In a week I depart...

Harry S.

Harry S.

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...On a 2 month vacation to Japan.

This is a trip that has been over a year in planning, desired since I last visited Japan in 2009. Even so, camera choice even up until 5 minutes ago has been a contentious subject.

The problem with me, and I think many people here; is we are spoilt for choice. I have all the cameras anyone could ever need, but I find an excuse for all of them. The DSLR is too heavy, the mirror-less not quite delivering on image quality and the Leica without the convenience of aperture priority. First world problems.

I've decided to go with my Mamiya 7 and 65mm lens only. There are lots of problems with this choice. Its big, slow lens and lack of digital convenience the main ones. What I can't deny is the image quality it (and its film) is capable of. I also like that it doesn't have the modern conveniences of digital. No facebook status pics while on the road. Just (hopefully) quality when I get home, re-igniting some of the magic and adventure and uncertainty of travel photography.

Sorry and thank you for the long winded post and for reading this far. I'm just really excited at this realization.

Regards,
Harry.
 
I don't think it is wise to go on such an important trip and long vacation with only one camera and one lens, especially when it is film.

You have made your choice, but I would always carry a backup, light, quality digital camera (probably a mirrorless) just in case. You never know what could happen.
 
I'm currently at the end of the second week of a 3 week holiday -- 2 weeks in Italy and 1 week on a Mediterranean cruise (boarding in 2 hours). Gear I have with me are my NEX6 with 16-50mm and my ZI with ZM 35/2.0 and ZM 50/1.5.

I have found that while I have shot 2-3 rolls (Neopan 400) per day with my ZI, I have captured an average of 350 images per day with the NEX6. I'd be happy with a 10% return (i.e., "good" images).

So, while the intent to be a "purist" while on holiday is admirable, I'd say be practical and bring your mirrorless camera as a back up, if nothing else. Also, if you do bring a digital camera, make sure you have sufficient storage. RAW images take up a lot of storage.

Most of all, enjoy your trip!!!
 
Today was wet and cold in the Tokyo area... but November, December is a great time to visit. Kyoto in mid November will be beautiful... What are your travel plans in general?

Casey
 
There's a huge difference between choosing gear in the morning for a day of shooting, and for a long planned, two month vacation.
I would go out with one camera for one day.
When travelling, I would take as much gear as I would think I would even seldomly use, plus a back up in mind.
Unless you are going to move places a lot and live in places where leaving your gear in your room is a problem.
Taking only one camera on even a few days trip is a major "no go" for me.
 
Thanks everyone....this is tricky.

My Brother and I are starting November 6th in Shinjuku, then to Okinawa and Miyakojima, Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands. Roughly 3-4 days in each. Then back to Fukuoka. Between 20/11 and 22/12 we will be travelling all major cities of interest on mainland Japan. We will then spend a week skiing at Hakuba. Between Christmas and 15th January we will spend amongst the Tokyo area.

What I want do do is create a quality set of pictures. Im willing to forgo some of the nice-to-have touristy detail pictures, like maybe food pictures and the like. Im inspired by the following photographers, all who use the Mamiya 7.

http://www.hinius.net/atf.php
http://www.chloedewemathews.com/caspian/
http://erisyo.cn/
http://strange.rs/projects/dungeness-2/
 
Well Harry sounds Grand... Have a Lovely trip
Shoot, Shoot , Shoot

And No worries about one camera, one lens
If something happens and you need another Camera
No better place than Japan to find One ;)

Enjoy !!
 
Its probably true that there's no better place to find a camera than Japan, but too bad if your only camera dies while you're at Miyakojima, Ishigaki, Iriomote, or Hakuba because you won't find a replacement there. So take a backup! If it was me, I'd probably take the Mamiya 7 and 65mm lens and a mirrorless body with a small reasonably fast prime lens.

BTW I'm originally from the Gong so know exactly where Shellharbour is ;)
Drop me a note if you'd like to meet up for a coffee or something while in the Yokohama/Tokyo area.
 
Harry S. said:
What I want do do is create a quality set of pictures. Im willing to forgo some of the nice-to-have touristy detail pictures, like maybe food pictures and the like. Im inspired by the following photographers, all who use the Mamiya 7.

http://www.hinius.net/atf.php
http://www.chloedewemathews.com/caspian/
http://erisyo.cn/
http://strange.rs/projects/dungeness-2/
Click to expand...

sounds good, looking forward to seeing them
although keep in mind, Hin has been working on those galleries for years
if you start a nice set in Japan, later you might want to go back and finish it :)
 
Certainly can understand how you feel about it. I did have a 6 week SE trip 3 years ago and was hard to choose even which film to take.

Next trip in a few years time will be harder because of the choices and combinations. I doubt I might have a MF RF of the level (which I'd love to but I will just have finished college, no $$).

I certainly have thought about it, mind boggling. Which lens, how much film. If I go MF then bring perhaps 3 formats? MF, 35mm, Digital; which digital? Yes/no/yes ... and until you take the plunge for something :D
jonmanjiro said:
I'd probably take the Mamiya 7 and 65mm lens and a mirrorless body with a small reasonably fast prime lens.

BTW I'm originally from the Gong so know exactly where Shellharbour is ;)
Drop me a note if you'd like to meet up for a coffee or something while in the Yokohama/Tokyo area.
Click to expand...
Agreed on the small mirrorless. I like to bring a digital that is "smaller" than the film set and compliments it. GM1 looks good for the future trips.
As a student, I think of bringing backups but find that a bit too much and overwhelming; preferring to take a complementary camera. Well, and Japan might not only be good for what is cameras... Plenty of film seemingly too!

Never been there, but everyone says it's a great place.
Enjoy the trip!
 
Harry
I like the fact that you are 30, a 'ranga, and an Aussie from Shellharbour! And half my age.
You will be fine with your choice. I took one lens (an X100s!) on an O/s adventure earlier this year and the 35mm FOV worked just fine. Prior to that I've taken one camera / one lens to Vietnam and France (a 6x6 folder of all things!). It's liberating, and that's the most important thing.
Had a look at your blog. You know what you're doing. Send pics.
bon voyage (never could read any of the signs in Japan)
Dan
Brisbane
P.S. what Ms Hill says is something to keep in mind - Japan is the mother lode for an additional camera, or lens.
 
Thanks everyone!

I'll take the advice here and pack an X100 into my bag and try to forget its there unless I really need it.

Hopefully I'll have a few nice images to share upon my return. jonmanjiro i'll likely take you up on that offer when Im in Tokyo!
 
While you may need a backup camera in case things get problematic, I think it's ok to have the one camera one lens. If you need tourist snaps (which we all do) then you can use the phone.

One camera and one lens is a great philosophy (very Zen of you). When you use only one lens one body, you train yourself to maximize the effectiveness of both. Shooting part time with digital is a distraction IMHO.

Plus, if you have technical issues, you could always pick up another mamiya 7 in Japan :).

With the lens choice - I approve. The 65mm is not the best portrait lens (like the 80mm) but it's wide enough to be very useful for landscape and could still take portraits.
 
Hi Harry - sounds fantastic with a two months trip to Japan.. I know the feeling you are describing and I always find it hard to select, and not least to exclude, my favorite cameras when I go traveling. However, I also found that less is more and bringing too many camera and options will just destract me from the actual shooting (what camera to use, which lens, is it safe to leave my gear at the hotel) which hereby mitigates the enjoyment of shooting..

To travel with a medium format like the Mamiya 7 as your main and primary camera sounds like the way forwar, and the limitating of choises will allow you to focus more on your subjects, enjoy the moments and capturing some high quality photographs..

However, for me, capturing causual memories when travelling is a essential part of the enjoyment and I would always bring my phone or a small digital camera to take causual, and not nessessary very photogenic, snapshots of your hotel rooms, the man behind the desk, a funny commercial etc..for me, my phone is the favorite choice for these kind of pictures and I great joyment in it´s limitations..

Enjoy your trip and let´s see some pics once you return...
 
Haha thanks man!

I actually posted a thread a few days ago in the Critique/Salon forum but forgot to update this one!

Thanks again :)
 
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