Holiday In Italy

[daaris]

I am going on vacation to Italy soon, for three weeks. I am having problems deciding what to take. I know a similar thread was started in the recent past, and I have read through it. Still cannot decide, wish I had a Leica to make my decision for me! I have a recently overhauled Cannonet that I am leaning towards, though I love the easy of use and quality of the GSN. Which would you all bring? Then there is the Olympus Ace, interchangable lenses, I have also.

Then the film question. I have read up on some here I have not shot with, and I have some I am more familiar with I will take. Fuji Neopan Acros 100 and Reala I have more experience with, though I have been looking at Fomapan 100 as well, it seems more versatile. Any other suggestions?
Maybe I should take them all.

 

[gavinlg]

IMO take both the GSN and the Canonet - one for b&w and one for color. Possibly take the olympus as well if you feel the need for interchangeable lenses.

With the film, I would go reala and superia 400 (cheap but great film) and for b&w probably something like Ilford HP5 or fuji neopan 400, for the reason that they can be shot at heaps of different speeds and are very versatile

 

[nico]

Hello Daris,
I hope you'll have a nice holiday here in Italy!
I recently spent some days in the southern Tuscany and Umbria travelling through small villages and I mainly used a Bessa R with a 50mm and a Bessa L with a 21mm both loaded with Ilford Hp5 (hope I can share some shot in the Gallery right the next week...). About film, please keep in mind that Italian towns and villages have - often - very narrow streets where exposure maybe tricky in summer because of strong light/shadows plays, so bring the film you are used to shot with so you know how to manage difficult/tricky light situations.
Hope it may helps you in someway. 🙂
Ciao

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Reala would work well with southern European light. It's bright and clear weather right now and will stay that way for many months. My light today is 125/f16 for ISO 100.

As nico says the light can be difficult to handle. The sun is very strong, and the shade is dark. Our eyes cannot see it but the camera does, and you can get some very bad shadow lines if you don't take care.

Also a widish lens (35mm?) would be good in the narrow streets that you will find here.

 

[Sparrow]

The Ace loaded with Reala or Superia would be my choice. The ace is cool, and looking cool in Italy is important, Reala or Superia for the range, as Jon and Nico say the light can be a challenge, de-saturate if you need black and white, I always trot out this shot, white marble in full Med sunshine outside full shadow inside de-saturated Superia 400, sorry if you’ve seen it before

 

[daaris]

About film, please keep in mind that Italian towns and villages have - often - very narrow streets where exposure maybe tricky in summer because of strong light/shadows plays, so bring the film you are used to shot with so you know how to manage difficult/tricky light situations.
Hope it may helps you in someway. 🙂
Ciao

Nico and Jon, thanks for the useful seasonal/arch. info. Looks like I will be sticking with what I know best, Neopan and Reala. I might experiment with a roll or two of unfamiliar film.

Stewart, nice shot, and I hadn't seen it prior to your post! As far as looking cool in Italy, no chance, I will look like a textbook tourist with cameras and all, I am sure!! I don't have time to get the Ace CLA'd, I think it needs some adjustments before it put it through its paces in travel. Cannonet, Yashica, and non-RFs for this trip. Maybe this time next year I will have a Lieca.

Thanks again for the replies, any recommendations on a good camera/film shop in Naples?

 

[nico]

hello Daaris,
if you bring other cameras than Canonet and Yashica bring also, as stated above, a wide lens if you can because many (almost all) towns and villages have very narrow streets and alleys and you may have fun using a wider lens there.
Do not mind about photo shops, try a real pizza (called "pizza a libretto") in Via dei Tribunali in Naples ... be careful ... it gives real addiction!!!
have fun,
Nico

 

[daaris]

Okay! We will visit Via dei Tribunali, one of the oldest streets in Italy?
I have decided not to bring film with me, I will just buy over there. Carry on baggage restrictions have increased since last year going through Heathrow, I need all of the space I can get!
I am bringing a 16-35mm lens, for use on my 20D. I wish I had a wider lens for my RFs, in time! That should do the trick for those narrow streets. Again, thanks for the insights, much appreciated!