how much film would you take on holiday?

[Addy101]

How much do you photograph? Do you want to use B&W and Colour? Do you want to use a low ISO film for the daytime and a high ISO for night time? To many variables. I can tell you MY experience the last time I travelled with film, it was to Albania in 2008.

One 36 exposure 100iso film (Reala) a day for daytime.
Two 36 exposure 800iso film (Superia) a week for evenings.
For two weeks this meant 14 rolls of 100iso and 4 rolls of 800iso.

But if you're a careful photographer you can get by with half of it and if you're worried you run out of film, you need double this. It all depends on YOU.

 

[rjstep3]

But if you're a careful photographer you can get by with half of it and if you're worried you run out of film, you need double this. It all depends on YOU.

I personally plan on taking 20 Velvia 100 rolls plus whatever is the fridge (like 5 Ektar at the moment) - but it struck me that years ago I would have taken far less. Looking at holidays taken 20 years ago, I came back with 4 or 5 films exposed, so I might have taken 10 rolls, but only used 5. Interesting that now I plan on taking double the quantity, perhaps the influence of digital where for a few years I just got used to shooting everything indiscriminately.

rjstep3

 

[Addy101]

Hmmm, back then you probably were careful not to waste (expensive) film and didn't make pictures because you were unsure it would work. With digital you probably learned more about what will and won't work - so, now you will take pictures you would never have taken in the days of yesteryears because you didn't know it would work and now you do. At least, that is how it works for me.

 

[presspass]

Last time I traveled a distance - Prague - I took 20 rolls for a two-week trip. It wasn't enough. I bought more locally and was introduced to Foma 200 that way. If you can buy more where you're going, the number of rolls you take is not important. If you can't get the film you must have, take more, a lot more, than you think you'll need. Even if you have to throw it out, it's still cheaper than booking another trip to get the pics you missed.

 

[taemo]

since I'm one of those that doesn't primarily shoot film (film B&W as companion and if in the mood some color E-6 or C-41) I budget 1 roll per 2 days.

 

[robert blu]

When traveling is one roll per day + a few ones as reserve. Lately I tend no to shoot very much. But if it is a real holiday just to relax, sleep, walk, eat even less...or as last time it was only a few Impossible and Fuji packs, total around 50-60 exposure for two weeks.
robert

 

[Canyongazer]

Twenty rolls seems about right but if you want to cover the bases---slow and fast B&W, slow and fast color---maybe not.
I'd recommend you figure what you anticipate needing and then bring 2X that amount.
Why not? You can bring unexposed film back home.

OTOH: I recall returning from a two month trip to France back in 2003 and going through security at CDG airport with a small suitcase full of 120 film, most of which were exposed. It took an excruciatingly long time as he examined each individual roll. Just barely made the flight.

Today you could get that suitcase of film onto two 32GB memory cards and avoid the metaphoric colonoscopy, too.

 

[aoresteen]

I took 30 rolls of 135-36 B&W film to Germany in Oct but I was there for 3 weeks. Weather didn't cooperate so I only shot 20 rolls. But it's better to have it with you than to run out.

 

[Tom A]

I generally take 2-3 rolls pre day and camera. Depends a bit on where I am going. If it is a "shooting" trip - even more film. As I usually take three cameras - that becomes 7-8 rolls/day - all black/white.
It is always better to shoot more and edit later - and even with todays inflated TriX prices - it's cheaper to bring too much film than having to conserve film at the end!

 

[Leica All Day]

I generally take 2-3 rolls pre day and camera. Depends a bit on where I am going. If it is a "shooting" trip - even more film. As I usually take three cameras - that becomes 7-8 rolls/day - all black/white.
It is always better to shoot more and edit later - and even with todays inflated TriX prices - it's cheaper to bring too much film than having to conserve film at the end!

I agree 100%.... If I'm just out and about in Bangkok I'll have 2-3 rolls, but when I travel to Myanmar/Cambodia/Laos or in Thailand (outside of Bangkok) , 8 rolls a day is my general rule.

Cheers, michael

 

[DNG]

When my parents did overseas holidays, he would take 20+ rolls of Kodachrome/Ektachrome per country...
typical holiday would be 3-4 weeks long

My dad would average around 350-400 slides per country (3-4 140 slide carousels) per country.

Obviously he shot closer to 10-13 36x rolls....

 

[jazzwave]

If you are going alone, I'd say 2 rolls x day so 30 should suffice. If you go with your wife, divide this amount by 10. 😀

mfogiel,
I have to agree with this suggestion,need 1 roll/2days, take shot pictures for 1 hour per day.

The remain time is following our wife when shopping and watch her when use my credit card..😀

~ron~

 

[Lss]

My rule of thumb is to slightly overestimate based on past experience and expectations, then round up to a nice even number, and finally double that. Goes for film and memory cards. Should probably go for batteries, too.

I have often outdone my initial estimate, but never ran out of film or space when following the above "rule".

 

[Oscuro]

Minimum 10 rolls per day. That ain't much. As a comparison, when I was shooting Kodachrome, a two-week travel/editorial job would call for a minimum of 40 rolls a day.

 

[chasfreeland]

Travelled to Sri Lanka a few years ago, photographing the ancient monuments. Used medium format, tripod. That slows down the exposure rate considerably. But 35mm, I'd budget for at least two rolls per day. It's a photogenic country, especially in and around Kandy, and the ancient cities of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya. Colombo wasn't so nice, but lots of people photography in the evenings out along the city seafront. Don't be caught short.

 

[awalkinthestreet]

It really depends for me on where I'm going and the access of film locally. When I visited Tokyo for 5 days last year I took 30 rolls, but knew that I could buy more locally if needed. Next year I'm planning a 10 month trip which I'll be sending 200 rolls to my first location, which is less than a roll a day but I won't be shooting daily and won't have access to buy more film.

 

[rjstep3]

In the end ...

In the end ...

Just in case anyone is still following this thread, I am now back from Sri Lanka.

I overbought and took over 40 rolls of 135 film with me (mostly Velvia 100). In fact, where we were visiting was under the deluge of a late monsoon, so there were limited opportunities for photography in the early days (and 100 ISO film was quite the wrong thing to take).

The total tally was 28 rolls exposed: now the enormous charge for processing and weekends spent over the scanner.

rjstep3

 

[sara]

It depends on the holiday 🙂

I voted for 5 because I would just buy film if I needed it.

If I ever could visit America one day, I would bring about 20 rolls and shoot 1-2 a day! Other short trips...not so much unfortunately...

 

[13Promet]

Sri Lanka is quite rich about shooting opportunities, and quite hard to find film in case you run out of it.
I'd bring 30-35 rolls if i were going analogue only, 10 less if digital too.