recently CLA-ed canon ql17 giii for backup in my bag. Both cameras are relatively cheap so I can replace them easily on the road should anything go wrong. I've also come to realise (in spite of bitterness for leaving my favourite cameras at home) the obvious fact you can only use one camera at a time and for many if not all situations switching lenses is inconvenient if not impossible. So I think in your shoes I'd stick to one camera and one lens, maybe the M9 and biogon.

 

[Bingley]

This is my Sierra Nevada backpacking photo kit. B&W film in the IIIc, color in the Rollei. Works perfectly and not too heavy:


Travel Companions by bingley0522, on Flickr

 

[Sam Kanga]

Have a great trip! (oh take the elephants)

The hiker/cyclist ethos is to pack light and efficiently. Although I use and love my Leica film M's I wouldn't take them hiking (chapeau to anyone that does) - too much weight and bulk for me. I connected with the intrepid Chris Townsend last year, and follow his blog. Here is a bit about his camera choice. http://www.christownsendoutdoors.com/2013/09/sony-nex-on-scottish-watershed.html .These days with so many small digital cameras we have a lot of choice.

Sam

 

[alan davus]

Great advice Alan, but after 40 years you probably know the answer to the last, while the OP may not.

Your 19kg pack weight would be 2/3 food (+fuel)

Food for 2 weeks would be about 5.5 kilos. I use gas not white fuel these days. My stove weighs 84 grams and for a long trip I take 1 full 230gm gas cylinder plus a half size one. My tent is just over a kg, sleeping bag just under. Heaviest item is my Macpac Torre rucksack which is 3kg but I refuse to take an ultralight pack. Macpacs are simply indestructable. Other than one pair of socks, jocks and lightweight shorts I carry no spare clothes. Best way to dry wet clothes is to wear them (generally one layer at a time).......Having said that I am not considered an ultralighist by their fraternity. They sleep under tarp shelters, blah, blah, etc. etc. and look down on anyone who doesn't do it their way. I avoid them like the plague as all they want to talk about is gear. Fortunately they don't usually venture where I do. On my last trip with a Leica (my M6ttl) some years ago I drowned it in a river in New Zealand and my wife wont let me take the ME (that was a condition of buying it.)

 

[YYV_146]

I've been a hiker for near 40 years and still head off into remoter, often untracked regions for up 12-13 days where everything has to be carried. Generally speaking my pack would peak at around 19 kilos with food for 2 weeks. (Most of my longer trips are in New Zealand and carrying water is not a huge concern.) At the moment I'm using a little Fuji X10 with 5 batteries and my days of carrying a Leica and 2-3 lenses are long gone. My philosophy has always been "take absolutely everything that's necessary and absolutely nothing else". If you are staying in hotels or huts and don't need to carry little more than your jimjams and a toothbrush take as much as you can comfortably carry.

I second this. My health hasn't been what it used to be since a major lung surgery three years ago. After it I decided to continue taking hiking trips, but I started watching how much I carry very carefully. Multiple prime lenses comes very close to falling into the "unnecessary" category...Now I usually carry a light mirrorless body, a kit zoom, 4-5 batteries, a small filter kit (mostly plastic slides) and the lightest full size tripod I can find. If I know what I'm expected to see I sometimes carry two primes instead of a 16-70 or 28-70, but the whole package never exceeds 2-2.5kg's.

Also, considering the potential camera-related dangers of the wild, I certainly wouldn't take a Leica on a long trip. Best to have something both weatherproof and easily replaceable.

 

[Ronald M]

How do you limit yourself?

Pack the gear and hike 8 hours. If you are too tired, take something out.

On the real trip, the only option will be to leave something in the wilderness,

I would take one camera and one lens, multiple cards and batteries. Probably a 35 or 50.
Make panos for wide and crop for tele. YOu will not have to worry about sensor dust.

 

[Scrambler]

Great advice Alan, but after 40 years you probably know the answer to the last, while the OP may not.

Your 19kg pack weight would be 2/3 food (+fuel)

Food for 2 weeks would be about 5.5 kilos. I use gas not white fuel these days. My stove weighs 84 grams and for a long trip I take 1 full 230gm gas cylinder plus a half size one. My tent is just over a kg, sleeping bag just under. Heaviest item is my Macpac Torre rucksack which is 3kg but I refuse to take an ultralight pack. Macpacs are simply indestructable. Other than one pair of socks, jocks and lightweight shorts I carry no spare clothes. Best way to dry wet clothes is to wear them (generally one layer at a time).......Having said that I am not considered an ultralighist by their fraternity. They sleep under tarp shelters, blah, blah, etc. etc. and look down on anyone who doesn't do it their way. I avoid them like the plague as all they want to talk about is gear. Fortunately they don't usually venture where I do. On my last trip with a Leica (my M6ttl) some years ago I drowned it in a river in New Zealand and my wife wont let me take the ME (that was a condition of buying it.)

I think that puts things a little more in persepective, thanks Alan.

I'm no ultralight camper, but it has influenced my approach. And yours, I see.

The main thing, IMHO, is to be confident that every gram is there for a reason that will satisfy me when the inevitable fatigue + aches set in. Your MacPac bag would be an example. I personally would use either the lighter pack of the list above, or a 1.4kg more rugged (and older) one. You are satisfied with your pack and happy to live with any weight compromise. You won't sit down after three days and go "I wish I'd brought the 500g ultralight spiderweb instead."

 

[finarphin]

Once I hiked the John Muir Trail with my view camera plus all the accoutrements. I wasn't thinking of limiting myself. It ended up there was a lot of nausea and exhaustion, but we made it. Took some pictures, too. I was young then -- that was the key.

 

[Paul Jenkin]

When I was a younger and MUCH fitter man, many moons ago, I used to take an Olympus OM2n + 28mm and 50mm lenses. That was mostly because it was all I could afford but it also packed very small.

My hiking was not on the scale you are doing. Mine would be one week (max) and usually in the English Lake District or Scottish Highlands (high walks not just valley bottom walking). I used to carry a tent or bivvy bag. I also hadn't used or owned medium format kit at that point.

My head tells me that if I knew then what I know now, I'd still try to travel as light as possible. My heart tells me that I'd probably have a go at trying to carry a Hasselblad 500c/m and 50mm lens (or a Mamiya 6 +50mm lens) + something like a Ricoh GR1v for snaps "on the hoof".

 

[alan davus]

What you have take into consideration is, what is more important, the journey or the photos that you bring home from it? When I drowned my Leica M6 crossing Six Mile Creek in New Zealand it was on the first day of what turned out to be a 13 day trip. I didn't obviously bring home one photo but it was one of the most unforgetable hikes I have ever done. If you take too much gear the journey will suffer. But if the photos are more important, carry what you can. Me personally, I just love being in the outdoors and the pictures I bring home are just a bonus.

 

[Nzed]

Went on a hike just last year. Brought just my Nikon FE2 and the 50mm 1.8 E. It was a little tight because of the 50mm lens but overall it was nice and simple!