Ideal camera/lens for Venice

I'm definitely veering towards the M3 + 21/50/135 and the Hasselblad + 80. I don't think I'll take the 50 or 150 Hasselblad lenses but I will take a couple of A12 backs so I can have colour as well.

I'll probably take another 35mm body for a different film type: I quite like having one with PanF+ and the other Tri-X.

For the 120, I have some Neopan 400 that I should use.
 
The problem with Venice is that it has been worked visually since before 1600.
So you cannot photograph something that has not been painted or filmed before.
Color is almost a must during Carnival.

That said, B&W if you are going for prints might bring a new slant on an old theme.
Take a Hasselblad or Holga, so you get as much negative/pixel space as you can. for negatives or an M8 for Color.

Or an M film camera and just work on people.

That said, the only camera I had in 2002 was a Canon G1.

See
http://www.harrisfoto.com/drupal7/node/3
 
Right: decision made. I've packed this evening for the flight tomorrow. After long deliberation I have decided to take the following, for a completely analogue trip:

Leica M3 and Leica M2
Agfa Billy Record II (6x9 folder)
Harman Titan

Lenses for the Leicas are Zeiss 21/4.5; 35/2.8 and 50/1.5 plus Leica 90/2.8

I'm taking a range of films:
35mm - Tri-X, Tmax400, Fp4+, Neopan1600, PanF+, Acros100, CHS25
120 - Neopan400, Acros100, CHS50, Provia400
5x4 - FP4+ and Ektar 100 (pluc changing bag and film holders)

I know others will recommend one, or two, film types but I have a lot of odd rolls that need using up.

I won't carry all of it with me all of the time. I'll let you know how I get on.
 
Right: decision made. I've packed this evening for the flight tomorrow. After long deliberation I have decided to take the following, for a completely analogue trip:

Leica M3 and Leica M2
Agfa Billy Record II (6x9 folder)
Harman Titan

Lenses for the Leicas are Zeiss 21/4.5; 35/2.8 and 50/1.5 plus Leica 90/2.8

I'm taking a range of films:
35mm - Tri-X, Tmax400, Fp4+, Neopan1600, PanF+, Acros100, CHS25
120 - Neopan400, Acros100, CHS50, Provia400
5x4 - FP4+ and Ektar 100 (pluc changing bag and film holders)

I know others will recommend one, or two, film types but I have a lot of odd rolls that need using up.

I won't carry all of it with me all of the time. I'll let you know how I get on.

I'm off to Venice for few days next month and would love to know how you got on. Are the photos somewhere online?
 
I intend to go to Venice in early May. I'll be taking one digital camera(*) and a 28mm Summicron, a 75mm Summicron, and that 135mm Elmar I purchased especially for this occasion.

I usually shoot at 50mm. On my last trip to Venice, I found 50mm too limiting and ended shooting mostly with a 35mm. In retrospect, I found my photos uninspiring and lacking vision and focus. You can see them at https://flickr.com/photos/24226584@N00/sets/72157667591234582.

I distinctly feel the need for a wider lens and something that can reach out further and give me detail. I also think you need to be able to reach details that are further out when you are standing on the edge of a fondamenta. For instance, if you want to shoot Canal Grande or Dogana, I think it's more interesting to do so from the San Marco side, across the water. We'll see this year.

What I think is more important than agonizing over lens selection is focusing on an artistic vision. This year I'll try hard to emulate the spirit of Turner's depiction of Venice. We'll see how it goes. But it'll be color, it'll be luminous, and it'll involve locating the right point of view.

(*) My Monochrom is in NJ to have its corroded sensor replaced. My M10 is in the hearts and minds of Wetzlar assembly line personnel. I really, really would want to avoid shooting film, but I have a M4 for that purpose.
 
I intend to go to Venice in early May. I'll be taking one digital camera(*) and a 28mm Summicron, a 75mm Summicron, and that 135mm Elmar I purchased especially for this occasion.
http://www.labiennale.org/en/Home.html

The Biennale opens on Saturday 13th May 2017 -- to miss the Biennale?

There will be a lot of photography this year. I will go a little later so I can enjoy the beach at Lido.
 
I usually shoot at 50mm. On my last trip to Venice, I found 50mm too limiting and ended shooting mostly with a 35mm. In retrospect, I found my photos uninspiring and lacking vision and focus. You can see them at https://flickr.com/photos/24226584@N00/sets/72157667591234582.

They look very nice to me, particularly the colours in the shot looking up the Grand Canal.

I distinctly feel the need for a wider lens and something that can reach out further and give me detail. I also think you need to be able to reach details that are further out when you are standing on the edge of a fondamenta. For instance, if you want to shoot Canal Grande or Dogana, I think it's more interesting to do so from the San Marco side, across the water. We'll see this year.

Thanks, from looking round the forums that's pretty much the consensus. I'll take the 21mm Biogon C with me.

What I think is more important than agonizing over lens selection is focusing on an artistic vision. This year I'll try hard to emulate the spirit of Turner's depiction of Venice. We'll see how it goes. But it'll be color, it'll be luminous, and it'll involve locating the right point of view.

Was studying the Turners at Tate Britain just a few days ago. Simply wonderful. Perhaps we should both post our results in this thread when we get back. I'll be shooting b&w film exclusively. Have a great trip.

BTW I was last there exactly forty years ago with a Nikon F2 and 24mm/105mm combo.
 
35 alone, or if you really need more than one lens, 28+50.
Nothing wrong with cliches.


Everything is wrong with cliches. Better off buying set of postcards..

Meanwhile I support one cam two lenses approach - 28 and 50.
Another thing to keep in mind - it's very wet and humid there, near the water.

I was thinking for a while what approach to take and ended up with series of multiple exposure images from Venus. Another try was fisheye lens.
 
I remember seeing a later version Kiev 4 RF camera for sale in a shop window in Venice in 1977.
 
Everything is wrong with cliches. Better off buying set of postcards..

Meanwhile I support one cam two lenses approach - 28 and 50.
Another thing to keep in mind - it's very wet and humid there, near the water.

I was thinking for a while what approach to take and ended up with series of multiple exposure images from Venus. Another try was fisheye lens.

I get the impression that you think it's impossible to avoid cliches with Venice -- which may be true -- so why bother to photograph there at all?
 
I remember seeing a later version Kiev 4 RF camera for sale in a shop window in Venice in 1977.

The post of a true RFFr. Forget the Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs etc., the thing that sticks in the mind is that tempting Kiev 4 in the camera shop :rolleyes:
 
I think what to bring depends more on your shooting style and project than on the location.

A moderate wide and or a normal could resolve most of situation. If you style requires more specific lenses go for them.

robert
 
I get the impression that you think it's impossible to avoid cliches with Venice -- which may be true -- so why bother to photograph there at all?

This could be now applied to anywhere in the world I'm afraid...

I remember seeing a later version Kiev 4 RF camera for sale in a shop window in Venice in 1977.

It may have been in the small photo shop located just behind San Marco in a narrow street and which was still open when I was there in 1983 but is now closed, abandoned and ruined (been there again on last October).

Speaking of clichés when you speak of Venice is a cliché by itself. Properly looking at Venice and understanding the city requires some special skills, especially by now - the situation of the Serenissima is getting really nasty, which is a tragedy for everyone.

If you shoot film, taking more film rolls than lenses with you would be the real advice wouldn't it.

You have to accept to get lost and to look at things some local cats will randomly drive you to...


S502.jpg


[With a RF camera and 50mm lens both made very long ago, and some HP5+]
 
Venice, Paris, London... here is absolutely no difference at all.

If you are into your own post card photography, which was mentioned as cliche here - bring tripod and camera which supports T&S. It will take the moment and space you have observed.
If you are into the "street" photography it doesn't matter which city, but how busy it is.
For less busy (more space between buildings and less people) I prefer 50mm lens. Once city gets narrower by the streets and busier by pedestrians I need to switch to 35. If it is very crowded and tight - 28 and wider.

Most of my travel across Europe (Venice included) and USA was done with wide lens film P&S. I was very selective and two weeks trip would not even finish 36 frames roll. I never took post card pictures, but something which was me. Something personal. Looking at these pictures now, brings me to these places and moments. While, post cards are meaningless even if place on photo is the place your are at this moment. It has to be the place and the moment to be related to you.

And I have no idea why some are taking 90, 200 lenses on any trip :).
 
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